My Junior Firefighter...

We might have ourselves a little firefighter on our hands! Yesterday we got to meet with a few new friends/lovely ladies and their kids at the splash pad. However, when we arrived there was a fire truck parked out front and that soon became Furio's only interest! It turns out the Police, Fire Department and FBI (a few other groups too) were out doing finger printing, handing out freebies and giving fire truck tours! We couldn't have planned out outing better if we had tried. Furio was so excited and had such a good time playing with his new friends and being a Junior Firefighter. 

So excited to check out the fire truck!

Inside the fire trck

Getting comfy

Hanging out by the Diamonbacks ambulance

We had such a fun day! Thank you ladies for picking a great meeting spot and thanks to all the hard working Police and Fire department workers for keeping us safe!

Flowers for Shannon

As many of you know, my sweet doctor and friend Dr. Shannon Moorehead recently passed away. In her honor I wanted to create something for her family, friends, patients and co-workers. I don’t have much to offer, but I do make hair accessories and she really loved wearing flowers in her hair. I’ve had the pleasure of making items for her and her office staff in the past and wanted to create something simple and beautiful that everyone could enjoy. “Flowers for Shannon” was born. The flower I have created is a simple, white, heat sealed flower with a sparkly rhinestone center. The flower is attached to a medium sized alligator clip and can be worn in your hair, through a buttonhole as a brooch, or clipped on your favorite bag or hat. Please note that all of the flowers are handmade by me from start to finish. I may not have flowers available right when you donate, but I will respond right away with a wait time if there is one.

All I ask in return is a small, one time donation of $5. Proceeds will be donated to the Crisis Pregnancy Center in Shannon’s name. The Crisis Pregnancy Center was close to Shannon’s heart. Because of her compassionate nature it was important to her that Women had a safe and caring environment to turn to when they were facing uncertainty, no matter what their economic situation. The Crisis Pregnancy Center also offers medical care, compassion and counseling to those facing tough decisions and a lack of insurance or funds.

Shannon brought so much beauty to this world, lets continue her legacy. To make a donation please contact me directly. All donations accepted, but $5 per flower is requested. If shipping is required please add $2 to assist with shipping costs. Flowers will also be available at the Focus on Women office. Accepted payments are Paypal, cash and check. If you live in the Phoenix area delivery arrangements can be made.


Please check back quarterly to see up to date donation information!

More Marilyn...

Furio Says...

Furio's 3rd birthday is just around the corner and I feel like I blog about the twins a lot. So I wanted this post to be all about Furio and the crazy things he says these days!

Visiting Daddy at work and playing the ticar

"I dunno, what do you think?"

"Congratulations!"

"Oh, that's silly!"

"What do you want for lunch Furio?"

"Please, yeah that's fine"

"1, 2, 3, 6!"

"Did you hear that?"

"Whoa, what was that?"

"What was that for?"

"Ticar!" (guitar)

"Takina" (Christina)

"I wuv it!"

"Some wips..." Wips are lips and lips are chapstick. If he needs chapstick, he wants some wips. Which is usually followed by "I'm taking wips off"

I'm sure there are many others, but those are the main phrases that come to mind. That and we're very rarely "Mommy and Daddy" anymore, mostly it's just "Mom and Dad"... they grow up too fast!

DIY Dove Bodywash

What you'll need:

• 3 Bars of Dove Soap (any scent you like, I like Summer Care)
• 6 Cups of water
• Grater

Place water and 3 grated bars of soap into a pan on medium heat. Stir occasionally until all soap is dissolved. Transfer body wash into a large bowl to cool. Once the soap has cooled pour into containers for shower use.  I used a large, empty conditioner bottle. Recipe makes just under 2 liters of body wash and should last nearly 6 months (depending on how heavy handed you are).

Price Breakdown:

3 bars of Dove soap = $3.50 (for nearly 6 months of body wash)

Store bought Dove Bodywash = $6.50 (for just over a month of body wash)

Just another great way to save some dough! Happy scrubbing!

P.S. To make your own neato vintage labels go here!

Elina's Green Chicken Soup

Here is a recipe for an easy, hearty and very healthy soup that was created by a fellow VSG'er, Elina. This soup is especially great when your eating has become a little out of control and you need to do some damage control. Or if you feel you are consuming too many carbs and sugars this will help your body detox in a healthy and natural manor (no funky cayenne lemon drinks folks!). Many people that have had weight loss surgery like to rely on the 5 day pouch test to get their eating back on track. But there is a problem with this. I don't have a "pouch" like a gastric bypass patient, I have a sleeve. A great modification on the 5 day pouch test would be protein shakes and this delicious soup for a few days. It's filling, easy and really tasty. I also love that you can customize it however you like. I omitted the dill and zucchini, added broccoli instead of broccolini and I also added chopped green bell peppers. Add or remove whatever you like!

Green Chicken Soup

3          Large chicken boneless/skinless breasts with fat trimmed (31oz)
2          Large cans of fat free chicken broth, low sodium (49.5 oz per can)
1          Bunch of Broccolini chopped (8oz)
3          Baby Bok Choys chopped (9oz total)
4          Small zucchini chopped (10oz total)
4          Large celery stalks chopped (9oz total)
5          Medium garlic cloves chopped
½         Bunch green onions chopped (1oz)
3          Large Carrots chopped (11oz total)
1          TBSP Dill Weed chopped
½         Bunch fresh parsley chopped


In a large pot, combine all ingredients. Keep the chicken breasts whole (you’ll shred them later). Boil for about 30 minutes. Once the chicken breasts are completely cooked , remove them to cool (pull them apart a little bit  they’ll cool faster).

Meanwhile, put the vegetables and broth through a blender. (When doing this, it is a good idea to carefully pulse them in a blender with a towel around the blender lid and hold the lid firmly, as sometimes pressure can build with hot liquids in the blender. ) Then transfer the blended soup back into the large pot.

When the whole chicken breasts have cooled a bit, pull them apart by hand and shred them . They should be a little stringy when in shredded form, with no large chunks. Add the shredded chicken back into the pot. Cook for about 10 more minutes, add salt & pepper to taste and enjoy!
 

1 Cup serving:

57 calories
3 Carbs
8 protein
1 fat
1 sugar
91 sodium

* Please remember the nutritional information is approximate and will vary depending on changes to the recipe.

It’s the Journey... Not the Destination

I’m not an “after” just yet, but I wanted to do a quick weight loss summary/update for those that are interested. As many of you know in January 2011 I had a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. Currently I am 16 months post op and to date have lost 145 lbs. I would like to lose another 35lbs, but I’m trying to focus on the journey. After all, this is a marathon, not a sprint!

Some comparisons to date.

BMI: From 51.7 to 30
Inches Lost to date: 93.5
Ring Size: 11 to a 6
Clothing size: 28 to 12/14

Common questions VSG’ers receive:

Why the sleeve?
This is a really personal choice. There are a lot of weight loss surgeries available today, I felt the sleeve was best for me. I knew that expanding our family was a great possibility and I wanted to choose the option that would be safest. Apparently it worked because 5 months post-op I was pregnant with twins. The pregnancy was great (easier and better than my first) and the babies were around 6lbs. each at birth. I also liked that my digestive system wouldn’t be rearranged with the sleeve, nor would I have a foreign object in my body.


Weren’t you afraid to have 85% of your stomach removed?
Heck yes! But I was more afraid of continuing my life at 350lbs and not waking up one day.


Would you recommend the sleeve to someone struggling with their weight?
Yes, I would recommend the VSG to anyone interested in weight loss surgery. With anything though, you need to research all of your options, weigh your pros and cons and choose what’s best for you.

Is eating difficult with the sleeve?
Yes and No... Initially it’s hard getting used to the changes and difference in food amount that you can consume. Mentally you feel like you should be eating much more, but really only a couple of ounces is satisfying. Once you get used to eating solid food again and learn what agrees with you and what doesn’t, eating becomes very easy. I will say though, the closer I get to my goal weight the harder it is getting to keep my eating on track. It’s a daily battle, and always will be. A weight loss surgery vet once said “just because the monkey is off my back doesn’t mean the circus has left town”... so true!


Do you have a lot of loose skin?
Yep, and it’s no fun, but better than skin filled with fat right? If I were to win the Powerball I’d head to the plastic surgeon’s office the next day, but at this point that just isn’t an option. For now I’m going to give my body time to heal and continue to exercise and hope for the best, that’s all anyone can do.

This is my update so far... there have been a few bumps in the road, but all worth it! 35 lbs until I reach goal. Until then, onward and downward!

2 months...

It’s been 2 months already that you’ve been gone, but some days it feels like only 2 minutes. Not a day goes by that you’re not on my mind, you, your Parents and your sweet boys. Some days I’m so sad that you’re gone, but most days I’m just so thankful that you were there for us for as long as you were.

Furio asks about you almost everyday. We had a conversation about how you’re an angel now, but I’m not sure he really understands. I hope he’ll always remember you though. The other day he was telling me how funny you are and that he misses you. He knows you are watching over him, and all the sweet babies you helped bring into this world. I know my kids will always know about you. They will hear how you were the first person to ever touch them and how you kept them safe for many months as they were growing. Many other kids will grow up hearing a very similar story about you. How special is that....

As Mother’s Day approaches I hope your family is celebrating the amazing Mother you are. I know I sure will be. Without you, I wouldn’t have a reason to celebrate, let alone three.

A few weeks ago, I finally planted my “forget me not” seeds from your service. I’m so excited to see four little sprouts popping up! I’m not sure if you had much of a green thumb (that’s one thing we never talked about), but I sure don’t! Of all the plants I’ve tried to grow, I’m really glad that these are growing.

Since your loss I’ve had the pleasure of meeting other patients of yours and even some personal friends.  It’s truly a beautiful thing to be able to bind together at a time like this to help each other heal. You were there for us, now we need to be there for eachother.

Through your loss I hope we all learn to appreciate each other a little more, appreciate life a little more and appreciate all the special people that walk through it.

You’re greatly missed...

We're 3 Months Old Today!

Blurry, but as good as it gets

What we are currently up to...

• Eating
• Sleeping
• Smiling (rarely captured by a camera)
• Playing with our big brother, Furio
• Making new friends everywhere we go!

Next month we go back to the doctor to see how big we're getting! We'll make sure Momma updates everyone.

Words to live by...

Exciting Vendor Find!

Lemonberry Kiss had another great event yesterday! We were asked to join the St. Thomas the Apostle "Mom's Boutique" for a 2nd year! We sold some great pieces and met some fabulous people. 


I wanted to tell you about an exciting vendor I met yesterday. "Grace Abounding" was created by Janis Hughes and she specializes in handmade jewelry and vintage findings. Many of her items include hand stamped metal charms that she stamps using a hammer in her kitchen. There is a lot of work and love put into every piece and it shows! Janis was so sweet to gift me with a beautiful necklace of hers that I was in love with! My necklace reads "Blessed" with four sparkly rhinestones above it. Everything about this pieces is hand crafted from start to finish and it is truly stunning.

Janis is a local Phoenician and Mommy to 2 young ladies. After many years as a special ed teacher she decided to tap into her crafty side for a change of pace. Janis hand picks every detail of her pieces, often with her identical twin sister, for a truly unique product. Many of Janis's items have an inspirational feel allowing her faith to shine through. 

Grace Abounding is truly a treasure among the crafty community. You can shop Grace Abounding's unique items here