Boobie Babble

Airrosti...there are no words (OK there are a few)

2012-01-31T20:30:00.000-08:00

Today was my release appointment from Dr. Hill, my airrosti provider. I cannot effectively put into words the relieff I feel from having gone through this treatment program. I have spent YEARS (you can read the prior blog post entitled Day 7: End of fast and Airrosti for the background on that) suffering in pain and only finding doctors who wanted to either medicate me, electrocute me, or stick a huge needle into my spinal column. I had five 1-hour Airrosti sessions and I now know the cause of my pain, how to retrain my body to stop creating the pain, and where to go if the pain returns--no narcotics necessary.
Upon first visiting Dr. Hill I was amazed at the force he had to use to straighten out my fascia and relax my muscles. It was intense!!! I used to poke fun at my husband because he REFUSED to rub my neck, sometimes even if I were in tears, because he said it hurt his hands. I just thought he was being a big baby. But then I got to truly experience what it took to do the job right. I am not sure how Airrosti providers do it all day, but they do. Dr. Hill even showed me a callous on his thumb after me telling him the story about Jason. Is there Airrosti for Airrosti provider's hands? Seriously...I couldn't do it all day.
But back to the story. The issue is resolved. I know my exercises and will continue to do them. I have a follow up in a month to check my progress and I can return for 'touch up' visits if the pain breaks back through. Basically, I am a teeth clincher and I carry my stress in my shoulders. The worst damage was on the side of my neck that draws up when I carry my kids on that hip (left side), and it was so very bad just because it went so long untreated--or poorly treated I should say.
During the exercise portion of the visits the lady had been using what they call "The Stick" to help loosen up the tender areas the doctor worked on that day. I decided to aide Jason's poor lil hands and purchased the stick upon my release today. It was a whopping $40--money well spent if you ask me. Consider this...In the years that I have been searching for answers to my neck I have
seen the GP 4 times: $100 copay
seen a neurosurgeon twice: $80 copay
had 2 MRIs: for combined cost of $342 coinsurance after twice meeting a $500 deductible
took 3 years worth of muscle relaxers
and had 1 spinal cortisone injection $145 coinsurance
used 3 years worth of muscle rub
and spent nights in agony....
That is a monetary out of pocket total of $667!! That is NOT the amount billed to insurance--just the amount that we had to pay after insurance.

In total for Airrosti I had 5 visits at $10 per visit plus my whopping $40 purchase of "The Stick". When all is said and done I am pain free and have a management plan for a low price of only $90! $90!!!

I am one very happy customer and I will SING Airrosti's praises to anyone who will listen! Even if Jason's insurance didn't have the special $10 copay set up I would have only been out of pocket $240 at the $40 specialty copay. Comeon people--Just do it! And I don't mean Nike...I mean AIRROSTI!!

Reposted from email: Father of Columbine Victim and his speech to Congress

2012-01-31T18:45:00.000-08:00

Columbine student's father 12 years later

Definitely worth the read!

Guess our national leaders didn't expect this. On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful.

They were ill-prepared for what he was about to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent, teacher, politician, sociologist, psychologist, and so-called expert! These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness. The following is a portion of the transcript:

"Since the dawn of creation, there has been both good and evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.

The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart.

In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore, I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder, I would be their strongest opponent.

I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here, in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers, themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best.

Your laws ignore our deepest needs,

Your words are empty air;

You've stripped away our heritage,

You've outlawed simple prayer.

Now gunshots fill our classrooms,

And precious children die.

You seek for answers everywhere,

And ask the question "Why?"

You regulate restrictive laws,

Through legislative creed.

And yet you fail to understand,

That God is what we need!

"Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts.

As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School, prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA -- I give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone! My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!" - Darrell Scott

Do what the media did not - - let the nation hear this man's speech. Please send this out to everyone you can. God Bless!
"Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point"

New Life Resolution Day 8: Quiet Time Reveal, The Power of the Living Word

2012-01-12T07:17:00.000-08:00

So today is the second day that I am post juice fast. I still feel awesome. I am eating mostly fruits and veggies with a tad it of meat when I go out, Like Wednesday night dinner last night at Erath. But I am avoiding junk food. God called me to quiet time with Him this morning. My quiet time is an everyday goal but I will be honest and admit that it far too easily falls by the way-side.
I sat down this morning with my Bible and prayed for God to reveal his will for me to me and this is what I found. I opened to the middle of the book of Daniel and I was intrigued by the fasting vision Daniel had of a huge war with rules that sounded uncannily like our governments today. I read 2-3 chapters and decided that I needed to start at the beginning. What I found litterly made me call out to God and immediately call my husband.
Daniel 1:8-16

8-10 But Daniel determined that he would not defile himself by eating the king's food or drinking his wine, so he asked the head of the palace staff to exempt him from the royal diet. The head of the palace staff, by God's grace, liked Daniel, but he warned him, "I'm afraid of what my master the king will do. He is the one who assigned this diet and if he sees that you are not as healthy as the rest, he'll have my head!"

11-13 But Daniel appealed to a steward who had been assigned by the head of the palace staff to be in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: "Try us out for ten days on a simple diet of vegetables and water. Then compare us with the young men who eat from the royal menu. Make your decision on the basis of what you see."

14-16 The steward agreed to do it and fed them vegetables and water for ten days. At the end of the ten days they looked better and more robust than all the others who had been eating from the royal menu. So the steward continued to exempt them from the royal menu of food and drink and served them only vegetables.

HOW HAVE I NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE!!!!! God has renwed my drive for a wholesome fruit and veggetable based diet. I choose to be like Daniel and not eat the diet of our kingly world but rather eat what God has provided for me from this earth. Such an amazing experience when the Word of God comes alive and speaks directly into your situation. This is why it is SO very important to physically put yourself in the Word. Simply listening to sermons or reading books written by others is NO SUBSTITUTE for the one on one connect with God expereinced through the Bible. Thank you God for that gift!

DOWN 1.4 lbs today!!!!

Day 7: End of fast and Airrosti

2012-01-11T08:18:00.000-08:00

So I ended my juice fast last night. I ate some salsa, guacamole and chips. I was having a hard time concentrating and yes I could have just pushed through but I am not my only responsibility. I have 2 precious little girls in my care and when my fog started to effect my driving I figured it was time to pull the plug. In all I lost 10 lbs in 6 days...not too bad...but weight loss was not my primary goal. Don't get me wrong, it was a great side-effect of the fast but not the greatest.

Let me tell you what!!!!!! I feel AMAZING! I woke this morning and the only thing that sounded the least bit good was pineapple and strawberries with a cup of coffee and a dab of soy milk in the coffee for creamer. Not too far of a divergence from my fast diet except for the caffeine and the fact that I actually got to chew something. The fog has lifted and I am soooo very energized. Normally with my swelling and arthritis normal, everyday tasks can be difficult for me to accomplish. I am usually lethargic, sleepy and a bit depressed. Not today!
I leapt from bed this morning got my daughter ready for school, packed her snack (an orange), made coffee and prepared my breakfast. Then I mopped the kitchen, washed a load of clothes, put up laundry, hung the girls clothes, cleaned our Rae's dresser, matched millions of tiny little socks, cleaned my tub and shower and I am still going. I think the detox was a success!!! I am so very excited!
My taste buds are definitely changed. I tried to sip on some lipton citrus green tea last night and EWWWWW!!!! It was like drinking syrup--far to sweet and sickly thick. My coffee was perfect with just a dab of soymilk--I didn't crave a thick flavored cream or any artificial sweetener. I am thinking that I will have more fruit for lunch and maybe some celery. Even a sandwich sounds super heavy for now. I need to ease my way back in to eating a full 'meal' and even that term has a new definition.
Jason and I have agreed to cut red meat and regular milk out of our diet (unless the milk is used for cooking). We are going to eat veggies (which were shocking absent in our prefast diet), fruit, whole grains, fish and chicken. I am excited.
This morning when I weighed I was up like 1.4 lbs. Didn't really bother me. I realize that that weight is the food in my digestive system...something that hasn't been there in days. With that said I don't look for a continual regain of all the lost weight. With my new diet the scale will continue to inch down at a healthy rate.
With all that said I feel that I should also talk a bit more about something else pretty awesome in m y life right now--Airrosti. I went for my second visit yesterday and it was amazing. I have struggled for at least 5 years with intense neck tightness and pain. I have been to the GP who prescribed 2 different muscle relaxers and sent me to get a MRI. The MRI showed some bulging discs and twisting in my cervical vertebrae. Upon reviewing the MRI my GP sent me to a neurosurgeon. The neurosurgeon concurred that the pain was from the bulging and twisting and asked me if I had been in a car accident. I HADN'T! I kept telling everyone that the pain started when I was breastfeeding my first child. She breastfed for a whopping 14-16 months (I cant remember the exact time). He didn't think that could be a cause, even though I was SURE of it, and he gave me a TENS unit. This was a small black box that generated electrical impulses to stimulate the muscle in order to distract me from the pain. He also recommended steroid injections right into my spinal column to reduce the swelling. Well I soon thereafter got pregnant with Raeleigh so I could no longer use the TENS unit or get the shots and it was time to breastfeed again.
While pregnant with Raeleigh I started noticing some joint pain in my elbows, wrists and OF COURSE hips. I thought it was simple joint pain form my tendons relaxing due to pregnancy hormone and I wrote it off. Something else odd started to happen. The neck pain never let up and even worsened with the renewed breastfeeding routine. I started to get extreme pain from any bump, poke or bang. These were my first signs of fibromyalgia. I am no physician but I am educated enough to see a correlation here. I will talk more about my reasoning in a minute.
So I breastfed Rae for 8 months and then had my second bout of Hashimotos thyroiditis and went to the GP. At this time my lethargy was getting out of control. I had to do something. The GP found a lump on my thyroid. My mom had thyroid cancer in her 30s so as a precaution I had a biopsy. Luckily enough the lump was not cancerous but I had no energy. My GP sent me to an endocrinologist that placed me on a small dose of synthroid...very, very small. It seemed to help but I think now it was just the placebo effect and me just WANTING to feel better. Rae weaned herself when I started the new meds.....she didn't like them at all!
So I lived like this for a while...neck hurting, body sensitive to pain, joints hurting and low energy. Then the joint pain got unbearable. My GP sent me to a rheumetologist. The Rheumy diagnosed me with psoriatic arthritis (explaining the joint pain) and fibromyalgia explaining the body tenderness. He also told me I was pre-lupus...ANA negative but enough symptoms to see the path that I was headed down. I was placed on methotrexate and over the following months I went from a small dose of 4 per week to the max dose of 10 per week. Methotrexate is low-dose chemo and kills in inflamed and damaged cells. It is lethal to a fetus. I couldn't live with the idea of unexpectedly getting pregnant and not knowing it in time and losing the baby due to the meds. Methotrexate is the same type of drug that they use for the morning after pill. So, a few months later Jason got 'fixed'. We were done with kids--I mourned. This sent me into a bit deeper depression.
In the meantime Jason's grandfather passed and his grandmother became more and more dependent on the family to provide for her. I committed to driving to see her once a week. The house and yard was in great disrepair so I began cleaning up a bit on my visits. One such visit I spent about 2 hours outside trimming bushed, shrubs and trees to clean out the overgrowth. I used some heavy duty hedge clippers and really hurt myself. The action used to chop off heavy branches seriously tweaked my neck. I was in excruciating pain. I went to the chiropractor the next day. I saw her for 5-6 visits and it helped a little but it wasn't intense enough. She used what is called the activator method and I later discovered that it is not as effective as hands on manipulation. I was so sad nothing was helping. I was always hurting. I went from ice to heat and back again several time a day. I was up to 4 aleve per day in addition to all my other caustic drugs. This was not a pattern that I could continue and it was getting worse. One thing I got from my chiro that actually helped was sleeping on a towel roll paced under what should be the curve of my neck....my is distorted so badly that it doesn't curve back at the neck to support my head like it should...it juts forward and makes my head feel very heavy for my neck to support.
The depression then increased my neck pain and lethargy. Enough was enough. I went back to the GP about 3 years after the first MRI and the GP ordered another. I have what physicians call a buffalo hump. I have had it as long as I can remember...even back in middle school. It is larger now and consists of a hard center and tons of swelling. I could get the swelling gone with ice. MRI showed same results...good news that there wasn't any deterioration but options remained the same....cortisone shot....I was at my wits end and did it.
It was invasive, scary and expensive...but I got relief--for THREE weeks! *SCOFF* $750 for 3 weeks? I think not. So I was back at square one. Or at least I thought. Good news was on its way. Jason had attended a meeting at work about some new health benefits and one new program sounded very promising--Airrositi.
It was supposed to be able to relieve most neck and back pain in 3-5 visits and the visit copay was only $10. I could totally try this. The chiro copay had been $40 per visit and the shot...well, it was insane. So I signed up. I am so very glad I did.
This is where I will talk about how I believe all my disorders stemmed from my chronic neck pain. I was well until the neck pain began. I was a normal weight. I was active and while I have always been quirky...my autoimmune disorder was under control. When the neck pain began, my sleep was disrupted and I began to snore. I began using a cpap for the snoring. But the sleep deprivation from the pain began to manifest symptoms of fibromyalgia. If you read about fibro there is always a sleep disorder associated with it and some people and researchers believe that fibro can be set off my chronic pain--the body hurts so badly for so long that it begins to misinterpret signals and everything registers as painful. The depression and pain from the neck and fibro began to take a toll on my immune system and new disorders started popping out. The lethargy from the thyroid and depression led me to self medicate with caffeine and sugar for energy and the weight piled on worsening my psoriatic arthritis and poor diet began to take its toll on my immune system. It is all related. 100% positive.
So now here I am two visits into Airrosti and things are looking up. I can fall asleep unmedicated. I am down to 2 and sometimes no aleve per day. I am not continuously in pain and my doctors says in 2-3 more visits I will not only be pain free but HEALED!!!! He said my fascia was in a mess and had contracted and balled up from hours and hours of holding something in a cradled position with both arms while my head was down and my shoulders pulled up. Sounds interestingly like the position one takes to...BREASTFEED!!! He agreed. I was right all along and no one listened. I was not in a car accident--I was a mom who breastfed for a combined 24 months (feeling sorry for Michelle Duggar's neck right about now). The treatment is oh so simple. The doctor uses his thumbs to apply extreme pressure and a slow directional force to stretch the fascia (tissue encapsulating the muscles) back to its intended length. He explained that muscles are very vascular and therefore heal fast. Fascia, however, has very little blood flow so that when it become damaged or contracted it needs help to relax. The treatment is very painful. I get nauseous and have even felt like I could pass out but afterwards the results are UNBELIEVABLE!!!
This last time he worked on both sides of my shoulders and then the attachment from my jaw down to my shoulder. It felt like he rolled the muscle/fibers from my shoulder to skull along both sides of my neck and I literally had to recite the Lords Prayer to myself in my head so that I wouldn't vomit and then pass out. But today...NO PAIN!

After the 30 minute hands on treatment you see an in-house physical therapist who doest some exercises with you and assigns homework etc. They use some 'kinetic tape' to increase blood flow and promote healing--you wear it after you appointment for up to 3 days. It is awesome.
After 5 years I have found someone who doesn't just want to give me drugs or cut me open--they actually want to heal the problem....treat the issue...I am so very EXCITED! I LOVE AIRROSTI.

So this has been and epically long post. I have tons of other things I want to touch on but I will save those for tomorrow so I don't bore whoever may read this to death!
Here's to juice fasting, vegan/vegetarian eating, juice fasting and AIRROSTI!!!

Airriosti visit 2/Juice fast day 6

2012-01-10T13:55:00.000-08:00

Good energy today. Feeling good about my decision to make it a 10day fast. Thirty days is just not feasible for me as this time. I plan to eat healthy for 1-2 weeks and may be revisit a longer juice fast depending on how I feel. It is doing good so far though--I just miss chewing!
I had my 2nd airriosti visit today. OUCH! Airiosti is a intense form of deep muscle manipulation that focuses on the fascia surrounding the muscles. I have had severe neck pain for 5+ years. I have bulging discs and twisted vertebra--I was told that these were the source of my pain. WRONG! Countless muscle relaxers, a neurosurgeon and one epidural cortisone shot later I found myself here, at Airriosti. I am so very thankful that I ended up here.
I wont lie to you, it HURTS. I get nauseous and have almost fainted. I am terribly sore the day after even when I follow orders and ice, but the pain is diminishing. I can fall asleep at night without a heating pad or some crazy construction of pillows to support my ailing neck in just the right manner. IT IS WORKING! No meds....no surgery....nothing invasive and I have hope. I have hope that it will be healed! So far I am loving airriosti!!!

Morning of day 5

2012-01-09T05:24:00.000-08:00

So I am definitely waking and rising alot easier. I have never been a morning person, I am actually that person who grumbles moodily until I ingest copious amount of coffee and sit unbothered for some number of minutes. But not this morning. Jason woke me to tell me it was time to get up and I thought, ah maaannnn, but then got up and at em with great ease. Made our juice, had my quiet time, stripped 2 beds, tended to a sick kid all before I normally would have had a chance to drink that first cup of coffee. I can live with this.
Yesterday evening was BAAADDDD HARD! I wanted to eat anything and everything. I DO NOT like KFC and even their commercial on tv was making my mouth water. I know myself and as of now I fear that I am going to have a hard time not binging when I break this fast. But for now I will just worry myself with today. Cheers!

Green Smoothie/juice fast Evening of day 4

2012-01-08T16:30:00.000-08:00

Not gonna lie. It has been a hard day. I want to eat everything, even the mediocre corn dogs the kids had this evening. I had juice for breakfast and lunch and then a smoothie for dinner. I think that I am favoring the juice. The smoothies just seem to have too much pulp for my liking.
Went to church today and crashed when I came home. I seriously napped for 4 hours. I am ready for the fatigue to lift. When is it supposed to lift? As I sat down this evening to my smoothie I told my hubby that I didnt know if I could do 30 days.
I am not really struggling with the physical pangs of hunger but I am struggling with emotionally wanting to just EAT! I like food. I like to eat...no, I LOVE to eat. I guess that is how I got to be a whopping 300 lbs.
Asking for your prayers...

Green Smoothie and juice fast morning of day 3

2012-01-07T07:01:00.000-08:00

It is the morning of day 3, and so far so good. I am still in the early stages of detox. I am tired, lethargic and I had a monsterous headache yesterday but I have n ot really been hungry. As of this morning I do not have a headache, that is good news. I have been combining green smoothies and juice. I am using this method mostly to cut cost. It takes ALOT of produce to get 12 oz of juice.
I am juicing the less palateable veggies and then putting that juice into my smoothies. I am also drinking some of the juices straight, like the famous MEAN GREEN juice.
Some of the things I am using are spinach, squash, eggplant, pineapple, ginger, lemon, lime, orange, apple, bananna, celery, bell pepper, blackberries, grapes, carrots, pears, etc...
Thus far 6lbs lost.

Fast begins tomorrow---surpise from hubby

2012-01-04T19:42:00.000-08:00

So my fast begins tomorrow morning. Jason went grocery shopping tonight to get all my fruits, veggies etc and got me a great suprise.

We were unpacking all the goods and Jason kept acting weird. He kept laughing at me. I thought he was making fun of me for doing the juice fast/smoothie fast because of the Jim Carey In Living Color Skit that he showed me the other day.

So I made a big deal about him not making fun of me. I wanted him to tell me why he kept laughing and the he asked me where my blender I had set out on the counter had came from. I was sooo confused. He unplugged my blender and started to put it up. I was freaking out. I had no clue what he was doing and then I looked down! All along I had been standing next too, touching and evening at times moving the box of a brand new juicer!!!!! So he WAS making fun of me all along but not for wanting to do this fast--because I am a big fat doof!! I love my man!

New Life Resolution--Green Smoothie fast preplanning

2012-01-03T17:24:00.000-08:00

I have come across lots of information lately that has all pointed towards whole foods, raw foods and low animal based foods diet as the ideal diet for autoimmune dosorders. I have watched things like "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead", "FoodMatters" and "Forks over Knives" among other things.
I have a fibromyalgia diagnosis, but it seems to be partially if not completely, in remission. I have psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. I am considered pre-lupus---and I am only 30 years old. And as of today I am considering a visit to the doctor for a test for Cushings disease. I have been on methotrexate for 3 years, muscle relaxers for 3 years, antidepressants for 4 years, blood pressure meds for 2 years and things do not seem to be getting better. I am going to greatly humble myself here and admit that my weight teeters at 300lbs. Yes, you read that right. There are alot of mitigating factors but I cannot deny that I am solely to blame, period. I got myself in this bind and I, with God's help, will get myself out.
Here is my plan. I am on Thursday January 5th embarking on a 30 day green smoothie fast. For 30 days I will consume only raw fruits, vegetables, water, black coffee, green tea and small amounts of soymilk. While weightloss is a long-term goal, my most pressing goal is to feel better and eat healthier. I am not looking at this as a diet--this is a treatment. I am making the choice to let food be my medicine. I am willing to try something that I have never tried before in order to achieve something that I have never achieved before.
After my 30 days of green smoothie fast I will break for a short time and actually 'eat' my meals (still maintaining a vegetarian diet). I plan to then begin a 10 day juice fast--that is if I can persuade my husband to buy me a juicer!!!
Is this my New Years Resolution? Not really, but maybe. I don't want to doom it by placing that moniker on it so I will call this My New Life Resolution.

Reese's Baptism 12-18-2011

2011-12-18T14:20:00.000-08:00

Teen sex or any age premarital sex

2011-11-09T17:37:00.000-08:00

These ideas have been turning over in my mind for months if not years now. This isn't the first and wont be the last time I voice my views on premarital and especially premarital teen sex--but I was just slapped in the face. This analogy could be expanded and far more thought out--that was my plan for a future post on this topic but it seems that now is the right time.
I was skimming over the top stories on CNN and came across a clip about a teen couple losing their virginity on 'Glee'. I don't watch 'Glee' and don't know the character's names but it was supposedly 2 of the main characters. The clip that I saw the girl stated that 'she wanted to remember this moment forever'--my argument is that unfortunately she will.
I lost my virginity at the age of 17 and regret it deeply. I try so very hard to explain why I regret it to teenaged girls today. However, sometimes my spiritual explanations of tearing your heart, and purity and preparing for your prince charming sometimes fall short to reach the ears of youngsters who may not yet be mature in their faith or are submerged too deeply into this broken world to grasp the gravity of the loss....
So here I go.

Girls, Boys--Christians or not...Have you watched Harry Potter? Do you understand the concept of a horcrux? That is what premarital sex does to you. You are intended to enter into marriage with your whole soul (heart). When this plan is followed marriage and marital sex are blissful, innocent and AMAZING! However, each time you go a little further, and a little further and eventually all the way, every one of those acts-- and every different partners you share those acts with--each form what you have seen explained in those movies as a horcrux. You are ripping apart your soul and giving it to people that when they leave your life they take that part with them. You WILL forever remember. You WILL forever dream. You WILL forever regret.
My husband came to our marriage with his heart intact. He was whole. I was broken. He gave himself to me 100%. I wanted to do the same. But I was left with only 60%. I gave him 100% of the 60% that I had left, but 40% of my heart no longer belonged to me--so it was no longer mine to give. I love him. I love him more than ANY of my past partners, boyfriends, crushes etc...but those 'horcrux' have already been formed. And just like in Harry Potter they CAN be destroyed, but only by a strong Christian faith and a relationship with Christ. I have been married for 10 years and I am still working to destroy the power those long thrown away pieces of my heart have over me.
It isn't worth it. Sex is good! But it is not like you have been brainwashed by media to believe it to be. Trust me. Sex needs trust, communication, partnership and time--none of the things easily attainable by secretive, sneeky teenaged sex. It just isn't the way sex was meant to be. Sex is best when you can close your eyes and only see the image of the man you want to love with your WHOLE heart and not the faces of nameless mistakes. Don't allow those ghosts to enter into your future marriage. Don't destroy your wholeness by forming powerful spiritual bonds with someone you will grow apart from. Save it. Save it for the man who is waiting on you right now and saving HIS whole heart just for you. Trust me, You WILL want to give HIM your 100%

Stolle's Sweets

2011-10-18T18:25:00.000-07:00

I love to cake. It is a hobby of mine that I greatly enjoy and that I am mastering over time. Here are a series of articles that I have recently written about things I have learned while baking and caking.

How to make a moist cake

How to make Tye Died cake batter

Customizing a boxed cake

How to make a checkerboard cake

How to make homemade fondant

How to make homemade buttercream

How to make royal icing

Being taken great care of...

2011-10-17T20:56:00.000-07:00

Today was my first PT appointment post-op. It went well, gnarly, but well. As expected, bending my knee was the most difficult part. My therapist said that I had regained more whole body movement (rolling to each side and even laying on my stomach) than she had expected. However, my hamstring has begun to atrophy as well as the other major muscles in my thigh. She used several electrical devices to stimulate my muscles and help me to make them contract. Needless to say I was VERY sore and swollen when all was said and done.
I had planned to go get Reese from school today. I have been released to drive and can with great difficulty get in and out of the car wearing my immobilizer but I can only drive if I don't have pain pills in my system. The first thing I wanted to do when I got home from PT was take a pain pill!!!...and I was utterly exhausted. My father-in-law agreed to pick Reese up for me today. I must admit that this was a great relief.
I have been very anxious about this week. It was set to be my first week without help and caring for the girls. I would need to take care of Rae at home Mon, Wed and Fri, then take Rae to school and pick her up on Tues and Thurs plus pick Reese up all week. This seemed allot to handle being that my PT suggested I not be up and on my feet for more than 10-15 minutes at a time--plus the fact that I still hurt and am on TWO crutches. If I were on one crutch at least I would have ONE hand free to tend to kids and make and carry lunches etc. I was obviously concerned and anxious.
This is where my hubby saved the day once again. He has taken such amazing care of me throughout this whole ordeal and he didn't fail me now. Jason arranged to go into work late on Tues and Thurs so that he can take Rae to school. Then he arranged for his dad to pick them both up from school all week!!!!
This diminishes my anxiety greatly and gives me another week to heal. All I have to do now is care for Rae at home on Wed and Fri this week (and Fri I will only have her half a day since I have another PT appointment and my mom-in-law is watching her for me then).
I think I can definitely handle THAT!
Thank you Jason and family for taking such good care of me!!

ACL/knee reconstruction recovery day 6

2011-10-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

So things are looking up. The pain is getting more manageable. It does seem to get worse at night and when it rains, but I have had great help getting around and staying ccomfortable. I have managed to bathe twice in these 6 days. HUGE accomplishment. Jason helped me the first time and my mom helped me today for the second time. I forgot how nice it is to not have to smell your own BO!!

This Polar ice chest is awesome. I am getting to the point that it really helps with the pain, not just the insane amounts of swelling. The immobilizer is getting a bit uncomfortable being that I can only lay in one position--on my back. The back of the immobilizer is chaffing the back of my upper thigh. I have armed myself with a back-scratcher and larger amounts of lotion to try to solve the issue.

I have an appointment on Friday with my surgeon, Dr Ellis, and then one on Monday with my PT. I am ready to know more about my recovery and what I can and shouldn't do. These last 6 days in bed have felt like an eternity. I have tried to cut back on my portions because of the complete lack of activity but none-the-less I just intuitively know that my backside is GROWING! That's ok. When this is all said and done with, I want to run. I look forward to having a knee strong enough to allow me to do so.

My church family from The Church at Tree Lake my friends and my family have all been very supportive. We have had meals now for 2 weeks and they are still scheduling for next week. Visitors have stopped by to bring me coffee, do a bit of housework or just say hey and it has made a huge difference on my morale.

Shout out to:

Nikki Lindorfer

Angie Hall

Katie Lemay

Judy Powers

Leora Howell

Lizzy Ober

Donna Pruit

Doris Strahl

Karen

Ray Butley

The Dresners

Stephani Howell
Janette Ryno

Christina

and Tammy Wyers
I love you all and appreciate you beyond words--it's not just the codeine talking ;0)

Recalling the little things--nerve block

2011-10-07T13:19:00.000-07:00

Just remembered that the pre-op nurses gave me something they called a nerve block. From what I heard it sounded allot like a epidural just without a lingering needle. I must say that it was more uncomfortable to get than an epidural. The must concentrate on a specific nerve. When they hit the right spot my left leg started twitching like it was being electrocuted. Post op I had a great amount of pain at the injection site but no other side effects since then. If it helped with the post op pain I would have HATED to experience it without it.
Read more about it HERE.http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/83237-overview

72 hours knee reconstruction post-op

2011-10-07T05:43:00.000-07:00

Slowly getting better. There is a constant dull ache but not the unending FIRE that was there before. The pain subsides now as long as I do not move. As long as I keep it elevated and still, it is ok. But as soon as I need to go potty, change positions, sit up to eat or drink the pain is excruciating. And a new symptom began night before last.

The pain must still be VERY real when I am unconscious--I am now waking myself up from a sound sleep with a reoccuring nightmare (with well-matching pain) that my knee is dislocated. Not fun at all. My whole body jumps. I yell and then realize that the pain is from surgery and not a dislocated knee. Very strange sensation.

Knee Reconstruction 36 hours post-op

2011-10-05T16:12:00.000-07:00

Not good at all. I spent the first 24 hours writhing in agony, screaming at every movement and crying each time I realized I needed to go pee. Had to increase pain pills to every 3 hours instead of 4 and had to add 4 advil 3 times a day. Finally today I at least feel lucid. I am not going to lie--yesterday I questioned myself if I had made the right decision. No dislocation that I have ever experienced hurt as badly as I hurt yesterday.
This trumps childbirth BY FAR!!!!
But the doc did tell Jason that the first two days would be hard. So I am trying to stay positive and remind myself that it WILL heal with time.
We still havent unwrapped dressings. We will do that tomorrow while girls are at school so that Jason can bathe me and put clean bandages back on my leg. Curious and scared at the same time to see what it looks like. It burns. At the incision sites--burns like fire. Pray for continued healing and relief.

So here is the low-down: My knee

2011-09-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

Went to see Dr. Ellis today at Sports Medicine clinic to discuss my MRI results. Yeah--it was pretty nasty. He showed me the scan and basically surgery is my only feasible option. And I have to slow down in the meantime--if you know me you know that I don't find that quite so easy. He even put me on crutches to help slow me down and make me more careful.
I am set-up for Oct.4. My knee is so angry still from the dislocation (and too much use) that it is too inflamed to operate. He wants to give it 2 more weeks to calm down. Also bad news: I have to come off my aleve and methotrexate 1 week before surgery so I will probably be a lousy lump on a log--no fun.
Here is the gist of the procedure--gnarly indeed. First incision about 2-3 inches along the front of my shin. They harvest tendon from my thigh muscle. Then they make a 2 inch incision at the right side of my kneecap and attach the harvested tendon into the kneecap with screws. They then weave the tendon under my existing tissue all the way to the femur. A third 2-3 inch incision is then made. They drill into my femur and screw the tendon into place in that bone.
The doc described it at an internal sling for my kneecap. Right now it is sitting 95% out of place due to an anatomical deformity that was present at birth. After my 5 dislocations things are just too stretched internally to hold it in place under that stress.
6-8 week recovery time.
Physical therapy begins 2 weeks out.
Keep me AND JASON in your prayers!

Here is a link to a video that is basically what they plan to do to my knee: http://www.jointreconstruction.com/kneeinjury/kneerec.htm

Twin/Twinkie day 2011

2011-09-08T07:01:00.000-07:00

So Reese is 5. Not the best at finding a friend and coordinating withthem to dress the same on a particular day. So this was my solution. CSISD calls twin day "twinkie" day. I found the twinkie kid and painted it on a white tee last night. It is just in whatever paints I had on hand--acryllic craft paints and tempera paint. It probably won't survive the wash but it served its purpose today. On his hat instead of writing 'TWINKIE THE KID' I wrote 'Reese's Twinkie'. And then on the back I copied the hostess twinkie LOGO and made her name. I must say that she looked super cute! Happy TWINKIE DAY!!!

The day my knee fled Benevolence Way

2011-09-07T21:02:00.000-07:00

So our real estate nightmare I blogged about a few week ago took place on a property on Benevolence Way. We have since made many friends who live on or near this fated road.
On Sunday, the day before Labor Day 2011, I attempted to visit said friend's house--this is what happened.
So I thought the drive out would be wrought with raw emotion and sadness--the drive itself was extremely easy, bumpy road aside. I managed to make it to my friend, Nikki's, gate and all changed--it an instant the visit became very dramatic and emotional. I got out of my car, two girls buckled in back seat mind you--we were headed to Nikki's to craft homecoming mums and rings with another friend whose children had never had mums etc. We were super excited. Amber has a pet snake. Reese was beside herself. So I got out of my car to open their gate.
I have shallow grooved in the ends of my femurs and my patellas do not have a stable place to rest. Usually I do not have a problem unless I fall or bump them. This time all bets were off. I lifted my right leg into the explorer, pivoted my left leg to get the rest of all of me in and WHAM! My knee decided that Benevolence Way was indeed cursed for me. For no apparent reason my left kneecap slid to the outside of my thigh--I lost all ability to bare weight on that leg (which at the time was baring ALL OF ME and I am ALOT of woman). My torso leaned to the side with no knee to keep my femur in-line with my lower leg and I bit the dirt--HARD. I did what I instinctively know to do--this is the fifth time this has happened to me in 17 years--I straightened my leg. Usually this forces the muscles, ligaments and tendons to push the knee back to its correct position but not this time. My kneecap decided to hang out on the left side of my thigh. I couldn't stand. I could barely move. I tried to get my phone but I couldn't reach it. I did the only thing I could, I sat up. Told Reese to unbuckled. And go to Nikki's door to go get help. SHE RAN as fast as her little legs could take her! I was so very proud of her. They told me later that she cried after she told them I fell. :0(
She got to the door and knocked, and knocked...the storm door was closed and her little knocks were just not strong enough to be heard inside. I yelled for her to open that door and knock on the other one. She did and seconds later Amber, Nikki's daughter, met her at the door.
They bent down to Reese and within seconds those women were out of that house so fast you woulda thought there was a fire inside!!
Barefoot on sharp rocks these women ran to me. I just smiled--what else could I do. I asked Nikki to place her hand on my knee and reaffirm for me that it was still dislocated--it was.
When I fell I dropped my sell phone. It somehow managed to fly under the explorer to the passenger side and burst apart in the process. I asked Nikki's daughter to get it for me so that I could call Jason.
As I mentioned, this wasn't my first rodeo. I already had a brace at home. I knew that if he could get me that brace that even if my knee were dislocated I could at least stand to get into the car to go to the hospital to get it reset.
It rang and rang and rang and rang. Three times I called to no answer--he ALWAYS answers!!! It was Sunday and he had muted his phone for church and had forgotten to unmute it afterwards. I knew that if I couldn't get him we would have to call 911 to come get me off the ground and to the hospital.
By this time Nikki had soothed my girls and they had headed indoors with Amber to craft. Finally I got Jason. I told him what had happened and there was SILENCE. I can't lame the man. I must have like a yearly injury quota. He takes good care of me even in my quirkiness.
As I got off the phone with him, my other friend who was coming to craft rounded the bend to Nikki's drive. She smiled with curiosity at the sight of us nestled on the ground by my car then slowly her smile turned to a frown. Once she realized I was covered head to toe with dirt and stickers she dashed out of her car--"Oh NO! What Happened? Are you ok?"
I assured her that I was. Just in pain--not dying but not chipper! :0) I told her Jason was on the way and we all sat.
Then the phone rang. He couldn't find my brace. I was so frustrated. I was soooo sure I had placed it under our master bed--but it wasn't there. He said he would look again and then just come if he couldn't find it.
Nikki, Katie and I sat, talked, laughed, tried to consider the good things--it wasn't 110 degrees out, there were no ants on the ground. It could ALWAYS be worse.
FINALLY after what felt like an eternity Jason arrived--no brace in tow. I was happy to see him but devastated about the brace. I didn't think I could get up without it. I was OK if I stayed still but if I moved the pain was excruciating.

THEN Katie had the idea to make a splint out of a board. The two of them headed to the house to find something to use as I continued to tr to lift myself into the car.
At this point my knee had been resting on the side of my leg for about an hour. I was sure something internal was torn--never before had I straightened my leg and my knee not gone back into place.
Then I saw them!!! Katie and Nikki had a 2X4 an ACE bandage and a sheet to use for binding. It was comical but encouraging.
Funny enough Amber had just cleaned out her bedroom and had found the board under her bed. She was going to take it out to the shed but for 'some' reason Nikki told her to put it back under her bed. There it waited for me. It would soon bring me MUCH relief.
The girls helped me get the board under my bottom and my leg. I began to wrap it to my leg with sheet scraps and Nikki tore them for me. I bent to my toe to get the next scrap and P-O-P!
MY KNEE RELOCATED!!! HALLELUJAH!!!
The ground I was on must have been unlevel and when I thought my leg was straight it wasn't. That board saved me a 911 call, ambulance ride and pricey ER visit.
Call me crazy but I wrapped my knee in ACE bandage and headed in to craft! I wasn't about to miss it then!

Shocking: Even kindergarten isn't safe from threatening our children's innocence

2011-08-28T19:22:00.000-07:00

If you know me, you know that I was and am 100% open to the idea of homeschool. I think it is great. I am in awe of the women who undertake this amazing task. I am not ready. It may be in my future one day but right now I do not feel called to it.
I love my eldest daughter. She is awesome. She is creative. She is unique. She is STRONG-WILLED and I am exhausted. We moved to place her in what we considered a better district than Waco ISD and she began her first week this last Monday (August 22, 2011).
Things went very well. She got stars every day on her discipline chart except for the very first day--the teacher said she was having trouble following directions. Stereotypical Reese. She didn't cry when we left her the first day. She liked it. She had fun. And then we heard about it...
Sitting at the dinner table Friday evening, enjoying our meal as a family Reese dropped a bombshell. She informed her dad and I that at nap time that day a little boy in her class asked her to take her pants off and show him her private parts-and lay under his blanket with him!!! This alone is gut-wrenching...but here is the more worrisome aspect of what took place. The young boy attempted to manipulate Reese. He told her that if she didn't do it, he would pinch her and that if she did he would tell her mom that she was good today.
As a child abuse survivor HUGE RED SIRENS began to sound off in my mind!!!!
After we clarified with Reese what took place she informed us that she immediately told the teacher what was said and the boy was sent out of the classroom for time-out. He was made to apologise to Reese.
OK....here is my issue with this.
1. We heard about it from Reese and not her teacher. In my opinion this is a BIG DEAL and something that warrants a parent consult.
2. The boy attempted to manipulate Reese. There is simple childhood curiosity and then there is manipulation. A 5 yr old's mind does not honestly come to manipulation in a sexual manner without some sort of external trigger. In my opinion this boy has either been abused or has seen someone abused. The statement that he would 'tell her mom she was good today' is especially concerning. It sounds eerily like what a perpetrator would say to a child.
I plan to be at the school in the morning when the doors open. We have an email in to her teacher but would like a face-to-face explanation as to what the teacher knows about what took place. We would also like to know why we were not immediately contacted. Maybe the teacher didn't get all the details from Reese like we did--and if that is the case, fine. If not....well then the teacher will know that we don't take things like this lightly.
Be in prayer for our nerves and temperaments. We do not wish to be the big bear of a parent that immediately attacks the teacher--but we would like to be firm in our communication.
I am so very proud of Reese. Her boldness and courage nearly brought me to tears. If I had had an ounce of her bravery as a child, then I could have avoided years of sexual molestation. But with that said, if I had to endure what I went through so that she doesn't then so be it.
Empower your children. Let it be OK to be bold. Embrace that strong-will--you never know when it may come in handy!

Weight Watchers Weekly accomplishment

2011-08-28T06:55:00.000-07:00

YAY! We finally did it--we have been having a very hard time following through with the plan for an entire week. It always seems that something comes up or we have an unbearable craving--but this week we did it.
I lost 3.2 lbs and Jason lost 1.6. We are so excite to be back on track.
I attribute my loss to a very busy week of back to school and preschool teaching. I moved ALOT this week. And thanks to my cortizone shot in m y neck a few weeks back, I was able to go pain free!
We are ready to tackle another week of Weight Watchers and we are encouraged and hopeful for even better losses!

God's Plan--even covers car accidents

2011-08-24T15:50:00.000-07:00

I had been complaining all day! I had to pick Reese up from school today at 3:15. The line at the elementary gets insanely crazy long if you wait til pick-up time. So I usually get there at about 2:50 each day. I had been complaining all day, because I had Jason's big ole '92 maroon chevy silverado with no AC. He took the explorer into town for work because out of the two vehicles it gets the better gas mileage. I sooooo did not want to wait 25 minutes in that loooooong line with no AC and no breeze---but I had to do what I had to do.
Little did I realize that God had a plan for me today--and His plan involved that oven of a truck.
We moved Reese's booster seat to the front of the truck for drop off and pick-up from school. The truck is a 2-door and it just seemed too much of a hassle to try to get her into and out of the back each day.
Today at pick up I hastily buckled her in and we headed on our way home. I was excited--I had made them a super-cute after school snack out of bananas, peanut butter, jelly, fruit snacks and jelly. I had it all set out on the table just waiting for her to come home.
We made it all the way to Tree Lake. I am a cautious driver and very aware that China Spring Highway at school-time is CRAZZZZZZZZY!!! I started breaking at the Wyers house (about 100 yards) before my turn onto Tree Lake, to ensure that the driver behind me would be aware that I was slowing and turning. I signaled for my left turn and had to wait---there was an on-coming vehicle and I could not yet make my turn. My truck came to a stop.
The car behind me passed on the right hand shoulder and then I heard it. SSSSSSSSSSSCCCCCCCCCCCCRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!
It was bone-chilling.
The car now behind me was hitting their brakes hard, and they seemed to have locked up. I knew it was coming. I knew what was going to happen. I braced. I took my foot off of my brake and WHAM!
We were rear-ended by a silver honda accord that managed to slow to about 45 mph before impact. The truck lunged. I could see my Reese whip forward and then there was silence.
You know the kind. That eerie sound of nothing right after something traumatic happens that your brain just can't quite wrap itself around.
I knew I needed to get out of the road. I pulled the truck onto the shoulder and off onto a drive. My girls were both crying and oh so scared. I was scared too. I managed to get my wits about me and dial 911. As I waited for a connect I saw the crumpled mess of a car that rear-ended me pull off to the right onto Tree Lake. I was surprised it was even moving. It was a hot mess. Literally.

As I got off the phone with 911 and began calling Jason I noticed movement in the other car. It was filling up with smoke!!! Several passers by stopped to assist the other car. They managed to get the 2 people out--a grandmother and grandson--and cut the ignition.

I got Jason on the line and told him we were OK but that we had been in an accident. Reese was complaining about her neck at this point. I asked him to come. He was stranded. He was at another building without his vehicle--he had ridden with a co-worker. He said he couldn't come--I could tell he was distressed.

I called Carol next. I knew I was shook up and needed some support--if Jason couldn't come, I knew Carol would.

In the meantime I get the girls unbuckled and try to calm them down. Fire and rescue arrive and check us out. We are OK. Reese says her neck doesn't hurt anymore.

The policewoman arrives and takes our account of what happened, gets insurance info and then goes to talk to the others involved. Jason, Robert and Carol all arrive within seconds of each other--too funny!

I think the grandson from the other vehicle ended up going to the hospital--he was pretty shook up. Their car was bad!

This is where God protected us today. If we had been in my air conditioned ford explorer yes I would have been more comfortable waiting to pick up Reese but there also would have been MUCH more damage to our vehicle and possibly us.

The Silverado is a HAAS of a truck. It had a REESE towing package. That is what absorbed most of the impact. The truck doesn't look so bad from a distance but upon further inspection it is eerie. That heavy gauge metal is crumpled like an aluminum can. So scary to think of the force required to cause that damage.

But THANK GOD for big old pickup trucks!!!!

He was watching out for us today--there is INDEED a PLAN!!

Couponing Chaos Trifecta--HEB 8/23/2011

2011-08-23T18:43:00.000-07:00

OH. MY. GOODNESS. Ok, so this trip was made under some unusual conditions that I hope to never-again repeat. Reese's 2nd day of school was today. Raeleigh and I had out first day of Parent's Day Out at Journey and we were ALL e-x-h-a-u-s-t-e-d!!
So that is strike one in the coupoing chaos trifecta.
We made the trip together as a family--not our usual Jason-only trip.
Strike two in the trifecta...
And three? What is three you ask? We went to HEB to coupon and deal shop on the last day of the ad cycle. Meaning, all the deals listed in the current ad end are changing at closing tonight. Never, ever, ever, never, ever do this! At least not if you plan to budget and coupon shop.
I will tell you why:
HEB was completely out of many of their combo locos and meal deals. When I say out--I mean OUT. In some instances there were no yellow in-store coupons remaining, if you could locate the items, and in other cases the items were completely sold out.
Empty shelves--no product.
I am not sure why this is. It could have been that the shelves were not restocked so that workers could rezone the store for the new ad coming out tomorrow. It could be that all of Waco is back to school this week and parents are buying these items for back-to-school lunches and snacks. Or it could be that the rest of Waco has some secret knowledge about some pending apocalypse that I am not privet to....Regardless of the reason, my trip was crippled by these issues.
I could not find cantaloupe
The store was out of almost ALL their waffles and the combo loco where you buy the HCF 24 count waffles and get the frozen fruit cups was completely MIA--no product and no coupon--ANYWHERE.
There was a combo loco for BBQ sauce and shells and cheese with the purchase of tyson chicken nuggets--yet again no coupon and the BBQ sauce and shells and cheese were MIA. They had the combo loco partially set up on an end cap. When I say partially set up I mean the chicken nuggets were there and that was it.
There were no nature valley granola bar thins in stock.
There were no Bob Evans side dishes in stock.
The combo loco for buy cheerios get HEB brand cereal free was out--they were offering rain checks.
The sargento cheeses were not stocked.
I could not locate HEB ready to bake sugar cookies (I had to purchase choc chip instead)
There was no in-store coupon for the advertised deal on free family sized doritos with purchase of gatorade.
and the list goes on.
I was livid and in coupon rage. My trip was completely ruined by the stores inability to follow thru with their offered deals until the sale end date.
I understand that they have to re-set the store for the new ad coming out tomorrow--but why should I be penalized for that? I will never shop again on an ad end date.
I did have a great cashier who did not give me trouble about manually entering coupons that the system did not immediately recognize. And yes, as I have said before some of the coupons that did not scan immediately were HEB's own in-store offers. CRAZZZZZZZZZZY!!!!
Any way...I still managed to save a total of $56.82 even with all the mix ups on deals.
We bought a total of 131 items.
On brand savings: $7.80
On sale savings: .50
Free/coupon savings: $48.59
total spent $276.83