It started with a *****...

Life has been barreling by at lightning speed.  It seems like days go by that I don’t even see my girls.  They are busy with activities, and 6^th grade life, and since they live in the basement, they go downstairs, and I don’t see them much.  Jake has baseball practice or games 2x a week, and almost every day after school he is across the street with the neighborhood boys playing basketball or soccer or some other game they made up the rules for.  And Finn.  Sweet Finn.  He’s busy figuring out how to jump, constructing 2 word sentences, and being a terrific two year old!  He is officially 2.5 years old today.  SHOCKING.  That also means that in the next 4 weeks, he sees all of his specialists, including a new one – endocrinologist.  But more on those visits when we have more information.

That leaves Britt and me.  What have we been up to?  Well, let me tell you all about it…  We are on a mission.  We finally hit rock bottom with our health and our weight, and we aren’t going to take it anymore.  He will be 50 this summer, in 3 days I am closer to 40 than I am 39, and we have a very energetic 2 year old, plus 3 other kids!  We want to see graduations, weddings and grandkids.  Heck, we want to see baseball, volleyball, dance, basketball and the rest, too!  Britt was truly inspired by David Brown (@1stronger) from the Biggest Loser this season, and that was our very first step.  Soon after the finale, we went to Edmond to see him live, and even got to meet him.  Then, there was the second step…

Biggest Loser cast member David Brown (@1stronger) with Britt, Emma, Betsey and Finn 2/2014

There are a lot of direct sales “health and wellness” things out there.  And I have a lot of friends on Facebook that sell them.  Some days, it’s just overwhelming. I’ve tried a few.  Even back in the archives of this blog you can see things about what I’ve tired.  Some were too expensive; some tasted gross.  Some only had one flavor (BORING!).  Some were overwhelming and confusing.  All of these things cause my ADD to kick in and causes me to shut down.  This is where my AMAZING husband steps in.  He had seen one of our friends posting about ********.  It peaked his curiosity, and he began reading and asking questions.  Next thing I knew, not only were we signed up to be distributors, our ** *** ********* products were on their way!  Time for me to get caught up with the learning curve and find out what we were in for!

Before we even started the ****, we had scheduled a ***** at our house to introduce our friends to the products, offer them the chance to try some ***** (an ******** ****** ***** product) and to learn about the company.  We were so impressed by our mentors who helped arrange and facilitate the *****, we knew this was the right thing for us!  We were 4 days in to the ** *** ********* when we had out meeting.  We had a half dozen folks over to the house, drank some *****, watched some inspirational stories about the products and the company, and told our story.  We are older parents, been overweight for YEARS, and need to get healthy.  We believe in the ** **** *** company, and the products, and we can make a “Plan B” income while we lose weight and get healthy.  It’s a win-win!  We are excited to work with our friends who are interested in doing the same.  The business has really taken off since this party, and the sky is the limit!

So, what is it about ********?  For us, it’s the science behind the products, the support the company gets from the medical, athletic, and weight loss communities, and the PEOPLE!  ******** is a premier health and wellness company offering world-class energy, weight loss, nutrition, and sports performance products.  I first became familiar with ***** in 2005 when I worked for the Oklahoma State University Athletics department and the Cowboy Football team.  In fact, the person that brought us to ******** was a young lady from my Orange Pride group that I advised during my time there.  That leads me to the next most popular question… What is *****?  ***** is a sugar free, low calorie energy drink that can be used up to 3 times a day.  It enhances mental energy and focus, provides long lasting energy, and fights drowsiness. With 21 vitamins, nutrients, and minerals and only 45 calories, it is infinitely better for you than coffee, soda, or those NASTY energy drinks!  Comes in 8 flavors, and is a best seller.  I started drinking it a few of weeks ago, and I am amazed and completely satisfied with the results. ***** is LOVE! 

So, here we are on day 12 of the ** *** *********.  ½ way.  And again, could not be happier!  I know your next question!  What’s a ** *** *********? It is a comprehensive supplementation and nutrition program that gives your body the jump start it needs to help you reach your goals.  There is something for everyone: weight management, energy, overall body composition, or overall wellness.  Days 1-10 are a ******* ***** and days 11-24 are the *** *****.  Britt and I both choose the program for weight loss plus energy.  We have to get started, and we need the energy to do it!  Alright!  Now you want to know how it’s going, right?  FANTASTIC.  I haven’t felt this good in a very long time.  I had a very smooth first 10 days.  Britt had a couple of rougher days, and fought a small cold in there, too, but overall such a great experience.  We decided to weigh-in after the** *** *******.  The results? 7 pounds lost for him, 6 for me!  I am down 10 pounds from the first of the year, and I am not stopping!  We feel like we are walking taller, standing straighter, and feeling so much better.  We’re less irritable, more patient with our kids, and generally better people to be around.  This next phase, the *** *****, should really get us some great results.  We took before pictures and measurements.  We have 12 more days until we will reveal those.  Another great thing about the ******** products?  After this **** is over, we will still be drinking our *****, using the **** *********** ******, and using product for our specific needs.  WE WILL LOOSE THE WEIGHT! 

The best part?  We are in this TOGETHER!  This is the fight of our lives – literally.  Our kids need us to be healthy.  We need each other to be fit and well.  We are excited, energized, and DETERMINED.  We found something that works, and it’s something we LOVE!  And the very best part?  We get to share our story and help others. 

If any of this sounds familiar, sounds like something you want to know more about, or you have any questions, contact us.  We would love to help you out.  Or if you want a sample, let us know!  We can get you started on your own road to a better you! 

Stay tuned to the blog for results and updates.  This is a journey, and we’ve only just begun!

Party of Six

How in the world has an entire month gone by without an update from the Dream Weavers?  Oh… Yeah… Six people make for a VERY busy life under one roof!  Let’s see…  Professional development classes for me, dance for Lara, basketball season came to an apex and (an undefeated) close for Jake, various family members went to the dentist, Britt and Betsey started Stillwater March for Babies committee meetings (mark your calendar for Saturday, September 20), Britt started working a night job at the print shop for Eskimo Joe’s Promotional Products Group, we attended an NBA Thunder game as a family, survived snow storms and snow days (which will have to be made up), Emma and Lara went to a middle school dance, various birthday parties and sleepovers for the big kids, signing Emma up for spring volleyball, Alpha Delta Pi meetings and events for me, Finn is two (and all that entails), and yesterday it was 78 degrees outside and tonight baseball practice starts for Jake.  WHEW!  What’d I miss?  LOTS I am sure.  I am so thankful for my fun, busy, crazy family; but it is kind of overwhelming to look back over a month and see all that has happened!

I feel like we are falling into a routine with the new work schedules.  It is still crazy for me to get out the door and be ta work by 7:30, but I am making it every day.  I sure like getting off at 2:00!  Gives me a minute to breathe!  To run errands, be creative and work on Dream Weaver Prints business, and to be there for my kids when they get home from school.  Even if I’m not armed and ready with gourmet snacks and fresh squeezed lemonade, I am THERE!  We do chores, laundry, watch TV, whatever until it’s time to start dinner.  Which is early!  With Britt working nights, he gets home from his day job about 5:15, and needs to leave for his night job at 5:40.  That’s 30 minutes to eat, change, and love on him!  So, we start dinner about 4:00 these days!  Emma and Lara are ESSENTIAL in this process!  They are either helping me prep food, or helping keep Finn out of the kitchen!  We have tried lots of fun recipes and have generally enjoyed working as a family to make sure Daddy has a good dinner before he takes off to work hard for our family.  It may not be what we ever wanted, but we are making the most of it!

As for Finn and what’s up in his unique little preemie world…  We decided a couple of weeks ago that he was not progressing as we wanted him too.  Yes, SoonerStart (early intervention) comes once a month or so to evaluate him, and they think he’s doing “fine,” but there are just so many things we WASN’T doing!  Like, I don’t know… EATING!  We had been told to encourage him, and to introduce new textures, and the list goes on.  Nothing was working.  And he was just too skinny in our opinions.  Add to that, he isolates himself at school and doesn’t participate, won’t talk to his teachers, and has some other peculiar social traits.  We decided it was time to get a professional opinion.  Off to the pediatrician we went!  We left there knowing he has not gained a single ounce in 4 months, but had grown taller, with a prescription for an appetite stimulant, a referral to an endocrinologist, and a referral to an occupational therapist.  And a smile on our faces 3 miles wide knowing we were getting help for our little man who we were tired of watching struggle.

We started the appetite stimulant last Tuesday morning.  He takes it twice a day with food.  So, we give it to him at 7:00am after his “breakfast” Pedia Sure and at 2:30-ish after his “afternoon snack” Pedia Sure.  The drug fact sheet stated that “you might notice an increased appetite after prolonged use.”  If by prolonged use, you mean one dose, then YES!  Yes, it does increase appetite!  He has been eating more food in the past week than he did in the past 6 months combined!  More volume, more variations, better foods (not just Goldfish crackers and pudding), more frequency!  His cute little belly just sticks out all the time now!  We are so happy it is working so well for him!  And the even bigger bonus, it has COMPLETELY changed his attitude and demeanor!  Finn has always been a sweet boy, but he was often grumpy and inconsolable, and hard to get him to participate in anything.  Now, he is happier, more involved and engaged, and sleeping better.  He’s also a bit more ornery, but we’ll take it!  In one short week, he has become a completely different child.  It makes us wonder if he was just hungry all along but didn’t know how to fix it.  Or his blood sugar levels were all over the place due to lack of nutrition…  Poor guy!  We’re just happy to see him doing SO MUCH better!

Today we start another adventure with him.  He has his first evaluation with an Occupational Therapist here in town.  We are hoping to help him learn the skills and confidence to do things more independently.  With Mommy, Daddy, 3 older siblings, and Nana the Wonder Sitter, it’s no wonder he doesn’t want to be self-sufficient!  We hope to just help him learn what he needs to be more in par with his peers.  And of course, a bit selfishly perhaps, we want him to be less clingy and needy.  We know part of that is being 2, but having raised 3 other 2 year olds, and knowing how incredible smart he is (sometime I’ll tell you about his puzzle skills), I know he is capable of so much more!  I just can’t wait to see him thrive! 

The break between updates will not be as long next time.  I hope the Occupational Therapy takes off like the appetite stimulant did, and we see fast results!  We’re still waiting on the referral for the endocrinologist, too.  My prayer is that in 6 months, we will look back on this and know we did the right thing and will be able to see marked improvement in our awesome preemie!  He has always been the kind that needed an extra push!  Always a fighter, our Finicky Finn!

Throwback Thursday It’s Your Birthday

On Thursdays, if you log in to Instagram, you can see lots of #tbt being thrown around.  I love it!  I like seeing old pics of my friends when they were little or with family and siblings.  I love the 1970’s Sears photos that make us all look like we had red hair.  I love the outfits, costumes, embarrassing moments, and baby pictures.  LOVE IT ALL!  But for my #tbt today, I had an extra special topic: my big brother.

This Thursday, February 13, 2014, should be his 43^rd birthday.  Instead of celebrating him, we are remembering him.  Even though he lived in Texas, he would make it a point to come “home” to Oklahoma around the time of his birthday so our parents could take him out to dinner.  His last trip like that in 2010, we were not only celebrating Brian’s 40^th birthday, but also our cousin from New York’s new baby boy, Rocco.  4 year old Kayleigh was with him.  The cousins were all having a blast together.  There was just an air of comfort, joy, and peace.  Another milestone celebrated – sure there would be many more to come.  If we had known what was actually coming, there would have been more memories, more photos, more love. Less than two months later, he'd be gone.

2011 will go down for me as the roughest year I have had.  I know I learned more that year than any or all of my four years of high school or college.  Life lessons, science, math, autopsies, obstetrics, neonatal, you name it.  I know each and every step we took that year was leading us to the place we are now.  We are stronger, smarter, more resilient.  But we are sad.  And lonely.  We was too young, gone too soon, and we miss him.  We want to shake our fists and say, “It’s just not fair!”  Because it isn't.  So we cry.  Hold each other.  Love.

I think birthdays are the hardest.  Sure, all the other holidays and special moments are hard, too.  But at Christmas, there are 4-5 kids ripping into wrapping paper, telling us their version of the Christmas story.  Food to be prepared, visitors, things to keep us busy.  All the other holidays have this “outward’ focus as well.  But birthdays?  Birthdays are different.  Birthdays are intensely personal.  And all about one person.  You may know some other person or even be related to another person with the same date of birth, but it’s YOUR birthday!  So, on this day all about my brother, I’m devastated.  He doesn't get to watch his daughter grow up.  He doesn't even know my youngest.  HE won’t be here to help me with my parents as they age and pass on.  I can’t ask him for advice.  I can’t complain out our nutty family to a person who TRULY gets it.  I never was an only child, but now I am.  It leaves a lot of loose ends.

I just miss him.  And on his birthday, it’s magnified.  I wish you were here, Big Brother.  I hope you are having a heck of a party up there in heaven.  I’ll see you again someday…

#tbt 1975, 2001, 2007, 2010, 2011 (last b-day in Stillwater)