Let the nightmares begin!!

There are 3 weeks left of summer vacation left and the "first day of school nightmares" have begun!!! So far I have dreamt that I had to move my classroom on the first day and that all my pants were too big and I had to try to shrink them!!! Of course, I was successful and turned them all into shorts. The next 3 weeks are going to be loooong!!!
I got my new camera today!! I am super excited. It is by far the fanciest camera I have ever owned and I will be spending the next few weeks trying to figure it out!!
We are currently thinking about getting rid of our old couch and my DH's hideous old recliner...I want to get two recliners!! I laid claim to his right after my surgery and it was awesome!! I have since been kicked out of it and I want one for my own!! I may go tomorrow and browse some of the local stores...I think I want leather. Our couch is microfiber and it is NOT doggy friendly.
Well, I guess that is enough rambling for one post....oh, but I have a question...how do I get "notifications???" They aren't going to my e-mail and I never know when I get a new follower or comment or anything like that...

Crispy Critters

We spent yesterday at a local water park. I thought I would skip the sunscreen so I could get a good tan. Bad Idea!!!!! I am one crispy critter!!!! I don't think I've ever been this burnt in my whole life.

I think all of the swimming was great exercise though!! This is a good reason to go back every weekend!! It's only $7 to swim in a spring-fed lake. We had a great time...thankfully I didn't start feeling the burn until we got home!!!

Today I am going to buy a new camera - a Canon Rebel!! I am super excited!! I love taking pictures at football games but my little Nikon isn't fast enough. Last school year I made little video collages of the football games for my students...it was the highlight of the week - until the principal shut me down =( Apparently, because it was of no educational value it was a no go. I am hoping our new principal will have a different opinion!!!
On the band front....I've moved on to real food since my first fill. So far, so good. I'm super careful about everything I eat and I chew, chew, and chew some more. AND the scale is still moving in the right direction!!! I am currently loving my band....which is still nameless at this point.

To the left...to the left

That's right....my scale is moving again!!!! Thank you Dr. Speigel for my FILL!!!! I am supposed to be on liquids for 3 days....I'm not sure if "fill day" counts as day 1....so to be on the safe side I will keep drinking my shakes through Thursday.
It was very hot and humid when we walked this evening. I was sweating buckets....but it felt good. To me, walking is like crack. I couldn't walk last Friday and I was so jealous when I drove past the track and saw all of the regular walkers/runners.
I hope that pretty soon I will join the joggers - and maybe even the young gals who run bleachers. As graceful as I am I will probably break a leg....that's not in the near future!!
Next week I have to go to work to meet our new priniciPAL. I am excited about this!! I was on the interview committee and am looking forward to getting to know him. I even sent him a "welcome" card - cheesy I know!!! This is coming from a person who wrote, "howdy doody" on Facebook today. What can I say, I'm crazy!!!
On another, fill related note....I am not drinking coffee anymore. This is coming from a 2 -3 POT coffee habit. It makes my band feel funny. I don't know if it's going to last....we'll see!!
Toodles!!

I've Got a "filling"

Yesterday was FILL DAY!!!! It was completely painless....I actually felt the saline going in. It felt really weird!!! Then I had to do the oh - so - yummy barium swallow test!!! It was kind of cool seeing it go down on the x-ray. I drank my water and off I went. (I got 4cc's and found out I have a 10 cc band)
I got home and drank my evening coffee...then I started feeling crummy =( I had only had 1 protein shake all day so I think I was just "hungry." I sipped on some vegetable beef broth and went for a walk. I only walked 2 miles because I just wasn't feeling great. I came home, had a little bit of a protein shake and went to bed.
I woke up this morning - LATE - and didn't drink any coffee. I had a couple of protein shakes during the day and then tonight I made a smoothie with a Special K shake with ice and a tablespoon of peanut butter. It was delicious!!!! My walking partner was back today and we walked 3 miles. I love how I feel after I've walked!!!
I only have about 3 and a half weeks left until school starts. I think I am actually ready!!! I miss my kiddos and my co-workers. AND I miss having a routine. I am spending this summer taking care of my elderly grandparents...but it's a lot of sitting and I get bored!! On the upside, I do have all of my lesson plans done for the first six weeks!!!
My next fill is scheduled for August 16th. I am so glad I made the decision to have surgery. Everyday I get compliments from people - after only 25 (the official weight loss according to my surgeon's scale) pounds down!! I'm feeling better every day!!!!

Cankles??? Seriously????

Sooooo....I've lost 26 pounds - scale hasn't moved YET - and now I have cankles??? I am retaining water like my body thinks I'm a camel!!! Does anyone else have this problem?? How do I fix it?? I drink 3-5 bottles of high quality h2o a day. Argh!!! Of course, Aunty Flo is currently visiting...which is another NSV....one of my problems with being overweight has been PCOS....we are hoping weight loss will help us get pregnant. But I'd rather not have cankles!!!

This week started out rough. My wisdom teeth decided to rear their ugly heads and become infected so I had to go to the dentist Tuesday. They prescribed me some NASTY liquid antibiotics....they are helping though. The wisdom teeth MUST come out....but I think I will wait until Christmas vacation. If I can handle it that long!!!!

My first fill is Monday. I'm super excited!!!! I can't wait until the scale starts moving again!!! We upped our walking to 3 miles this week!! AND I haven't died - yet!!!! One more week of 3 miles and then I may try 4....maybe!!!! I even jogged a little bit on Thursday...that was a bit painful, but I did it!!!!!

I need to get my booty off the computer and do laundry....my DH is out of underwear =)

Toodles!!

My first NSV(s)

Ok, the scale is still stuck. BUT I am sticking to my guns....walking 2 miles every evening. Waiting patiently for my first fill on the 19TH!!! I dreamt today that I had to go to Houston for my first fill and on the way we stopped at Olive Garden to eat. I completely forgot about the "liquids only" diet on fill day and when we got there I couldn't get a fill!!!! I guess I am pretty excited for that first fill!!!
But anywho....yesterday I spent the day at the creek with my mom. It was so nice to relax with my toes in the cool water. My parents really enjoyed watching me eat....so weird!!! They just watched me chew, chew, chew!!! We were sitting on the front porch and Mom said, "I think your boobs are getting smaller!" I had noticed it myself but wasn't sure....so when I got home I tried on a bra that I have had for a while that was waaaaaaay too small!! I have been wearing a 42DD and this bra is a 40D....so I tried it on and it was just a smidge too small...I think I may be a D and half....but I was super excited!!!!!
Today was house cleaning day. I've really let the housework go since my surgery. I've been telling myself that I couldn't sweep because I might rip a stitch...LOL!!! But I cleaned like a mad woman and actually had ENERGY!!! It was wonderful!!!!
YAY FOR NSVs!!!!!!

My progression

I thought I would post a few pics from this past school year....I can look back now and see me packing the weight on!!! I blame it on a great front office that was ALWAYS feeding us...and my close proximity to a COKE machine!!! Three years ago I quit cokes - COLD TURKEY!!! But, this year I fell off the wagon!!! I am now 3 weeks sober!!!

This pic is from 2008. I was probably the smallest I've been since high school here. I had been going to a "fat doctor" at the time....of course, once I stopped going...BAM..gained almost all of my weight back!!!


This is me with some of my students...September 09




I vow to be able to wear a jersey COMFORTABLY this year!!!


This last photo is a real eye opener!!! This was taken at Prom - May 2010. Can we say BEACHED WHALE??? It that's not motivation, I don't know what is!!!!

Ok, I get it now!!

I felt like I was very well prepared for life as a bandster. I've searched and researched and thought, "this is going to be a piece of cake!"
OOOOO CAKE!!!
Yeah, so a little over 2 weeks out and the scale is stuck!!!! I'm following all of the rules...why isn't the stupid scale MOVING???????
I read about "bandster hell" and thought....nah that won't happen to me!!! I will just truck along and lose lose lose.....HAHAHAHA!!!!! I'm still 2 weeks out from my first fill...I want restriction!! I want to PB....I want all of the experiences that let me know my band is actually there!!!!
I guess I'm being a whiny baby....but by golly, I went through this surgery...I took the step to be successful at weight loss...and now I'm feeling like a failure!!!
*sigh*
I have a goal to lose 40-50 pounds by August 23....after losing 26 pounds in 2 weeks I thought I was cruising along....maybe afer July 19th the scale will smile at me once again...

2 Week Bandiversary

It's been 2 weeks since the glorious day I was BANDED!!!! So far - knock on wood - it has been smooth sailing!!! I've followed the doctor's orders and am now up to mushy food and soft fish. Tonight for supper I had 2 small fish filets and a spoon of mashed potatoes. It was wonderful to be able to chew!!!! I've also had some watermelon. It was delicious.
I go for my first fill on July 19th. I'm excited to move on to the next step of my Lap Band journey.
I had to go back to work for 2 days this week and my coworkers could already see a difference in me!! It was so exciting!!
I am so glad I made the decision to make this change in my life!!!