Merry Christmas and Pictures

Hey y'all!  I know I have been absent from the blogs, but I have been having so much fun down here in FL with my family!! 

I hope everyone had a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!  I know I did.  I am so grateful that I got to spend it with my mom, brother, stepdad and Gma.  We had a day filled with games, good food and good laughs. 

We had our family Christmas party last Sunday and it was so much fun!!  Everyone brought something to eat and a present for Dirty Santa.  We played games and had a great time! 

We went to ICE at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando earlier this week and Downtown Disney and had a blast!  Here are some pics

 "Winners" of the reindeer antler game!

 Me & My Uncle Rusty ♥

 My step-dad, brother, his girlfriend Kasi and me @ ICE

 Me, my step-dad and my mama @ ICE.  It was 9 degrees!!

 Everything is ice (duh)!  There is over 2 million

pounds throughout the whole display

 My mom said she couldn't see the snowman,

so I bent down.  I look like an elf!

 My step-dad and I @ Downtown Disney

 Me and my mama @ Downtown Disney

 Love my baby brother ♥

FL Picture Post

Hello!!  I am having a blast in FL.  I did not bring my scale with me, so I don't know where I am with my weight and it is driving me nuts.  I like to know where I am at. 

Last Friday my dad and I went to EPCOT with Maria (DizneDiva) her husband George and her mom.  We had so much fun!  It was a beautiful day and it wasn't too crowded.  I know I must have walked at least 7 miles, so I am hoping that will equal a loss on the scale.  Here are a few pics from Disney and my time with my family.

 Dad and I

 Love this quote! 

 Maria!!

 Dad and I in "Japan"

 Maria and I in "Paris"

Absolutely gorgeous tree at the Grand Floridian Resort

 My cousin Christopher and myself.  He is in the Army and getting married in a couple of weeks in Texas. 

 So, my mom and I wanted roastd marshmallows one night but couldn't go out to start a fire so we made due with the electric stove broiler!!

 My Aunt Laura and I

 Me, my cousin Allison, my Mamaw and Aunt Laura

Me, my cousin David, my cousin Allison and my cousin Phil

Going Home

Tomorrow morning at the crack of dawn (well, maybe more like 6ish) I am going home to the Sunshine State.  I am very excited to be spending Christmas with my mom, step-dad, brother, Gma and the rest of my FL family.  I am also very excited that on Friday my dad and I are meeting Maria (DizneDiva) at EPCOT for the day!  Disney truly is my favorite place!  I especially love it during Christmas with the decorations.  I have never seen the Candlelight Processional, so I am looking forward to that.  I am also looking forward to walking around the park 55 lbs lighter!  I don't get winded anymore walking around, so it is going to be great!  I am sure I will have plenty of pictures to post! 

LaLa Land

That is where I think I have been living with my band and life for a while now.  I had a nice long talk with a sweet friend today who kind of opened my eyes to some things I need to change. 

I am so happy that I got this band.  It honestly has been the best decision I have ever made.  It has literally changed my life.  I cannot imagine where I would be right now (weight-wise) if I had not made the decision to have this surgery.  I have not been posting a lot about my weight because honestly I didn't think I am where I should be.  But what I realized today was that everyone has their own journey and I am exactly where I should be.  I need to start being grateful for where I am than where I'm not.  I am down 55 lbs and that is awesome!  I can walk and talk and not get winded anymore.  I can fit into jeans that I have not been able to since high school.  My face is so much thinner and I think I look pretty again.  I have gotten to meet some pretty awesome ladies because of this little band.  So much stuff has changed for the better and I am so thankful for that. 

My sweet friend also made me realize that I have a support system (y'all) and I am not taking advantage of it.  She says that I am being "too southern" and not wanting to ask for help with my problems or wanting to bother people and dang it if she isn't right!  I have been that way my whole life.  I have never wanted to bother people with my problems.  I have always been the people pleaser and never wanting to rock the boat.  I have been walked on plenty of times in my life because of this.  I am going through a lot of stuff right now and it is very hard on me.  Instead of asking for help and support I internalize my feelings and it makes me feel worse.  I guess I just feel like when I am always complaining on my blog I think people don't want to read it or I feel like I am being a Debbie Downer.  It is my nature and I want so bad not to be this way all the time.  I am going to work on it, but it's a slow process so y'all are just going to have to bear with me as I work through this.  

Did you say you needed a photographer?

Well, if you are in FL and need an awesome photographer, check this guy out

http://atlanticcoastphotography.blogspot.com/

He is a family friend and a very nice guy.  He does awesome work! 

Yes, I am adding photographer pimp to my resume :)