Life of the Party

      It seems as if North Carolina is on Mother Nature's bad side this summer. We seem to be experiencing a cooler climate and more ran than normal. Before this front moved in, I thought we were going to have a huge melt down. I drove up the road today and saw a kid outside playing in the mud. She was enjoying her yellow rain boots and coat.      I'm an outside person and days like this are very bleak for me. I spent the day reading on our covered porch with a candle burning to ward off pesky bugs. 

      Mom and I spent the week in Kill Devil Hills. The coast of North Carolina is one of the best places to relax. The eight-hour drive seemed a little bit extreme, but the relaxation of the crashing waves was calling our names. Normally, we spend months planning our getaways, but this was a last minute decision. We even found an awesome hotel that allowed us to take Buck and Harley with us. This was mom's first trip to the beach, so she was overly excited. We counted down the miles as the GPS helped us reach our destination.       I wasn't so sure about going on a vacation with the dogs. I didn't know how things would work out or if they could be quiet in the room. We found these calming treats that really did the trick! It mellowed both dogs out. I would wake up really early in the morning and walk them for an hour. The beach didn't allow dogs out there before 9am. I made sure they still got their exercise in each day. It was a vacation for them t...

2020 Kia Soul      Well, I took the nose dive and purchased a new car. I'm not disappointed in any way, because this is my second new car from Kia. My first car was purchased in 2013 and it has over 150,000 miles on it. As my old car is slowly racking up the miles, I decided to start paying on a new one. Paramount Kia of Asheville was more than accommodating.        The new edgier look of the 2020 model is really appealing. I like the lane assist that comes standard on this model as well. This is my first car that doesn't have a CD player, which is odd. We are moving so fast as a society that this is considered old technology. Red is my all time favorite color for a vehicle and it's way brighter than my 2013 model. I must be completely crazy to have purchased the newer version of my current daily driver. I'm terrified to drive the new car due to the idiots that I live around. It's a daily battle to dodge them.         ...

Empty Classroom                 This is our last teacher workday, and it's bittersweet as I pack up this year's paperwork and prepare to lock up for the summer. The school years seem to be getting shorter and the students seem to be growing up way too fast. I spent the majority of my day going through my lesson plan books to see what worked best with this group.                  Hopefully I'll get to move up with this group of students. It's always nice to have them for multiple school years, because you don't have to "figure them out" again. Maybe I'll get to teach a new subject too!                  The point in the day where everything gets real is when I turn in my keys for the last time and turn in my sign out sheet. This is my sixth year here and there is never a dull moment. Each year we get to try new things and our students get new c...

    I think my goto drink has got to be vitamin water. The best flavor hands down is acai-blueberry-pomegranate. Not being a fan of plain water is very frustrating due to the fact that I always have to look for something else. With WLS, I still avoid all sodas and carbonated drinks.  If you guys have any suggestions please feel free to leave me some feedback.  This morning's menu:  1 Zone perfect cookie dough bar (180 cal) 1 vitamin water zero 

     The reality of weight loss surgery is that there will be days when being around food is terrible. The amazing staff here at my school cooks us breakfast at the end of the year, and in Southern tradition you have to eat if it's offered. Fried food is one thing that I said goodbye to six months ago. I do not want to start that habit back, because it isn't good for my body.       Gravy is something else that is no longer a food that I will eat. The reality is that sometimes you will have to hurt someone's feelings about their cooking. The chosen method for me is, "I'm just not hungry right now, maybe later." When and if they press the issue I'll be honest, "If I eat that it will make me feel sluggish and bad." So, this morning I had to have this same conversation with the ladies at work. Their food smelled amazing and I really wanted some, but the fact that I don't want to give in is really what stops me.       People are s...

Summer       The books are packed up, the students have left, and the hallways are silent. This time of year is filled with teacher training sessions, luncheons, and phone calls. It's been an amazingly tough school year, but it's all over and I'm glad it happened. Teachers transform into new creatures during summer break. We don't have no where to be and no scheduled classes to teacher, so goodbye early 5:00am mornings. We are creatures of habit and lost when those warm rays hit our faces.        This time three weeks from now I'll be on the beach watching to waves crash. There will be no lesson plans or papers to grade. I'll miss it all, but the summer months are mine and I'm not willing to share that time with any extra responsibilities. Summer Vacation The halls are silent as can be The ocean is all teachers can see Posters and anchor charts are thrown away Teachers still don't know the way Laughter is going out of the class...

        The weight loss is still slow, but I'm finally down to 225lbs. It feels absolutely amazing to know that I'm so close to meeting some of my goals. I think it's a great thing that the weight isn't coming off too quickly. I still encounter people who say I should be so much smaller, but my doctor said that I'm still on track. If other people would mind their own business maybe I wouldn't struggle as much.       I decided to share a picture with you all to show my progress. Pictures say a thousand words, right? I hope you see the progress and determination I have. I still remember when those shorts were too tight to wear. I now have to wear a belt. Being happier is still worth all the process that I went through. This has been a very eventful school year and I have been through so many trials. I think everything happens for a reason. When bad things happen they are usually followed by something positive. This is my time to truly shine and ...

    I usually dread Mondays, but today was different.  I didn't have work today, so I spent the day in solitude in my garden. It's that time of year again when planting begins. This summer will bring new strategies of gardening as I plant my first flower garden.      I spent the better part of the morning landscaping our front yard. This is going to take a while to finish and I'm up for the challenge of trying something new. Anything is better than our current status of disorganization. Mom had dumb solar lights stuck up every where. 

      It has been a few months since I have posted anything, so during this hot second I'm going to catch you up.  I didn't mean to leave any of you out in the dark, but life has been very hectic. This school year has passed by so quickly that I cannot believe we have close to a month left. Summer excitement here we come! I'm planning on going to the beach, gardening, and chilling out.       I'm currently floating around 226lbs and cannot seem to get past this number. I think the stress from work and lack of sleep has something to do with it. When first getting this surgery, I was completely nervous, but I can see the difference that it has made in my life. I'm now able to go ride my bike without the heavy laboring that was there before. I'm no where close to my ideal weight, but every pound lost is a gain for me. As long as I'm not gaining, I'm okay.      I had an appointment with my surgeon and she said that I'm on sc...