Christmas

We had a Great Christmas!  Santa was good to all of us, especially the little ones!  Dylan's favorite things were his video games.  Alexis was overwhelmed, I think!  Santa brought Phil an autographed football from the Steeler's "Steel Curtain" (Mean Joe Green, etc.).  Santa brought me a Nintendo DS and a Super Mario game,  jewelry and a digital picture frame to display my favorite photos.

We have had plenty of snow including 5 1/2 inches on Christmas night and a "dusting" last night.  It was enough snow to keep me from venturing out for after Christmas bargins....

Mandy was able to call us from Mexico.  Until yesterday, we communicated only by e-mail.  She and Loren are having an absolute blast!  I have posted several of their pictures from their dive trips in Manzanillo.  Living in Manzanillo seems to be agreeing with both of them.

I have maintained my weight though the holiday season and the fudge and cookies are almost gone.  I am done baking/candy making until next Christmas!  Maybe.....

I am very much looking forward to what 2008 brings......  I want see more of my family.  I want to see things stabilize for all of the kids.

Roni is Moving and Other Assorted News

Roni and Alexis are moving to Spokane, Washington! (about 25 mi. away)  A good move for everyone concerned.  Alexis will be re-enrolled in school in Spokane.  Her teacher, Mrs. Frank, and her little friends in Kindergarten will miss her!

All is well otherwise....  Just getting ready for Xmas.  A little bah-humbug this year but everything will turn out great.  I did alot of baking and candy-making this year.  I have decided to NOT do that next year.  I'll find another way to make friends and family feel special next year.  I have worked too hard to drop the 70 lbs. I dropped this year and I really don't need to be eating fruitcake, toffey, fudge and caramel corn.  I am already looking at ideas for next year.

Weight loss surgery has been a true journey for me.  I am not done yet but I am finding that it is hard to find a substitute for eating -- harder than I thought it would be.....  You don't realize how much of a coping mechanism eating is until you can't do it anymore.  Oh, I can eat.  I can even eat the wrong things.  I pay for it with nausea, dizziness and rapid pulse.  I am truly the world's slowest learner.  I am continuing to be a huge work-in-progress.  thank God for supportive friends, family and a dynamite support group!

We finally got the tree up and decorated.  Check out the pictures.  The kids had a good time putting on the Disney ornaments and candy canes.

You can check out Amanda's blog on MySpace

You can check out Amanda's blog on MySpace.  She is using her blog to keep us all updated.  You can search for her under Amanda Lee or hamsterranger@gmail.com.  It sounds as if she is having a wonderful time!

It's Monday evening and I/we managed to get a few things accomplished.......  We took Dylan to Borders and then on to Hallmark to pick out a new ornament for the Xmas tree.  A new ornament every year has become a family tradition......  The year Dylan chose a "Ratatouille" character and TinkerBell for Alexis since she was not with us.

We still have some snow on the ground from yesterday's inch or so.  Alot of ice on the walkways. I have already fallen this season and am not eager to do it again......

Until tomorrow......

It IS COLD!

It is cold!  They say it is too cold to snow......  As a native Californian, I am not quite sure what THAT means!!!  This our official 3rd winter here but I don't remember it being quite this cold last year.  I am finding out what a difference a 70 lb weight loss makes.  Not as much insulation!!

We finished the Xmas decorations outside and I ran power to everything!  Surprise!!  It all works!  Cat in the Hat is up, Grinch is up and Scooby is up for the first time.  We have lights!!!!  We will add the giant wreath tomorrow!  We would have done it all today except I could no longer feel my fingers and it was getting colder.  we expect a low of +12 F tonight and a high in the upper 20s tomorrow.....

My holiday baking is finally done, my shopping is almost done.  Next week is mail and distribute!

Santa is coming!

Hey!  Santa is coming!!!!!  I am trying to get ready for good ol' St. Nick!!!  I bake quite a bit during the holiday season so I am usually quite good at it.  This year, I have screwed up even my most reliable recipes!!!  I keep trying tho'.  I usually do cookies, fudge, caramel corn, fruitcake, etc.  My first batch of fudge came out too soft, my fruitcake had more fruit than cake so it falls apart when you cut it (has a great taste!) and my molasses cookies taste good but they are oh, so ugly!  I am afraid to even try caramel corn!

We went to the mall to see Santa for pictures.....  I will post pictures sometime today.  The kids look so angelic.  Looks can be ever so deceiving but the pictures are nice.  Like school pictures, it is nice to see the changes from one year to another.  Even tho' Dylan is 9, he still believes in Santa, the Easter Bunny and Edwina the Birthday Fairy. Alexis is beginning to question these things.  Boy! I am in trouble when Dylan figures it out!  For now, I still arrange for a call from Santa every year and we leave cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. We also talk about the "naughty list" quite a bit too......  If you want to know who in the family is on the "naughty list", call me.......  Its too much to es'plain here.....

Tonight, we are going to brave the cold and go on a cruise on Lake Coeurd'Alene. The boat cruises to the other side of the lake to see the World's Largest Christmas Tree and Santa sets up shoppe in a boathouse along with Mrs. Claus and one or two elves.  It is fun and has become a family tradition.  Anything you do more than two years in a row becomes a tradition, right?

The snow was washed away by the rain but there is still plenty of time for more snow and a White Christmas.  We didn't experience any of the flooding that Western Washington had.  We just had alot of rain.....  We will be clear and cold for the next few days.....  The break in the weather gives Phil a chance to finish the Xmas lights and for me to put up my inflatables and my huge lighted wreath.

I will post recent pictures of everything and everyone over the next few days!

Until then......

A No Snow Day

The rain has washed away all the snow, it no longer looks like the Christmas season....

The kids are off to school.

Got an e-mail from Mandy.  She and Loren have been in Mexico for a little over 48 hours now.  I am still worried!  They are finding their way around town and seem to love it there so far.  They can e-mail during their 2 hour siesta......  No TV, phone, A/C or internet in their casa.....  Those are gringo things, I suspect......

Roni is staying almost full-time with Mr. Goodwrench.......

I don't know why I suddenly decided to blog.....  I never have really been good at stuff like this but perhaps it will be a good place to rant......

I love it here in Idaho but it does have it's limitations......  I feel a tad isolated some days but I don't regret the move from crazy California for even 1/2 a second.

I just had a check-up with my Bariatric surgeon......  I am down to 167 lbs. from 234 lbs. at just shy of 5 months since my gastric bypass.  Almost 70 lbs!  That's the upside of gastric bypass......The downside is my ADHD and anti-depressant medicines don't work as well. I am definitely struggling.  I am struggling with depression and OCD.  I am having more difficulty focusing which is a pain!!!  I still love sweets and carbs, I just can't eat as much.

I had a tooth extracted and the post for an implant inserted on Friday.  I am still having a little discomfort but, thanks to Dilaudid, I am keeping it under control.  I love a doctor who is not afraid to write for the good stuff!!

My daughter, Amanda, and her boyfriend, Loren, are in Mexico for their dive-master training.  They will be there until April 2008. Another adventure......  I guess you can do that when you don't have kids or a house......