Oops!

So I got a little distracted by Christmas break and forgot to blog about my life! Oops! So we went home for Christmas (pictures coming soon). Home being Virginia, where our families are. We were amazingly spoiled for Christmas - I got a lot of MCAT study aids (which I have not even opened yet!) and the girls got everything! It was so much stuff that I had to rent a car to drive home with the girls so that Jimmy could PACK our Pilot full of gifts. Several of the gifts were pretty large. Ava got a plasma car - really really cool by the way! And Jimmy got a fire pit. Julie got a huge dollhouse. All of these large gifts made it very difficult to all fit into the car.

Me driving isn't a huge deal. Unfortunately I was sick that day, and had to drive 1,000 miles with 3 kids in the car while sick as a dog! Ugh. We made it home just fine though and it was fine. I spent a lot of my break reading. I read 6 books at my mom's house. Enjoyed it SO much!

Weight Loss over Christmas break?

So I have gained a LOT of weight over the last year and a half or so. With this weight gain came self-loathing and disgust for my lack of willpower. I started taking some meds a while ago to get my acne under control and some weight crept on with that as well (Yaz and Spironolactone).  So Wednesday I went to a local weight-loss clinic and Thursday I took my first phentermine pill. :) Today is Saturday, so this morning's weigh in was 2 days in. I was down 4 lbs!! Thrilled and excited!

I have had a few side effects. I am taking the 37.5 mg dose, and I have noticed the dry mouth side effect, but I am drinking extra water to counteract that (and chewing sugar free gum if necessary). Today I noticed another side effect - a horrible headache. :( I'm wondering if it is because I am not getting enough calories.  I ate about 1000 calories today so that isn't a HORRIBLY low number.

Anyway, I am excited. I am trying to really change my lifestyle, and hope to see some positive changes soon (and hopefully some fitting into my old pants!)

Almost Christmas!

10 days, to be exact.

I am SO excited.

We are traveling to Va. I have a stack of books/magazines/MCAT workbooks for the ride. 17 hours there and 17 back - i can get lots of reading done on the way.

I took my last final last night- Embryology. I have a whole month to clean the house and play with my children and enjoy Christmas and prepare myself mentally for Spring semester.

Hope that my friends and family have an amazing, relaxing, joy-filled Christmas season!

Gratitude

Thanksgiving is tomorrow, so I thought I would write a post about all of the many things I have to be thankful for.

I am thankful for my 3 amazing daughters. All unique and wonderful in their own way.

I am thankful for my amazing, supportive husband. I couldn't do anything without him.

I am thankful to live in a country where I have rights as a woman.

I am thankful for my Mom - HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! The only parent I have left, and a great one!

I am thankful for my health.

I am thankful for medicine, which keeps us all healthy, as well as for the researchers and scientists who develop it and test it for safety.

I am thankful that my needs are met, today and for the future.

I am thankful for my professors and their willingness to teach me the things I need to know.

I am thankful for food to eat and clothes on my back, and a warm home to live in.

I am thankful for trash pick up. If you have ever lived without it, and had to load your trash up and drive it to the dump, you know what I am talking about.

I am thankful for kitten snuggles. I love my cats.

-------That's all I can think of right now. I know that there are many more things that I have to be thankful for, and if you feel you have been left off the list, don't worry, I am thankful for you too! :)

Thanksgiving in Virginia?

We weren't planning on being in Virginia for Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, my sweet and wonderful grandmother passed away the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and we had to fly to Virginia to celebrate her wonderful life. We decided to stay with my mom through thanksgiving, we are flying home Saturday.

Today (Monday) we went to DC and went to the National Zoo!

 I love the cheetahs!

Halloween

A little late, sorry! :) Pictures from Halloween with the Willis girls.

bobbing for apples

all of the kiddos

 Thumbelina

 Clawdeen Wolf

Kesha the vampire?

Bad Genes.

I am blind. Hubby has 20/20 vision. Could our kids inherit the GOOD genes, and all see well? Nope. No such luck.

Sara and Julie went to the eye doctor yesterday. Sara's eyes have stayed pretty much the same, which isn't TERRIBLE. Julie now has worse eyesight than Sara, and will be getting new (purple?) glasses in 2 weeks.

Just waiting for Ava to start squinting now so that we can be 3 for 3. Really. WTHeck?

Having a bad week. I need to buckle down. Off to study before Trig.