In other size news, pretty much all of my size 18 and XL clothes - the ones I JUST bought, at our thrift store shopping spree - are loosey-goosey on me. I can fit both arms down my zipped-up size 18 jeans, and the two pairs of size 16 pants I have fit fine now. Cool, huh? So I guess now I'll consider myself a 16  and a Large. That's pretty awesome. That means no more plus-size shopping for me. I will never shop at Lane Bryant, Just My Size, or Catherine's again. Not that I've ever been to Catherine's, but you know. Too bad I can't go out and replace the new wardrobe already, so I'll have to stick with the 18s for a while, at least until I get down to 14s, probably. Then we'll see.

Today was pretty uneventful, except for the mammy-grammy. My stomach was in knots this morning waiting for it, and I had the squirts. Eventually, I felt so worn out and tired from that - which hasn't happened, I don't think, since I had my surgery, so it was pretty unexpected and exhausting - I had to lie down around 10. We had to leave for the hospital at 1300, and we didn't wake up until 1240! Oops!

Rob went with me. He had to sit in the waiting room the entire time, because of the x-rays. All went well, I think he could tell by the big grin I gave him when I came out.

On the way home, I called my sister, my dad, Linda and Lisa... and texted Steph. And posted to y'all when I got home. It was nice to hear so much relief from everyone; nice to feel so cared about. Thank you!! ♥

The kids were due home just as we arrived (I'd set it up with the neighbor next store to get them), so I dropped off Rob to relieve J. and went to Wendy's to pick us up some lunch. I like the 99¢ crispy chicken sandwich, of which I can eat maybe half.

When I got home, I surveyed all the garbage produced by our meal: two cups, straws, straw wrappers, food wrappers, Rob's french fry container, and the paper bag. Oh, and the cup holder they gave me, which I didn't want (so why did I accept it??). That's a LOT of garbage. We don't really eat a lot of fast food anymore, unless it's for a shop, so that's good. But still, it's trash food, and trash for the environment. I'm going to stop eating it and live a trash-free life. No more food that generates garbage.

Which doesn't mean I'll never eat crap again, but it's a goal for which I'll continue to strive. And of course there will always be garbage. But... I'm going to work on it. I'm going to make an effort.

I'm also going to make the effort to significantly reduce the paper products we consume. I'm not one to really use paper towels, but Rob loves them, so I don't know how much I can change there. I'm going to switch to cloth wipes for the bathroom, cloth tissues and handkerchiefs instead of paper... and, I guess that covers it? Oh, and I'm going to make up clothe pads for the Swiffer instead of using the disposable ones, since I'm going to have to Swiffer on an every-other-day basis.

This won't all happen overnight, but rather in stages as we can afford things. I'm excited about it. I just hope I can get the rest of the family on board!

Anyway.

After school, the kids finished my chicken sandwich, we said good-bye to Daddy, and then the girls settled in on the office floor to color and draw. Jack has been so tired after school lately again, so he kind of just hung out on the couch, playing quietly with his cars.

We were supposed to go bowling for a shop at 1800, but when I called the bowling alley to see what time their open lanes were, it wasn't until 2100! Frick! I'd guaranteed I could do the shop tonight, too, so I really didn't have a choice but to take the kids out that late. It sucked. They were all ready to go at 6 pm, too.

Instead, I was having the chills and feeling wiped out, so I sent them upstairs to clean their room and find Sophie's missing books borrowed from preschool, so I could sneak in a quick lie-down. Not long after, the girls came down and complained of hunger. Jack had fallen asleep, no surprise there.

I hoisted myself back up, very reluctantly, and made them some hot dogs. I lay back down, and then Sophia reminded me I'd forgotten their drinks. Bah! I hate when I forget stuff like that. I'm lazy, dammit!

After they ate, I told them they could either go upstairs and lie down, or go upstairs and clean and find the books. I think they just played, but whatever, I stole in about an hour's shut-eye. I woke up frozen to the bone, so I had to break down and kick on the heat. I hate the heat. It's so dry...

Finally, it was time to go bowl. We woke up Jack, who was STILL sleeping at 2130, and got to the bowling alley around 2200. VERY late, I know. Sophie bowled the first game with me, Jack threw a couple balls here and there, and Chloë bowled the second game with me. I barely broke 100 both times - but again, we used the bumpers! I'm so lame.

I did manage to get a strike, and then a spare immediately after that - and the two dudes next to me clapped for me. That was amusing.

My camera absolutely SUCKS at flash-required pictures. They are always so blurry! Bah. I miss my old one. :(

When they weren't bowling, the kids were constantly at this claw game, trying to score some candy. And no, I didn't give them any change to play it, so imagine my surprise when both Jack and Chloë managed to "win" a piece of candy!

Sophie complaining about not getting any candy. Sorry, Tootsie.

Jack was beyond thrilled when his little roll of Smarties popped out. He was a grumpy pants after his nap, but the candy made it all disappear!

We didn't get home until 2330, at which point Chloë wanted to know whether she could stay up and keep looking at the scrapbooks I've made. Oh, I forgot to say, the girls were poring over them while Jack was sleeping, after I woke up cold. It was nice, talking to them about all the memories during their lives. Interesting to see what and who they remember, and what they don't. And Sophie was such a chubby baby!! ♥

Rob came home just after they went to bed, from the ER. He's got a nice, raging sinus infection and came home with all kinds of prescriptions. Poor laddie.

Oh! And the mailman brought a box from Grandma (MIL). Stuff for CARE Package - and yes, I can use the quilt! - along with goodies for the kids and our annual delivery of Hallmark ornaments. That's my favorite package of the year. I love seeing what she chose for us. Thanks, Mom!

Have a great weekend, y'all.

Fin.

Link up with Cate if you're playing along today.

My six words for this week are:

I - I - I - I'm stayin' alive!

Explanation: I had my boob-o-gram and ultrasound today for the lump found in my right buzzoom a few weeks ago. I got the all-clear! Nothing but regular ol' boob tissue was found in there. Good stuff!

Fin.

1. What was your favorite subject in high school?

Biology, of course!

2. Do you watch reality shows? Which ones?

Sometimes, but I'm not watching a ton of TV these days, just Monday nights on CBS. When I do watch them, it's stuff like American Idol, Dancing With the Stars, and So You Think You Can Dance.

3. What's your favorite all-time reality show?

The Apprentice. I forgot that one above. I love it!!

4. Do you feel "reality" shows or real or are they faked?

Oh, I know they're not as unscripted as they are supposed to be, and have lots of creative editing.

5. What did you look like when you were a teenager?

I don't know, I think I was cute. :D Except for the big glasses. What was up with those big glasses?!

6. Whose advice do you listen to?

Oh, it depends on the subject. I listen to those who know what they're talking about!

7. How often are you sick?

More often than the average bear, I think!

8. Do you like or dislike change?

I generally like it! I adapt pretty well to new situations, as long as I am somewhat prepared for them. I like things to change a lot; I don't like to lead a static life.

9. How many times in your life have you had a broken heart?

Often and extensively, I'm a pretty emotional girl. On the other hand, when I'm happy, I'm high on life!

Fin.

All is well! They found nothing at all except regular breast tissue. Like many of you guessed, the doctor said it was probably lumpy from losing all that weight.

So, yay! All that stress for the past 3 weeks over nothing!

The worst part of the whole deal was not being able to put on my post-shower body oil, or lotion, or deodorant, or nothin'. The rest was cake!

Fin.

Be sure and link up with Kailani if you're playing along today!

My question for you this week is:

(For the reasoning why I'm asking, see my posts on Monday and Wednesday nights from this week!) ;)

Fin.

1. Hit my goal weight of 150 lbs or less

2. Fit into my SCUBA BCD (buoyancy jacket) and go diving for the first time since we lived in Florida - Chloë was a year old!

3. Get family portraits taken by Amy Sandoval

4. Knit matching sweaters for the kids - well, coordinating, at least.

I'll be back... ;)

Fin.

Fin.

Rob came home very late, maybe around 0200, and went right to sleep on the couch.

While I was putzing, the funniest thing happened. I was starting to put away all my scrapbooks into the jute bin I keep them in, when I found a high-bounce rubber ball of the kids'. I thought, "Oh, what's this doing in here?" and tossed it over my shoulder, absent-mindedly.

Well, the thing took on a life of its own, bounced down into the living room, up onto the fireplace, up onto the mantel, and knocked down three of the five glass pedestal candle-holders I have had up there since almost the whole time we've lived here. The candle holders shattered, splintering onto the hearth and floor below, with such a huge clatter.

I looked up, wide-eyed, and clapped my hands over my mouth in shock! WHOOPS!!

Rob, of course, woke up out of a dead sleep, demanding, "What the hell was that?!?!" and all I could do was stand there with my hands over my mouth.

So that sucked. But it was pretty funny, and after I got over the surprise, I fell apart giggling!

********

Sophie came downstairs, furiously rubbing at her squinty little eyes, at about 0640.  My alarm goes off at 0700, and normally I would have been frustrated by the early wake-up, but of course, I was already up and working at my desk.

She kept mumbling, over and over, something about Chloë saying she was going to throw something of hers (Sophie's) away. I couldn't get understand what she was saying, but she was sobbing and very upset.

"But, Sophia, Chloë is sound asleep upstairs! You must have dreamed it, honey!"

She kept jabbering about the same thing, until finally I took my big baby (honestly, it's like me holding Rob, she's so big) into my arms and let her snug back down to sleep. She was sucking her thumb, eyes pinched close, and twiddling her hair like she always does, and I was watching her and getting my daily dose of warm fuzzies.

Then she piped up, eyes still closed, "I'm hungry," spoken around her deeply inserted thumb.

"Well, can you wait about 10 minutes until it's time to get up for school?"

"I'm hungry."

"Sophia, you're still sleeping! Let's wait a few minutes."

"No, I'm not. My eyes are open!"

LOL They so weren't. They were squeezed tightly shut, and she was, for all appearances, asleep other than the talking. Funny kid. I adore the daylights out of her!

********

Rob got up when the alarms went off, and after I woke up the kids to get ready, I got into the shower to start my day and wash off the ickies from not sleeping.

I was getting dressed when he came upstairs to get dressed and take them to the bus stop, so I volunteered to go. Just as I did, and he went back down, Sophie puked. What is up with that?! She's supposed to be all better, for the most part. So it was decided to keep her home, and I walked the other two to the stop.

Soon, though, out came Rob and Sophie to go to school. She didn't have a fever and seemed to be fine. He thinks she was just stressed out and nervous from him rushing her to get ready. I don't know, it's so weird! I hope she doesn't turn into a puker like her sister now.

********

So the exciting news today is that I wore the pants I first bought at the thrift store, ostensibly for working at HT, that didn't fit. I couldn't even get them on. Now, I can get them on and  button them! Sweet.

Not only that, but I went to work hanging up all my clean laundry, and then started cleaning out my closet a little more thoroughly than I had a couple weeks ago. I had some of the kids' formal clothes in the back, and then I found the gorgeous bridesmaid dress I wore in my BFF Lisa's (and husband Faris) wedding in June, 2002. I was about the same size as I am now, although I was bigger in the boobage area then, as I was nursing 9mo Chloë.

So, I decided to try it on and see if I could get into it. Rob helped it on and zipped it up, he says, with ease, much more so than when I originally wore it all those years ago!

And it looked good! Really good! I must be shrinking, though, as I don't remember it dragging on the floor back then. Must be because I was wearing heels...

So, with Rob in his cammies and me in the silver gown, we embraced and danced around the bedroom like we were never able to dance at the wedding. (He was taking care of Chloë while I did bridesmaid stuff.)

Fun stuff! I was so excited to be able to get that dress back on. It has a couple stains on it from who-knows-where, so I decided to have it cleaned. Then I'll have Rob take my pictures in it for my 150-lb loss mark in a couple weeks (I hope!) I even had to call up Lisa to share my joy. Yay!

********

Soon after, I had to leave for my chiropractic follow-up.

I didn't know what to expect, other than an explanation of the x-rays they took on Monday.

The first thing they did was bring me into the chiropractor's office to watch yet another video, this time about "the findings" in general and my "vertebral subluxation complex" specifically. I don't think that's a medical term; it's a chiropractic term for, basically, when the vertebrae are mis-aligned.

"Doc" came in and started in on brief, quick anatomy lesson of the spine, telling me things I of course already know, having studied biology. (Does that make me a doctor? Oh, nope. Still not a doctor, just because I have years and hours of study in a subject, past undergraduate school.)

Then he put up my x-ray pictures and drew all over them in pencil, explaining mathematically how this, that, and the other thing were off in my lumbar region and pelvis, probably from having carried so much weight around for so long. He said he wanted to take x-rays of the upper portions of my spine as well, since he didn't look at the thoracic and cervical regions in the x-ray, to see if I had further VSCs. He surmised, unsurprisingly, that I did.

It's my hunch that pretty much damn near everyone who comes in for the free exam and x-rays will have one or more VSCs, those being the chiropractor's bread and butter.

Treatment? Doc wanted me to come in 3-4 times a week for the next several months for adjustments and crap, tapering finally down to 1-3 times a month as the VSC(s) were corrected. What? Are you kidding me? Who has the time and money for that!

LOL So I was already getting spooked by just the idea of having my back adjusted, then the idea of coming in SO MANY TIMES to have it done... eep.

The last thing was when he left and brought in one of his staff to go over insurance and billing with me. My military insurance, no surprise, does not cover chiropractic care. (Which says something to me about the legitimacy of it as a medical profession, but again, these are JUST MY OPINIONS.) So I was offered a military discount, which would end up being at least $100/week for the adjustments, more for the extra x-rays and future exams to check my progress.

My stock answer? "Um, I need to discuss it with my husband first..."

Her answer? "Fine! Let's just get you into an exam room for a quick adjustment..." and then she walked me down the hall and put me in a room.

I sat there for three minutes, going, "What just happened here?" and listening to the doc talk to and adjust his other patients. Or clients. Whatever.

The rush-rush-rush of getting me started on adjustments, along with the seeming urgency of all the exhortations to "tell your friends about chiropractic!" completely had me spooked. I didn't want to do it anymore, I didn't want to be there, and it all felt pretty hokey to me.

So I burst out of the exam room and ran up to the front, telling the receptionist that my daughter's school had just called and she was getting sick, and I needed to leave rightnowandgopickherup!! She looked surprised and said, "Are you sure you can't stick around for five minutes? Doc will be right with you and ... blah, blah, blah."

Really? I would put my own chiropractic care - when I'm not urgently in pain or distress - ahead of my sick daughter's need to be picked up from school? What kind of mother would I be? So I bolted out of there, assuring her that I would come back that afternoon or, at the very least, call.

I totally bolted. Bolted, bolted, bolted, like a spooked little horsey. 

And I won't be calling.

So that's the end of my little chiropractic saga.

Think of me what you will, think of IT what you will, but it seems like, as Rob put it, "voodoo." He also commented, "There are plenty of fancy ducks out there, but they all say 'quack'."

Heh.

********

Upon leaving, I ran to drop off my dress to the dry cleaner's - to the tune of $35!!! Eek. Let's hope they can get it clean. Then to the post office to mail that sad package, and then to the gas station, since my indicator light was on. I grabbed a quick turkey sandwich, since I was in a full-on hungry state (rare for me now), and then headed out to Stephanie's to see wee Baby Luke. He's 2½ weeks old now, and I hadn't seen him since the day he was born, so I've been craving my Lukey time.

I held him for a long time, walking around the house with Steph as she talked and got ready to go out to her OB check-up. When my back was sore, I laid him on her bed and just admired the snot out of him. He is impossibly cute; it pains me to look at him, he's so darling!

A wee baby burrito

After fussing and getting a quick few sucks on his bottle of EBM, Luke gave Steph the hairy eye as she buckled him into his carseat. Steph, by the way, looks GREAT! She's lost a bunch of weight, and her face is so much thinner compared the puffy, swollen pictures I showed you after her c-section. I thought she looked very pretty.

I'd gotten camnesia again, so iPhone to the rescue for these pics of the little laddie. He's so cute in his widdle outfit! He looks just like Tim to me, especially here. No denying that paternity!

Snug as a bug in his little carseat bunting. Tell me that is not the cutest little feller ever?!

He made all the sweet little baby faces, grunts and stretches that I remember from my own kids' baby days. Ah, the memories. I have baby fever something awful now!

A peek at me, to see if I was still in his face taking pictures. I was. Rob took one look at this picture and said, "He looks like Stephanie." What?! I don't see it. He's all Tim, to me.

So she loaded him up into her car, and we temporarily went our separate ways. She to the OB, me to go home and retrieve the big bag of clothes I'd gathered up for Luke (from Jack) and her niece, Carolynn (whose name I always mispell, sorry!; from the girls). I, of course, forgot to bring it with me in the first place. Plus I had a couple magazines for her, since I get so many free subscriptions and share them with her.

Off I sped to the hospital to meet her at the OB. I had not much time until the bus was coming, by that point. I found her doctor's office and was let in to the exam room with her. Steph quickly handed me the baby for a burping, and we chatted for a minute until her OB came in. He kind of gave me the "Who the hell are you?" look, but he was very pleasant about it! He seemed like a nice guy. I gave her back her son, left the bag of clothes and mags with her, and took my leave. Hope everything went well, Stephy!

I picked up the kids from the bus and, by that point, was ready to fall over, so dead tired. Against my better judgement, after giving the kids a snack and starting Chloë on her homework, I decided to lie down for a few minutes until it was time to leave for dance class. I should have known better. When Chloë woke me at the appointed time, I was so not ready to go anywhere! I wanted to skip dance class sooooo baaaaaad... but since she missed last week due to the flu, I finally came to and got up off my arse.

It was a hard drive out there, though. All I wanted to do was sleep. I kept picturing myself falling asleep behind the wheel. Not pretty.  At dance class, I got her into the building and was glad to come out and find both Jack and Sophie asleep in their seats. Yes! Nap time for me! I leaned my chair all the way back and slept like the dead for the whole hour.

I still felt exhausted, probably even more so, when my alarm went off. The drive home was, again, nerve-wracking, but we made it. I had things I needed to go out and do, but I just couldn't do anymore. I fed the kids their Jack-requested pancake dinner, gave them some ice cream for dessert (happily, they ate everything), and went to lie down.

I was in and out, but managed to get them ready for bed before I completely crashed out. It wasn't until Rob came home at midnight and woke me up (unintentionally) that I realized we never did Jack's homework! Oops... I'll have to write a note. My bad.

I couldn't sleep, so here I am. But I feel drowsy again, so I'm off like a prom dress! Or maybe a bridesmaid one...

Fin.

So are you still wondering what I'm going to use all these boxes of matches for? Besides tormenting Tinkerbell, apparently...

Dun da da dah! Wonder no further! 'Tis here, the advent calendar I made for this Christmas season (and hopefully years to come, if it holds up):

Top view

Front view

Side view

Candy view!

I still have lots of treats to find and put in the drawers, but I think the crafty part is complete. Unless you have any ideas for increasing the awesomeness, which I'd love to hear!

So... does anyone need 6,000 matches??? Speak up!

Fin.