Frisk The Frigidaire!

This picture makes me smile.

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 11:48:00 +0000

Joan and Pyrex. What more do I need to say?

Roller mama...

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:56:00 +0000

is what my son now calls me. I finally fulfilled a life long dream and bought a damn pair of roller skates. It has always been a secret fantasy of mine to join roller derby. We have a league in my town, and they are always looking for members. Even when I was tiny ( I consider myself at 140 tiny) I was too scared to try out. I played field hockey in high school and loved it. But ever since roller derby 're-emerged' I have wanted to do it. I think I'd be good at it, and plus it looks like so much fun! So I took the first step and bought some skates. At least I am getting some really good cardio. You should see me on them - someone my size busting their ass every 5 seconds must be a sight. But I always get up and keep going. I hope to skate home from work when it cools off. It's a little under 2 miles away from my house, so I think that would be a fun way to exercise.

Oh Yeah....

Weight: 340
Pounds Lost: 25

Good start, eh?

I finally talked to my mother about losing weight. She and I have .... different opinions. She is a nurse and was overweight for about 15 years. When I was younger she just gained 80 pounds out of nowhere - and her doctors couldn't figure it out. She just kind of gave up after that. She ate very badly and set a poor example of emotional eating for my brother and I. When I was 19 she had gastric bypass done because her blood sugar levels where getting near the type 2 range. She went from 230 to 130. I am happy for her, but I don't agree with the way she's done it. She still doesn't eat very healthy - she uses protein powders and eats tiny amounts of high calorie foods instead of actually eating nutrient dense foods. She rarely exercises, but instead keeps her calories under 1000 a day so she won't 'get fat again'. She has gained back 10 pounds of the weight she lost so far, but I've heard it's normal to go really low and then come back up a bit after surgery. She really tries to push gastric bypass on me. I have absolutely nothing against anyone who has had it done - but I don't think it's for me. I'm 23 years old, I still can turn my life around. I'm not immobile or even out of breath from tying my shoes. I can bench press 60 pounds, and squat 100. I think I'm capable of exercising. I don't feel like I'm 'morbidly obese' just too damn fat. I feel, in my 'heart of hearts', that if I don't do everything within my power to lose weight on my own that gastric bypass would be a cop out for me. I understand it to be a major - life altering surgery for people who have no other options. I feel like I do have options. So anyways, she and I don't talk about weightloss. Now we do, and I think she understands where I'm coming from. She's even agreed to have a session with Peg, my nutritionist. I'm really happy - I feel like I have an ally instead of a naysayer now.

So how do you feel about gastric bypass? Have you been told to get it - or have you gotten it? I would love to hear thoughts or experiences.

Motivation.

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 06:39:00 +0000

Bazinga!

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 22:06:00 +0000

Weight : 350
Pounds Lost: 15

So I finally got on the scale again (the first time was hard enough!) and I've lost 15 pounds! I am sure that it is the diet change. I feel better - less sluggish throughout the day. I also have had something wonderful happen! My husband is a disabled veteran and he has to have surgery for the 3rd time in September. So I have decided to go back to work, and I got a dream job! You are looking at the newest General Manager of a Goodwill Store! I feel kinda crazy with all these exclamation points - but I am super happy! I am up and moving all day, I am around antiques and other assorted treasures, my husband finally gets a friggin' break, and my son started preschool. Wow, when you start changing one part of your life it seems like the others follow suit.

So I have started talking things out with one of my bestest friends ever, Liz. She is a therapist and has been trying to get me to open up for well, as long as we've known each other. We've talked about how sick I was through my pregnancy. We've talked about how when I gained weight, people changed. Suddenly my friends treated me differently. My family treated me differently. Everyone treated me differently. We've talked about how I stopped caring and kept eating. I stayed in when my husband left. He was gone for 6 months, and I was alone. There was no one to care what I looked liked - just me and a newborn baby who slept all day. I pushed it all down - the not knowing, the pain and the fear when he came back injured. The anger when he needed surgery for the second and then the third time. The humiliation when I went to the doctor and they told me to just look into gastric bypass, as if I was too far gone to help. The unbearable pain of being diagnosed with hidradenitis suppurativa, and then having to hide from the doctor because I wasn't losing weight. I felt like a failure - but even worse, like I was doomed to be fat. She asked me if I was tired. Of course being silly me - I said "but I get enough sleep". She laughed and asked me if I was tired of living this way. In fear of myself, and of facing what needed to be faced. And she's right. I have been trapped like this for 5 years - which in terms of a lifetime isn't long - but those are 5 years of MY life. 5 years that I have wasted being ashamed, and afraid. I refuse to act like some diseased person. Yes I am ill, no it's not terminal. I have to pick myself up and get over this. I haven't even been to the doctor in over a year. It's like I had given up on myself, on living, on being able to be happy again. No more.

On the Bright Side...

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:27:00 +0000

Things are looking up! I was able to stick to the plan Peg and I worked out perfectly. I was surprised that I wasn't even hungry! At first I was worried about how my husband and son would deal with all of the vegetables in the house - but they seem to have taken to them. We are slowly making over our family meals to be more towards the "Mediterranean Diet" style of cooking. So I cook for myself once a week now and freeze all of my meals. Then I can just take them out when the time comes and heat them up. I make sure to have my meal at the table at the same time as the guys - so really I don't feel deprived. The support from my husband is amazing, he keeps saying he can already tell I've lost weight.

So I finally went ahead and weighed myself. I was seriously putting it off. I kept thinking of reasons not to get on the scale, but in the end none of them were good enough. I had to know. So I got on my brand new scale that reads up to 500 lbs. Then I got off. Then I cried. Then I screamed. Then I think I threw something at it. I hated that damn thing. Then I started thinking it was broken. So I got out the manual to make sure everything was working properly. It said that you had to hold still to get a correct reading. Well, I must have moved hard or something to make it have that number. So I got on the scale again and held perfectly still. The same number came up in green. 365. I almost couldn't breathe after I read that. I sat on the toilet and stared at it for a long time. I didn't know whether I was going to laugh, cry, or go crazy. So I just sat there. Then, Ladies and Gentlemen, came my epiphany moment. Exatly 5 years ago I weighed 165. I had gained 200 pounds in 5 years! I was carrying around a high school linebacker! What the hell is wrong with me ?!?!@$# At that moment I knew if I didn't do something now I could end up like those people you see on TLC. The ones who are stuck in their houses and can't take care of themselves. I refuse to be a couch lady. I can't - I will not let that happen to me! So I am now hereby officially taking control of my life! I will not act like this is ok anymore. I refuse to give in to all the same sad excuses and tired old reasons. I am going to do this.

So...

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 13:55:00 +0000

I went to my good friend who for bashful's sake we'll call Peg. Peg is a very good friend of mine who also happens to be a nutritionist. We both sat down together and went over some of the things I had eaten, the times I had eaten, and the reasons why I had eaten. She told me that the only way I would get through this is to confront the physical and emotional problems I have in my way.

So I'm just gonna lay it all out on the table - buffet style- and go from there. As of right now I have poly-cystic-ovarian syndrome, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and asthma. The asthma isn't curable, but it sure as hell would be less if I was less. So all the other physical health problems are weight related.

But the emotional side? That can of worms is too deep to open just yet. I think maybe I should go to a psychiatrist, but really... I just don't know.

D- Day.

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 20:24:00 +0000

Well ya'll. It finally happened. I thought that I had years before I even approached this stage, but my time has come. As I was rolling over in bed the other night, I heard a loud crack, followed by a quick drop on the floor. An earthquake, you ask? I wish. Folks, I am ashamed to even type these words out loud - I broke my bed.

Now, I have always been a bigger person. I was never the type to shy away from dessert or lose an arm wrestling match. But how did this happen? I've always seen myself as middle of the road - overweight, but 'pleasantly plump'. When did I cross the state line into Fat-Land? How did I not notice the road signs screamin' out at me? Well - this blog is due for a change of pace. I think it's high time that I started losing some weight, and maybe backtracking to read some of those signs. Won't you join me?

Time Flies!

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:11:00 +0000

My oh my! It has been AWHILE since I've posted. I'm sure you all thought I just dropped off the face of the planet! To make a very long and soap-opera-esque story short: my husband's old service injury came back full force and we've had to go back and forth between here and the Richmond Veteran's Hospital (3 hours round trip) quite often to get him help. He is looking at surgery and possibly having to go on disability. Needless to say, these past months have not been leisurely.

Anyways - I want updates on what everyone's been doing!! You know how nosy I am :) I won't be back to posting until after labor day - but I most certainly will be reading ya'lls blogs!

Be Back Soon!

Hello out there!

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:56:00 +0000

I know I've been gone for a while and will probably be gone until closer to Valentines day.
Family stuff, and all that jazz. I hope every one enjoys their holidays as much I know I will!
Hunter is just tickled to finally understand who "that Christmas guy" is. Well anyways...
HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Blah.

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:42:00 +0000

There's not much to say about what's been going on lately. We finished unpacking
(and didn't find our camera!) and Hunter and I have mostly been hangin' out and
seeing the sites. I love our little town! Way too many cute shops.
The thrift stores here are a joke - they are horribly over priced,
and no pyrex worth even looking at. The antique stores are priced well,
but the selection is grim. Oh well, I guess it's better that my thrifting
slows down as I'm getting ready to go back to college next semester.
UVA should be exciting!

So what's everyone else been up too?

I hope your thrifting has been going better than mine!

So...

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:01:00 +0000

would you believe that I lost my dang camera? Somewhere between packing and unpacking the gnomes must have gotten it. SO no pictures for a while. Things are great here. I haven't gotten a chance to do much thrifting or junking, but Derek did buy me a huge Pyrex Daisy casserole for our anniversary! Isn't that sweet??

Anyways, I got bored so I thought I'd do one of those Polyvore sets everyone's raging about. Mine is loaded with Chanel, because well, I would have tons of it if I could! Mine's called Same shoes, different look.

A Few Pictures...

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:03:00 +0000

Well I'm a little late - but unpacking all that pyrex was tough!
I got most of it out. Here are a couple pictures of the place.
Sorry for the crappy cell picks - I haven't found the camera yet.
The first picture is of the dining area.

Here's more of the growing collection.

The great view of the mountains from our balcony.

I'll be back with more and better pictures soon.

Jesus Murphy!

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:29:00 +0000

I am so sorry guys and dolls, but I have left you in the dust. I know I said I would never do it - but I neglected my blog for a two whole months! Quite a bit has happened so I do hope you'll forgive me!

Here's the scoop:

Derek got a ton of job offers but we settled on Charlottesville, VA. We then had to deal with a mountain of paper work for him to get out of the service, and quite a bit to get our move set up. Now let me tell you - packing was no easy feat. Do you have any idea how much all the pyrex I have adopted weighs?! Derek almost threatened to throw it out!. From our small 2 bedroom apartment we filled a 26' Truck, a roomy hatchback, and an entire minivan.

So we set off early Saturday (the 9th) and the highway is completely backed up. The 2 1/2 hour trek ends up being doubled. Not to mention it's hotter that satan's butt outside. Thank the lawd we hired movers to unload. They waited patiently for us while we were stuck in traffic. Now, just so you can get the scope of this - it took us about 4-6 hours to load the whole truck. Packing was about 1 - 2 hours of that. We had a bottom floor apartment and our own entryway. Now these movers took an hour and a half to fully unload.

Did I mention we moved into a third floor apartment?

Yep, three whole flights of stairs.

Needless to say, we tipped those gentlemen well.

So here we are - almost fully unpacked and enjoying life. I wish you cats could see it! This town is swingin'! It's the biggest little city I've ever been to. With the fall semester of UVA starting right down the road, there are TONS of jobs for me to choose from. So, off to unpack more. I'll give ya'll a shout and maybe even some pictures this weekend.

Still...

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:52:00 +0000

Busy as all hell and fixing up the stores. I've lost 20 pounds in the last month, so I figured it was time to splurge on a few of the things I wanted. Here's a few of the things I'm thinking of:

Getting Ready...

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:52:00 +0000

We're all getting ready to move here. Funny how moves sneak up on you so quickly. I'm currently searching for a bedroom set for myself (our family likes to have their own rooms :) ). I'm searching for an Art Deco Waterfall set. They have one in decent shape at one of the local thrift stores. I'm hoping they still have it in August because we have absolutely no place to put it. It's a lot like the one in the picture. Isn't the waterfall wood just gorgeous?? It's got a full bed, a dresser, a wardrobe and a vanity with the giant circular mirror. The vanity seat would have to be reupholstered and the wood needs some TLC - but I hope I can snag it!

Killing Time.

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 01:49:00 +0000

I , as I'm sure most of you have, have been extremely busy lately. I listed a ton on ebay and I'm now adjusting to mass sales and mass shipments. I'm still exploring more avenues because I really don't want to have to rely on a "ify" corporation for my income. I hope eventually to have enough stock to just have my own .com.

In other news, Derek is working on a job lead that would allow us to live in Vegas. He asked me if that was OK. Um, DUH! What glamour girl doesn't dream of living in Vegas or Hollywood? Keep your fingers crossed for us guys and dolls!

In vintage news, I've had to limit my collecting severely. With the move coming up in August, we really can't buy too much stuff; and as we all know my pyrex is taking over the house. I really have to talk myself out of pieces that I don't have space for or that I'm not avidly looking for. It stinks, 'cause I'm a shopaholic! So I'm just doing online fake shopping for now. Here's a couple of the things I've let myself buy.

yummy peanut butter bars!
awesome flame orange descoware pot.
Awesome belt buckle of Lucy& Desi!
more cool ones like it at http://devilish.etsy.com!

So finally we have the gorgeous belt buckle Stephanie sent me. I am a Lucille Ball fanatic!!! I am one of those crazy I Love Lucy people who have a Lucy purse, wallet, bathroom, painting, and soon to be tattoo. That was the best present ever! It honestly made my week!
Thank you so much baby cakes!

Well I'm off to fulfill housewife duties,
but I'll be back with more goodies soon!

My My My.

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Sat, 24 May 2008 09:45:00 +0000

Oh man, I was a Jenny who got treated like a Caroline. Parking in cars is all the rage, these days. How times have changed.

Have a great weekend,
and don't let me catch any of you parking in cars with boys!

"I Wanna Be Sedated".

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Sun, 18 May 2008 17:03:00 +0000

No, really - I do. I have been insanely busy lately. I just opened up our Ebay store, uploaded a bunch of new stuff to our Etsy, bought our new couch and a bunch of other new /old furniture, and I still have about 100 things to add to the Ebay store. Oh yeah, and chasing around a two year old crazy head. Ah, life is good. Busy as hell, but good. Felix instantly claimed the couch.

New stuff to be added to the stores.

New phone chair. It just needs a pink phone.
New sewing chair. Like my Elvis machine cover?

Matching set of hampers.
Super cute bowl I got for a quarter.
Evil himself :).

So....

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:52:00 +0000

I think it's time to admit that I have a Pyrex problem.

In the 80s/90s I remember...

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 03:14:00 +0000

Post inspired by the wonderful Amy!!

In the 80s I remember...Watching Rainbow Brite everyday and sitting wayyyy to close to the
TV without being afraid of cancer or eye damage.
Man I loved that show.
Playing NES with my brother eveyday, and finally beating Super Mario.
It was like winning the lottery.

My undying love for New Kids on the Block, especially Marky Mark!
(give me a break - I was 6!)

Wishing I was Cyndi Lauper - who needs Madonna?!

In the 90s I remember...

Teen Angst on tv, along with all the flannel you could put on.

The Spice Girls: when platforms came back
and celebrities still ate something.

All the bad rock/alternative/club music you could dance to, badly.

Well, I hope I've successfully made you feel old! :)

Alright Already...

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:58:00 +0000

By public demand, here are some pictures (unapologetically stolen from Ronn's website) of our new-old sofa. It's early 1950s, and in the best color god put on this Earth - pink. Go ahead, bask in it's loveliness. It will look glorious next to my brand-new-old heywood wakefield china cabinet. Which will of course, be full of Pyrex.

This is almost the exact cabinet, only mine is more of a teak.

Thank you George W. !

What's the capital of Alaska?

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 04:48:00 +0000

Have you seen the great movie Juno, starring Ellen Page?
It's basically the story of my life. Well, sort of.

Derek (my husband) and I met when I had just turned 18. We liked each other a lot, hung out all the time, and then I got pregnant. We didn't really know each other too well, but we fell in love. Can you imagine? My senior class is graduating - without me - and I'm out buying diapers.
It was hard. But sooo worth it. I have a wonderful husband and an awesome son. The movie was so touching; and by touching I mean I was crying like a crazy person. It really captured how people like she and I are forced to grow up, fast. I got the looks and the stares too. I still get them. Sometimes I even get an, "Aww, how nice of you to take out your little brother!". People think I'm 16 or something. Yes, 21 is young to have a 2 year old, but hey - who cares? Hunter is the coolest thing ever. How appropriate that I would watch that right around his birthday (the 17th). I swear too that if he is the only thing I have to show for my time on this earth,
that would be enough.

I'm sorry I've been neglecting you - oh sweet blog o'mine! We are ever so busy with the wee one's birthday and our upcoming Pow-Wow. I of course have been hoarding Pyrex and we're even buying a new (old) couch from Ronn at FUTURES. I will, of course, have much more to say after all these events have come to pass.
So, what are all of you up to?

Our Trip, in Pictures.

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 19:59:00 +0000

So rather than write about all the antique stores we went to, I thought I would include pictures and let you see for yourself. These pictures are just HALF of the DOWNSTAIRS of ONE antique co-op.
I think you get the picture.

Crazy cookie-jar-lady's booth.

I'm Back!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 20:35:00 +0000

Did you miss me?? Of course you did!!
We had a great trip, but we are just plum tuckered out!!
I had a great haul - you wouldn't believe how much great stuff I found.
I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves...

(check out the little one's diaper butt in the background ^)

And you should have seen what I had to pass up due to lack of space in the van!
But our new kitchen table set is so worth it!
Next time I'll post some pictures of the great antique malls and co-ops.

So what was every one up to last week/end??

OK, OK, OK...

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Brook) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 20:05:00 +0000

So I know I said that the last post was my last one before the trip. But you can't expect me to stay quiet after a day like today can you? So first thing this morning we all packed in and went to a yard sale. We were a little, uh, early. So we helped the people carry some of their stuff out. I basically got to raid all of the boxes before anybody else got there.
Boy did I find some great stuff!

Then we went over to Ronn's wonderful store FUTURES
and I got to buy something I have wanted for years -
the full pink set of mixing bowls! Isn't it wonderful. My collection is still far from complete but it's definitely alot better now that these babies are resting in my china cabinet.

Well this is definitely my last blog before the trip. No really, I promise!
I shall return in a week bearing treasures from the North -
and all that jazz.

P.S. See Ronn, I did go home and blog about it!