Tomorrow is the day

Well tomorrow is the day I officially start back to school. I did my orientation and orientation seminar yesterday. Am I nervous...uh yeah not sure if I am going to do so well with the whole seminar online thing. I sure hope I get it. Anyway I work tomorrow, then log onto my two classes...which one of them sounds great the other is basically online learning for the health science professions lol. blah...anyway I have 5 weeks to decide if this is going to be right for me or not. So that's what's going on here. Waiting to see if my manager is going to add me to the wilton staff, the hours then would be great. Well I'm off for now. I'll chat with ya soon. I'll let you know how my first day goes...guess i'll be changing the name of my blog soon...hahahah kinda funny aspiring cake lady goes into nutrition science. oh well who knows what i'll be when I grow up!

moving fast

So things are moving way faster than I thought they were going to! I am actually going to be starting school this Wednesday! Insane I know!!!! So this will put me on my path of Nutrition Science...kinda funny for someone who wants to be a cake lady, isn't it? I'm super excited with how many different directions I can go in this field and hopefully one day maybe help out people who have been through Gastric Bypass like I have to help them before during and after. Or maybe I can teach nutrition? I'd love to do that!!! ugghhhh What the hell do I want to be when i grow up? So anyway. Things are putting right along here. Had three freaking snow days last week with the kids. That was nice at first but I can't say I'm not happy they are going to school tomorrow and I am going to work!!! I am also wondering if my life will ever slow down? OMG why does it always seem like it's go go go??? Anyway I gotta get to bed but just wanted to let everyone know what's going on this way! I start school Wednesday wooot!

hmmmmm

Well I got a response into my getting certification to be a wilton method instructor for cake decorating. I guess I am now certified. lol. Also I took yet another new step and that was checking into colleges online ones to get my bachelors in nutrition. Yup I really don't want to know what I want to be when I grow up. What in the world is up with that????? I think with my background in Culinary Arts, my surgery etc, that Nutrition is a good direction for me. That and I loved my nutrition classes in JWU. But I also had the best instructor ever. So That's what's new...Guess I'll wait to see what the powers that be want for my life. I will either get a job with the store that remains nameless as a cake decorating instructor (while going to school for a BS in Nutrition) or I will just be a full time student and part time pea on at my place of employment. Either way I will keep making my cakes I like to do and will keep on trucking on my quest to figure out what the hell I wanna be!

First step

Well I'm guessing I took my first step. THe cake lady we currently have at my place of employment that teaches the classes is not flexible in her schedule. Making it hard for regular moms and other people to take her class. So I took my first step in trying to get Certified as a Wilton Method Instructor. If I can get certified with them i could possibly become an instructor where I work, which would be better hours for me anyway. I have already taken the classes but it was years ago and I'm hoping they won't hold that against me and they'll just give me time to do some refreshers. So step one I guess is done, now I just wait to see what they say. I guess if I get certified and they won't let me be an instructor at my place of business (not allowed to say the name per a form I had to sign...lol) I am hoping that I can at least teach the Wilton method out of my own house? maybe? who knows...All I can do is hope for the best!

aspiring dreams

So I am guessing this is going to be my new blog theme. I really want to be a cake designer. So I’m kind of working on that. Here and there. I make cakes for my friends, my kids and just for fun. I love to decorate cakes, cupcakes, cookies etc. For now I do it just for fun! But I really want one day to be super awesome at it and make a huge business out of it. But for now I’ll stick to being a full time mom and part time Michaels employee. I’m going to try to blog here more than my old depressing blog so hopefully it will turn out well and if it doesn’t get on to me about it and I’ll make sure to post more! I will also keep you all updated on my weight loss...it's still going well...I think I'm down like 196 lbs from 2 years ago! amazing!

hi again

Yup it's me...yup it's been awhile and yup I was thinking of my friend Anna again which brought me to my blog. I figured I hadn't caught anyone up lately. Soooooo my life now is hectic. Summer was great! Spent almost every day at the pool, the kids had swim lessons. it was just an awesome summer! School started, I started a part time job, we moved (super quick move as the house we were renting was foreclosed on) into an awesome house we love! We are not even a block from Loralie's school so we walk just about every morning.

So updates on everyone! Loralie started Kindergarten this year and is flourishing. She's already won one award for "Positive Attitude" and I seriously think that most days they couldn't have given it to a better person because she usually is super positive. She also now has purple and pink highlights in her hair...guess she takes after her momma with her funky style.

Miranda is in PreK this year and is also doing well! She is definately my DIVA! She has a fashion sense, professes her love to all the boys. Well really she loves everyone and is loves animals. (real and stuffed) she barely has any room on her bed to sleep due to the animals she sleeps with. She has also really came out of her shell. She isn't the shy little girl she used to be. And she cracks me up with how blunt she is on things...don't try to trick her because she'll tell you how it is...hmmmmm not sure where she get's that either.

And now on to Tripp. ahhhhhh Tripp, he started a 2.5 yr old preschool class, 3 days a week. It has been a blessing! Gives me time to have a part time job that I like. HOwever oh my lord the terrible 2's have been horrible with him. THere is a reason God sent him to us last as he is our most trying. He looks sweet and innocent but man he definately pushes the limit. He is smart, has a great vocabulary and potty trained at 2.5 but omg he is horrible some days. Other days he's awesome. I call him my sour patch kid, he'll do something mean and then the next min he's super sweet. no matter how rotten I love him a bunch.

My kids have been my life for 6 years now and I finally decided to take a little time for me and get back on the saddle of working. well it sucks because while I love my job, the whole childcare issue and making sure I'm making more than it costs isn't working out too well. and that's stressful. That and the fact that I really have to work around billy and the three kids schedules. Not to mention I'm Loralie's Daisy troop leader, try to volunteer with her schools PTO as much as possible and help out with the younger twos school as well. with Field trips etc. I was sad though that I had to drop my position in MOPS. I loved what I did however with everything going on and that I am working on and with I just didn't have the time and my heart wasn't into it as much. I know they will do well and it was a great way for me to meet all the wonderful friends I have now. ohhhh I've also started to decorate cakes again. I loooove to decorate cakes and had forgotten how much i really do like doing that. I made Loralie a sweet barbie cake (you know the kind where the dress is the cake?). She loved it and designed the dress herself. So My friends daughter saw the cake and deciced she wanted one just like it only using a monster high doll. Well I think it came out pretty cool and she loved it as well as the rest of the family! It was a hit...yay! So maybe just maybe I'll start doing more cakes...I'm making two cakes for our PTO's harvest party's cake walk friday.

Oh I guess you are probably wondering about my weight loss...I have lost a total of 188lbs. I'm lingeing between 133 and 135. I was bummed my insurance claim for plastic surgery on my excess belly skin was denied. That sucks but I'm going to keep trying for that and a boob lift. lol. I'm proud of my progess but still have issues with my appearence but i always have. It will get better. I have also found a therapist who has balanced out my drugs so I'm not a total bitch all the time. and I sleep really really well at night. Too bad pot isn't legal or I could just do that and it would have the same affect I think.

Billy is doing well, job is going well, he hit a deer at 70 and tore up his work van but was okay. I'm not driving him as crazy I don't think and things are great with us. We may even have a sitter lined up some so we can go on dates...lol..wooo hoooo!

So here's the skinny, kids are doing well, I'm doing well (even though with everythign else going on I'm thinking of starting up a small cake business), and billy's doing well.

Oh and I'm also thinking that maybe I'll somehow turn this into a type of food blog as well and post some different easy dinner or party recipes I do. I guess we'll see, as I need to come on here more and get my thoughts out.

Thanks to Anna's baby turning 1, I remembered it's been awhile since I posted. Anna always fussed at me about posting or lack there of. So here I am posting as I remember Anna's sweet baby and how I know she's got lots of love around her but it's going to suck to grow up without her awesome Momma. My son sleeps with a bear Anna gave me and as much as I hate that he wants to, I know he loves it and every night I have to give him and the bear a kiss, and in that sense I know that Anna in her own way is a comfort to my little one. I know Anna is watching over her family and everyone she has touched and I love that a Bon Jovi song comes on and all I think about is how much Anna loved him. So with this last little bit of sadness there is some light. Sweet Bella has turned one and is doing well and has a wonderful family to help them all through life!

Until next time which I hope will be alot sooner than last I'll chat with you all later!

Hey

I just was stopping in to check in on some of my friends blogs. I usually do it when I'm thinking of my friend Anna Calise who lost her life way too young. I think of her often and her 4 young children and it just breaks my heart that they have to continue on without her. It hurts when I think I'll never see another post on my facebook, blog, garnets site etc from her and it's been almost 4 months now. It amazes me how someone who you've only known a brief time out of your life can make such an impact on it. Anna was the one person I knew would always comment on things I wrote be it on facebook or here anywhere really. We had a very similar sense of humor mostly telling each other jokes that we knew were soooooo not politically correct but knew the other would laugh and find it hilarious because it was just a joke. We talked on the phone and she would laugh at my super southern accent and I'd joke on her how if I heard her voice in a dark alley I'd be frightened of that tough New York accent. When I heard of her passing it really made me question my faith. I had been struggling this past winter with a number of things but losing such a good person really put me over the edge. I went to bed crying the night I found out and continued asking Billy why would God do something like this. Why would he take such a devout woman away from her 4 young children and her husband who adored her? I couldn't figure it out, I couldn't understand it at all. But finally I am in a better place, I know that Anna was a believer and had Christ in her heart and although she isn't down here with her family she is with them in their hearts and watching over them. Seeing her pictures with her smiling face makes me happy. I have a bear she sent me for one of our exchanges we did over the years that says I heart NY on it. THat bear had sat on top of my hutch since I received it a few years ago. We were packing to move and I picked up that bear and I hadn't thought about it until then, that little white bear is my piece of Anna I can look at everyday (it now is on top of my tv), and be reminded of what a beautiful person Anna was inside and out. I still think of her daily and while my sadness for her loss will probably never go away, I am finally at peace with the fact that she is in heaven and no longer here with us. I do know however that Anna will forever live in my heart and the heart of so many others she touched throughout her life. She was really a wonderful person and I am blessed to have known her.

It has taken me a while to write about this as I just didn't know what to say or how to say it, I miss her, I miss our conversations, the text messages and jokes. But I know she is up above watching over all of us and looking and guiding her beautiful family!

Sorry It's been so long!

Hey everyone! Sorry it's been so long since I've blogged but a lot has been going on! So since Oct we had Lore's bday on Oct 17th, then halloween, Thanksgiving came and we spent the day at my moms with family and it was great! Then came my year anniversary of my surgery! Dec 15th I was a year out and had beat the goal the docs set out for me! woo hoo! My 1 year post op appt was wonderful and they were super happy with me. The only problem I ended up having was my Vit D was low. Then it was Christmas time and we got the best Christmas present ever, we found a house to rent in town really close to the girls school and in a nice quiet neighborhood! The kids got out of school for Christmas break and that weekend we got almost 30 inches of snow! for us that is insane! But it was beautiful! We also had to start packing for the move that we would be doing in Jan. SO needless to say Christmas gifts got opened and immediately put away and packed up!

Jan came with alot of snow and stomach bugs galore...gross! We moved the 3rd week of Jan and got most of the stuff moved in just in time as we got like 2 more feet of snow the day after we got the big stuff moved! With Jan the move and being so busy I found myself in a pretty bad place. I was stressed out and not happy so i went to a counsler and started seeing my "female" doc and ended up having to be on Birth Control again...gah! Feb and March were pretty much a blur as I was sick most of the two months it sucked! However it did wonders for the weight loss!

Now it's April, we celebrated Easter and our 7th wedding Anniversary on the same day. It was a great day! The weather was beautiful and we sat outside the whole day it was wonderful! My mood has been better and things seem to be going better with me. We've been able to go outside everyday and hang out on our deck every evening! It was been awesome and super good for my mood! Now the girls are on spring break and billy's on vacation so we decided instead of going anywhere we were finally going to get our house straight so we haven't gone anywhere we are staying here and working on the house. We may go to busch gardens thurs or friday but it's been so hot almost too hot to wonder around the park..lol. I'm really happy we are just getting the house finally straight. With me being sick and not wanting to do anything it looked horrible! but it's starting to be back on track now! yay!

Well with being sick it has done wonders for my weight loss...lol. I am down to where I'm no longer obese or overweight. I finally for the first time since I was a teenager probably have a normal bmi! yay! I have lost 166lbs! I have lost more weight than I weigh now! and to me that is just amazing! I am so happy with my loss but still don't see myself as a normal weight person. I still see myself as a huge blob...grrr I hate that too. But at least I know I'm healthier now and can keep up with my kids! so I'm going to post some pics of before and 15 mths after surgery! I'm so happy yay! so here they are:

10 month pictures!

Well here are the pics...only have like 6 more lbs to be where the docs want me at...not sure I'll be happy there so I plan on going till i'm happy...the gym is working wonders...i love it! here are the before and after for 10 months and then from last month to this month!

Please vote for Miranda

Yes i am asking for votes for Miranda please. Click the link: http://family.go.com/gapcastingcall/entries/thepattersons4/871986555/

You can vote once a day through Nov 17th. Thanks everyone!

wow

Good Lord where does the time go!? I haven't blogged in almost 2 weeks! Anyway I'm here we are all doing well. I'm planning lore's 5th bday party! it's next friday for her friends and then a cookout for family and close friends on the 24th (billy is leaving on her bday the 17th to go to phoenix for 5 days). I've been keeping busy...working out at the gym as much as i can. I usually go as soon as I drop the kids off at preschool. MOPS is keeping me busy as well. Anymore I feel like I run run run! I am blessed to have a great friend who keeps me pretty grounded and is there when I need some help, advice or a ride home...lol. I've learned that friends are few and far between that are really there for you no matter what and I know I have one of the best friends out there. Anyway that's all for me for now...I'll try to keep things updated as much as possible. I'll blog soon!

It's that time!

It's time for the new season of shows! I'm super excited. We'll I've already started watching The Vampire Diaries and I think I'm gonna love it! Ahhhhh it seems like it's going to be soooooo good! I love the good vs bad vampire in it. And it kinda helps that Boone from LOST is the bad Vamp! can we say Hootttttt! It's a typical CW show and I love it. As I've been a long time CW (WB) watcher. I watched 7th Heaven from beginning to end, Smallville, Dawsons Creek (another beginning to end) and the list goes on and on. Actually I don't think there was a show that came on the WB that I didnt watch. I am however disappointed with One Tree Hill this season! I mean how can you really have One Tree Hill without Lucas and Peyton? Ugghhhh But being the loyal fan I am, I'm going to keep trying to watch it and see where it goes, however I think this will probably be the last season of it.

Now on to other shows. I watched the season Premiere of Heroes! It was goooood! Not sure really where they are going this season but I'm excited to see. Of course I can't wait to see Greys, Brothers and Sisters, Desperate housewives, Private Practice etc...but what I really can't wait to see is Eastwick! that comes on tonight! I'm totally excited about it as I loved Charmed and hope it's gonna be something like that even if it's not I'm soooo excited about it. Also Flashforward looks awesome! OMG all the new shows coming out look freaking awesome. THere is The Forgotten that has Christian Slater in it and I really hope it's good because I love him! Ahhhhhhh soooo much TV sooooo little time! Biggest loser started up too and it looks like it's going to be a good season! Good thing I have two DVR's. Okay so I guess that's enough TV talk but man I'm excited about the new seasons starting up on all the shows! woo hooo!

6 Word Saturday!

My 6 words: Thrilled! the MOPS picnic was wonderful!

see explination here:

Finally new pics...

Before and after....it's been 9 months and I think all is going well! I'm super happy with how things are going and I can say I've lost an entire person now! wooo hooo!

I can't believe it's September already!

Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't posted in 3 months! Good Lord I can't believe it's been 3 months! Anyway it was a busy summer of fun fun and more fun! Lets see, We went to Busch Gardens Several times and to the beach. We had a great time at both and look forward to going back to Busch Gardens in Oct for Hallowscream! woo hooo! I'm doing great, I feel wonderful and go to the gym 3 to 5 days a week depending on how my week is going. In the summer I was averaging 4 or 5 days a week. It feels great to be able to actually work out and not really feel like I'm gonna die, lol.

One to the kids, Loralie is great, she's sooooo super smart and has the smart attitude to go with it. She started Pre K on Tuesday and it's a much more structured setting than her preschool class last year. She loves it. She is such a big kid she's bigger than most of the 5 year olds in the class actually I think she is bigger than all of the kids in her class. Her class is the older 4.5 year old class mainly set up for kids who turn 5 in Sept but aren't really ready for Kindergarten yet. Which I'm happy about because now she won't be the oldest kid in her class anymore. And everyone is pretty equal across the board on what they know. She once again the first day I dropped her off she barely said goodbye to me, I didn't even get a picture of her in her classroom because she was too busy. She was super excited about being in PreK and i know will do great! I now have to watch what I listen to on the radio as she picks up songs really quick and some of the songs she picks up aren't ones a 4 almost 5 yr old should be singing. I finally cut alot of length off of her hair at the beginning of the summer. Her hair is so thick it is unbelievable how thick it is. So we took about 6 inches off and layered it and that helped with some of the problems she was having with it. She would get super hot while playing and her hair was just a huge issue with the heat. She didn't want to just throw it in a pony, she wanted it down and it was smothering her when she'd play. It's actually grown a lot over the summer so it's about time to get cut again. Her hair is beautiful if it wasn't so thick it would have beautiful little curls/waves in it. Other than that she is doing great we are starting to plan her 5th birthday party for next year (I can't believe she's gonna be 5 next month). That's all for her...shes a great kid with a big heart, she's just sassy sometimes...lol.

Now for my diva child Miranda. Miranda is doing well, She has a few little medical issues going on but the docs are keeping a check on her for them, we have to take her to the doc every 3 months to make sure everything is in check. Basically she has an overactive adrenal gland that is producing too many hormones that was making stuff develop way too early. So now that we have that in check it's basically a wait and see type of thing. She also has really loose joints which causes her elbow to dislocate super easy (aka nursemaids elbow). Usually if someone pulls on it too hard or she twists it wrong it'll pop out and it seems super painful. It most of the time just takes a shot of Motrin and her letting us push it back together to pop it back in and it's good and feels better in a few hours. Sometimes we may have to go to the doc to have it set back in. This too she should grow out of. She is a super great kid and has the hugest heart in the world. She has all these stuffed animals and they are her babies. She loves them all and if one is missing she knows it and is upset. She gets upset if she thinks she hurts our feelings by being a smart ass. She is a total Diva though. She has to have her clothes match, her hair a certain way, always wants fingernail polish and if her polish chips it needs to be fixed asap. she's super prissy acting and always has something imaginative going on in her head. There are days I wish I could just see what she was thinking because when she's in her own little world the look on her face is priceless. She looks so happy and dreamy it's awesome. She even with as sweet as she sounds has a super huge attitude and is stubborn. Now where she gets that from is beyond me (lol) but she has it and it drives me insane. If she doesn't want to do or eat something it's a huge pain to get her to do so and it will drive you crazy. She started Preschool Wednesday. She did so much better than I thought she would. When we went to VBS she cried when I left everyday and that freaking killed me. Well I took her in Wed. she gave me a big extended hug on my leg and a kiss and I told her goodbye. She started to walk with me to the door to say bye again and her teacher said Hey Miranda would you like to paint, to which my little girl turned into a big one and said yeah! and took off over there without a single look back at me. It's kinda sad but I'm super happy she is loving school and doesn't give me a fit when I drop her off. That's all on Miranda.

Now on to my most trying child Tripp. While I love him beyond words he is the most trying of the three. He gets into everything, tears everything up and is mean as a snake while being sweet at the same time. We call him our sour patch kid because he'll pull one of the girls hair (hard) and then want a hug or he'll whack you or do something he's not suppose to do and then give you this innocent sweet look. He is absolutely rotten. He is doing well though, getting taller and growing like a weed and is as strong as an ox. He is learning so many words it's insane. He has also became an escape artist and escapes his crib all the time now and that's just depressing. I no longer have a baby! He climbs and gets into stuff way more than the girls ever did. But he's my baby boy and I love him to pieces. even with all the rottenness he has in him. Oh and I still haven't cut his hair, he gets called a girl all the time and that sucks. I've been told by several old people to cut his hair (people I don't' know) and usually that makes me not want to cut it that much more. I usually just nod and keep on walking. He's got such cute curls and maybe for Halloween he'll be a pirate. He is enjoying the time Miranda and Loralie are gone however when Lore and Ran get home he gives them the biggest hugs, so i know he missed them! Hes got a smile that will melt your heart. which is probably why he's sooooo rotten. and that's about it for Tripp.

So that's all that's going on here. Oh I got a new (well new to me) Truck it's a 2005 Explorer and I love it. I don't love the gas mileage it gets very much, but it's not that bad. So now I'm going back to organizing my house, I've been working on it the past couple weekends and am gonna get back at it. So I hope I have appeased Anna who scolded me about my blog with this super long blog post...lol. But I think that we are all up to date on everything. Oh billys doing good, he works alot, and is going to Phoenix in Oct actually leaving on Lores bday (she's not gonna be happy about that). But he'll be working 10 hours on that Sunday and that's double time woo hooo! Okay that's all folks...peace out homies and I'll post new updated pics soon!

6 months out

Well i'm 6 months out and I am feeling great. SOOOOOO this is me...and the docs say I only have to lose about 35 more lbs and I'll be at a good weight for me! They also said I am where they expected me to be at a year out from surgery! SO I am ahead of schedule! woo hoo! So I think i'm looking hott...lol...well I try and I have to say it's pretty damn awesome!

5 months out

And this is all I have to show for it...not too bad so far....116lbs lost...i only weigh every two weeks now so not to get irritated when I hit plateaus!

Not much going on

Well I figured since I haven't posted in a while I better let you all know i'm still around after my vacations. Vegas was great! I loved it and would have loved to have spent sooooo much more time there and I can't wait to go back! I had the best time! I won a little money, met up with some of my Kansas peeps and had a blast! I can't wait to go back.

Then as a family we went to Pigeon forge TN! We had the best time! The kids were great! We got to meet up with a couple of billy's sisters and their kids for a couple days! It was just a great trip. We went to Dollywood for 2 of the days and that was super fun for all of us. We had a lot of really good food, tons of laughs and even some swimming.

So now I'm trying to catch up on everything, plan my dads suprise party (june 13th), get into my new steering team role in Mops, stress about miranda's health issues and enjoy the spring (if it ever offically gets here).

Thats all for now i'll post some pics soon. On another note I went to my moms this past weekend and she had been keeping my wedding dress at her house so I decided it was time for me to take it home. I tried it on and it fits better than when I got married. I am offically smaller than when i met billy! wooot! I'll post again soon!

Vaca time

So not much is going on here...same ole same ole. I have now lost 101 lbs! woo hoo! Things are going well since the surgery, I haven't had any issues thankfully. I try not to weigh myself often as I get frustrated if it doesn't show any loss...lol. I know how silly is that. Anyway I leave to go to Vegas this sat (march 28th). I can't wait. I'm meeting one of my oldest best friends out there (she's flying up from Austin). We are going to have such a great time. We had booked a room through hotwire at Caesars palace. Well hotwire notified us that since Caesars had been bumped from a 5 star to a 4 star they moved us to the Venetian (which looks even better!). So I'll get there sat afternoon and enjoy some grown up time without kids wooo hooo! I fly back Tuesday and get home Tuesday night.

Wed morning, Billy, the kids and I are leaving for a little vacation to Pigeon Forge. We are super excited about that. It'll be nice to get away and have some fun. So that's whats going on with us. I'll be happy when the warm weather is here to stay so all the sickies will be gone for good! That's all for now! I'll post about my trip sometime when I get back!

12 weeks post op!

Well it's been 12 weeks since my surgery and here are my new pics...the total weight loss so far is 96lbs: