Active is AWESOME!

Lately my little family has been very active! We have been playing Just Dance on the wii every night and trying to get out and do something active on the weekends. This is a huge change from the pre surgery family that sat on our butts and watched tv all weekend.  On Friday night, after 2 hours of Just Dance, my little Hannah said to me, "I LOVE our new active family mom! We have SO MUCH FUN!" That right there is the whole reason I made this choice and that is the best reward I could ask for! It totally makes all the sweat, passed up pizza slices, ice cream cravings and sore muscles worth it! I love watching my kids and my husband dancing their cute little bottoms off and enjoying the exercise (that doesn't seem like exercise). Tom got on the scale yesterday and he has lost 115 lbs! I am so incredibly proud of him and will continue to help him make progress in any way I can! Yesterday we went up to Logan to Little Bear Bottoms corn maze and had a ball! We spent 3 hours climbing on the huge hay fort, walking through the mazes and, to top it off, we took the spooky scarecrow hayride tour! It was so much FUN! I love making memories like that for our children. I want them to remember having fun with mom and dad in the outdoors and playing all together instead of mom and dad on the sidelines watching cuz we "can't move our giant bodies". I feel like I am reliving my 20's again and I am thoroughly enjoying every minute of it!
I am still going to curves about every other day and I can see my progress in inches! I am still having a little bit of issues with my arms and can't look at them in photos without cringing cuz they still look HUGE and my wings (although getting smaller) could still take out a small child if the wind started blowing... just sayin... BUT I have to get over it and realize that at some point in time the skin can be removed if I so chose and the way I FEEL is much more important the the way I LOOK!

My baby boy and me at Center Street Grill in Logan. I enjoyed by grilled chicken salad and will be enjoying it for a few more days cuz it was HUGE!

After lunch. I love this cute family!

"I can do it mama!"

Hannah climbed all the way to the top! So proud of her!

Jumping on the old mattresses was their favorite part!

There were tunnels and passageways all over this thing! We kept losing Hunter!

My little man. I hate my arms.

Mama got stuck in the hay fort! Good thing buddy found me!

Just finished the string maze!

Inside the corn maze... we didn't get lost!

Super Cute!

On the hayride

We look like bikers! lol

Daddy and Buddy lookin at the spooky scarecrows

Hannah was chosen to go check out the old outhouse...

"read what that says" (notice old Charlie, the leader of the spooky scarecrows, lurking on the side)

Hannah was stunned silent!

Get outta there before Old Charlie throws you in the hole!!!

This was our tour guide/story teller. He was amazing and super cute with the kids!

learning about the old bull that haunts the barn

me and my baby girl. Again, I hate my arms.

My very handsome hubby

Hot Mamma

look at her FLY!!

Hunter finally made it to the top too!

Can you help me daddy?

Now I can do it all myself!

Hannah loved to fly!

Best Saturday Ever!

I love being active and I am excited for next spring and summer to go bike riding and hiking and anything else this shrinking family can come up with to have fun and make memories!!!

Good to know..

So, it's early and thanks to my obnoxious baby boy and my obnoxious little dog, I am awake so here I am. Earlier this week I had the opportunity to visit with my favorite Aunt Julie who was up from Arizona! She and my sweet little Grandma Aftie came up to see us and it was fun to show them both the "new" me! We were talking about my progress and all that and Julie mentioned that I have lost a tremendous amount of weight through my face and asked me how I managed to keep my face from "falling" like most people's do after losing a significant amount of weight. Facial exercises! I can't believe I haven't mentioned it on the blog, I thought to myself.  So here goes, I think I was in college when I learned about facial exercises and I have done them on and off since then, but after surgery I was paranoid of looking 10 years older through my face like a lot of GB patients do so I started up again! I leave for work at 4:30 a.m. and have a half hour drive, so I take the opportunity of the darkness to do these exercises (since they make you look like a total spazz!) You start by opening you mouth as wide as it can go, stretching the muscles, and hold for about 5 seconds. Then, smile as big as you can with eyes as wide as you can make them and stretch the neck muscles and hold for 5 seconds. Last, make your upper face like you are frowning and your mouth in a tight "o" form and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat several times! I swear by these exercises and it totally shows on my face! I'm almost 35, and although that is not terribly "old" (unless you ask my little sister) but the longer I can keep those wrinkles away the happier I will be! These exercises are great for anyone, whether you have lost a lot of weight or just want to naturally tighten up your neck and face! Everyone try it! (just make sure nobody is watching! LOL)

Me at 400 + lbs

Me after losing 150 lbs. I don't think I look much older then my wedding picture 14 years ago! Do your facial exercises! :)