36 Might Not Be TOO Bad Afterall...?

Well, yesterday was my very Happy 36th Birthday and I have to say, it was a really really GREAT DAY! I was spoiled all over the place with tons of loves and surprizes and gifts and it was awesome! Aside from back in HS when Mom and Dad threw us nice parties, or maybe my 21st when Ed gave me a suprize party, I think this is the best bday I have had!! I think 36 will be a great year!
Some photos I wanted to share... you'll "get" them later on in the post. The moose we saw out near Blake and Lisa's subdivision... crazy! The SNOW we woke up to yesterday morning! SNOW in Sept! Whatever! And then some b-day photos too...

So, here is how my birthday went this year!
Fri night dh and the kids had a mini mom party. We had pizza and opened gifts and had ice cream. I got lots of treats from everyone - new computer speakers, my VERY OWN mp3 player (this was a LONG time coming as I've been borrowing the kids mp3's and iPods for months at the gym), ummm, Dani made me a cute, soft pink pillowcase in sewing class at school, Tiffany painted me a HEART that says I LOVE YOU for my scrapbook area.
On top of the stuff from Fri night a friend brought me a sugar cookie candle and a beautiful cupcake with a rose on it, my sister brought me muffins and a sweet card, (I got TONS of nice cards in the mail too), another neighbor brought me a cake and a card, my inlaws sent me some money, and my bf Lisa bought me my very OWN funny little CABIN all for me, maybe I have been a little jealous?! (I don't have a pix of it yet, but you'll get a kick out of it!)
So, I was already having a great bday and then Sat actually got here and it just got better and better!!
I got to sleep in....ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh so nice! But I missed the gym and didn't get to use my new mp3 player! LOL We woke up to SNOW! yes! SNOW IN SEPTEMBER! Got some great photos of it too! (the eagles are bronze sculptures we have here in town, they looked so real with the snow on them) We went to Ed's family work day at his office, looked around, had some cookies and visited. Enjoyed seeing the kids check out what Daddy does all day :O)
By 2:30 we were on our way (still snowing too) to pick up Blake and Lisa to go to Rexburg (about 30 min from I.F.)to the Paul Mitchell Hair Acadamy. We got there at 3:00 and we each went back with a stylist and had the ROYALLLL treatment! We had a tea tree oil scalp massage... and a eucalyptus shampoo massage and hot towel treatment... AND we had a cut and style too! We were all so relaxed and oh so stylin' baby! That took over an hour and 1/2 of time but man did it feel good! OH and the place, it is INEXPENSIVE too! It was totally awesome and we all enjoyed it. The guys were done way faster than us girls so they sat around and heckled us and all the poor lil' stylist gals... what a total couple of weirdos Lisa and I have married! LOL
So, after the hair thing, we went to the sporting store there in Rexburg and checked out the 4 wheelers, motorcycles, snowmachines and all that stuff. Saw some really cool toys - fun to look!!
Then we headed (still SNOWING) back to Idaho Falls and we went to pick up a rental car that Lisa had at her house to drop it off. Just as we approached their subdivision we look over and there is a FREAKING BULL MOOSE SITTIN' THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD!!!!!!! Serious as heck! Just sitting there chewin' his crud looking at US like we were the weird ones! ROTFL! So, I happened to have my camera on me and took some shots and we were on our way! Craziness! Well, we picked up the rental car, which was a Chrystler 300 and way SWEET (heated seats baby!) and took it back to the airport.... then the guys picked us up and we were off again!
Snow finally stopped and we went out to Texas Roadhouse for dinner. OMGosh yea! Lovin' the food and everything! We did have a long wait but the food was worth it! The waiter was a cutie and he even brought me choco cake ala something too rich to eat LOL and then stood there and SANG with Ed, Blake and Lisa to me!!! It was sooo fun! Great dinner! Great company!
After dinner we went back to their house for a HOT TUB! I have been dying to go hot tubbing since my surgery, knew it would feel so good on my neck as it has been so tense and tight. So, we went out there, visited, ate a ton of cookies, visited some more, took a LONG relaxing hot tub, visited some more, laughed till' we about cried, visited some more ... LOL I finally started to doze off on the sofa in the office so Ed declared it time to take the "old lady" home. LOL Then I could not find my shoes, and well, we finally drove in the driveway here at home at straight up 12:00 midnight! I about fell into bed but man oh man....what a great day!
Slept in again this morning.... feeling great though! 36 is going to be awesome!!!

Darla

Just posted all the photos from our trip to the themed hotel a few weeks ago. We went there for our anniversary a week early since I was having surgery. It is the Black Swann Inn in Pocatello, ID and it is very cool! Our room was themed "Pirate Suite" and it was awesome!! http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i21/DarlaLOU/

Quick.

Just a couple of quick things. ONE is a wonderfully beautiful treat I got yesterday from my neighbor, Wendy. It was part of any early Bday gift... a CUPCAKE no less with the most awesome yellow rose with purple tips on it! So cool! Alas, the kids and I took photos and then broke down and ate that beautiful creation! LOLOL Another thing is a goony goo goo photo of me from when Ed and I went to the themed inn for our pre anniversary celebration the night before my surgery. We stayed in the Pirates Suite and they had these hysterical hooks for the shower curtains... I had to be silly you know! (Oh and is that blouse not TOO cute?! Got it brand new at a yard sale with tags still attatched for a couple of bucks!!) Enjoy your weekend!
Darla

Be the best you

“Be a first class version of yourself
and not a second class version of
someone else.”

Loved this quote I found today. :O)

Thursday is here.

**Photos, I think I forgot to post these before, but when I was in the hospital I got these lovely flowers, they finally died this last weekend but they were so pretty! Yellow roses are my absolute FAVE and these were perfect! My good friend Liz got me the roses and my sweet sweet son Chris got me the other flowers (that he thought were roses) sort of "baby roses" .... anyway, they were so sweet to do that for me, both of them! **
Eeeck, it is Thurs already, seriously? Geesh! I had a slow morning but I am back on track now and hopefully the rest of the day will go smoothly. I sat down last night and printed out a "schedule" for my day so I can get all the things I NEED to do and the things I WANT to do done. Hope it all pans out for me! Started off funky with the baby being late this a.m. and then skipping gym, going back to sleep, oversleeping, getting the kids up late and well... you see where that all leads to. BUT as I said, I am on track now and all is good.
Big agenda? Well, 2 hours of housework, several loads of laundry and some seriously serious scrapbook creative time for this girl! Much NEEDED scrapbook creative time! I am so excited to sit down and play I can't hardly stand it! It is my plan to "reward" myself with play time after I get all the work done! Just like a little kid, my scrapping is my lollipop at the store! hee hee!
OK make it a good one folks!
Darla

Weight Issues

Every once in a while I like to do these photo comparison things , more for me than anyone , but they help keep me motivated and on track and focused. I need that today.This is one year difference (green Sept 2006 black Sept 2007).

Had a late start this a.m. and has thrown me off. Well, I didn't have a late start, the mom I babysit for did and it just got me off kilter from the get go. Feel like I am an hour behind on everything now.... dumb, but true. Got in a shorter workout than I'd liked to have but at least I still went. Built up my time a bit on the ellyptical (added 5 more min) and am almost back up to where I was presurgery a few weeks ago. Not too bad. Tried to get back to the weights on Monday but it was too much strain, could feel it pulling in my neck and stopped. Will try again next week.
Walking is about where it was presurgery too, just boring to me now. Got some new music I'm using, that might help. Bottom line is that I think I need a big shake up in my workout / diet / health routine. I need to stop with the babysteps and take some leaps I think. I have said all along that babysteps where what got me through, because it wasn't a total change all at once, but now I am stalled out on my weightloss and I need to regroup and focus. I have not been my best when it comes to foods, I totally threw it out the window the weeks during/after surgery and now I am trying to come off that high/low, whatever you want to call it. My workouts still push me, but I think I could push harder, just sort of working back up to where I was first. Setting new goals, trying to figure out what I can do to boost myself along. I am STUCK at this freaking point on my weight, at least by the scales point of view and that is flustering. I was at 50 lbs as of the first part of July, then I spent all of July and Aug and most of Sept just trying to maintain that. I jumped up a few lbs through this past 3 weeks and now am sloooowwwwly creeping back down but still have not got down to that 50 lb mark again. SO angry I allowed this to happen, because now instead of working hard to move forward and to a new goal I am rehashing my old goal and pushing very angrily towards getting back to where I was. Sucks! I am very very angry with myself over this.
So, now today I am going to rethink things, make some new plans, make some MORE new goals and get ready to conquer this dang 50 lb goal and move on to the next one....
Staying focused is key.
Darla

80's Day and Our New Puppy!

So, in trying to play catch up here, I have a couple more photos to share. Just trying to keep on top of things!
One is of our younger daughter Tiffany - her school had a spirit week a few weeks ago at school and believe it or not, rather than 50's day (like we used to have *sigh*) they do 80's day! OH am I old or what?!? So, we did her "BIG hair" and all the fun stuff like doubled scrunched socks and tight leggin's... she looked so cute. Of course, all that big hair was a flat hairsprayed mess when she got home but at least I got a photo! LOL
The other photo is our new puppy Oliver! We got him the day I came home from the hospital and he is a "Bl-eagle" aka: black lab/beagle mix. So, let me just say, getting a new puppy is not the thing to do when you are recovering from surgery. That first week home for me was sure trying... pupppy training is hard work and I was so not up for it. BUT- we survived and he is getting there. He is a cutie too. He likes this baby that I watch wayyy too much, likes to steal his pacifiers and EAT them and as you can see, he likes to get into the baby swing and sleep! Crazy Dog!!
So, nothing new today. Just hanging out at home, cleaning, laundry, all that. I am still really really worn and tired and even though I feel good, I am getting so worn out. A couple people have suggested I get my iron checked since I did have some blood loss in surgery and in the past I have had a tendancy to get anemic after birth or surgeries... so I am going to call the Dr about that today. Otherwise, all is calm on the homefront for now.
Tonight the kids all have this stuff going on, Chris and Dani have their church youth group meetings and Tiffany and Daddy have a Father/Daughter pj dinner for church too... that leaves our lil' guy Micheal and Mom all alone so we'll have to find something fun to do! :O)
Alright, hope all is well with everyone and behave yourselves!
Darla

and just a few more....

OK so the white tee was on Friday, 2 weeks post op, looking pretty dang good if you ask me! And then the navy blue sweater was just yesterday, Sunday, which is 2 weeks 2 days post op! I am VERY happy so far thinking only 2 weeks out and it is looking so good. The only part I am unhappy with really is that there is sort of a "tail" looking thing on the side where I think the drain was... it is more red and not looking as good as the rest of the scar. So, that brings us current. I know some of you find this totally gross (ED!!) but I had a lot of people ask. So, I'll update once in a while agian for you too.
Darla

And more...

White shirt was Sat, one week - one day after surgery, looking pretty red and sore because I was DUMB and went out in the sun for a soccer game that day, just did not think before I went. Then the photo in pink was that Sunday, one week-two days after surgery. Started to look pretty good by that point, lots of swelling gone and looking decent!

A few days later...

OK so a few days later... the ones in the black V-neck tee are the day I went back to the Dr for followup, that was 6 days after surgery. He'd just taken the steri-strips off and it was pretty red and rough looking. There was LOTS of swelling and it looked like I had a softball under there, but felt so much better with the bandages off. The one on the white tee was the next day, already looking less red and "mean" and swelling starting to go down. That was one week post op.

First few days

OK photos here are the night before surgery, we went out for a date with one last shot of my unscarred neck! Then the one with all the crisscrossed bandages was the day I was discharged from the hospital, the morning after surgery. The one with the straight bandages was 2 days later... still lots of dried blood but looking much better after a shower that day!

Wow! Lots of photo updates... and a WARNING!

As previous stated, I have a ton of pix to share but I know alot are curious about my surgery so I will post those pix first... overall I don't think that they are "that" gross but if you have a weak stomach you might not want to look. Consider yourself warned. LOL Darla

Great discovery!

I am so brain dead sometimes. I just now this morning opened my pretty little eyes and realized that Ed's computer printer also has a photo card slot.....duhhh me! So I will have some pix to share here shortly. Yea, no photos makes for a boring blog, I know. I know. So, check back shortly, there will be updates. LOL Darla

Busy Weekend

Sorry I slacked off, just a busy weekend. Lots of little stuff going on and keeping us on our toes.
Having great workouts at the gym, back to the ellyptical and feeling very happy about that! Totally suprized myself Sat with how far I went on it and am feeling nearly 100% again! yeahh!
Sat was a blast! Ed and I took the two younger kids with us up to Kelly Canyon Ski area and went 4 wheelin' on some trails. It was a bit cold as we had rain off and on but no big dounpours thank goodness. It was a beautiful drive as all the trees are changing colors and the Quaking Aspens are just amazing with color! Loved that! Chris had to work all day and Dani had a soccer game in Pocatello, bummer that they lost big time (12-0) but had fun on the hour trip down there. :O)
Sat night we did our date night with Blake and Lisa, went to our usual Garcia's for dinner, had a yummy Shrimp Avacado Salad with Sweet Red Dressing... so yummy! As usual we gorged ourselves with chips, salsa and bean dip before our meals and were stuffed before the food got to the table! LOL After that we went and check out the new Outfitters store here, some cools stuff in that place! Lisa picked up a super cute douvet cover for her daughters bedroom and then we went for a drive up in the foothills to the new housing subdivision ... amazing beautiful homes, some over a million dollars and just out of this world! While up there we got to see the city lights.... very very pretty and makes you feel so small! We visited alot, then went to get some dessert at Perkin's, I got bannana creme pie and it was YUM! Have had a craving for that lately a lot?? Hmmm?! Anyway, it was a late night but tons of fun as always! Gotta love the Brown's, great people!
Today was Church and NO ONE wanted to get up and going!!! The little kids had a Primary program and they were cute. Lots of singing and "memorized" (NOT!) parts to read off. Micheal was so cute... he said he "shows faith when he keeps the MAND-MENTS" (commandments) and we all chuckled! So funny!
Today is lazy. Going to have visitors this afternoon and just hang out. No big plans. Nachos for a late lunch and salsbury steak and mashed pot for dinner...yum.
No plans for the week really, just house, kids, and work. Tues night we do have some youth activities at the Church which leaves ME and MICHEAL home all night together, thinking we'll need a Mommy-n-me date night ;O) Next weekend is my 36th bday and I have yet to decide what we are going to do.... ideas anyone? I want to be creative!

OK weekend is almost over! Make it a good one!
Darla

Whoo whoo - it's Thursday People!

Well, wow! It is Thursday already and I don't know where or how this week went by so dang fast but wow, it did. Feeling very unaccomplished on lots of things right now, like the house and yard, they so need some serious attention but I just don't have a lot of energy to deal with them and so the bare minimum has gotten me by but I really need a new plan there. Got my workout in this morning and even went a bit extra to make up for yesterday's craziness. I did find out, the auto temp thing on the thermastat at the gym was set so that when the temps dropped outside overnight the heat blasted inside. They said they'd had the windows and doors open to cool it down but some COMPLAINED?? about that - geesh! Whatever. Just glad it was nice and cool in there this a.m.!
Speaking of the gym. Whoo whoo! Happy to report I am down a couple of lbs from the first of the week! YEAHHHH! I figure a lot of it was/is water weight so it does not suprize me at all. Just glad to see the scales going down again. Going to push myself hard this weekend to stay on track so that Monday's weigh in will be a GREAT one! Still feeling VERY pumped up and motivated to do this! Today is my measure day as well (once a month) and I am afraid of what I'll see. EECK! After 2 weeks of no excersize and one week of pigging out, well, the measuring tape will not be very forgiving I fear! Wish me luck!
Went to a card swap group last night. SO FUN! A couple of ladies from our old Ward at Church invited me to join them.... what a silly bunch of gals. We had fun, potluck dinner, exchanged cards, made a little craft thinger and visited. Very fun. Turned out it was at one of my daughters friends house too - weird. On top of that, the girls Dad was a guy I went to HS with as well. Small world we live in! :O)
AND speaking od my dear daughter - thought since I am always talking about my boys I'd give an update on the girls! LOVE those photos of them from our Christmas family shoot last winter. So cute! Thanks Robin, you do such amazing work! You ROCK GIRL!! http://heartfelt.typepad.com/robingibbonsphotography/
So, Dani is busy busy in Jr High again this year. Miss social butterfly! She is the one who goes to school for the social not the education - LOL seriously. What a funny kid. Somehow she ended up on the JHS girls soccer team and is having fun with that. Learning lots of skills and definatly learning about teamwork and respect for one another. Not where I'd ever have envisioned her but she is doing it and I am proud of her! Oh - and she is pretty dang good too! Got a killer 1/2 field kick that blows her coach away! LOL I am so proud of her for sticking with it! What a girl!
Tiffany. What can you say about this kid. Has to be the most laid back, easy going child to ever walk the planet. One of those kids that gets forgot or skipped or looked over just because she is so 'go with the flow' that you miss her sometimes. Poor thing. Loving school (suprize suprize there? NOT!) and doing PACE again (gifted and talented program) and just being a smarty pants! Her AR reading is up in a 9th grade level, she is in the PACE program and in the advanced math class... on top of this she is joining choir after school and has always got her nose in a book. Not that I am complaining - just don't know where we ever ended up with a brainiac child! LOLOL Gotta love her though - such a sweetie!

OK off and running as usual. House and dishes and laundry wait for me - I hear them calling - ok SCREAMING for my assistance!
Make it a good one!
Darla

Morning. Good. No. But yes, it IS morning.

Big *SIGH* and whine. Throwing forced optimism OUT the window for a moment while I wallow in self pity. Sorry.

Massivly frustrated this a.m. and feeling ickypoo yuck. Have been totally pumped about workouts and weight loss and totally refocused and on a new drive to get this done. Got up this a.m. to go to the gym and not only was I running late but I got there and it was a hundred zillion degrees of HOT in the building. I am talking like 90 degrees - SERIOUSLY! It made me so sick to my stomach and I had already drank my ooodles of water for the morning and it just all came up. I tried to splash cool water on my face, all that, but still ended up "praying to the porcelean gods" as they say. Even then I was not deterred, still determined to get in SOME workout but it was just not bearable. I ended up giving up and going outside to cool off, hung my head in defeat and drove home. SO TICKED OFF! I just really want to do this right now! So, I am going to have to get on the frumpy junky home treadmill to make it up and that just puts me in a pisser mood. Whaa!

On a happier note - (picked up that forced optimism and dusted it off)- I AM in fact down one pound and 6 oz from yesterday and so my good eating and my workouts previously in the week ARE working. Yeahhh! Very encouraging there.

Busy day today. Have housework, laundry and some cards to make for a swap tonight. I have a friend coming over to do cards with me, will be nice to have some company.
:O) Guess the whole day isn't lost - right? LOL

Make it a good one.
Darla

OK GOD - I HEAR YOU........
Ijust read this quote on another site after I posted my blog for today. Totally appropriate for me today. Thank you God for hearing me whine. I will be more grateful the rest of the day. :O)

***A student asked Soen Nakagawa during a meditation retreat, "I am very discouraged. What should I do?"

Soen replied, "Encourage others." ***

Cute!

Saw this on Jayne's blog and had to give it a try, thought it was cute! Darla
Thanks Jayne! :O)

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)
SWANY TOWN AND COUNTRY

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)
MINT FUDGE GRAHM

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)
DBLA

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)
PURPLE TURTLE

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
MARIE SHELLEY

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)
BLADA

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put “The”)
THE GREEN MUDSLIDE

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)
ANDREW ANDREW (HA! funny!)

9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy)
LOVES' BABY SOFT KIT KAT

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names )
MAY LEWELLEN

Workout Day 2 - check!

Well, I drug my butt out of bed again this a.m. for workout day #2. I can't believe how totally wiped out I am getting at the gym. Sure goes to show how much surgery can tear down your whole body. Geesh! I walked and did the stationary bike today but man was I tired out quick. Yesterday I only did walking and so today I felt like I needed to step it up a bit. Supposedly I can resume normal workouts next week but I don't know if I'll be up to it! Guess I can just try - better than not trying at all! I will work back up to where I was - I will - it will just take some time. After all, it took me a whole year to get where I was before the whole thyroid crap went crazy so at least I have a head start on it this time! Forced optimism I tell ya.
Oh and speaking of quotes... I have a couple of new favorites that I wanted to share with my blog readers. One is so super megga INSPIRING to me and the other is VERY difinitive of my favorite past time of all : SCRAPBOOKING! I will share them in a minute. Right now though, I am having this "war" with myself. It is silly, but I want some input from you guys. For over 10 yrs now I have been a totally addicted crazy one minded over zealouse scrapbooking queen. Seriously. My closest family and friend can attest to the seriousness of this. So when I started to work out and focus more on my physical health last year, scrapping sort of got side swiped and slowed wayyyyy down. Still a priority and still my favorite play time for myself, but slid way down on the top ten time consumers for me. I have missed it so much and feel sort of out of the loop on the latest and greatest in the scrapping world, but have tried to keep up. I desperatly want to find a good balance! I want to find time and energy for my physical health but also feel like my scrapping is so good for my mental health! I am really inspired and energized with scrapbooking lately and hope to be able to fit both into my daily routine again and then feel more balanced. Am I nuts? I need to keep focus on my health, can't lose focus there - but think I need both in my life to stay happy. So, if anyone has any tips as to how to squeeze both in, do share!

Got a lot of stuff done yesterday and did lots of visiting. Have a neighbor/friend from Church who stopped by in the afternoon and we chatted for over an hour! Then she and her hubby came by last night to talk again - made for a VERY late dinner and just threw my night off totally. Nice to visit, but so into a routine lately. LOL I did get a lot done down in my scrapbook area and the storage closet downstairs. Will be relieved when it is all tidy and organized again.

Today is more of yesterday. Laundry, housework, all that. Need to figure out a menu for the week too. Yea, I know, it is Tuesday already LOL!

OK off I go! Have a good one!
Darla

INSPIRED : BE THE CHANGE YOU HOPE TO SEE

SCRAPPY : PURPOSELY CAPTURING HAPPY MOMENTS EXPANDS YOUR SOUL - Olympia Dukakis

Monday Monday Monday

WHEW! Survived week one post surgery AND it is Monday once again! Monday's seem to roll around soooo fast to me, not sure why Friday's take so long and Monday's just jump on ya!? Guess it just goes to say....

So, lots to talk about.

Feeling pretty good. Got up and going to the gym this a.m. although it was a slow/wimpy workout - hey, I went. I did some awesome stretches too, have not done any in almost 2 weeks and MAN did that feel good! I can't do all my regular ab excersizes yet so I just did what I could and that felt good. Can't wait to feel 100% and really get going on things. I am so ready to kick things back into gear on the weightloss and fitness. I really have let myself slide this whole past month and my goal of maintaining through the surgery was met HOWEVER this past 3 days I have just jumped UP UP UP on the scales. It may be due to a monthly visit from you know who that is just added to the couple lbs I put on last week but man was I unhappy when I got on the scales this a.m.! Yikes! So, since I am starting fresh and new this week and Monday is my "official" weigh in day, I had to write THAT nasty number down on my chart and I am so not happy! Hopefully most of it IS just from water retention and the monthly cycle.... I do not want to have to backtrack that much to start this new plan! On a happier note, I went to the gym and ran into an old co- worker who I just LOVED so much when I worked at WalMart years ago. She has started a new fitness plan herself and has been getting up and going to the YMCA at 5:30 a.m. and so we talked and agreed to make each other accountable to be there in the mornings! So cool! She is a sweetheart and I am tickled to get to visit with her!!
SO- I am ready to hit this hard and heavy! Have to keep my workouts to a minimum this week still, but ready to eat healthier than ever and be a good girl! Let's see how well I do without my thyroid to play around with my metabolism and hopefully I can get going on my new goals!!!!!!!!!

Nothing else much to say today but have a lot of housework and laundry to try to catch up on. Also my lil' guy I babysit is getting big! We get to start feeding him rice cereal now and he is up to 17 lbs! What a lil' man! So happy to see him this morning! He is a sweetheart!

OK off and running! Make it a great week everyone!
DarlaLOU "The SKINNY CHICKEN " girl...

Sunday Afternoon Hello

Just a quick hi from me today. Not much to report and feeling sort of lousy so I am just laying around.
Had a great anniversary dinner last night. Went to our fave Mexican resteraunt and had wonderful food and company. Even went to dessert later in the evening. Just stayed out/up too late for what I have been through this week. Needed the sleep more than the late night I think.
This a.m. we got the WHOLE family to Church (have not done that in forever) and enjoyed the meetings. Too bad some people are so snooty. Enuf said on that.
Lounging today. Took a nice long nap after Church, making french bread pizza's this evening. Pretty good day overall. Just so tired and worn out - stinks.

Hope you had a good weekend, Monday is upon us too soon once again.
Darla

AHHHH CHOO! (and a BIG OUCHIE!!)

I sneezed last night when I went to bed. I will tell you one thing and one thing only right here and now : DO NOT EVER SNEEZE ONE WEEK AFTER YOU HAVE HAD YOUR NECK CUT OPEN FOR THYROID SURGERY! Seriously. Pain. Ohhhh the pain. I hurt worse in that 30 min after sneezing than I did when I woke up from the surgery in the recovery room at the hospital. Serious, unwaving, unmerciful P A I N! Finally, after sitting in bed crying for nearly an hour I gave up and took some pain medication. After all, that is what it was prescribed for, right? I had felt so good all day long on Fri and was quite proud that I had managed through the day with no Rx pain meds, just some plain ol' Tylenol and I was actually excited to be off the heavy duty stuff. Well, after the sneeze, yup, I am back on the pain meds. I still 1/2 wonder if I didn't tear something or do some damage in there - I gave myself quite the jolt and I did not have enough reaction time to reach up and "support" my neck like I normally have been doing when I cough or move suddenly. Top that with the postition I was lying in, well, it was no good. So, today I have been taking it easy, still on the pain meds and if it is still bad by Monday I am going to call the Dr and let him know I think I sneezed myself an injury.
So - if you have never read the book that I posted with this, you HAVE to read it! It was a FAVE of mine when I was a kid and it immediatly came to mind when all this happened last night. "Stand back said the elephant I am going to sneeze, oh please oh please said the monkeys in the trees, last time you sneezed the alligators snout turned inside out ...." so on and so forth. AKA the elephants sneeze turns the jungle upside down and inside out and THAT is how I feel today.
AND I just wanted to add today is in fact our 17th Wedding Anniversary and Ed is taking me out tonight! So sweet! He babied me today too, what a guy. Gotta love him.
AND one more quick thing (wish I could post the photos) Miss Dani had a JHS soccer game against the Sandcreek Dragons today (don't they just SOUND mean?) and they WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPED their butts in a killer 8-1 game! It was awesome! I went, sat in the hot sun trying to cover my gaping scar to preven it from sun damage and I even tried to scream a bit, but my voice is still too tired. LOL But so cool they WON! Way to go EAGLES!

OK off to get ready for our anniversary date!
Luvs to you guys!
Darla

TGIF Baby!

Wow, Friday OFF of babysitting, whoo whoo! Not that lil' Noah is a bad baby by any means, but I sure was tired out this week. So ready for a ME day. Kids are all at school, Ed is working today (unusual) and I have the house and the day to myself. Lovin' it!

So what is a girl to do? ENJOY THE DAY OFF! That is what I intend to do. I plan to do a quick over on the house (but not too much bc I am still taking it easy) and get a couple loads of wash done. I need to deliver dishes back to neighbors from all the yummy meals brought in along with some thank you notes (already written, go me!) that are so deserved. I plan to sneak in some scrapbook time for myself, so inspired right now, have 1000's of ideas bursting in my brain and ready to create! I plan to sit down and watch my soap opera (yes - I am a sahm addicted to soap crack tv) LOL! And if I have time and I am so inclined, I may just take a little nap too! Just because I CAN! Love days to myself.

This weekend is our wedding anniversary - 17 YEARS! On Sat the 15th - Wow can you believe that? Amazing to me. What is really crazy is that I was barely 18 when we met which means I have spent HALF of my life with him! What a roller coaster it has been too! LOVE YOU BABE! XOXOXO We sort of celebrated last week before my surgery when we went to the hotel in Pocatello. It was an awesome room, themed in the Pirate genere' and so cool.... I have a ton of pix but they are on the other computer so we'll just have to wait to share. Sorry. Instead here is an awesome photo of us from last winter! Love this photo big time!
*photo taken by Robin Gibbons Photography*
http://heartfelt.typepad.com/robingibbonsphotography/

OK off to get my day started. Make it a good one yourself~

Darla

GOOD NEWS! NOT SO GOOD NEWS!

OK so I just got home from my appt followup with the surgeon for my throat. Got some good news and some great news and some not so good news! Craziness I tell ya! So, where to start? The good? The bad? The ugly? LOL Yes, the incision is ugly, for now, but it is healing up well and soon enough I'll show ya all a much happier looking photo!

So, the good news. Well, there is a few good things. One is that things look good. He is impressed with the wound and thinks it is healing really well. Yeahhh! That is really good news actually! It is sort of angry looking right now as they pulled the steri-strips off and it really got red and irritated the skin all around it, but overall it looks much-o better than it did with all the nasty blood-encrusted bandages all over! He also said it seems I am healing well, meaning overall, I am coming around and should feel great within the next week! Hooray! He also OK'd me to go back to the gym in the mornings as tolerated (in other words I can go walk or do the stationary bike for now). He still does not want me to do any heavy lifting or bending for at least a week. That is ok, at least I can go walk! Hooray for that!

The other REALLY good news was sort of a suprize! All in all, there was never really a big concern for the pathology report/biopsy of the thyroid bc nothing showed in advance of being a problem(ie: cancer or anything). He had said that they automatically DO biopsy things just to be safe and that it might give an indicator of why the dang thing grew so big so fast... but not to worry. Well, apparantly there WAS a worry!!!! Yea! No kidding! I was freaking out when he told me all this!! He told dh after the surgery that there was no problems other than some heavy bleeding that they had to control, but Ed even asked about the biopsy and he said there was no concern. So,then he told me today that when pathology got it THEY were concerned and had to send it in for additional *special* testing to weed out the problems they thought there might be. In the end, THANKFULLY there was nothing there. My Drs, both my reg dr and the ent doc were totally shocked to hear that there was anything to even look at and the ent said he was so thankful they did do the automatic path report just in case! How totally FREAKY IS THAT???????!!!!!!!! I am so glad it all came out good though! (no pun intended LOL)

OK so the BAD news- well, in comparison to the GOOD I can cope. The bad news is that I cannot go 4-wheeling for another week minimum!! BOO HOO! He said NOPE no 4-wheelers for another week- DANGGIT ALL! Kind of a joke because that was one thing we asked immediatly at the hospital before I was discharged, LOL poor Dr! Also another bad thing is no heavy duty workouts for another week at least... he keeps saying "at least a week" and I finally asked what that means... he said it is just more as tolerated but he wants me to keep taking it easy for one more week. I told him I'd been pampered all week and he said GREAT! Gotta love that guy! He said to keep off the heavy lifting and I also told him how I get lightheaded and woozy when I bend over and he said to keep off that for another week too! So, I guess I'll just ease into things slow but sure. Ohhhh and no swimming for another week too, but I *CAN* go hot tubbing provided I don't soak my neck in the water! LOL Details...details...

So, I will take another photo of myself tonight and when I get back on my own pc again I'll post them! You'll be amazed! This skinny chicken has a turkey gobbler! ROTFLMBO! Thank goodness the swelling will go down! hee hee

HUGS
Darla

UGH Computers!

Well, my computer did it *AGAIN* to me.... I was mid post here on the ol' blog, with a new photo and all for you and suddenly I smelled a not so healthy computer smell (overheating plastic smell?) and !POOF! there was a flash and she was gone! UGH! So, no new photo for you after all. Sorry.
Quick re-cap of my message.... feeling so-so today. This week has dragged on, so ready to be feeling better! I realize I can't be 100% within 5 days but geesh! you'd think I would feel SOMEWHAT better by now!? My latest 'complaint' is that I feel a lot of "tightness" in my neck right now, maybe from swelling? I don't know. I don't think I have an infection or anything like that... just feel really tight around my incision area. Ick!
I do go back to the Dr today ( at 3:45 this afternoon ) and hope to get lots of answers and some hope to be feeling better soon. I am really tired still, also having some pain still (but not too bad) and just overall uncomfortable feeling.
I'll let ya know what the Dr says when I get home. I did have a new photo for you too but now it is saved on my computer that is caphoooey and I am borrowing dh's again. Go figure.
Have had tons of great care this week - needed to add that in. I have had wonderful friends and neighbors and people from Church bringing in food all week long. Also hubby and kids have been wonderful too. Liz has been keeping up on my laundry, makes life so much easier on me since I can't lift anything and bending over is very painful (gives me nasty headaches). So, things are running pretty smoothly overall and I am being well taken care of. Thanks everyone!
OK gotta go attempt a shower again (yesterdays felt great but was exhausting) and then squeeze in a nap before I go to the Dr later.
LATER!
Darla

(Love this photo of Micheal from the beach a couple of years ago - just "found" it in my files and thought I'd add it!)

Much better tonight

Just wanted to say, I am feeling much better tonight. Had a fabulous dinner and got a nap, and feel so much better. Even had Ed take me out for a quick drive tonight just to get me out of the house - ohhh fresh air! Amazing how much it helped! I think tommorrow I will take a nice long shower, actually get in real clothes and do my hair and makeup and see if I can get back to the land of the living? LOL I am sure I'd feel tons better if I got out of my super stretch pants and baggy t-shirts and put on some shoes - don't you?
I am headed to bed now, have a good sleep! More later - Darla

Feeling icky today .

I asked Ed to stay home a bit this a.m. and get the kids off to school, I felt dreadful this a.m. Crazy stuff. Last night he went and picked up a new Rx pain med for me and I slept like mad..... seriously good drugs....... I think they left me seriously drained and groggy though. Just have no umpfh! at all today. Want to lie around and sleep. Can't get comfy. Just icky. Hope by the time I go to the Dr for followup on Thurs I feel better. Everyone is taking good care of me, I am just wiped out. So ready to get back to routine and feel good again.

Quick photos of the kids, Tiffany and Micheal - last Fri while I was at the hospital a friend came to watch them. She is a volunteer youth deputy thingie with the County Sherrif's Dept(we call her a "rescue hero" LOLOL) and the kids had to try on her uniform! So cute!! Thanks for your help Meralee!

Darla

***Edited ***
Feeling a bit better this afternoon. Had a couple of naps and the pain meds are wonderful. :O) Also got some of the icky bandage off, cleaned up a bit and put on clean ones, will take/share more pictures tommorrow.

Am I getting Spoiled?

Spoiled? Ummmm yes. I am getting spoiled. LOL Is this a good thing? Ummmm yes. I would say so. Lots of tlc and attention and OMGosh talk about lots of FOOOOOOD! Spoiled is good.

I am going to have so many thank you's to send out after this whole surgery deal is over. I have had friends and family here 24-7 helping out with house, kids, food, everything. I must admit, I love it. So right now I have dinner upstairs waiting for us, a GIANT crockpot of homemade potato soup that is to die for yummy smelling, a huge cake pan of from scratch apple spice cake with caramel syrup, homemade choc chip zuchini bread, rolls, and a huge bowl of super chunky homemade potato salad with GIGANTIC peices of eggs and pickles in it! OMGosh! And yes, this is JUST what was brought in for today. We have had cheesy chicken stuffing cassarole, jello, rolls (twice), two pans of brownies, and Ed has spoiled me with pudding, ice cream and jello too. OYE!!!! I tell ya, getting sick never tasted so good! LOL

Also got a treat from Robin the other day, an awesome Rob n Bob Scrap Pad and the cutest balloon (photos) and I am dying to get down here to my desk to play! So sweet of her! (she knew I didn't need more food - smart girl!) LOLOL

Feeling pretty good. Or as good as can be expected. Still have a lot of nasea from the pain meds so finally called the Dr today and got a different Rx called in. Tylenol just is not cutting it quite yet and I can't stand being sick to my stomach. Did however have a pretty good sleep last night, so that was helpful. Got a couple of naps today, Ed stayed home and helped me out, was so nice to have him here.

OK off to eat dinner. Wish me luck with the soup - I'll have to mash my potatoes but I am sure it will still be divine!
HUGS
Darla

I survived the weekend.

I should say "WE" survived... as dh and the kids have been fab to me.... and it has been a very long weekend. Today wer'e all just relaxing. I hope to feel much better by Monday.
I'll have to get on and tell the whole story later as I am feeling really nauseated right now, not sure that the typing is helping. But wanted to get on here and say I am doing OK and things are moving along well.
I have a couple of before/after pix for you, they are gross but not too nasty (I don't think) so sorry if they gross you out. The pretty one is from Thurs night before we left for the hotel, I was all prettied up for our night out. The after is from this morning after I had a shower.... felt sooooooo good!
The night at the hotel was awesome, very cool themed room, took lots of pix of that too that I'll share this week also.
Hugs and more later.
Darla

Winding up the week

Wow, it is Thursday already! So much to do, the week has so gotten away from me in a bad bad way. Guess I better kick it in high gear today then - egh?

So, on today's agenda.... some super duper megga HOP's (Hour of Power) to get my house clean and tidy. Lots of phone calls and arrangements to make for the weekend. Tonight Ed and I are headed to a hotel in Pocatello (Black Swann Inn) which is a theme room hotel, should be romantic fun! Tommorrow morning we come back home and head to the hospital for my surgery! Thank goodness for lots of good friends and family who will be helping us out with kids, house and so forth.

Big news also! Dear daughter Dani joined the Jr High School soccer team! WOWZA! She played in her first game last night! Totally loving it, learning FAST how much work it is but I think she will tough it through! Coolness!

OK off to clean and work things out for the weekend. Lots to do! Wish me luck for tommorrow! I'll be sure to post asap after surgery (probably sometime Sat or Sun). Not sure if I'll take pix of myself or not,well, maybe I will? Hmm, we'll see how I am feeling. Don't want to gross anyone all out either....

Take care and hugs!
Darla

Photo is of Chris and Micheal playing at the hotel in Utah when we went to Lagoon a couple of weeks ago! Such good buddies!!! Love those boys!

Wednesday already?

Whew, this week is flying by a weeee bit too fast for me! Yikes! Too much to do, not enough days. Crazy how having Monday off and planning for nothing on Friday sort of crunches the week for you?! LOL I am getting lots done though and feeling OK about being gone... things will run smoothly I am sure.

OK a few more photos to share with you! First off, wanted to show you how totally COOL Chris' new plates look on his car! How fun is that??!! I am sure every cop in the tri-county area will remember that red car with those plates, don't you? Geesh!
Then there is a very very silly photo of Dani, Tiff and Micheal playing the other day, Dani and Tiff were dressing up "80's style" and making their hair as BIG as possible. No comment from this 80's girl. LOL Then there is lil' Micheal man on his bike up at the cabin... when the "big boys" took off for their muddy fun he was a little forlorn... had to go get on his helmet and ride his bike and give me a "mean face" for the photo! LOL Loved it! Last but not least, for those of you who are wondering how exactly we got the 4-wheelers clean after their mud-pie playing excursion, well, a hose hooked to a water pump is a very very good thing! Don't ask how we got the guys themselves clean or the jeans and shoes. Ewwwwwww it was GROSS!

Make it a good one!
Darla

MUDDIN' BUDDIES

Oh my Lordie be! We had a great weekend,again, got tons of work done on the cabin as planned and even squeezed in some play time! Watched a couple of great movies (Blades of Glory, Road Hogs, How to Eat Fried Worms), everyone (but me) ate some DIVINE babyback ribs (thank you Ed!!)and some super sweet corn on the cob! Yum! Good fun! We also had to go play on the new toys you know.
The adults went for a "night ride" on Sunday evening and Ed proceeded to BURY his rig in the mud - had to have someone with a wench on their ATV yank him out, but not until Blake had already waded through the mud to his mid-calves trying to help! So gross!GEEESH!
The reservoir up there is pretty much dried up this summer. There is a bit of muddy, stinky silt and that is about it, so yea, the guys HAD to go check it out. On Monday morning Ed, Blake and Chris headed out (with ropes this time) and went playing in the mud. YES- PLAYING IN THE MUD - grown men style! OYE!!!
Let's just say I am very very very thankful that the new washer/dryer is installed and running up at the cabin as well as the shower... I'll let the pictures tell the rest. Small ones are BEFORE they left, large are when they returned 2 hrs later!!
Craziness I tell ya, craziness!
Darla

Quick HI and report

Just have a minute this morning to say HI, and were' home! Got in late last night, well, not really late, but later than planned. Have some stuff to do this a.m. then will download pix and give a full report for you! Had a great weekend, totally worn out and tired, but had a blast.
Check back a little later for more!
HUGS
Darla