AdvoCare and Weight Loss Goals

I'm on the road to reaching my weight loss goals. Sadly....I have 96lbs to go. But I've lost 25lbs! My friends Joy and Joe have been taking AdvoCare products for about 3 years now. I have been watching Joe shrink and shrink! Joy became healthier (she certainly didn't need to lose any weight!) and she's benefitted from the energy that she'd gained from the products. After seeing them today, I realized that I really needed to jumpstart my AdvoCare business. I placed a huge order tonight and I'm looking forward to taking the products that I KNOW will help me lose the rest of the weight. I will say that I'm proud of Joe! He's lost about 130 lbs....which is my goal weight! He looks amazing and you can tell that he's proud of himself but he's not one to brag! Joy looks amazing as always! She's toned and she looks so wonderful. I know that she feels better too. They are my inspiration for this long journey ahead of me. Thankfully they are there for anything I need! I love you guys! (Yes, I stole this picture off of Facebook. :-D You'll get over it. I'm bragging about you.) I'm so proud of you and thankful for your inspiration!

We'll see what my future holds but I'm so ready to be comfortable again. Now I just need to find a workout partner and a gym that doesn't cost a fortune and I'll be good to go!

Updates

Just thought I would post a quick synopsis of the happenings in our neck of the woods. :-)

Eston has been working non-stop, to the point of excessive. They are so short-handed...but thankfully 3 more people have been hired so everybody should be getting some relief. I've been busy taking care of Will almost by myself and it's exhausting but I love being home with him instead of working. He's getting SO BIG! At his appointment a couple weeks ago, he weighed 16 lbs and measured 26 1/2 inches long. He's working so hard on sitting up. It's so funny to watch. Sadly, he's still trying to roll onto his stomach....in his sleep. It's waking him up! Not fun! But he's getting there!

We've also been making plans to do some remodeling. I had an idea about a new pantry that will be AWESOME! We just need the time to get it done! The only thing that isn't fun right now is that we have to replace our a/c. *SIGH* Money out the window but it has to be done. And of course...during the hottest part of the year. :-) Life happens!

I've had a few people requesting diaper cakes and baby mums! I'm looking forward to make some more beautiful items. I really need to start charging lol.

Vacation soon!!! September is going to be here before we know it! I am so excited about going to Tennessee! :-D A week in the mountains is just what I need! :-) Maybe next year it'll be the beach... Hmm...

That's about all for now! :-)

Diaper Cakes

Diaper cakes!! The one with lady bugs is the one I made last night for my friend Tara. There are several pictures of this one to show the detail. The second cake is the one I made for my friend Amber last August. That was the first one I made!

What a Week...

This has been a very long and hard week. I'm sick like crazy...thank you allergies...but the only benefit is that I no longer have tonsils to make it worse. So I'm managing but it sure makes taking care of a teething baby even harder! Will is a bit sick too but apparently not enough for the pediatrician to think he needs to be seen. I can't say that I'm too pleased with this doctor. I'm not being a paranoid parent...I know what chest and sinus congestion sounds like! He's sick...that's all there is to it. So tomorrow, I'm back to calling around for an opening with any doctor to get Will some medicine. This is one of those times when you just want to pull your hair out. Thankfully Will is a very happy baby...so when he's fussy it's nothing that can't be handled.

So between Will and I both being sick...and him teething, it's been for a long week. But we were still able to go to Target to get the weekly dose of diapers, formula, and pet food. Will sat up in the shopping cart for the first time!

He's getting so big! Next time I'll remember to take the shopping cart cover that I have for him. this was just a trial run because he was getting fidgety in the car seat. He's almost mastered rolling over...and soon, he'll be sitting up. I'm just looking forward to him holding his bottle. That will really help me out!

Don't you hate it when you have to wait on people? I do. Especially when they say "I'll be over on Tuesday at 5:30," then it's Tuesday...about 6:30...and they finally call and say that they forgot... Yeah...this really irritates me. This has happened to me all week by the same person, 4 days in a row. That just really ruined my week because I made the stupid mistake of waiting around on this person. *Sigh* Never again. It feels like I've wasted this whole week.

On the other hand, I'm busy trying to figure out the student loan process. I have no idea exactly where to start. But sadly, I need the loans to finish my degree! I just can't keep paying out of pocket. UT Tyler isn't exactly expensive, but it's not cheap. I want to take as many online classes as I can though...because right now, I don't want to be too far away from home.

So that's what is going on in the Parson household this week. Mom is staying with us tomorrow night and we're doing some shopping and getting pedicures on Tuesday! Can't wait!

Ooooooklahoma!!!!!.....

....where the wind comes sweeping down the plain....

And, oh my! Was it ever sweeping down the plain! It was horribly windy while we were in OK. We had such a great time though that it just didn't matter.

We stopped at Turner Falls along the way....one of my favorite places in Oklahoma. Here are a few pictures.



You can just barely see the Castle hidden in the trees...

On Lookout Mountain with Turner Falls behind me. Rockin' the new Coach sunglasses!

Turner Falls as seen from Lookout Mountain. That water is freezing on the hottest day of summer. Those people swimming are crazy! The wind was blowing about 30 mph...add that to frigid water temps...yep...crazy...

The Arbuckle Mountains, home to Turner Falls, among other things. Such a pretty view!

While we were in OKC, we stopped in to see more relatives that I haven't seen in MANY years. My great Aunt Fannie and great Uncle Vic. Aunt Fannie is my dad's aunt...his father's sister. I've kept in touch with them over the years but just haven't been able to see them in a long time.

Me and Aunt Fannie.

Aunt Fannie, Uncle Vic, and Will. I almost didn't get him back from Aunt Fannie! She wanted to keep him lol. Uncle Vic had to tell her twice that we had to leave....to give Will to us so we could go. :-( I felt horrible. She cried when we left. We'll have to go see them again soon.

Tired Mommy and a tired Will. This was after a long day of visiting family.

Grannie and Will. We had just gotten to Grannie's house and she stole Will from me and reluctantly gave him back at the end of the evening.

We really enjoyed our visit to OK and hope to go back this summer. I'm thinking that we'll go to Turner Falls for a couple of days then on to OKC to visit the family again! The trip there went well..but the trip home was long. We got stuck in road construction and behind some sort of biker's convention. No offense to those whom partake...but do you really need to take up every available lane!?

So another exciting yet exhausting weekend is over with...now on to another busy week. Seeing more family this weekend and hopefully going to Canton so we can pick up some items to use on the birdhouses we are making. :-) We'll see if the weather holds.

Vote for Will!

Last week, I submitted a few pictures of Will to Parents Magazine. They are holding a contest for the cover of their November 2010 magazine. One of Will's pictures has been selected to be in the running for the cover!!! If he win's this week with the most votes, he'll move on to the semi-finals. There will be 10 winners selected. If his picture is one of the 10, we win an all-expenses paid trip to NYC for a photo session, plus a prize package supplied by Canon. One of the ten finalists will be picked for the cover. We are so excited! We're asking everybody that we know to PLEASE vote for WILL! You can vote once a day starting now through 5/2/10. Click the link below:

http://photos.parents.com/category/vote/photo/250113

Thanks for the voting! We're very excited and hope that his picture is a winner!

Cortisone Shots....Pain-Free Wrist Does Not Ensue

Today I finally gave in and went to the doctor about my very sore wrist. I had no idea what was wrong with it other than the fact that it's been hurting for about 3 months. Apparently, when women are pregnant they can develop a type of tendinitis that can last for about a month after the baby is born then it's just magically gone. For some reason, mine is not gone. So my doctor decided to give me a cortisone shot...in my wrist. Let me just give you an idea of where this shot went.

On your right hand...look at your thumb. Touch it. Move to the base of the thumb just above the wrist. If you move your finger down just a bit you'll feet a bone that sticks out very slightly. That's a joint in your wrist. That's where I received not one...but TWO injections today. It took everything I had no to kick my doctor. That HURT! And it STILL hurts! I know it'll get better but wow, I just wasn't expecting to go in there hurting and come out hurting worse. I also have to wear a brace for at least 2 weeks in hopes that my body will help heal the wrist. I'm to the point that I can hardly pick Will up and that's not good. *SIGH* So it's been an interesting day...

On the bright side, I didn't have to do the dishes because I can hardly lift a dinner plate! And we are finally on the countdown for OKC! We're leaving on Thursday morning and I cannot wait to see my Grannie!!! So excited!

I hope everybody has a great week. Looks like we're blessed with a beautiful week here in Texas...let's hope it's the same in OK. There's always a tornado when I go to OK.....hmm...

Pictures!!!

We received our photos of Will yesterday! Beth did an amazing job. I highly recommend http://www.blinkofaneyephotographybybb.com/. You won't be disappointed. She's very patient and loves working with babies and kids. And thankfully, she was open to a few ideas I had about pictures I wanted of Will. This is my favorite one that I came up with:

I just thought I'd share a few of the pictures. I'm so proud of my sweet baby!

What an Odd Week

Was there a full moon this week? Or did some strange phenomena occur? Did I miss something? Everything has been "off" this week. Will has been sleeping for 10 hours each night for over a month. This week has been awful! He won't take his bottle, won't go to sleep, and won't stay asleep when he finally does fall asleep. He's been waking up at 1:00...then 2:00...then 4:00...and if I'm lucky I can get him down again and sleep till 6:00. I just don't know what's going on! I know his little tummy is upset and I hate it because there's not much I can do about it. I also think some of the problem is that he runs so hot...he's been getting too hot at night. So I've got it a lot cooler in here tonight...maybe that will help. Who knows. I know that I've got another migraine, even with the medicine I have to take for it. SO much fun.


Who could get mad at that sweet little face?! Even with virtually no sleep, I'm still completely in love. This is just one of those famous "phases" that babies go through. When he's a teenager I'll have to drag him out of bed.

I feel like I'm running on Empty this week. This stupid migraine... What's the point of taking medicine for it if it doesn't work?! I just hope it isn't one of those that lasts for 2 weeks. I have way too much going on to deal with it. Maybe a bath, a good book and lots of sleep would help.

I must say though, that I am blessed with such a wonderful family. Will is a sweet little angel and I can't imagine my life without him. Even when I'm so tired that I can barely keep my eyes open, all it takes is for him to smile at me and everything is ok in the world. Eston works hard to make sure we have everything we could possibly need. It's a good thing too because WOW diapers and formula are expensive and they go quickly!

I'm very much looking forward to next week when we go to OKC. I haven't seen my Grannie in a few years and I really miss her. I also am looking forward to seeing my friend Stefanie...my friend from so long ago! <3>

Hope all my dear friends have a great weekend! Make the most of it!

Pets

Aren't pets just a wonderful thing to have in your life? I think so. It's obvious by the amount of pets we have. 3 dogs...and 3 cats. This month, our old dog Reuben turned 10. That makes him 70 in human years. Reuben has heart worms, he's starting to have trouble with his hips and he's slowed down a lot when he tries to get up. I try not to think about it. It's all common, especially for a Golden Retriever of his age. But all you have to do is look at a tennis ball and he's ready to play, no matter what.

Reuben is really one of the sweetest animals I've ever had. He also thinks he's a lap dog...a habit that I've never been able to break. But it's ok....he knows not to get on the furniture unless there's a blanket covering it. I really love this old doggy. I just can't believe that he's 10. Hopefully he'll give us several more years to enjoy him.

We have lost many pets too. Most recently, we lost Loki, our male Great Dane.

Loki was almost a year old when we had to put him to sleep. It was heart wrenching because we were not expecting it at all. He had a chipped vertebrae...and the chip was pressing against his spinal cord and it paralyzed him. The surgery was very expensive and very risky. If the chances had been better, we would have done the surgery but it wasn't even certain that he'd live through the surgery. I miss this big, silly dog. He was always doing something that entertained us. His favorite game was "kiss the kitty." If we said "Loki, kiss the kitty!" he would chase whichever cat was closest and bark at them, growl...anything to antagonize the cat. It was hilarious because his bark was SO loud. The cats didn't appreciate it but we got a kick out of it.

My cats are another story...but I love them dearly as well. I have always been a cat person. They're constant companions, just like dogs. My 3 cats all have the cutest personalities but each one is different. I'm proud to say that all of my cats are "rescue" cats. I hate to see an animal abandoned. When we lived in the country, the county road we lived on was apparently "drop off" road because people dropped pets off all the time. It's sad...I hate it, but I don't know how to prevent it. I just personally can't imagine doing something like that.

So obviously...I love my pets. They are one of the highlights in my life. Can't imagine a day without them. And thankfully, they love Will and love to cuddle with him any chance they get. That makes a difference! So if you are a pet lover, animal lover or just enjoy the sight of animals but don't care to have one, enjoy the pictures of my pets. They're here anytime you'd like to meet them. They love treats and head rubs!

Zoo Trip and More

On Sunday, we took Will to the zoo for the first time. He was fascinated by the bright colors and the unusual sounds all around him. The Scarlet Ibis really caught his attention.

We have finally finalized our vacation plans. Next week, we're off to OKC to visit my Grannie. Can't wait!!! Then in September, we'll be in Tennessee for a week. 2 days in Memphis will be spent at the awesome Memphis Zoo and Beale St. Then 4 days will be spent in Gatlinburg. We're looking forward to the trip because both places are so much fun and there's always something to do. We plan on visiting the Ripley's Believe It or Not Aquarium while in Gatlinburg. I can't wait to see Will's reaction to the beautiful fish. I can't wait to visit my beloved Smokies! The Great Smoky Mountains are a sight to behold. It's been almost 5 years since we've been to Gatlinburg and I really am excited about being in the mountains again.

I took this picture in November 2005. Now I have a new camera and I can't wait to see the pictures I will get with it. Maybe this time we won't "accidentally" end up in North Carolina again...

That's what happens when you travel on a road that goes up and around a mountain that you don't know anything about... It was quite a ride though! The mountain I'm talking about it called Newfound Gap. It was a beautiful trip, even though it was unexpected. We ended up on the Pigeon River...which is behind me in that picture. Everybody should visit the Smokies once in their life.


Well, I've got a sleepy baby against my chest...so I think it's nap time and time for me to rest this wrist and shoulder. I see the doctor next week to find out what the world happened to my shoulder...and why my wrist has been hurting and locked up for a couple of months. Until then...have a wonderful week, my friends!

So it's been a while since I've written anything. I can't say that I've had the time! I update my Facebook status mostly from my cell phone these days. Will is now 2 months old. He was born on January 11, 2010. He was 8lbs 3 ozs, 21 inches long. He is now 13 lbs 5 ozs, 24 inches long. He's been smiling for us everyday and it just makes me smile so big that I think my mouth might stretch off of my face. He's the light of my life.

Though he is my first child, I must say that he is such a good baby! I've babysat many, many babies and children over the years and have dealt with little brats and little angels. He is a little angel, so far. :-) He's at the stage where everything around him is fascinating. I wish I knew what was going through his head when he is staring at random objects. He loves my hair for some reason....maybe because it falls into my face when I am leaning over the changing table or giving him a bath. He really likes Eston's hair, mainly his beard. One of these days, he'll be pulling on it.

Will is growing fast and looking more like Eston everyday. Funny how that works out...

My pregnancy was great. No problems at all, and for that I am very grateful. I was only miserable about the last week. My stomach was huge! Thankfully it's all over and I won't have to do it again for a while.

Now I just look forward to the day that Will sleeps through the whole night. He's getting there...slowly but surely. I'm also looking forward to taking a vacation. Thinking about taking one in September. Probably going to San Antonio. That might not seem like much but remember...I'm not from Texas. I've hardly been anywhere in Texas. Plus we can stop by San Marcos on the way home and go shopping!!!! See? Hidden agenda!! We're also planning a trip to OKC to see my grannie. I haven't seen her in a while...3 years I think. I doubt she'll make it down here but I want her to see Will...so we'll go to her! And in June, we get to see Eston's aunts, uncles and cousins for a family get together. I'm looking forward to that because his family is so big that it fascinates me! I have such a small family that I rarely get to see. It's nice to have a lot of family.

So...to conclude, these past two months have been exciting yet a learning experience. I'm looking forward to the upcoming months.