The Exciting Life of Joy

From A to Z

2011-10-07T16:25:00.002-05:00

From A to Z

It's been a long time since I've done a blog meme but I saw this one on Deanna's blog, Tea With Dee and figured it would be something fun to post while Ben is napping. Enjoy!

A. Age: 25
B. Bed size: Queen. But I long for a King size bed since our youngest child periodically likes to sleep with us. He and my husband are bed hogs!
C. Chore that you hate: Dishes. I would almost pay money for someone to come in and do only this chore.
D. Dogs: My husband has an 8 year old Yorkie named Curly. Notice I say my HUSBAND has a dog. I, however, do not. But I would love to have my very own little Shih-Tzu...or Chocolate Lab. : )

E. Essential start to your day: My Herbalife tea and shake
F. Favorite color: Green
G. Gold or Silver: Definitely silver. I think gold is kind of gaudy...
H. Height: 5'5"
I. Instruments you play: Clarinet and Alto Saxophone - but it has been quite awhile, so I probably wouldn't sound too good! ; )

J. Job title: We'll go with Domestic Engineer. ; )
K. Kids: Carter, my big 6 year old, and Benjamin, my precious baby 2 year old. They are the lights of my life and have taught me how to keep smiling even when I don't want to!

L. Live: Happyland.
M. Mother's name: Melinda

My beautiful mother and me. : )

N. Nicknames: Well, the obvious....Joyous, Joyful, Joy to the World. Then my husband Josh, calls me Joyosephine. Lord knows why, but I think it's pretty cute, so I let him. : )

O. Overnight hospital stays: Both of my C-Sections but nothing else that I can remember.

P. Pet peeves: Judgmental people and close-mindedness

Q. Quote from a movie: The Joker: Never rub another man's rhubarb. - Batman (1989)

R. Right or left handed: Right.

S. Siblings: Two younger brothers, Micah (23) and Cameron (15).

T. Time you wake up: Sometime around 6:45am...but not by choice. I am most certainly not a morning person.
U. Underwear: Hmm, mostly boy shorts or bikini cut from Victoria's Secret.
V. Vegetable you hate: I keep trying to like Asparagus, but I really don't. Or turnip greens. *shudder*
W. What makes you run late: Procrastination. I always wait till the last minute to do my hair or pack the diaper bag.
X. X-rays you've had: Dental, ankle, and knee. But I haven't ever broken anything. I sprained my ankle but they wanted to rule out a break because it was so swollen.
Y. Yummy food that you make: I'm not big on cooking, but I've been known to make a mean grilled cheese. ; ) I'm trying to learn to love it. I prefer baking things from scratch like brownies and vanilla cupcakes.

Z. Zoo animal: It's a tie. Between Snow Leopard and the Elephants.

Now it’s your turn! I’d love to read your responses,

so if you choose to do this meme,

please leave a link in the comments!

Some days...

2011-06-12T15:27:00.002-05:00

There are times when I get so angry about what Benjamin is going through. I feel like this could have been prevented if I had been seeing an OB doctor that gave a crap. I was high risk, but treated like any other pregnancy. I have been asked many times "Why don't you hire a lawyer?" and to tell you the truth, it has crossed my mind. But it would be a long, hard fight and one that I would likely lose. Even if I did win, it wouldn't take the Cerebral Palsy away. It will always be here...keeping Ben from a normal life that he deserves. While that doctor goes on practicing medicine; her life completely unchanged. I shouldn't continue to be angry with her, but anger really is hard to let go of. Especially when it's about something that affects my child.

I was looking at pictures today of other children that have CP and are much older than Ben. It was extremely difficult for me to do. Not because the children are hard to look at, they're all beautiful. But because someday, that will be us. My child's life is ruined because of the negligence of a doctor that didn't care. Nothing in the world will make it better. Not even suing her out of revenge. Because that's exactly what it would be: revenge. It doesn't look good on anybody. Anger is an ugly emotion....

I just pray that other parents in our town do not fall prey to the same negligence that we were served. We only have one OB clinic and only 2 OB doctors. You are required to see both doctors, the PA, and the midwife at some point. Oddly enough...I only saw my "doctor" twice my entire pregnancy. If I ever need an OB doctor again, I will not be going to that clinic. I'm not sure that i'm a big enough person to face the person that I feel was a big part of the reason Ben will lead a very challenging life.

- Posted using BlogPress from Joy's iPad

And the winner is...

2011-06-03T20:41:00.004-05:00

After Josh's car was officially totaled, we were obviously in need of a car to replace it. We went with a...

2011 Nissan Pathfinder S!

What drew me to this vehicle is that it had a 3rd row seat, but we can also fold the back row down and haul things in the back. There is also a tow hitch receiver, so if needed, we can tow small loads. Most SUV's with 3rd row seats were out of our price range, but we were able to get this one within the range we wanted/could afford.

Now THAT is a happy man! : )

- Posted using BlogPress from Joy's iPad

Anti-Depressant

2011-06-01T22:38:00.003-05:00

I struggle every single day with depression. It is a big black rain cloud that hovers over me everywhere I go. (I also deal with mania occasionally, too. But that's another story for another post.) I have plenty of things to be angry and sad about it. Plenty of things to complain about. Don't we all? I am not an optimist, so sometimes it's hard to see the good in bad situations. But, I'm a realist. So I don't always see the bad, I just see what is reality. Good or bad.

I continually watch the posts of some people on Facebook who are always whining or complaining about something in their lives. Nothing GOOD ever happens to these people. At least that's what they'd have you believe. I have caught myself thinking "Well if you were in my shoes...", then I stop and think "Wow, if they WERE in my shoes, they'd be able to find the good in their lives."...hopefully. I live everyday with a child that may not walk for months or years...or ever. We don't know if he'll ever roll over on his own or hold a spoon and eat on his own. We DO know that he is an absolute angel who is almost always smiling. He attracts people with his gigantic, sparkling blue eyes and big grin. He brightens the day of people he comes in contact with. He is happier than people I know that have never thought twice about putting one foot in front of the other and walking...or picking up a fork and eating. He is aware of what others are doing and that he can't do those things. Yet, he is HAPPY.

I strive to be as happy as that baby boy. He helps me be happy. He reminds me that life...even when it kind of sucks...really isn't so bad. He is one of my anti-depressants. : )

- Posted using BlogPress from Joy's iPad

A Total Loss

2011-05-25T18:07:00.003-05:00

My husband was recently in a wreck in which he was very lucky. A teenage girl not paying attention, rear ended him going at a high speed. The skid marks are only about 6 ft long, so when she hit it was almost at her top speed because she hadn't been trying to stop for long. The impact was so hard his seat broke and the car was spun completely around. He made it out with no bones being broken and no other serious injuries. The angels were watching over him that day.

Below are a few pictures of the car:

It has been officially totaled and we have purchased a new vehicle. I will post pictures of it once it gets to the car lot to pick up...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

All for the love of a baby boy...

2011-03-13T16:31:00.002-05:00

I would do absolutely anything for my kids.

This whole social security process is tiring, but hopefully in the end it will be worth it and Ben will get the things he really needs. We have reached a point where we NEED certain equipment for him...special stroller, braces for his feet, a stander, a special car seat, etc. We are also going to need specialists for some of these things, which is where the disability comes in to help.

He is making a lot of progress with his limited physical therapy, but we can only go so far with that. We will eventually need the equipment to help him be more mobile. That is really our main goal at this point: mobility. For you or me, it's easy. We want to stand up and walk..so we just do it. It's not so easy for Ben. We learned recently that his gross and fine motor skill levels are at that of a 5/6 month old. His social skills are at the level of a 10 month old. Ben is 18 months old...so we have a lot of work to do. We want him to be able to get to where he wants to go.

All of this is going on for Ben while we also received a diagnosis from our pediatrician for our 5 year old, Carter. We have been having trouble with him at school, and home, but mostly at school. He has been officially diagnosed with ADHD. I am currently reading a book titled "Parenting Children with ADHD: 10 Lessons That Medicine Cannot Teach You" by Vincent Monastra. I'm hoping if I educate myself more, I'll be able to help my son better. We are currently on our 3rd medicine for him, but are looking into a child counselor and possibly homeschooling him. He's an extremely intelligent boy, but it's hard to see sometimes because of his lack of impulse control at school. They are considering holding him back in Pre-K, but I don't agree with this decision. Academically he is where needs to be for Kindergarten and with more help his maturity level will be where it needs to be as well. I'm getting sent elsewhere to get him help, but not so much support from the school system. This is why I'm considering homeschooling him. He will get the attention he needs and I'll be able to help him with his impulse control and inattentiveness.

I have been blessed with 2 very special boys, that just happen to require a little more attention than other children. I love them both with all of my heart and hope that someday with my help they'll both be compassionate and productive citizens.

I pray...

2010-10-04T21:37:00.000-05:00

Somedays I cuddle Ben and imagine what life would be like without Cerebral Palsy involved. Would he be into everything he could get his hands on? Or would he still be a "sit back and take it all in" kind of guy? When I found out I was pregnant with Ben, I was so thrilled! Of course, you start imagining what it will be like when they get here. No one ever thinks that their child will have something like C.P. I know I certainly didn't.

Of course, life doesn't always go the way you imagine it will...

That said, I wouldn't trade Ben for anything in the entire world.

We sit in my recliner, he smiles at me as I make some sort of silly noise or sing his favorite songs and steals my heart all over again. But amidst the happiness, I can't help but feel complete sorrow. Sorrow for what he's missing. I pray daily that he won't ever know what he's missing. I pray that he won't notice people looking and wondering. I pray that with all of the physical therapy that we're doing that maybe, just maybe, he'll be able to lead an independent life as an adult.

Exhaustion.

2010-10-04T02:58:00.005-05:00

Well, I'm up rocking Ben to sleep again.

I am no longer tired. No, that bus left the station a long time ago. I have reached the point of complete and utter exhaustion. Ben's sleeping schedule turned into that of a newborn (well, very similar) over a month ago. I can't tell you the exact day it started, hell, I do good to tell you what day we're on right now most of the time.

One thing I can tell you, I have a wonderful husband. He takes turns with me so that I'm not the only one getting up. Now, don't start that "but it's his child, too" junk...believe me, I KNOW. But how many husbands/fathers that you know, are going to get up every other night 2 or 3 times a night then get up for work a couple hours later? Yeah. Not very many. We gripe and fight just like any normal married couple over other normal things, but we're exhausted. When it comes down to it, we know how much the other person really does and both of us appreciate it. Neither one of us could imagine doing this alone. Ever.

Being Truthful..

2010-10-02T10:40:00.001-05:00

If I have one more person tell me Ben is "getting there" or "getting better" or anything of the like, I just might scream. I know they're just trying to be encouraging but it tends be more frustrating. Cerebral Palsy is not something that just "gets better", it's not progressive, but it does not just "get better" either. As a mother I already feel as if I should be able to do something for my son who has to sit back and watch as everyone moves around him. Who has to wait to have the food brought to his mouth because he cannot pick it up himself. Who has to do physical therapy everyday with his mama because he's so tense that he cannot rollover, sit up, crawl, stand, or walk. It absolutely kills me that he cannot go and do like a "normal" 13 month old.

How about everyone just appreciate Ben for what he is? A joyful, happy, smiley baby boy who loves to be tickled and tossed in the air. He adores his older brother, who can make him laugh like nobody on this planet. I already know what we're going through. I have a feeling what we're GOING to go through. I don't want to hear that it's going to "get better". You don't know that. You cannot promise me that. I know I should be grateful for people trying to help me feel better. But the only thing that would make me feel better is if he did not have this. That is just me being truthful...

So where do we go from here?...

2010-09-25T18:15:00.002-05:00

That has been what I've been asking myself since we first found out that Ben would forever have Cerebral Palsy. What in the world do we do now? Well, I still haven't quite figured it all out yet, but I'm trying. Each day is another chance to learn something new. My husband and I are at different phases of our coping. I think it may take him awhile longer to get over the denial stage. I don't think I have ever been in denial to tell you the truth, though. I have been more angry than anything. Angry because Ben may never get to experience normalcy. But, really, normal is a pretty relative term I think. While I still have my days, I have mostly been okay.

We are still doing physical therapy twice a month and have an early intervention nurse that comes twice a month as well. He has come a long way since we first started, but still has a long way to go! He is starting to move his arms towards things more. He is loosening up much faster when we do our floor stretches than in the beginning and has good head control. We may soon be making splints for his feet for when we do PT and he needs to put pressure on his feet. You would have to see him in person to really get a clear understanding, but his feet turn noticeably outwards. So, we're going to try and correct that with just splints.

We recently had his one year check up with his pediatrician.. The doctor said he IS diagnosed with CP. Last check-up at 10 months, he was just leaning towards it. It didn't really come as any big surprise, but it still isn't something a parent wants to hear. He said that Ben is a smiling, happy baby with great head control. That he has very very stiff muscles, but his joints aren't locking up. If we hadn't been doing visits with a physical therapist and the EI nurse, he would be a lot worse. He was also a little concerned about his vocabulary, considering there is none. So we discussed possibly teaching him some sign language to communicate with us once his hands loosen up. Overall, a good visit, nothing overly exciting. Which could be considered a good thing.

I hope all is well in your part of the world, wherever that may be. : )

A Celebration!

2010-09-17T20:27:00.002-05:00

Carter's Super Mario Cake

Alright, so this is a little late, but, better late than never! We celebrated both of our sons' birthdays on September 4th and we had loads of fun. We had the bigger "party" at my dad's house and then I took the boys for some homemade sheet cake at my mom's. : ) My oldest turned 5 and my youngest turned the mighty 1! I can't believe how fast time flies when you're enjoying life. Last time I checked, Carter was 1 and could barely walk. Now he's writing his name and trying to teach his baby brother to talk. I love my life! Here are some pictures of the day:

The big 5 year old!

The mighty 1 year old!

Getting ready for some of his first cake!

Ben's Cake!

Daddy giving Ben his first bite of birthday cake!

Carter checking out his Papa and his crazy hat.

Carter blowing out his candles.

Homemade chocolate cake at Mimi's!!

Mimi and Carter

Mimi and Ben

That's all folks!

Our Perfect Baby

2010-07-25T20:09:00.007-05:00

This is a difficult post for me to write, because it is regarding the diagnosis of my youngest child, Benjamin. He is one of the happiest babies I have had the pleasure of being around. As long as he has his mama or daddy! He was blessed with a smile that can completely light up a dark room and a personality that can make your sad day into a happy one. The day he was born, we knew our lives had been changed forever. Although, I'm sure every parent feels that way, right? You can read about that crazy day here to see just what I mean.

I possess the same intuition that most good mothers have and knew that something was wrong around 4 months of age. Ben had not started reaching for toys, in fact, he showed absolutely no interest in them at all. He also despised tummy time, he would just "face plant" and scream the entire time. By the time he reached 6 months of age, he was not rolling over or even trying. This concerned me even more than the other two things. So, we went to his pediatrician who directed us to a program for early intervention.

In our visits with his nurse, we do stretches and massage to loosen him up. We have also been doing tummy time and "showing" him how to roll over. There has been a physical therapist pulled into the picture in the past month, to show us even more ways to work with Ben. He not only involves stretching and therapy, but shows us how to make it a fun time! This way Ben doesn't hate it so much and might actually enjoy it. We are learning how to use things around the house to help him roll over and sit up (which is also not able to do on his own yet).

Ben is now 10 months old and recently went to see his pediatrician. After working his legs and arms every which way and talking to me about what has been going on, he tentatively diagnosed him with Cerebral Palsy. Even though we have received this diagnosis, we will just continue doing therapy and early intervention, just like we're already doing. He said he does not think it has affected his thinking in anyway and that it is only mild to moderate.

Putting a title on what Ben has, is great so that we know what we are "dealing" with, but it did not change our feelings for him. He is still our perfect baby. He was made the way he was meant to be made and we wouldn't have it any other way!

My Boys.

2010-07-24T18:28:00.004-05:00

I love the three gentlemen in the pictures below.

Even though they produce several tons of dirty laundry a week.

Mama Loves You! Just stop getting your clothes so dirty! I can only wash so much at a time!

Slacker of all slackers!

2010-07-24T18:15:00.002-05:00

Don't yell at me! I've been busy and lazy and haven't had anything at all interesting to write about. Okay well, I still don't have anything particularly interesting to write about. But, you're here and already reading so you might as well continue reading or you would have wasted your time. Right? Exactly. I'm always right. Don't you forget it either, buddy! Okay, Okay... I was only kidding. Kind of.

Well, my life is monotonous. I get up, feed the kids, feed the dogs, clean house, feed the kids, clean some more, feed the kids, put them to bed, then go to sleep. Uhhh, yeah. RIGHT. I WISH that my life was predictable! I get up and just cross my fingers that nobody breaks anything or causes bodily harm to themselves. If I make it to noon without somebody calling me to run an errand for them because stay at home mom's have ALL KINDS OF time, then I'm doing fantastic. Not that I mind doing the favors, but sometimes I would just like a nice relaxing day of cleaning and feeding the kids at home. Without being interrupted. Is that too much to ask? *sigh* Okay, that's off my chest. I'm done with my ranting. For now.

We recently found out some news about our youngest child, Baby Ben, which I will write about in a separate post from this one. It is big news and I need to think about how I'm going to write the blog before I actually post it for the "world" to see.

Thank you for taking the time to read my little rant!

Let's go swimming!

2010-06-19T17:52:00.007-05:00

You know that it is officially summertime when you get to go swimming at the local swimming hole. The other day, I took my two boys and went with my dad and brother to a town about 40 minutes away to go swimming. Why would I drive 40 minutes away you might ask? Well, because it has a national park with several springs that are great for swimming in and all we have are a couple of lousy public pools. ; )

I took a few pictures of our day so you could catch a glimmer of the fun that my 4 year old son had.

We are also in the middle of "redecorating". SLOWLY, but surely. If I had thought of it, I would've taken before pictures, but I didn't. So you'll just have to take the after's and be happy. But, I hope that you have a lot of patience because that is what it is going to require. With 2 kids, a small decorating budget, and not all that much decorating time..it may take awhile. It will definitely all be worth it though!

At least I think it will be. Isn't that what matters most? ; )

8 months has come and gone..

2010-05-09T21:43:00.004-05:00

8 months ago yesterday, a baby boy entered this world under very traumatic circumstances. He almost didn't make it, but the Lord decided the world needed a little boy named Benjamin Wayne.

Here are a few pictures from his 8 month "birthday":

Happy Mother's Day to each and everyone one of the wonderful mother's that happens upon my little blog.

We're Country Folk Now, Ya'll!

2010-04-17T14:46:00.007-05:00

It has been quite awhile since I last posted, so a lot has happened!

We packed up all of our things and moved to the country.

The boys are absolutely loving it so far! We have 77 acres all to ourselves, who wouldn't love it? Oh, you mean not everyone? Well fine.

We also added a new family member, Miss Bella. We don't know what she is, we adopted her at a local shelter. She's quite the little heathen, but lovable nonetheless! She whines and chews and pees in the kitchen floor and scratches me when she gets in trouble. But, then gives me kisses and cuddles with me at night when she's all done playing with Carter and harassing Curly (our almost 7 year old yorkie).

Last, but not least. I got a makeover! Kind of. I dyed my hair dark and cut around 5 or 6 inches off of it. I almost cried. It was tremendously traumatizing. ; )

Somewhere in there I had surgery and unpacked. : )

Ol' Blue Eyes

2010-02-24T19:28:00.004-06:00

These are the eyes of the most beautiful little baby boy on the earth. I might be a little biased though.

Deja Vu?

2010-02-19T22:26:00.004-06:00

Well, I am 100% certain that I have written a post about this before. But, people just seem to keep irritating me when it comes to this subject. The subject being: Staying home with your kids as opposed to being a working mom.

I have been both, so don't think that I have not walked in the shoes of a working mother. I really thought that your friends were supposed to be supportive, but maybe I was mistaken. I was visiting a friend today who mentioned that she was taking off for work for her birthday. I joked and said that I wish I could have taken off for my birthday. She then proceeded to tell me that I'm off everyday.

I tell you what, when you add another child to your family and stay home with them everyday, all hours of the day...then you can make cracks like that. Only THEN will you actually know what I do.

I only wish I had the balls to say that to your face. Although, I don't think it would have done any good, so I would've just been wasting my breath.

I can't wait for spring..

2010-02-15T23:36:00.005-06:00

With it is coming flowers, warm sunshine, and surgery. Wait, surgery? Oh yes. SURGERY.

I recently decided to have a visit to my gynecologist for some issues that I have when my Aunt Flo comes to visit each month. What I thought was going to be another normal visit to the doctor. One that comes with shiny, metal objects that get shoved up your...Wait. I'll stop there for the sake of those that may get queasy too easy. You get the point anyway. So, it was a normal visit.. you know, the 2 hours in the waiting room and another 45 minutes in the exam room..and so on. I finally have my check-up with the doctor who then decides to have me come into his office to write up a plan.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, I have a uterine septum. Which, if not removed, could cause very bad complications if I were to get pregnant again. (Yep. That'll be a cold day in hades.) I apparently got very lucky my first two pregnancies, but the doctor would prefer not to chance it again. So, that's where the surgery comes in. On March 24th, I will be having surgery to remove the anomaly that is my septum. Please be thinking of me that day!

After making up a surgery "plan", the doctor told me my next visits would be much shorter. He only has 1 or 2 cases a year "like me"(you know, uncommon) that come into his office. Lucky me!

Baby it's cold outside!

2010-01-29T17:49:00.008-06:00

As if it were not enough to have a ton of snow around Christmas, we were hit with yet another winter storm. We were warned by the weather men that it would be bad, and they were right! Fires, fallen trees, and power outages were just a little bit of what people in this area(and most of Oklahoma) got to deal with. My family has been lucky thus far having not lost power. It's still snowing so I'll just keep praying that we don't lose power!!

Through a New Lens

2010-01-27T15:18:00.005-06:00

I recently purchased a new camera! I felt like, my kids are only going to grow up once and I want the best possible pictures I can get. I looked at a lot of cameras in my price range and talked with a couple sales people at Best Buy, which helped me decide on the Nikon D3000. I am still very much a beginner and could use any advice you have! Especially if you've had experience with this particular model. I have taken a couple of pictures while playing around with the "Guide" mode on the camera, so here you go!

New Car!!

2010-01-15T11:29:00.010-06:00

I got a new a car yesterday! It is a 2010 Dodge Avenger SXT! Below is a picture from the dealerships website:

We decided since Ben is going to have a few more appointments in the city with his plastic surgeon, we would need a more dependable car. I had read about A LOT of different cars online and really liked the look of the Avenger. I test drove it and loved it even more! It just drives so well. It is the base model, but still comes with power windows and locks, keyless entry, and Sirius Radio. We got a pretty good deal: $2500 rebate, Tires for Life, and a lifetime powertrain warranty. I feel very blessed to have a new, dependable vehicle!

2010? Bring it on!

2010-01-10T20:02:00.024-06:00

Well, I have now been alive 24 years and 1 day. I am hopeful that my 24th year will be my best yet! I will tell you though, it will have to top my 19th, 22nd, and 23rd! It has been a nice, relaxing new year so far and I've lost a pound since the first. I don't know about you, but I plan on sticking to my New Year's resolution this year. I WILL lose at least 20 pounds this year. I haven't seen size 5 in a very long time and I would like to become friends with it again.

I have not posted in quite sometime, so I thought I would post some pictures of Christmas. Yes I know, I'm way behind. Just bear with me as I get caught up!

We opened our gifts early since we were going to be somewhere else on Christmas day. These first few pictures are here at home with my mom, stepdad, and youngest brother.

The next couple are from my Dad's..

These last pictures are from Christmas Eve and Christmas in Texas!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2009-12-01T12:06:00.003-06:00

I look forward to Christmas ALL year and finally got to put my tree up. Maybe I should just always leave my tree up since I love it so much...: ) I don't see my husband letting me do that though.

Life's Little Surprises

2009-09-14T22:03:00.008-05:00

Sometimes life catches you by surprises and throws things at you that you don't expect. One of those surprises happened last week to our family...his name is Benjamin! Ben was born September 8th, 2009 at 6:11PM by emergency c-section. He weighed 4 pounds and 1 ounce, measuring 15 3/4 inches long.

Ben was actually due on October 7th, so he was 4 weeks and 1 day early. I had been doing fetal kick counts since my third trimester began to make sure that he was moving enough and to make sure he didn't stop moving. On Tuesday the 8th, he moved at 5:00am and had not moved again by the time 1:30pm rolled around. I drank water, ate breakfast, drank a soda...but nothing happened. Josh begged me to call the doctor to find out what I needed to do, so gave in to make him feel better. They had me come into the office and hooked me up to a monitor to watch me for a little bit. I figured I would just be sent right back home, but I was sure wrong. After being hooked up for a little bit, we noticed a couple drastic drops in his heart rate. The doctor decided at this point to send me to the hospital for extended monitoring.

Josh and I got to the hospital around 3:00 or a little after, and had been hooked up to the monitor for not much more than 30 minutes when we finally talked to the on call doctor. He informed us that we would be having a c-section right away because the baby was in distress and we needed to get him out as soon as possible. He said he wasn't sure what was causing the distress, but we would obviously be able to find out when he opened me up. When I went in for surgery, he found out that Ben had been in so much stress in my uterus that he had had a bowel movement that he was smothering in. I apparently have a septum (a dividing wall inside the uterine cavity) in my uterus that made it very dangerous for Ben to be in there and made it to where he didn't have near enough room to grow. The doctor told us that if we had waited 2 more hours, Ben would not have made it and we were very very lucky. He also told me that Carter (my 4 year old) was lucky to have survived as well with my problem.

I have been told that in order to have anymore children, I will have to have the septum removed. So I guess that will be happening fairly soon as well...just in case.

That is story of the birth of Benjamin. ; ) I know that some of you may have wondered why he was born so early, and now you know!

(Please advise any woman that you know that is pregnant or planning to have children that they NEED to do fetal kick counts in your third trimester, no matter WHAT! These saved Ben! If I had not been doing this exercise, I would never have known that there was any cause for concern and would have lost my baby.)

Carter gets a new bike!

2009-08-31T11:52:00.003-05:00

My baby boy turns 4 next Sunday! I can barely believe it myself, it doesn't seem like 4 years have even passed! For his birthday, his Granny Donna and Papa Don bought Carter a new bike. I thought I would share a few pictures of the first time he rode it. It's a spiderman bike, with matching helmet and knee/elbow pads of course. : )

The first day of a whole different life...

2009-07-22T21:30:00.002-05:00

I went into the doctor today for my 29 week check-up. I found out that I need to gain more weight and I need to put more protein in my diet to help my nausea that i've been getting when I'm up on my feet during the day. She's having me drink a Boost shake in the morning at breakfast and after dinner. This shake contains a Boost drink for the protein and Vanilla ice cream for the calories, in case you were wondering why in the world she's having me drink a Boost shake. I really dreaded it, because I'd been told they weren't all that great, but I was surprised to find that it's actually pretty good. It's like a runny chocolate shake, but not overly sweet.

I also had my blood pressure taken, which is a normal check-up thing to do. What was a little alarming today was that my blood pressure was 90/43. Pretty low, right? Yeah, I thought so. Apparently they're aren't too worried because I always run around 97/68 or something close to that. So my body is used to running on a blood pressure this low, which makes it normal for me, not "low".

The biggest news received today was that I will be having my C-Section on October 1st. So on that day, I will become the mother of 2! We will welcome Benjamin Wayne into the world! I am so very excited to know exactly when we will get to meet our new bundle of joy. It will definitely be the first day of a whole different life. One that I can't wait to start!

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-04T13:06:00.003-05:00

I hope everyone has a very safe and enjoyable 4th of July! : )

Here are couple of pictures of my cutie pie!

Summer Fun!

2009-05-31T18:25:00.005-05:00

Josh and I took Carter to the pool for the first time of the summer today! Actually, it was his first time EVER at this particular pool. I took a few pictures and thought I would post them. You'll have to excuse the pictures, they weren't anywhere near me and I couldn't see because it was BRIGHT outside.

What a face!

2009-05-29T11:42:00.004-05:00

Even if you're in a horrible mood, how can you NOT smile at that face?

I have some chores to catch up on before the hubby gets home from work, but I thought I would stop and share that with you.

So, SMILE already! : )

Come on 40 weeks!

2009-05-27T09:11:00.006-05:00

I am 21 weeks into my pregnancy and already squinting to see if I can see that finish line. Some of you that know me, know that for about 10 weeks I went through an enormous amount of severe nausea everyday, all day long. Not exactly my idea of fun. One can only imagine how excited I was when I hit week 16 and it was gone. I just woke up one day and not an ounce of nausea. We all know, however, that all good things must come to an end at some point. I woke up Monday feeling quite nauseated...oh and Tuesday..and again today. Apparently Mother Morning Sickness has decided to grace me with her presence yet again. I guess she has forgotten that you're only supposed to get sick during the FIRST trimester. I guess there a spare few of us that she likes to continue to torture throughout the pregnancy. How incredibly lovely.

Cross your fingers that it goes away for the sake of my sanity and health. Also for the sake of my husbands sanity and health as well, I think he's going to go crazy before we reach 40 weeks. Bless his heart, he can only take so many moods in one day! If you see me and I stare you down with an awful sort of glare..don't worry, it's not you. It's me trying not to puke all over you. That or you smell. I'm sure it's the first choice, so don't rush to throw on some strong smelling perfume, then I really will puke all over you. That would be bad for both of us. Now that I"m sure you will avoid any place you think I might be, I'm going to end this right here.

Have a wonderful and nausea-free day!

Our little Benjamin

2009-05-22T14:02:00.006-05:00

I offically was 20 weeks along on Wednesday the 20th, which was also the day we were supposed to find out if we get to shop for blue or pink. Of course, MY baby wouldn't cooperate and crossed it's legs the entire ultrasound. During the ultrasound, we were told some disturbing news. The technician was seeing an amniotic band that had formed in my uterus at some point and the baby was also showing to be 2 weeks behind in growth. For anyone who does not know what an amniotic band is, it is a band of fiber that has the potential to wrap around organs, hands, feet, anything on the baby and cause minor to major deformities. We of course are in shear panic after finding this out!

My OB decided to send us to a specialist in Oklahoma City for a high resolution ultrasound so that we could find out if we in fact were having these problems. We were very blessed in that we got in Thursday. So we drove up yesterday to a center at Mercy hospital to see the specialist. The technician looked at the baby first to measure everything and of course to see if it was a boy/girl. The baby decided to cooperate this time around and spread it's legs wide open for us--we are definitely having a baby boy! Of course after this excitement we get to visit with the doctor, who also checks everything and measures.

He told us that there is no amniotic band. Apparently I have a irregularly shaped uterus, so it was the septum the technician here in Ada was seeing. My uterus also tilts to the right. All of this together can cause pre-term labor, c-sections and difficulties in growth due to there not being enough room for the baby. This could also be the reason the baby is measuring small, although it is measuring 1 week behind instead of 2 weeks. So for now everything looks good and we go back to see the specialist in July to make sure everything still looks okay.

Here are a couple of pictures, they didn't put any profile pictures on the cd for us, only a print out:

It's definitely a boy!!

Here's his little foot!

My "Green" Wishlist

2009-04-23T17:07:00.016-05:00

I thought I'd share a few things I am wanting to get. Soon. When bills are paid and all that jazz...feel free to buy one for me. ; )

A cute Sigg bottle for Carter..

A wonderful Sigg bottle for Me..: )

A few of these glass straws ..

Also some of these biodegradable trash bags..

Oh and I also have one thing on here that really isn't all that green, in fact it isn't at all..but I want one so bad!

A Nintendo DSi!

That's it. For now...

Frustrated..

2009-04-12T20:26:00.003-05:00

Well, in February I was put on Jury Duty. As most of you know I stay home with my son, and it is way out of the question to take a 3 year old with me to court. I was put on an on-call list and assured that I more than likely would not be called at all so not to worry. Low and behold, I get a message 2:00 on FRIDAY afternoon telling me to report MONDAY morning at 8:30am. I called all of my available *Free* babysitters and no one is able to get off of work this week, so I called back an hour later to talk to someone. The person who called me had already left for the day so I have to call at 8:00 in the morning to get excused. IF they will excuse me. I think people with small children who stay home should be exempt from jury duty. Those of you that know me know I have pretty severe anxiety and since I'm pregnant, I'm not on any medicine to control this. So, I have stressed myself out to the point of less sleep and being sick for hours last night. Cross your fingers that someone up there has compassion for this stay at home mom tomorrow and excuses me. *sigh*

I'm not very good at this..

2009-03-25T17:20:00.005-05:00

Today, I lost an important man in my life: My grandpa. He earned a few degrees in college after not even going to school in grades 10-12, served in the Korean War and World War II, he raised 5 kids, and was married to my grandma for over 50 years. He loved to garden and go hiking on his 80 acres of land in Happyland when he was able to. Sometimes he was a little rough around the edges, but he did love his family in his own way. I have lost a grandpa and gained a guardian angel. I know that he hasn't left us, but now he's watching over us. I will always miss you Grandpa. Always.

Grandpa and I at my grandparents 50th Wedding Anniversary party Sept. 2008

I need a maid..

2009-03-14T11:58:00.003-05:00

Don't we all need a maid? I wish I had someone to clean for me so I could spend more time on my blog. I guess I probably still wouldn't spend very much time on it. Just to show you how I have been feeling for the past few weeks, I will show you This:

I'm out of sorts and quite exhausted. This whole making a human bit is very tiring stuff. Plus a couple days ago I decided this apartment needs an overhaul, but sadly enough I've only made it to my bedroom. I'll clean all day, then my body punishes me and tells me I'm doing too much by making me very sick. I will fight back, soon. Then I will actually get more than a little cleaning done in one bedroom. Or maybe I will just give in and hire a maid. It would definitely get done faster..and I wouldn't be punished so often for actually doing things. I didn't feel near this horrible with Carter, I was able to do whatever I wanted without any bad consequences, i.e. Nausea, Headache, Exhaustion, Nausea, Exhaustion...I could go on. Plus, my allergies/asthma are twice as bad as they have been. Anyone with asthma knows how miserable this can make you. But I'm used to pretty mild asthma, now I feel like someone is constantly sitting on my chest making it very difficult to breathe. Oh I can't WAIT for the third trimester.

Pictures as promised...

2009-03-04T17:39:00.002-06:00

Okay, these are with Josh's iPhone. But until we get a scanner this is as good as it gets. : )

Baby Pumpkin..

2009-03-04T14:19:00.004-06:00

So, our baby has been nicknamed "Pumpkin" by Josh's best friend, just because it'll be born in October. So until we know whether it's a boy or girl, we shall refer to the baby as "Pumpkin". I don't have anything in mind for a very long post, just wanted to post that we did actually get to see Pumpkin today. All 1 inch of her/him! As soon as I get a scanner or borrow a scanner or find a better way to take pictures with my camera without glare, then I will definitely share the first pictures of Pumpkin with you. Until then, you'll just have to be patient. If I can do it, so can you. I promise.

The search for a vacuum has ended...

2009-02-26T14:15:00.002-06:00

Well, after about a month of searching, reading, researching, and going back and forth to different stores...I finally decided on a vacuum. Now, we really wanted a Dyson, but with a baby on the way, I decided I couldn't justify spending the $$$ right now. I decided on a Eureka.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5903144

I'm on a low news diet!

2009-02-26T09:17:00.004-06:00

I recently read an article about how it is good for pregnant women to take a break from the news for awhile. With all my hormones surging, it's hard for me to read all the crap thats going on in the world. So, in an attempt to try and keep my stress levels lower, I will be fasting from the "news" for awhile. This is going to be harder than it sounds, I am a news freak! I read up on everything from politics to plane crashes to what celebrities wore at the oscars to our very own town newspaper every single day. I get upset about something every time, even though I know getting upset does me no good. In fact, it does me more bad than good. So until Easter (maybe sooner, maybe later), I will not be reading or listening to any news.

My suspicions are confirmed..

2009-02-25T11:31:00.003-06:00

So I had my first OB appointment today. They confirmed with one of their sophisticated "pee tests" that I am in fact pregnant. They figured up the I am about 8 weeks and 1 day along and should be due around October 7th. Today's appointment was with a tech, but next Wednesday will be with my actual doctor. We will have an ultrasound to confirm the due date and I'm so excited! : ) I'll be sure and post a picture of the little peanut.

Just another day of all day sickness...

2009-02-19T11:58:00.002-06:00

Oh the nausea!

2009-02-16T11:10:00.007-06:00

You don't realize how much pregnancy REALLY does to your body until you're laying in bed, curled up in a ball, just praying for the room to stop spinning. You plan on having a baby and all you think about is how wonderful it's going to be to have a new little bundle of joy. It's just such a blessing to be pregnant, it is, really it is. I know several people that would love to be in my position. But when you're in a constant state of nausea, you begin to second guess that blessing. How could such a wonderful blessing wreak so much havoc on your body?! I'm almost 7 weeks a long and already am dealing with off and on nausea everyday. By the time I feel like I need to pee, I better be in the bathroom already! I'm a hormonal mess. I scream, cry, laugh, and cry some more at the drop of a hat. Oh NOW I remember what it's really like to be pregnant! But I just have to remind myself that if all goes well with the pregnancy, in 7 more months we'll have a healthy baby girl or boy to hold and love on. Then all memory of the nausea, almost peeing yourself, screaming/crying constantly...goes away. I'm not even to the hard part yet..it's going to be a long 7 months. Of course...I can't wait to meet my little Abigail or Benjamin. : )

A shopping trip!

2009-02-13T15:09:00.003-06:00

Josh and I decided we're going to take a little trip down to Frisco, TX. A good friend of Josh's lives there, so we're gonna go visit and do a little shopping while we're there. We're leaving either tonight or in the morning, depending on how Josh feels. He had his colonoscopy today and he's still feeling a little under the weather. As far as the colonoscopy goes, everything looks okay. No imflammation, we were a little worried that he may have crohn's disease, but the Doctor is saying it's just IBS(Irritable Bowel Syndrome). So now that we know what is wrong, maybe we can make Josh feel a little better a lot more often.

We are planning on going to IKEA and Fry's Electronic for sure! I'm sure we'll do a little clothes shopping as well. I'll be sure and take some pictures of the trip! I FINALLY got a new MacBook today so I'll be able to play around with my pictures quite abit! It's very exciting! : ) Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and Valentines Day! I'll see you when I get back!

New addition to the family..

2009-02-09T09:00:00.004-06:00

Josh and I found out we're going to be welcoming a new life into the world! If I've calculated it right, I am due in mid-October. I'm only 5 1/2 weeks along so my first appointment is not until the end of the month. After my appointment I'll update you and let you know the due date the doctor tells me! Since I'm not very far along, we were going to wait for awhile to let everyone know. But we've already told our families, so I decided a post would be okay. We are a little nervous, but extremely excited! I will definitely keep you updated throughout and try to remember take pictures of myself to show the changes!

My own worst critic

2009-02-02T13:29:00.004-06:00

Every few days I begin a new blog, which of course is erased and deleted. I always have these great thoughts and come to blog and share them with anyone who may stumble upon my page. I actually put a lot of work into these blogs that I never publish, but can never really bring myself to..let you see them. I think that I may have figured out why I do this. Well, for a couple of reasons at least. I never think that my writing is good enough. Not for me, not for you, not for anyone. When I was younger I strived to be an editor to some big newspaper. I LOVED to write and edit and research and everything that goes with news. Okay, not everything. I am horrible with criticizm when it comes to my writing. Needless to say, I decided that wasn't the field for me. Knowing that this is "just" a blog and I can write in it however I please. Make whatever errors I want to make. Write whatever I want to write about. It still makes it very hard for me to write a blog on a daily basis. It is a big goal for me this year though. To make my blog, even if it isn't bigger, just better. I just need to remember, that I am my own worst critic.

Bad Blogger, Bad!

2009-01-04T10:26:00.000-06:00

I know I've been neglecting my blog. So I came to write a short bit about what is going on in my life...

I have officially become a stay at home mom. It's been a lot more fulfilling than any other job, but it also has also been more work. Trying to clean house and chase after a very curious 3 year old, is harder than it sounds! I've been trying to come up with ways to keep certain rooms cleaner and more organized, especially Carter's room. With 8 grandparents, he gets sent a lot of toys. This is all good and great, but we still live in this 2 bedroom apartment. So, if anyone has any good ideas for organization of a kids bedroom, please send them my way. Keep in mind my budget is not large for organizing that room.

I know I'm a little late, but I thought I'd post something about Christmas. We had a very wonderful Christmas! Carter got everything a little boy could want and more! This Christmas was my family's turn so we spent Christmas day at my mom and stepdad's house then spent another part at my dad's house. Below are a few pictures from the day.(Since these pictures were taken, I got a better camera that takes better pictures!)

I'm officially Mrs. Easley!

2008-11-01T15:24:00.001-05:00

I am now a married woman! I married my best friend and soulmate, Josh Easley. I love him with all of my heart! We had a beautiful wedding and I wouldn't change a thing about it. : ) We had a wonderful vacation and have now reluctantly gone back into the real world.

Going to the Chapel...

2008-10-08T09:57:00.000-05:00

I've been super busy lately! Which would be why my blog is just now getting some attention.

My wedding is 2 weeks and 3 days away! I have almost paid everything off. The biggest thing left to pay on are my cakes, which will paid for next week. Then I have to pay my pastor and pay for Carter's tux. My final(and only) dress fitting is tomorrow and my last wedding shower is today at Josh's workplace. I'm getting together with my Mary Kay consultant on October 23rd to figure out what make-up I'm going to use for my big day. THEN my rehearsal is on October 24th at 6:00pm and then I won't see Josh again until 2:00pm on the 25th.

Everything is kind of going by in one big blur! I'm extremely nervous but very ready to marry my best friend. : )

A major decision...

2008-09-03T07:36:00.000-05:00

I have made a big decision, one that as a mother, I feel like I have to make. I will no longer be attending school, for a long while anyway. All i've been doing is school/work/homework. I have to give what is left, which is very little, to Josh and Carter. I know that people make every possible excuse under the sun to quit school. I also know that Carter is only going to be this age once and I want to be able to enjoy it. I don't want to go on with homework taking up all of my time and then years down the road going...wait a second, where did ages 3, 4, and 5 go? You're SIX?! Okay okay, maybe a little dramatic...to you.

I know people are going to judge me and maybe even call me a failure behind my back(or even to my face). I don't really even care because I'll be able to look back fondly on these years with Carter and Josh. I think my most important jobs are mother and (soon-to-be) wife. If I am a failure for thinking that, than so be it.

The Method Products

2008-08-24T12:47:00.000-05:00

Well, we tried out a couple of the Method products we bought yesterday at SuperTarget. We used the "caplet" for the dishwasher aka the Smarty Dish. It seemed to work quite well, I didn't notice any residue or anything left on the dishes. I love that it's non-toxic. Think about it, you eat off those dishes. If you use something toxic, then your food touches that, then you eat that food. Gross!

We also tried the All-Purpose Cleaner in Cucumber. Loved it, too! It smells great and not too strong. It cleaned really well, also. I will be trying the detergent and liquid dishwashing soap both soon. We still have other products left of those two things, so I want to use those up first. I will let you know how much I love them, too!

Slowly but Surely Going Green!

2008-08-23T18:06:00.000-05:00

Lisa, this is for you! Oh and the environment, too! ; ) Below are my first "Green" products. I've taken a step in the right direction.

This Semester..

2008-08-16T12:12:00.000-05:00

The summer is coming to a close and school is about to start. On Monday, I will start 12 hours of 4 new classes. I am taking U.S. Government, Elementary French, Composition II, and Responding to Literature. Whether I'm ready or not, here they come! lol...I am 7 semesters away from becoming a certified high school English teacher. : )

Caution: Under Construction!

2008-08-06T19:02:00.000-05:00

I have decided to put house shopping on hold for awhile. I want to be guaranteed a loan and have a loan for the amount that is near what we want. Our economy is not in good condition right now and I think it would be a risk for me to get one right now with the way my credit is. For now, I will focus on my wedding, work, and most importantly being a mom and almost wife. :)

Carter will be 3 years old in one month. I can't believe it has almost been 3 years since I became a mother. He is extremely smart, curious, active, and stubborn. I would not have him any other way! He is truly a blessing.

I have come to a point where I have to make a very big decision. I am not sure whether I want to continue attending school this fall. I only have a week to make this decision, so I hope I can decide pretty quickly. I just look around and see a lot of succesful people who do not have degrees. I also see alot of people who DO have degrees and are struggling to make ends meet. I enjoy my job, I enjoy being a mom, I enjoy life as it is right now. Why change it all?? I don't know...I'll let you know how this turns out.

God Bless! : )

Another try..

2008-08-04T19:15:00.000-05:00

I know I spoke of focusing on other important areas of my life and trying for a loan later. After talking with Josh, we both feel that buying house IS an important area of our lives. I have made an appointment with a loan officer at Vision Bank here in Ada for tomorrow morning. I hope to hear some good news. Wish me luck!

A speedbump on my way to success.

2008-08-02T19:33:00.000-05:00

I was thinking about what happened to me yesterday. I was completely devestated and thought that life could not get much worse. You know what? Life can get worse. I have it good. I have a wonderful man that I'm going to marry that takes care of us, I have a healthy, smart, active 2 year old son, a good job, a roof over my head, and so much more. I decided getting denied for a mortgage loan was just a speed bump on my way to success in life. Was the way it happened fair? No. Absolutely not. I was mislead and misinformed. Life is not fair though. I think it was God telling me from upstairs that I need to grow up a little more, so he's throwing me another lesson to learn. Buying a house is a big step, a big grown up step. Maybe he knew what I was getting into was not good and stopped it before I was in too far. It just wasn't the right time to buy a house apparently. I'll get the chance again, but until then, I will focus on being more successful in other areas of my life. : )

What a wretched world this can be.

2008-08-01T15:02:00.000-05:00

I got denied on my home loan this afternoon. All because I didn't give information that I wasn't even told to give. :( If they want information, they should ask for it. *sigh* I'm going to crawl in a hole for a few days.

Home Sweet Home

2008-07-26T15:24:00.000-05:00

I am officially under contract on the house! I also signed all the mortgage papers today, so thats underway. Hopefully in less than 6 weeks I'll be a homeowner! I'll try to get pictures of the house and post them. We'll do a before the paint...and after the paint and stuff we plan on doing. : )

My life this week..

2008-07-24T18:08:00.001-05:00

I have had a very busy week! I put an offer on a house last week and we have been countering back and forth since then. Hopefully the offer I made yesterday will be the final offer I have to give. : ) Last week at work was super, super busy and I didn't get a chance to breathe. This week has definitely been, when compared to last week, a lot calmer, so that was nice since I've been dealing with the house issue.

My wedding dress finally came in yesterday!! I tried it on yesterday and if I keep my current weight, I will not have to do ANY alterations! : ) Yay! I'm 3 months away and getting super excited!

The next few months will be very stressful: I'll be trying to close on a house, taking 12 hours of classes, working 28 hours a week at a busy insurance agency, planning a wedding, and most importantly, being a mom and fiance. lol AH! I guess i'm gonna have to pull some extra energy from somewhere to deal with it all.

New job!

2008-07-05T15:39:00.000-05:00

I was offered a position at Shelter Insurance here in town last Tuesday. I went in, interviewed, and accepted the position. I am officially an insurance csr! I am the first person you will usually see when you come into the office. If you need a car, home, or life insurance quote, come on down and see us at Shelter! We appreciate your business! ; ) (Sorry, I couldn't help but plug that in..haha)

I should be going to shop for decorations for the wedding next week and should start paying a few things off. I am starting to get addresses so I can start to address all of our invitations to send out sometime next month. I'm getting super excited! : ) Around the end of next month I will also put our engagement announcement into the local paper and probably the Amarillo and Borger papers since Josh's family all live there and some of mine as well. So be watching for it!

Oh life..

2008-06-26T14:19:00.000-05:00

I haven't written anything in quite sometime, so I thought I would just post something short and sweet about things going on:

So I'm nearing the end of my 4 week summer class. It went by extremely fast, almost too fast. It's pretty rough to have 1 or 2 tests a week with 2 or 3 chapters on them. But I've almost made it!

The wedding planning is at a stand still because, well, for the moment I'm kind of broke. lol Once I get some extra money the planning shall continue once again. I am also going to go decoration shopping for the reception with a friend of mine. We've both decided neither of us are very creative, but 4 eyes(or 8 if you count contacts/glasses) are better than just 2(or 4). : )

I'm very excited because my dress should be in NEXT WEEK!! WOOT! I can hardly stand myself! Of course, I still like $395 on the stinkin thing, but I can still prance around in it at the store like I already own it! haha

More wedding plans..

2008-05-14T21:07:00.001-05:00

I finally ordered my invitations and bridesmaids dresses today. Here is the dress they will all 3 be wearing, except it will be in wine, not black.

#$#%$%#!!!!! (Thats me screaming!)

2008-05-03T22:17:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty sure i'm going to be bald by the end of finals week from all the hair i'm pulling out. I am almost there though...2 Comp 1 revisions left of 4, 8 Microsoft Access projects, 5 Powerpoint projects, and I need to study hard for my Biology final. Luckily the hardest(Biology) is on Friday...so I have a few days. THEN we're having a garage sale...I'm going to be put in a mental institution from losing my sanity before graduating. haha...Oh man.

From "WebMD"

2008-04-22T12:51:00.000-05:00

Keeping the Weight Off
Once you have achieved a desired weight, a positive attitude is very important in your efforts to successfully manage it. To lose weight permanently, you must make a commitment to gradually adopt a healthier way of life.

Controlling your weight is not an impossible task. It simply means eating less food or burning up more calories than you need. Eating smaller portions and choosing foods that are low in total fat (as fat is a major contributor to calories), are essential to maintaining your desired weight. Establishing a regular exercise routine is more important during the weight maintenance phase. Experts recommend 60-90 minutes per day to maintain lost weight.

How Can I Prevent Gaining Lost Weight?
Keep the following tips in mind.

Set realistic weight loss goals, such as a 1 to 2 pound weight loss per week. Those who lose weight slowly, by eating less and exercising more, tend to keep their lost weight off.
Eat fewer calories by cutting down on portions and/or decreasing the total amount of fat you eat to 30% or less of your total daily calories.
Do not skip meals.
Keep low calorie, low-fat snacks on hand, such as pretzels, raw vegetables with low calorie dips or fruit. Keep in mind that there is no difference between calories in low-fat foods than those found in fatty foods.
Choose foods high in fiber such as whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fruits and vegetables.
To ensure you are eating healthy, keep an accurate food journal. Write down everything you eat or drink. Be honest and accurate, otherwise the journal is not as helpful. The food journal will help you learn about your eating habits and help you assess the food choices you are making.
Eat a variety of foods to get all the nutrients you need.
How Much of What Foods Should I Eat to Control My Weight?

The following guide tells you approximately how much of each food group you can eat on a daily basis.

Breads and Grains Fruits and Vegetables
6 or more servings/day with at least half being whole grain

Breads, rolls, buns
Bagels
English muffins
Rice cakes
Low-fat crackers (such as matzo, bread sticks, rye crisps, saltines)
Hot and cold cereals
Spaghetti, macaroni, noodles, rice
Plain baked potato
4-5 cups/day

Fresh, frozen, dried or canned fruits
Fresh, frozen or canned vegetables

Meat, Fish, Poultry Dairy
2-3 servings per day

Lean cuts of meat with fat trimmed *
Chicken and turkey without skin *
Fish *
Eggs
Dried beans
* Bake, boil, broil, roast or grill
3 or more servings/day, (3 to 4 servings for pregnant or breastfeeding women)

Low-fat or skim milk
Low-fat yogurt
Low-fat cottage cheese
Low-fat cheese with no more than 3 grams of fat per ounce

Fats and Oils Sweets and Snacks
In limited amounts

Olive, canola or peanut oils
Butter, margarine, jelly
Nuts, seeds, salad dressing
In limited amounts

Baked goods
Frozen desserts
Chips, sweetened drinks

From "Joy's Healthy Bite"

2008-04-20T10:42:00.000-05:00

I've decided to do a lifestyle change. So, I am going to start posting articles I find that are helpful to me. : ) I lost 20 pounds last year, so I know I can do it. The challenge will be keeping it off!

Lose Weight in '08

Successful weight loss is 50 percent attitude. Decide you're going to lose weight permanently and just do it.

Out with the Old, In With the New
Go through your cabinets and fridge - and toss or donate all unhealthy, problematic junk food. Also, be sure to get rid of your personal trigger foods. These are the foods that once you start eating: you can't stop. Instead, stock up on produce, lean meats, low-fat dairy and whole grains.

Prepare to Prepare
Take 10 minutes the night before to plan out your food for the next day. That's because our days can often become hectic and overwhelming, causing us to impulsively grab high-fat, calorie-loaded food. On the other hand, if you're mentally prepared with a food strategy, you'll be less likely to jump ship.

Don't Forget to Eat
Within 90 minutes of waking, start the day with a smart breakfast. Then, continue to eat every four to five hours throughout the remainder of your day. You'll keep your blood sugar levels stabilized - which in turn, helps control hunger and cravings.

For most people, this means eating a well balanced breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner.

Move it and Lose It
Commit to 30 minutes of daily exercise - anything goes. Take a walk, join an exercise class, jump rope, follow a work out video, ride your bike.

The end has finally come! (well, almost)

2008-04-10T18:21:00.000-05:00

I am so very proud of myself! I have almost made it through my 1st semester back in college. I get to enroll tomorrow...just thought I'd put down what i'm taking. : ) Have a wonderful day!!

Summer 2008
General Psychology

Fall 2008
English Comp. II
Elementary French
Ethnic Literature
Responding to Literature
U.S. Government

I ordered my wedding dress! : )

2008-03-16T18:49:00.000-05:00

Here is the wedding dress I ordered! Everything is finally starting to come together!

Agh..

2008-02-21T15:07:00.000-06:00

79% Hillary Clinton
79% John Edwards
78% Chris Dodd
77% Barack Obama
74% Bill Richardson
67% Joe Biden
63% Rudy Giuliani
62% John McCain
60% Mike Gravel
53% Dennis Kucinich
53% Tom Tancredo
51% Mike Huckabee
49% Mitt Romney
40% Fred Thompson
37% Ron Paul

http://www.gotoquiz.com/candidates/2008-quiz.html

I want these!

2008-02-21T14:21:00.000-06:00

Here are some things I have picked out for my wedding..for anyone interested in seeing them. Everything listed is from David's Bridal.

I was tagged!

2008-02-19T14:04:00.001-06:00

What if...
I was tagged by Lisa!

1. What If I could meet anyone in the world to chat with: Probably Paul McCartney..he's just too cool! : )

2. What If I could travel anywhere in the world: France, Italy, or Scotland

3. What If I could have one wish granted to benefit all of mankind: lol...There are so many things that are wrong with the world, I can't pick just one.....

4. What If I could live in a period other than the present for just 24 hours: the 60's for sure! (I'm with you on this, Lisa. We would both make darn good hippies!!)

5. What If I had to become an animal for 24 hours: lol..I would become an eagle...so I could see what it's like to fly for awhile..and since i'm endangered, hopefully I won't get shot during those 24 hours..
6. What If I could make-over three areas of my body: I would want a flatter stomach, a boob lift, and I would want green eyes instead of blue...
7. What If I could bring anyone back to life for 24 hours: My grandma Flora (my mom's mom). She died when I was 3, so I never got to really meet her and have a real conversation with her.

I want a new body!

2008-02-08T11:32:00.000-06:00

When I figure out how to trade my body for a better one, i'm doing it! lol I'm so tired of being sick! I actually think my problem is all the stress from getting used to school/work/momma and wife-like being rolled up into one big ball. (A ball of STRESS!) Whenever new stress enters my life, my body seems to take it out on my stomach--which i'm not always ready for. I like being able to eat something and not get sick from it. Here lately i've been pretty leery about what I eat. Of course, a girl's gotta eat so I have to take the risk of getting sick. Again and again....lol

Wedding fever

2008-02-03T19:05:00.001-06:00

I HAVE WEDDING FEVER! I filed my tax returns last week, so I will soon have money to spend on the wedding!

I have already picked out the place to have it(Ada Arts and Heritage Center), the bakery(Classic Cake Company), and flower shop (Ada Greenhouse). I have also put money down for a wedding photographer. I will actually have 2 separate photographers by the way, one for engagement pictures and one for the wedding pictures. Lisa Sharp (site under construction) for the engagement and Tammy Odell for the wedding. Take a look at their stuff if you get a chance. They're both very talented women!

I will be going in a couple of weeks to go to David's Bridal to order my bridesmaid dresses. Thankfully, they have all 3 agreed on the dress I picked. I will be keeping a semi-wedding journal on here so you can see how well everything is going. That is, if you're interested...; )

Update..

2008-01-28T19:04:00.001-06:00

So, tonight was my first night at the Writing Center. It was great, I met some of my coworkers who all seem to be very nice. I may be easing up on my hours so I can work and still spend time with Carter, so that'll be good. I don't have anything else to write here because I have an Intro to finish for Comp. 1 and some dinner to eat!

Writing Center and more

2008-01-28T10:15:00.000-06:00

So, I applied for and was given the position of a tutor in the Writing Center on the ECU campus. I was, at first, very excited about this. I'll get extra money, it'll look good on a resume, and it may even help me with my own writing skills. I've been thinking though, there is one major con to all of this. I will not get all of the extra time with my son that I have been getting. Which hurts my heart more than you even know, because he and I have both been loving this time together. I am going to do one week of this job and if Carter's behavior begins to crater at daycare and/or at home, I am going to resign from the position. A little extra money is not worth it to me. Carter and Josh come first, school second, and work..last.

Life is Crazy

2008-01-27T12:10:00.000-06:00

In my Composition 1 class, we are in the midst of "discovering" oneself. I have a very hard time believing that at the age of 22, anyone really knows who they are yet. I suppose there are those people that believe they know. Of course, I am not one of those people. I still have no idea what I'm going to do with this life of mine. At a young age, you have this idea of what life is supposed to be like when you grow up. Well, life has this wonderful way of shaking everything up in its big cup and when it decides to let everything loose, its completely different than imagined. I never would have thought I would be the unmarried mother of a very active 2 year old at my age. I never thought I'd be the unmarried mother of a very active 2 year old at ANY age. This is my life though. I am getting married in October to who I think to be my complete soulmate. Even on those days that I'm moody and don't want to be around anybody. I will keep you updated on how "discovering" myself goes.