Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Moments with the Mullers: FB Official and NOW BLOG OFFICIAL!
Moments with the Mullers: FB Official and NOW BLOG OFFICIAL!: I'm assuming you all read my announcement post announcing our very first pregnancy. For now, we will no longer be doing weekly weigh ins...
FB Official and NOW BLOG OFFICIAL!
I'm assuming you all read my announcement post announcing our very first pregnancy. For now, we will no longer be doing weekly weigh ins but weekly information about our little poppyseed. Yes, I said poppyseed. That's what we are calling Baby Muller because that was the size of our baby when we got official word that we were in fact pregnant....which was two weeks ago.
This has been the hardest secret of my life to keep. We've been so excited and wanted to Praise God for this little miracle that is growing! We are beyond happy and beyond blessed.
So, let's rewind two weeks and 3 days ago when we first found out. We came back from our Muller/Smith adventure in Florida. Something just didn't feel "right" with me. I was tired and emotional. We had been temperature charting and watching those days to catch the day of perfect ovulation. I could test the Monday we came back from vacation; however, my brilliant, handsome, wonderful husband decided we would take an at home pregnancy test on Sunday so that I would start back work in tears.
We bought a First Response 3 test pack and that Sunday Morning, I got up at like 6ish and did the business on that little stick. I had even prepared myself for the one liner, but low and behold, there was a very very very very very faint line. I immediately called for Johnathan who came barelling in the bathroom. I said, is that two lines?? Do you see one or two?? He agreed that there was another line.
So, I waited about an hour and did another and the line was darker.
I immediately was happy and there was no going back on having no hope. I was beyond excited and praying praying praying that they were true positives. I also immediately went to Google for false positives on at home pregnancy test. It was a long day.
Monday morning I got up and took a 3rd pregnancy test that was surprise surprise another positive. It was the longest two hours from 6am to 8am that I have yet to encounter so that I could get a call in to the doctor. They called me immediately and sent me for bloodwork to have HCG levels and Progesterone. These were really emotional days and times. I then had to wait another hour for the lab results and the lab results confirmed it. I am pregnant. Words could not describe how immensely happy and thankful that I was.
For the next week, we told a few people here and a few people there. I just felt that it happened really fast and was too easy. I was worried that it was a chemical pregnancy or a phantom pregnancy and Google was only making things worse. We've been praying for this for over 5 years. I've been angry at God. I've begged God. And it happened. The announcement is what I've been meditating on for two weeks: 1 Samuel 1:27: For This Child, I have prayed and you have given to me. I prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and God answered. God made a promise and he fulfilled it. Words cannot describe how amazing that feels not just being pregnant but that God found favor in me and answered my prayers. This is amazing!!!
This past weekend, we had the annual Gilliam Christmas. We play dirty Santa and I wrapped a baby book and a pack of white onesies and waited for the gift to become unwrapped. I couldn't have planned it better. Ana's husband unwrapped it and everyone was soooooo confused. Who would buy this? Who's having a baby? So, when I announced it was me, the whole room erupted in applause and congratulations. I can't imagine a better Christmas with my loved one sharing the best news ever.
Monday, we started calling people and telling people before we made our big Facebook announcement. We just couldn't wait. We are bursting with the news. I'm not going to lie, there are a million and one things that could go wrong with this pregnancy and most experts will tell you to wait until 14 weeks (2nd trimester) but God has done something amazing. AMAZING and Psalm 105:2 says "Sing to Him, Sing Praises to Him, Tell of all His Wonderful Works and this my friends is a WONDERFUL Work. God is so good and so amazing. And if he chooses to teach me through a crises in this pregnancy, I will need all of you to lean on for support. No joke, I got that verse and read a blog about not being ashamed of a miscarriage in the same day and decided right then to not wait until the 2nd trimester.
Yesterday and this morning, I've been a ball of nerves. I had faith that God had a plan for me but sometimes, it's so hard waiting on finding out his plan. I've had trouble sleeping (but this is also a symptom of pregnancy) and difficulty concentrating (also a symptom of pregnancy).
So, this morning, it was the easiest I've ever gotten up at 5:45am. Today was the day. I went to work and talked some things out with my besties Marge & Tiffany and then met my amazing husband who is always by my side and made the trek to OKC in this dreary cold winter weather.
Let me just say that Dr. Reshef is amazing. I've said this from the beginning of the blog. I would recommend him to ANYONE who is trying to conceive and having a difficult time. He's so understanding and educates you not just talks at you. It makes a huge different. He calls me skinny and praises me for all my hard work and talks about how he is amazed. I didn't have to do any of the infertility treatments like medication etc... but we did temperature chart so without Dr. Reshef, this would not have been possible because he took the time to educate me not just give me direct orders. He completed the ultrasound and we got to see our little Poppyseed for the very first time. All of the worry and wear just left my body and my mind. God answered my prayers. We got to see the little heartbeat. No joke, it was the most beautiful thing I've experienced so far in life. The heartbeat measured in at 119 which was a completely normal range. All in all, it's a healthy pregnancy.
Let me tell you a little about Poppyseed Muller. Poppyseed is six weeks, three days old. Poppyseed should be here in August 2015. He/She has a heart and brain. He/She also has little paddles that will be legs and arms that is moving around already. Also, the areas for the eyes and ears are starting to form and kinda look like dimples. Poppyseed is growing like crazy and the placenta is working on becoming formed so it can take over the yolk sak. I have two apps and learn more and more about prenatal development every week. It's amazing the way my body is working to create another little baby. August seems like such a far far far time away.
The questions that I usually get are:
1. How are you feeling? Well, I am EXHAUSTED. I am tired all the time. I could go to bed at like 7pm and still be exhausted in the morning. I am fighting a little bit of nausousness. I haven't vomited but I gag all day through out the day. I am incessantly hungry and cannot get enough of banana peppers or jalepeno peppers.
2. What does your WLS Surgeon say? Well, he's not too happy. I wasn't supposed to try until January and I mean, we're almost there, but here I am six weeks pregnant. The nutritionist said that I should continue to lose weight throughout my pregnancy which makes me nervous. So, I consulted two other nutritionists that said just the opposite. I should gain at least 15 pounds. I should also consider adding complex carbs like fruit and whole grains to help with the lack of energy. And I have done that. I want a safe pregnancy. A safe pregnancy isn't going to have me gaining back all 156 pounds, but it should have me gain some for the baby.
So, what's next for the Mullers? Dr. Reshef wants to do another ultrasound to ensure that this is a healthy pregnancy in two weeks on the 31st. Then, he said I will graduate to an OB. I've already made an appointment with the OB. I've chosen Dr. Henslee. I have the preliminary appointment on the 30th with his office to have some OB education and lab work ups etc..
So, right now, I'm asking for prayers for a safe and healthy pregnancy. We need them.
I also want to take this time to say that we are completely moved and overwhelmed by the response on Facebook and Instagram. We are so blessed to have so many friends and family that support us and love us through our trials and our victories. Thank you for your prayers and your encouragement and kind words. Keep them coming! We need them. We need you. Thank you for being a part of our lives!
This has been the hardest secret of my life to keep. We've been so excited and wanted to Praise God for this little miracle that is growing! We are beyond happy and beyond blessed.
So, let's rewind two weeks and 3 days ago when we first found out. We came back from our Muller/Smith adventure in Florida. Something just didn't feel "right" with me. I was tired and emotional. We had been temperature charting and watching those days to catch the day of perfect ovulation. I could test the Monday we came back from vacation; however, my brilliant, handsome, wonderful husband decided we would take an at home pregnancy test on Sunday so that I would start back work in tears.
We bought a First Response 3 test pack and that Sunday Morning, I got up at like 6ish and did the business on that little stick. I had even prepared myself for the one liner, but low and behold, there was a very very very very very faint line. I immediately called for Johnathan who came barelling in the bathroom. I said, is that two lines?? Do you see one or two?? He agreed that there was another line.
So, I waited about an hour and did another and the line was darker.
I immediately was happy and there was no going back on having no hope. I was beyond excited and praying praying praying that they were true positives. I also immediately went to Google for false positives on at home pregnancy test. It was a long day.
Monday morning I got up and took a 3rd pregnancy test that was surprise surprise another positive. It was the longest two hours from 6am to 8am that I have yet to encounter so that I could get a call in to the doctor. They called me immediately and sent me for bloodwork to have HCG levels and Progesterone. These were really emotional days and times. I then had to wait another hour for the lab results and the lab results confirmed it. I am pregnant. Words could not describe how immensely happy and thankful that I was.
For the next week, we told a few people here and a few people there. I just felt that it happened really fast and was too easy. I was worried that it was a chemical pregnancy or a phantom pregnancy and Google was only making things worse. We've been praying for this for over 5 years. I've been angry at God. I've begged God. And it happened. The announcement is what I've been meditating on for two weeks: 1 Samuel 1:27: For This Child, I have prayed and you have given to me. I prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and God answered. God made a promise and he fulfilled it. Words cannot describe how amazing that feels not just being pregnant but that God found favor in me and answered my prayers. This is amazing!!!
This past weekend, we had the annual Gilliam Christmas. We play dirty Santa and I wrapped a baby book and a pack of white onesies and waited for the gift to become unwrapped. I couldn't have planned it better. Ana's husband unwrapped it and everyone was soooooo confused. Who would buy this? Who's having a baby? So, when I announced it was me, the whole room erupted in applause and congratulations. I can't imagine a better Christmas with my loved one sharing the best news ever.
Monday, we started calling people and telling people before we made our big Facebook announcement. We just couldn't wait. We are bursting with the news. I'm not going to lie, there are a million and one things that could go wrong with this pregnancy and most experts will tell you to wait until 14 weeks (2nd trimester) but God has done something amazing. AMAZING and Psalm 105:2 says "Sing to Him, Sing Praises to Him, Tell of all His Wonderful Works and this my friends is a WONDERFUL Work. God is so good and so amazing. And if he chooses to teach me through a crises in this pregnancy, I will need all of you to lean on for support. No joke, I got that verse and read a blog about not being ashamed of a miscarriage in the same day and decided right then to not wait until the 2nd trimester.
Yesterday and this morning, I've been a ball of nerves. I had faith that God had a plan for me but sometimes, it's so hard waiting on finding out his plan. I've had trouble sleeping (but this is also a symptom of pregnancy) and difficulty concentrating (also a symptom of pregnancy).
So, this morning, it was the easiest I've ever gotten up at 5:45am. Today was the day. I went to work and talked some things out with my besties Marge & Tiffany and then met my amazing husband who is always by my side and made the trek to OKC in this dreary cold winter weather.
Let me just say that Dr. Reshef is amazing. I've said this from the beginning of the blog. I would recommend him to ANYONE who is trying to conceive and having a difficult time. He's so understanding and educates you not just talks at you. It makes a huge different. He calls me skinny and praises me for all my hard work and talks about how he is amazed. I didn't have to do any of the infertility treatments like medication etc... but we did temperature chart so without Dr. Reshef, this would not have been possible because he took the time to educate me not just give me direct orders. He completed the ultrasound and we got to see our little Poppyseed for the very first time. All of the worry and wear just left my body and my mind. God answered my prayers. We got to see the little heartbeat. No joke, it was the most beautiful thing I've experienced so far in life. The heartbeat measured in at 119 which was a completely normal range. All in all, it's a healthy pregnancy.
Let me tell you a little about Poppyseed Muller. Poppyseed is six weeks, three days old. Poppyseed should be here in August 2015. He/She has a heart and brain. He/She also has little paddles that will be legs and arms that is moving around already. Also, the areas for the eyes and ears are starting to form and kinda look like dimples. Poppyseed is growing like crazy and the placenta is working on becoming formed so it can take over the yolk sak. I have two apps and learn more and more about prenatal development every week. It's amazing the way my body is working to create another little baby. August seems like such a far far far time away.
The questions that I usually get are:
1. How are you feeling? Well, I am EXHAUSTED. I am tired all the time. I could go to bed at like 7pm and still be exhausted in the morning. I am fighting a little bit of nausousness. I haven't vomited but I gag all day through out the day. I am incessantly hungry and cannot get enough of banana peppers or jalepeno peppers.
2. What does your WLS Surgeon say? Well, he's not too happy. I wasn't supposed to try until January and I mean, we're almost there, but here I am six weeks pregnant. The nutritionist said that I should continue to lose weight throughout my pregnancy which makes me nervous. So, I consulted two other nutritionists that said just the opposite. I should gain at least 15 pounds. I should also consider adding complex carbs like fruit and whole grains to help with the lack of energy. And I have done that. I want a safe pregnancy. A safe pregnancy isn't going to have me gaining back all 156 pounds, but it should have me gain some for the baby.
So, what's next for the Mullers? Dr. Reshef wants to do another ultrasound to ensure that this is a healthy pregnancy in two weeks on the 31st. Then, he said I will graduate to an OB. I've already made an appointment with the OB. I've chosen Dr. Henslee. I have the preliminary appointment on the 30th with his office to have some OB education and lab work ups etc..
So, right now, I'm asking for prayers for a safe and healthy pregnancy. We need them.
I also want to take this time to say that we are completely moved and overwhelmed by the response on Facebook and Instagram. We are so blessed to have so many friends and family that support us and love us through our trials and our victories. Thank you for your prayers and your encouragement and kind words. Keep them coming! We need them. We need you. Thank you for being a part of our lives!
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Moments with the Mullers: The weeks between Christmas and Thanksgiving are t...
Moments with the Mullers: The weeks between Christmas and Thanksgiving are t...: Pounds lost this Week: 0 Pounds Pounds lost Since Surgery: 114 Pounds Pounds lost overall: 156 Pounds Pounds to GO until GOAL:...
The weeks between Christmas and Thanksgiving are the longest!
Pounds lost this Week: 0 Pounds
Pounds lost Since Surgery: 114 Pounds
Pounds lost overall: 156 Pounds
Pounds to GO until GOAL: 39 Pounds
So, no weight gain or weight loss this week and I'm okay with that. I've learned that weight loss has peaks and valleys. I didn't gain so it's all good. I got this and I'm not going to get down on myself.
This week we got back in the hustle and bustle of the Muller life. Work. School. Gym. Repeat. It's the Muller life and we love it.
We did go see Mockingjay Part 1 and I pretty much loved it. I've read the book. I knew what was going to happen. It's the little things that they change and you don't know what's going to happen. I'm quite concerned with what is going to happen with Gale since they decided to cut Madge out of the story....we shall see Hollywood if you live up to my expectations... However, when compared to The Other Boleyn Girl and The Other Sister, I'm not convinced you'll be able to pull it off...
We also did some Christmas shopping. I love to Christmas shop and cook for Christmas dinners. I have been told my a few of my family members that they no longer like my cooking and that it's boring. Pssshhhhh! You sir, have no taste for spices and flavors. I cook very well and I also cook healthy. Just because you refuse to try it, doesn't mean it's not good. I made Chocolate Chip Cookies and Red Velvet Cookie cake (grain free and sugar free mind you) and it was really good. Even people who eat carbs liked it. I've found a recipe for a White Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake (grain free, sugar free of course). I'm making it for work Christmas. I'm pretty excited it about actually. There's lots of good and flavorful things that I can make. And I'm excited about it.
So, it's back to the Muller life. I can't believe it's December already! It's crazy that it's here. The only gripe I have is that it seems the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas take the longest to pass by. It also seems like the social calendar is starting to fill... We love our busy little life!
Our next adventure isn't until February where we will retreat to Broken Bow, OK to have a little R&R in our cabin. This is our FAVORITE vacation where we can just chill in the hot tub and relax.... I can't wait... Little to no cell reception and just peace and quiet. I canNOT wait.
So for now, just pray that I have the strength to make it the next couple of weeks. It's fixing to get extremely busy.
And as always,
Recipe of the Week:
Bacon Wrapped Tomato Pesto Chicken Breast
(instruction per chicken breast)
Ingredients:
1 boneless skinless chicken breast
2 tbsp sun-dried tomato pesto
2 tbsp low fat mozzarella
2 slice turkey bacon
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Butterfly the chicken. Place the chicken lengthwise in front of you and hold the knife parallel to the chicken breast. Start slicing the breast open but stop before cutting in half completely.
3. Add 2 tbsp of jarred sun dried tomato pesto to one half of the chicken
4. Sprinkle – 2 tbsp shredded cheese on the pesto, then fold the chicken together
5. Wrap one slice of turkey bacon around the stuffed chicken breast
6. Place in baking dish. Cook for 30-35 minutes
Pounds lost Since Surgery: 114 Pounds
Pounds lost overall: 156 Pounds
Pounds to GO until GOAL: 39 Pounds
So, no weight gain or weight loss this week and I'm okay with that. I've learned that weight loss has peaks and valleys. I didn't gain so it's all good. I got this and I'm not going to get down on myself.
This week we got back in the hustle and bustle of the Muller life. Work. School. Gym. Repeat. It's the Muller life and we love it.
We did go see Mockingjay Part 1 and I pretty much loved it. I've read the book. I knew what was going to happen. It's the little things that they change and you don't know what's going to happen. I'm quite concerned with what is going to happen with Gale since they decided to cut Madge out of the story....we shall see Hollywood if you live up to my expectations... However, when compared to The Other Boleyn Girl and The Other Sister, I'm not convinced you'll be able to pull it off...
We also did some Christmas shopping. I love to Christmas shop and cook for Christmas dinners. I have been told my a few of my family members that they no longer like my cooking and that it's boring. Pssshhhhh! You sir, have no taste for spices and flavors. I cook very well and I also cook healthy. Just because you refuse to try it, doesn't mean it's not good. I made Chocolate Chip Cookies and Red Velvet Cookie cake (grain free and sugar free mind you) and it was really good. Even people who eat carbs liked it. I've found a recipe for a White Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake (grain free, sugar free of course). I'm making it for work Christmas. I'm pretty excited it about actually. There's lots of good and flavorful things that I can make. And I'm excited about it.
So, it's back to the Muller life. I can't believe it's December already! It's crazy that it's here. The only gripe I have is that it seems the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas take the longest to pass by. It also seems like the social calendar is starting to fill... We love our busy little life!
Our next adventure isn't until February where we will retreat to Broken Bow, OK to have a little R&R in our cabin. This is our FAVORITE vacation where we can just chill in the hot tub and relax.... I can't wait... Little to no cell reception and just peace and quiet. I canNOT wait.
So for now, just pray that I have the strength to make it the next couple of weeks. It's fixing to get extremely busy.
And as always,
Recipe of the Week:
Bacon Wrapped Tomato Pesto Chicken Breast
(instruction per chicken breast)
Ingredients:
1 boneless skinless chicken breast
2 tbsp sun-dried tomato pesto
2 tbsp low fat mozzarella
2 slice turkey bacon
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Butterfly the chicken. Place the chicken lengthwise in front of you and hold the knife parallel to the chicken breast. Start slicing the breast open but stop before cutting in half completely.
3. Add 2 tbsp of jarred sun dried tomato pesto to one half of the chicken
4. Sprinkle – 2 tbsp shredded cheese on the pesto, then fold the chicken together
5. Wrap one slice of turkey bacon around the stuffed chicken breast
6. Place in baking dish. Cook for 30-35 minutes
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Moments with the Mullers: Thanksgiving Vacation and Weight Loss!
Moments with the Mullers: Thanksgiving Vacation and Weight Loss!: Super pumped right now! Pounds lost since last blog (2 weeks): 6 Pounds Pounds lost since surgery: 114 Pounds Pounds...
Thanksgiving Vacation and Weight Loss!
Super pumped right now!
Pounds lost since last blog (2 weeks): 6 Pounds
Pounds lost since surgery: 114 Pounds
Pounds lost overall: 156 Pounds
There is a HUGE smile on my face right now! I lost 6 pounds. Thank you Disney & Universal!
I know it's been two weeks since I blogged. Between getting ready for vacation and vacation, I had tons of stuff to do. I'm not going to bore you with all the details about getting ready for vacation and skip right to the good parts!
We flew out on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. It was super busy at the airport and the flight was jam packed. Let me just take this moment to tell you how much you should appreciate the flight attendants. I saw them clean up multiple children's puke while dealing with rude parents. I have a new found respect for them after this flight. Another thing super pumped about was last year on our Muller/Smith Adventure, I had to have a seatbelt extender...NOT THIS YEAR. I even had quite a bit left over!
Our resort was pretty nice. We stayed at the Vistana Villages by Sheraton and it has a bedroom and a kitchenette and a living room. It was pretty nice. It also shuttled us to and from DisneyWorld for free even though we only used that service once.
The first day which was Sunday, we spent at Animal Kingdom. We also started collecting the pins. If you don't know what I mean, you buy pins and then you can trade with other Disney employees. I collected Mickey and Minnie pins and Johnathan collected Disney Star Wars pins. Anyways, Animal Kingdom is kinda like a zoo but it has other things in it as well. I really enjoyed the Safari ride. The giraffes were like right there. I'm almost certain we could have reached out and touched them!
For those of you who know me, know that I LOVE rides right?! Can you believe I married someone who isn't particularly fond of them?! Anyways, the best ride of the day was Yeti Mountain. That's not technically what it was called but it had a Yeti and it was a mountain. I rode three different times. Yes, three different times. It was awesome! I love roller coasters!! Another thing about losing these 156 pounds is that I no longer have to fear whether or not I can ride a ride. I fit in all the rides and even have lots of room!!
The second day, Monday, we spent at Magic Kingdom and Epcot. So, these two parks are iconic parks that you think about when you think about Disney. This is the huge Cinderella castle and the Giant Golf Ball that is really not a Golf Ball kids. The first ride we rode was the Haunted Mansion. It was pretty cool. Then we started walking around. So, at Magic Kingdom I loved looking around and it brought back some really great memories. We also did Pirates of the Caribbean. It was pretty cool too. So the later it became in the afternoon, the more packed it became. So, we decided to hop on over to Epcot.
I honestly thought the big white ball was a Golf ball for these last 29 years. It's not, peeps. It's a space ride exhibit. It's really neat. It shows you the past and tries to predict the future. The funny story about this ride is that with your fast passes, once you use it in one park you can't switch it over to another park. So, because we complained about it, we were taken into the ride through the back. This is the same door that celebrities and Presidents went through all just to make sure we left a happy customer. Another thing we loved about Epcot was this Mission in Space right that gave you the sensation of space. It's amazing to me that a ride can simulate something soooo real.
When the sun started to go down, we returned to Magic Kingdom. First we rode Space Mountain which was pretty awesome. We rode the Little Mermaid ride. #1 because our niece Juliana, who is 4, was with us. #2. Ariel is the BEST Disney princess. It was pretty awesome. My complaint is that these rides are really short. You wait in line for what seems forever and then the ride is 30 seconds or less. Anyways, then we ate at Gaston's tavern (I'll discuss food below) and then headed to catch the parade and firework show to end the night. My favorite part of this was that they changed the look of the castle in that they projected images on it. YouTube it because there are no possible words for the awesomeness of this.
The next morning, we were exhausted. It had already been a lonnngggg two days but we enjoyed every minute we had with the kids. It was cool and rainy. We bought ponchos. Also, on this day, there was a tornado warning. For those of you who know me, know I was freaking out! But I'm not sure they know what a tornado is because there was not a wall cloud in sight and there was no eeriness. Anyways, after the tornado warning subsided and the weather seemed to clear off, we headed back to Magic Kingdom. We rode the famous teacups and the famous It's A Small World. Talk about a torturous ride. That was the longest ride of my life. We also rode the Peter Pan Flight and I LOVED it!! Again, it was super short, but pretty awesome. We also rode Big Thunder Mountain....in the rain....so it might as well should have been a water ride. That picture on the screen was pretty classic. We got soaked but soooo worth it. Since we were already wet, we decided to ride Big Splash Mountain. Loved this ride too!
Our last stop in the DisneyWorld adventure was Hollywood Studios. The first ride that we rode was the Great American Movie Ride. It had some classics like Casablanca and Wizard of Oz. I was pretty bummed that there wasn't a Gone with the Wind Section. Anyways, after that we hit up Star Tours. You may not know this about me, but I've not seen one of the Star Wars movies so this ride's appreciation was lost on this girl. But, my husband and the family loved it and that is all that mattered. I didn't get to ride the Tower of Terror. Yes, I know, I missed out on an iconic Disney experience but alas I was outvoted and no one would even walk over there with me.
The next day was the BEST day. It was Universal Studios day AND HARRY POTTER WORLD. Yes, I admit it. I am a Potter Geek! And PROUD OF IT! So, they also have a fast pass option but it's an extra $109 a person sooooo...yeah... we waited in some lines on this day. The first thing we rode was the Mummy ride. It was pretty awesome. I knew after this first ride that this was going to be awesome!! Next, we headed to the Hogwarts express. OMG... I was like a kid in a candy store with this kids. Super pumped. The first thing in Harry Potter that we rode was the Dragon Challenge roller coaster. By far, this was the most awesome ride of the park! I could have ridden this one over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over...you get the picture. Next was the Harry Potter Hogwarts ride! It was awesome!! Words cannot express how much I enjoyed this experience. It was amazing and for this Potter Geek...one I will never forget. After that ride, we rode the Hippograff which was a little lack luster but part of the experience. We took tons of pictures! Then, I finally got to try a butterbeer and pumpkin juice. No, this is not sanctioned by my physician or nutritionist but I wanted to try them. I didn't come all this way to not experience the whole thing ya'll. Do I regret it?! Absolutely not!!!
So, while we were on the Island of Adventure, we did the rest of the tour starting with the Hulk ride. One of my favorite pictures of Miss Maryah is one where she is riding this ride. Let's just say the picture I got was a little more calm and collected than hers. I loved the ride. I could do it again. Next was Dr. Doom. I had to ride this one by myself since no one would ride it with me. Next was Spiderman and Johnathan loved that one. We walked through Dr. Suess land and Jurassic Park. I know what you are thinking, Jurassic Park is a classic, but the only rides I saw were water rides. And it was very very cold that day.
We took the Hogwarts express back to Diagon Alley. There I had a hot butterbeer which was the best thing that I touched my lips since....ever.... It was soooo good. Again, not approved by the doctor or nutritionist but I didn't care. Then we rode the Gringotts ride and it was pretty cool too! Again, super excited! Loved every minute of Harry Potter World! After we finished up at Diagon Alley which included a stop at Weasley's Whizzing things, we headed to finish the park. We rode the Men in Black II ride where we shot aliens and ended the day at The Simpson's ride which reminded me of our childhood! It was a great day.
So, all in all GREAT trip! Hands down, Universal Studios was wayyyyy better than DisneyWorld. I wish we would had more time there.
I know you are all wondering...what did I eat. This is the point of the blog right to talk about my lifestyle not brag about the fun times I'm having. So, every morning for breakfast we had eggs, cheese, banana peppers and turkey bacon or sausage. We cooked at the villa since there was a stove and fridge and stuff. There were plenty of low carb options at Disney including turkey legs, pork shanks and bunless burgers. However, every time I turned around, there was fresh popcorn. I miss popcorn and the smell of funnel cakes was so intoxicating that I almost gave in a tried one. I did cheat on the day I had a butter beer and had a baked sweet potato but i don't feel bad about it. It was good and not that bad. It's not like I ate a dozen chocolate chip cookies.
So, since we've been home, I've been in the Christmas mood. We've been getting the tree and outside decoration up and ready to celebrate the birth of Christ. There's only 23 days until then! I love Christmas!
Prayer requests for this week include just prayer in general for Johnathan and I. We do have an unspoken one right now as we get ready to start this Christmas season!
Thank you in advance for your prayers and I'll say the first one of the season: Merry Christmas! God bless you and your family this holiday season!
As promised!
Recipe of the Week:
Cheese Chips
Ingredients: Cheese of your choice
Directions:
1. Spray the skillet
2. Sprinkle cheese evenly along the bottom
3. Cook until the the cheese starts to brown.
4. Flip and repeat
5. Break up like chips
6. Enjoy your favorite dip, make nachos or eat just plain!
Pounds lost since last blog (2 weeks): 6 Pounds
Pounds lost since surgery: 114 Pounds
Pounds lost overall: 156 Pounds
There is a HUGE smile on my face right now! I lost 6 pounds. Thank you Disney & Universal!
I know it's been two weeks since I blogged. Between getting ready for vacation and vacation, I had tons of stuff to do. I'm not going to bore you with all the details about getting ready for vacation and skip right to the good parts!
We flew out on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. It was super busy at the airport and the flight was jam packed. Let me just take this moment to tell you how much you should appreciate the flight attendants. I saw them clean up multiple children's puke while dealing with rude parents. I have a new found respect for them after this flight. Another thing super pumped about was last year on our Muller/Smith Adventure, I had to have a seatbelt extender...NOT THIS YEAR. I even had quite a bit left over!
Our resort was pretty nice. We stayed at the Vistana Villages by Sheraton and it has a bedroom and a kitchenette and a living room. It was pretty nice. It also shuttled us to and from DisneyWorld for free even though we only used that service once.
The first day which was Sunday, we spent at Animal Kingdom. We also started collecting the pins. If you don't know what I mean, you buy pins and then you can trade with other Disney employees. I collected Mickey and Minnie pins and Johnathan collected Disney Star Wars pins. Anyways, Animal Kingdom is kinda like a zoo but it has other things in it as well. I really enjoyed the Safari ride. The giraffes were like right there. I'm almost certain we could have reached out and touched them!
For those of you who know me, know that I LOVE rides right?! Can you believe I married someone who isn't particularly fond of them?! Anyways, the best ride of the day was Yeti Mountain. That's not technically what it was called but it had a Yeti and it was a mountain. I rode three different times. Yes, three different times. It was awesome! I love roller coasters!! Another thing about losing these 156 pounds is that I no longer have to fear whether or not I can ride a ride. I fit in all the rides and even have lots of room!!
The second day, Monday, we spent at Magic Kingdom and Epcot. So, these two parks are iconic parks that you think about when you think about Disney. This is the huge Cinderella castle and the Giant Golf Ball that is really not a Golf Ball kids. The first ride we rode was the Haunted Mansion. It was pretty cool. Then we started walking around. So, at Magic Kingdom I loved looking around and it brought back some really great memories. We also did Pirates of the Caribbean. It was pretty cool too. So the later it became in the afternoon, the more packed it became. So, we decided to hop on over to Epcot.
I honestly thought the big white ball was a Golf ball for these last 29 years. It's not, peeps. It's a space ride exhibit. It's really neat. It shows you the past and tries to predict the future. The funny story about this ride is that with your fast passes, once you use it in one park you can't switch it over to another park. So, because we complained about it, we were taken into the ride through the back. This is the same door that celebrities and Presidents went through all just to make sure we left a happy customer. Another thing we loved about Epcot was this Mission in Space right that gave you the sensation of space. It's amazing to me that a ride can simulate something soooo real.
When the sun started to go down, we returned to Magic Kingdom. First we rode Space Mountain which was pretty awesome. We rode the Little Mermaid ride. #1 because our niece Juliana, who is 4, was with us. #2. Ariel is the BEST Disney princess. It was pretty awesome. My complaint is that these rides are really short. You wait in line for what seems forever and then the ride is 30 seconds or less. Anyways, then we ate at Gaston's tavern (I'll discuss food below) and then headed to catch the parade and firework show to end the night. My favorite part of this was that they changed the look of the castle in that they projected images on it. YouTube it because there are no possible words for the awesomeness of this.
Our last stop in the DisneyWorld adventure was Hollywood Studios. The first ride that we rode was the Great American Movie Ride. It had some classics like Casablanca and Wizard of Oz. I was pretty bummed that there wasn't a Gone with the Wind Section. Anyways, after that we hit up Star Tours. You may not know this about me, but I've not seen one of the Star Wars movies so this ride's appreciation was lost on this girl. But, my husband and the family loved it and that is all that mattered. I didn't get to ride the Tower of Terror. Yes, I know, I missed out on an iconic Disney experience but alas I was outvoted and no one would even walk over there with me.
The next day was the BEST day. It was Universal Studios day AND HARRY POTTER WORLD. Yes, I admit it. I am a Potter Geek! And PROUD OF IT! So, they also have a fast pass option but it's an extra $109 a person sooooo...yeah... we waited in some lines on this day. The first thing we rode was the Mummy ride. It was pretty awesome. I knew after this first ride that this was going to be awesome!! Next, we headed to the Hogwarts express. OMG... I was like a kid in a candy store with this kids. Super pumped. The first thing in Harry Potter that we rode was the Dragon Challenge roller coaster. By far, this was the most awesome ride of the park! I could have ridden this one over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over...you get the picture. Next was the Harry Potter Hogwarts ride! It was awesome!! Words cannot express how much I enjoyed this experience. It was amazing and for this Potter Geek...one I will never forget. After that ride, we rode the Hippograff which was a little lack luster but part of the experience. We took tons of pictures! Then, I finally got to try a butterbeer and pumpkin juice. No, this is not sanctioned by my physician or nutritionist but I wanted to try them. I didn't come all this way to not experience the whole thing ya'll. Do I regret it?! Absolutely not!!!
So, while we were on the Island of Adventure, we did the rest of the tour starting with the Hulk ride. One of my favorite pictures of Miss Maryah is one where she is riding this ride. Let's just say the picture I got was a little more calm and collected than hers. I loved the ride. I could do it again. Next was Dr. Doom. I had to ride this one by myself since no one would ride it with me. Next was Spiderman and Johnathan loved that one. We walked through Dr. Suess land and Jurassic Park. I know what you are thinking, Jurassic Park is a classic, but the only rides I saw were water rides. And it was very very cold that day.
We took the Hogwarts express back to Diagon Alley. There I had a hot butterbeer which was the best thing that I touched my lips since....ever.... It was soooo good. Again, not approved by the doctor or nutritionist but I didn't care. Then we rode the Gringotts ride and it was pretty cool too! Again, super excited! Loved every minute of Harry Potter World! After we finished up at Diagon Alley which included a stop at Weasley's Whizzing things, we headed to finish the park. We rode the Men in Black II ride where we shot aliens and ended the day at The Simpson's ride which reminded me of our childhood! It was a great day.
So, all in all GREAT trip! Hands down, Universal Studios was wayyyyy better than DisneyWorld. I wish we would had more time there.
I know you are all wondering...what did I eat. This is the point of the blog right to talk about my lifestyle not brag about the fun times I'm having. So, every morning for breakfast we had eggs, cheese, banana peppers and turkey bacon or sausage. We cooked at the villa since there was a stove and fridge and stuff. There were plenty of low carb options at Disney including turkey legs, pork shanks and bunless burgers. However, every time I turned around, there was fresh popcorn. I miss popcorn and the smell of funnel cakes was so intoxicating that I almost gave in a tried one. I did cheat on the day I had a butter beer and had a baked sweet potato but i don't feel bad about it. It was good and not that bad. It's not like I ate a dozen chocolate chip cookies.
So, since we've been home, I've been in the Christmas mood. We've been getting the tree and outside decoration up and ready to celebrate the birth of Christ. There's only 23 days until then! I love Christmas!
Prayer requests for this week include just prayer in general for Johnathan and I. We do have an unspoken one right now as we get ready to start this Christmas season!
Thank you in advance for your prayers and I'll say the first one of the season: Merry Christmas! God bless you and your family this holiday season!
As promised!
Recipe of the Week:
Cheese Chips
Ingredients: Cheese of your choice
Directions:
1. Spray the skillet
2. Sprinkle cheese evenly along the bottom
3. Cook until the the cheese starts to brown.
4. Flip and repeat
5. Break up like chips
6. Enjoy your favorite dip, make nachos or eat just plain!
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