What a fantastic weekend. Everything went great and we made it to all of our events with no problem. My brothers weeding was awesome. Brandy and j wanted simple and small and that is what they got. We met at a park where they looked around for a tree they liked. We all stood around them while they exchanged vows. We went to dinner at a cool little bbq place where they had a cute little patio we all fit and hung out on. It was nice and simple.

I am off today to go buy a bunch of photo supplies for a class I am taking. This quater I am taking art history(yes another one), advanced photography, advanced ceramics, and senior project. A full load but I just keep reminding myself 81/2 months and I am done.

Well off to take care of the house and life,

Ali

Well life is back in full swing. I started school yesterday. I am going Tues. and Thur. from 8am-6pm. Long day but 8 months 3 weeks to go.
This weekend is going to be super crazy. We have 2 weddings on Sat. one of which is my brothers surprise wedding planned in 3 days. We also have soccer, church, and a million other things.
Well I wanted to check in because I have not blogged in awhile. I am doing good but still not dieting.
Well off to make 9 table centerpieces for tomorrow.
Have a great weekend and I will try to blog on Monday,
Ali

Sept 18, 2008
It is strange how weight can change you whole image of yourself. I went to get dressed for back to school last night and my pants are tight. It changed my whole evening. I went from being happy go lucky mom to feeling depressed and sad that I have let myself go again. Then to top it off I watched the biggest loser and made me feel all impowered to change. I wike up this morning with a new attitude. My clothes don't fit, I don't likt the way I look or feel so instead of complaing or feeling bad I am going to change it.
Now the hard part, sticking with it.
I am going to do a really intense 1st week. I want to get the headaches and tired part out of the way before i go back to school next week.
One of my goals was to be at my goal weight by my college graduation day. Well I graduate on June 20th, 2009 9 months from tomorrow. I better get my butt in gear.
Off to go buy diet soda, alot of diet soda.
Ali

Have you ever had zero motivation to do something. That is how I have felt about everything for the last few weeks. I am up to my neck in soccer, kids with tons of homework, back to school, life...I haven't dieted, I haven't done my one house project a day like painting my front door. Nothing. I am in recouperation mode from my long school year and nonstop life. I actually got bored yesterday while the kids were at school and made a candlelit dinner for the family. It is nice to actually have the time to make a nice dinner and eat as a family. When school starts next week it is back to get home at 6:30 try to have something to eat and kids in bed my 7:30.
The great news is I have a date, June 20, 2009 is my graduation day. I have 9 months until I am done with school. I have to turn in my graduation paperwork next month and this year will be about getting my credential work figured out and all of the state testing I need to have done by next summer. So I guess it is bitter sweet, just when you are almost done you have more to do.
But all in all life has been good. Time with my family, soccer all the time, lots of being a mom.
Well I am off to get the ids ready for school.
Ali

The newest update on Brandy
Well I finally have some good news regarding Brandy. She had surgery on Friday afternoon and it went great, they ended up having to open up the cavity around the right lung to get to the infection and clean it out. She was on morphine for a couple days but once they took her off of it she began recovering rapidlly. They put in 2 chest tubes after the surgery to drain any remaining fluid. They pulled one of them yesterday and the remaining one today. Once she gets a final x-ray tonight she may be cleared to come home. She might be home tomorrow, but most likely Thursday. I will hopfully only have to send one last e-mail, to let you know when she gets home.Thanks for all your thoughts and support through the past three weeks. We are very greatful for having such a great group of friends and family during this time. Thanks, Justin

As for the diet we will just say day one didn't go so well. I woke up in the middle of the night feeling a little sick. When I got up yesterday I felt aweful. I have a UTI. So I am in pain and drinking a ton of juice which is loaded with calories then last night shawn brought home chinese food and soup to make me feel better. He didn't know I had started my diet or at least thought I was going to start yesterday. So a few more days to get back in running condition and then I will be back on track.
ok well have a good Wed.
Ali

Today is the day. I have been "restarting" my diet over and over. I keep thinking I want to sit in my clothes before I restart school. I looked at my school stuff last night and I have 16 days. That isn't enough time to lose a ton but hopefully I get on the road to losing. So today I am eating right. I know the weekends are always tough but we don't have major plans this weekend so it should be managable.
Update on Brandy......
I talked to J yesterday and Brandy is feeling much better. The surgery was a success. She was on morphine but they took her off ot it because she couldn't stay awake. She is now on like tylenol and the pain is a little more but at least she isn't sleeping all the time. After the surgery they put in 2 chest tubes well one was taken out yesterday and they are hoping to take out the other one today. She went in for xrays last night to see how the infection is doing but I will find out the results of that today when I call. If she keeps improving they are expecting her to go home by the end of the week. Other great news is her job is giving her 1 more week to recover which isn't much but hopefully they keep putting it off until she can make it in. The best news of all is Brandy was approved for medical coverage through the hospital. She is covered 100% for 1 year wwhich includes this hospital stay and surgery si she will owe nothing for being in the hospital for almost 1 month. Amazing Huh?
well have a great day,
Ali

Sept. 8, 2008
What a weekend. We went to a very good friends wedding on Sat. It was beautiful and we are thrilled for the couple. Sun. was the first football day of the season. We took the day off of church becasue of all the wedding stuff going very late into the night for Shawn, I think he made it home about 2am. Our normal Sunday during footbal season is church at 8, back on the couch by 10 am with mcdonalds and a sunday paper. We do nothing the rest of the day but watch football, eat snacks and have a cat nap. I love our Sundays from now until Jan.
What else is going on? I talked to Justin yesterday in the morning and Brandy is doing well. She is up and walking and the pain from the surgery is pain but managable. We are still really worried about her but she seems to be ok from the surgery. Today I will find out a little more on if the infection is still gone or what is going on. I am going to try to swing down to the hospital this evening.
other then that life is no school,
oh my house is so gross. My normal clean and get the house in order big time is on friday but since I was at the hosptial I didn't do my normal cleaning. So today my house isn't to bad but the floors haven't been vacuumed in 2 weeks! Yuck, 3 kids and a wood floor. So this morning is get the house in order day.
Have a good one,
Ali

Sept. 5, 2008
I am so excited. I was in BAD need of new pots and pans. Mine were chipped and about 6 years old. I was not planning on buying new ones at this moment. Thought mine would be fine for another 1-2 years. Well I was walking around a local store and they had a deal I couldn't pass up. I got a 10 piece set that is really nice calphalon normally 399.00 for $50. how cool is that. Last box too. I love when things happen like that.
Nothing new with Brandy I talked with Justin yesterday and she hadn't changed at all. I just want her to get better fast.
Shawn was a a wedding rehearsal last night so the kids and I decided to try a new recipe. Yum. Not diet friendly but just like the stuff you get at the fair and super easy.
Fair style kettle corn-------
in a large pot put 1/4 c. oil, when the oil gets hot add 1/2 c. popcorn kernals(the real stuff), sprinkle the top of the kernals with 1/4 c. white sugar. Put a lid on the pot and start shaking over the heat. If you don't shake it burn pretty easily. We took about 5-7 min of shaking. Once you hear the popping slow down take off the lid and sprinkle with about 1teaspoon of salt and shake a few second more put it into a bowl and enjoy, watch out it will be really hot give it 5-10 min to cool. Enjoy.
Have a good weekend.
Ali

Nothing new yet on my sis in lasw yet today. I am really worried about her. Sounds like if they are not able to get the bleeding to stop they will do surgery. Hopefully it is all figured out before it gets to that point. Also a new prayer request. The job that she got and said they would wait for her to get out of the hospital is now saying that may not be able to hold the job for her. Isn't that sad? Here she is in the hospital very ill and they might not let her have the jobb they gave to her because they cannot wait a few weeks.
Anyways, on the eating side lets just say I went back into old habits of not dieting. I am bad to bad eating. I am 100% for sure restarting on Monday of nect week. We have a very busy wedding weekend and crazyness this weekend. Once life is "normal" again I can concentrate on dieting. I have to return to school in 3 weeks so the pressure for my pants to fit is on.
I think I did well on my final on Tues. night. I am still waiting for my grade. I am so excited to have a few weeks off of school. I was thinking of each day doing 1 thing in my house that I have been putting off like painting the rest of the house trim, or painting the front door, so far I don't feel like doing anything but relaxing. I am sure after this weekend I will get on the ball with some of that stuff. If not, my house isn't going anywhere and there is always Christmas break.
have a good day,
Ali

For my post today I am attaching a copy of an email I got from my brother about Brandy. Please continue to pray for her.
I just wanted to let everyone know the latest with Brandy. She is still in the hospital, going on day 16 and just when we thought she would be heading home, her chest tube continued to drain fluid and blood. She is comfortable but still has fevers, and today her blood count was down to dangerous levels. She received a blood transfusion tonight and hopfully tomorrow she will be doing much better. The doctors are not sure what is going on, they think the infection may have damaged some of the lung tissue or that the body is still just trying to fight the infection and is sending blood to the area that has the chest tube. I just wanted to make sure everyone is up to date and if you are religious, continue to pray, eveyone else keep her in your thoughts. Hopfully the next update is soon and it is about her finally coming home, only time will tell.
Thanks everyone, Justin