Journey to a Healthier me....BLOCKED!

Somehow my other blog has been blocked and reported as spam! I am working on getting it fixed!!!!

New Blog :)

Hello there! So I have started a new blog specifically dedicated to my weight loss journey to get to a healthier me!

Here is the link for it :)
http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7891527112930795807#overview/src=dashboard

THANKS :)

Coming Soon!

So, I realized that I haven't posted in a really long time! My bad guys! I have a lot of things to catch up on! Preparing for my wedding, my wedding, my honeymoon, and then getting ready to start my last semester of my undergrad :)

So with that being said...this is a promise to you guys that there are some blog posts to come!

See you all soon!

From Discovery to Recovery :)

So, about two months ago or so...I realized that I was having some issues on my right side that was messing up my, well for lack of a better word, monthly cycle. I figured it was just because of my sudden change in lifestyle, with the vigorous exercising and diet change. I have heard that can cause some issues, and I figured that was all it was. Well, it started to get worse. I decided to go to the doctor. Turns out, I had a cyst on my ovary. They gave me Zyrtec and hoped that it with my combination of birth control  would shrink the cyst and I would be on my way.

Fast forward, a month goes by. I go back to the doctor because I was having some pain on my right side that just didn't feel right. So I go back and sure enough, the cyst is still there...hadn't done ANYTHING. The doctor gives me a choice...let it go or have it removed. He suggested that I make sure I'm in the country and near civilization while I'm on my honeymoon in case it were to burst/rupture/twist my ovary. That kind of scared me, but I decided I would just let it go unless it started causing me to have to change things in my life to deal with the pain.

Fast forward again, three days after this...the pain in my right side wouldn't go away. I was afraid something was going to happen. I called the doctor and said, "Ok, I think I just want to go ahead and get this taken care of and removed!" They scheduled my procedure for Tuesday, June 27 at 7:30am :)

Fast forward to Tuesday morning...at 5:30. I walk into the hospital...half awake ready to have my surgery. I go back there, they do all their fun pre-op stuff.

The nurse comes in to put in my IV and looks at my hand and goes, "Oh boy!" I have tiny little hands and tiny little veins. However, on the first try she got it! After a hot towel, and a flick of the thumb on my little vein, the vein popped up and hello IV time.

After that, the anesthesiologist came in to talk about the whole "putting me under" thing. Funniest part, he kept looking at the paper where I had signed consent forms and finally looks at me and goes, how old are you honey? He thought I was 16 years old. Hi, yeah I'm 22 :) Anyways, so after he comes in, the nurse comes back in and says, "time for your happy juice!" It's pretty much amazing! I was really happy :)

I was so very happy and chilled out here! After this, they wheeled me off to surgery. I remember going into the O.R., moving over to the operating table, and then having the heart monitors put on me. Next thing I knew, I was waking up in the recovery room and felt pretty good :) They gave me some pain medication as I was coming out because I was hurting a bit. Then they brought me to phase II recovery and mom and dad were able to come and see me. I had good color, could talk, was drinking a sprite and eating some graham crackers :) They gave my a list of do's and dont's and then said I could leave as soon as I went to the bathroom. Which I did and off to mom and dad's I went :)

I did really well on the way back. Got into the garage and about lost it. I got hot, and felt like I was going to pass out. So I ran (well as fast as I could go considering the circumstances) inside to sit down. Finally felt better and then went upstairs where i did the exact same thing again. I was a LOT more sore than I thought I was going to be.  A LOT MORE SORE. Every time I stood up for the first day, I thought my insides were going to fall out and I felt sick! Turns out it was the pain medication I was on that was making me sick. So we fixed that! The worst part of the whole thing, was the excess gas that was in my system from where they pumped me full of it. It kept trying to escape up to my shoulder and giving me this AWFUL charlie horse cramp thing in my right shoulder! OUCH! I started rocking and took some gas x and life became easier! After that, it was much more bearable! Wednesday, I hung around with mom and Brianna and just rested up as much as I could. I watched Bones on Netflix (so glad Matthew reactivated our account for me so I could watch my show) I just love him!

I was still sore on Wednesday but I was able to get up and move around a lot better. I knew I was going back to work on Thursday so I had to get up and try to move. Thursday came up, I rested all the morning and then got ready to go to work. On the way to work, I was lectured by mom and matthew to "NOT OVER DO IT!" They always look out for me. I go to work and just sat around the whole day, but hey at least I got paid for it :) The day worked out pretty well. Matthew picked me up and helped me down the steps to his car. We went to our last marriage counseling and then headed to Beaverbrook to discuss the last bit of business for our reception. That's a whole different blog post that will come later! Needless to say, I was very tired and wanted to go to bed :)

Now, its Friday morning and I am at Curves from 8-1 (look at my amazing card from my ladies at Curves) :)

then at UT from 1:30-5:30 and then its the TAYLOR SWIFT concert :) I'm taking it very easy. Today I feel much better! Not near as sore...still a little sore but nothing like the past two days! I'm hoping I don't get the dreaded "day three curse!" It always is day three of any procedure or injury that is the worst! So far, I'm good! So let's hope it stays that way! I need all the strength and energy I can get for today and the weekend :)

And so it begins... :)

For any of you who missed a previous, very lengthy post about the fact that I am engaged, this post might come as a surprise to you. However, for those of you that know me personally, you know this is pretty much ALL I talk about these days.

I AM GETTING MARRIED IN 38 DAYS :)
Ok, now that I got that out of the way, I'm going to share with you the first of many showers that our friends and family have decided to throw us. We are beyond blessed to have people in our lives who want to throw us showers and it makes me so appreciative of each of them. So for those of you who have thrown me a shower, are going to throw me a shower, or have attended one, "Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!"

This past Sunday, June 5th, my Grandma and my Aunt Cathy threw me a bridal shower. The shower took place at my parent's house and my grandma, me, my mom, and one of my bridesmaids, Katie came over to help set everything up! To be completely honest with you, it was kind of weird...setting up for my bridal shower. It was like, "Holy moly, this is real!" Not that I had any doubts that it wasn't real, it's just the fact that the wedding is getting closer and that makes me oh so excited and I'm not completely sure how to act when I get that excited!

So without further adieu, here are some pictures of the set up process :)

That table skirt was giving us some issues :) 

 Katie was making the napkins all pretty for us :)  

 She had no idea I was taking pictures of her...

 Darn it! She caught me! 

The lovely finished product :) 

After everything was set up and taken care of, we just kind of sat back down and were like "WOW!" It's really coming together and everything is coming so fast! Which is good! I need the next 38 days to fly by or I'm going to go insane!!! Earlier during the day on Saturday, Katie and I had gone to Hobby Lobby to find invitations for the Couples Shower she is throwing Matthew and me! :) It's going to be amazing, because 1. Katie is an awesome planner and really loves to put things together 2. It's going to be a bunch of our friends just hanging out around the pool eating some yummy petros :) 3. I get to spend time with all of my favorite people :) 4. Oh and did I mention, the whole "shower" thing usually involves gifts...and what person doesn't like that? But seriously, I'm just excited for the time to spend with all of our friends who have helped us throughout school and get to celebrate our coming wedding with them :) 

Now, fast forward into Sunday...the day of my first shower! I fell asleep texting Matthew so my phone didn't make it on the charger, which means my phone died overnight! This also means, that my alarm didn't go off to tell me to get up and go to the gym and then come home, shower, go to church and come back home in time to help set up all the food. Ooops....so my lazy bum doesn't see the light of day until about 10:30 and I'm like well, there went that plan! Instead, I go tan...and then come home, wait an hour, shower, straighten the hair, get all prettied up, and wait for everyone to arrive. My grandma, Aunt Cathy, Mari and Brianna arrive first because well they always do and they always want to be there to help! I love them! Coming into the shower, I was kind of nervous. I haven't been to a bridal shower in a long time! I really didn't know what to expect. People started arriving and the gifts started piling up and I was a little overwhelmed honestly, but my trusty maid of honor was there, computer in hand to take notes and make sure everything was recorded and taken down for thank you notes later :) I'm guessing I should start the pictures now! :) Here is the "before" the shower activities! Then I'll hit you with the "during the shower" activities :) 

 

All ready for the shower :) Thanks to Brianna for pointing out the cowboy boots! It made the dress :) 

 My maid of honor, Brianna! Yeah, she pretty much rocks :) 

 The table...and Brianna...throwing up the deuces 

 The table :) 

 My pretty cake! And boy was it good! Though, the amount of cake I have eaten in the past 4 days has done horrible things to my diet, and the scale! Guess I will have to run some more! :) 

 My grandma and Aunt Wanda 

YAY!

 So at one point, a spoon managed to fall in the punch...

"How many women does it take to fish a spoon out of a punch bowl?" 

The answer: 6 (three fishing and three directing) 

WOW ;) 

 My girls Katie and Brianna ;) 

 Thank you so much for throwing me this shower! Grandma and Aunt Cathy, I love you!

 My gorgeous Mother :) 

My mom and my dad! They are simply amazing! Thank you for everything you have done for me :) 

Next, after the lost spoon in the punch bowl fiasco, people started to arrive and the shower began! There are a few things I want to explain before we get started. First off, this is a very traditional shower, something I am not used to. But it was fun! A lot of fun. When everyone got there, and we finally got them to be quiet (really hard with a bunch of ladies who REALLY like to talk), my grandma thanked them for coming and then asked everyone to go around the room and tell how they knew me and all that good stuff. I had some friends of mine who had known me for various lengths, some who had only known of me but were friends of my grandmas/family, and those who had known me from the moment I was conceived (aka my family) It was a nice mix. Next thing to explain, though some of you may know this already. Apparently, you are supposed to take a plate and attach all the bows and ribbons from your shower on it and use it as your 'bow'quet at the rehearsal dinner. When I saw the plate by my seat, I was like "HUH?" But at the end, it was kind of cool looking! No worries, you'll see pictures later :) Lastly, who has heard of the tradition that however many bows you break is how many kids you will have! For Matthew, if you're reading this...no worries honey, I only broke two! :) Okie dokie, well thats enough explaining for now, as I'm sure the pictures can say enough for themselves :) Here it goes :) 

 Getting ready to start opening gifts :) 

 And the first gift :) 

 Sequence and some oven mitts :) 

 A knife block from the Skeens :) THANK YOU SO MUCH!

 3 gallon beverage dispenser (I'm really excited about this) 

 George Foreman Grill from Uncle Ted and Aunt BK...seriously guys...you all are awesome :) 

 "I am not going to break this bow"

 Pizza Pan! Thanks Brianna! :) 

 which one next?

 Towels, coffee pod drawer from my grandma and grandpa :) 

 dishes :) 

 My my what could this be?

 a hat? no...its a colander

 Griddle! I can't wait to use this :) 

 All done :) And so excited :) 

 So the 'bow'quet ended up being a hat for me...

 I'm cute :) 

 you want me to wear it how?

 LOVE IT

 and now I'm like the ladies from the royal wedding :) 

 CAKE

 our haul of gifts :) No duplicates 

One of my favorite gifts! This saying is all over our house and even tattooed on my foot :) 

Thank you to all who made this first shower a memorable experience for me! I will never forget it and I can't wait to use the gifts as Matthew and I start our lives together as husband and wife! Now, only three more showers to go and a bachelorette party and its WEDDING TIME :) Come on time, fly by please :) 

My little brother is all grown up... :)

I remember, well sort of, the day that my little brother was born. June 15, 1993. I remember my mom being pregnant with him because we had that horrible blizzard of 1993 when she was pregnant with him. We were still living in our old house on Homewood, and we had SOOO much snow! I, the cute little precious thing I was, decided that it would be cool to throw snowballs at my mommy's belly. Don't worry, despite my arm now, I didn't have that hard of a throw to do TOO much damage to little Christopher. I remember coming up to the hospital with my Grandma the day he was born and finally getting to sit in the little green hospital chair and hold my baby brother for the first time. I think I was terrified and excited all at the same time! He was so stinkin' cute though! It took some getting used to though, no longer being the only child in the house. At one point, I kind of wondered outloud "I wonder what he would look like in the trash can?" Needless to say, seconds after that I got a, "BRITTANY ALEXANDRA" from my mom and I ran off crying. Daddy came and talked to me. I was just a little freaked because everything had changed and I was afraid nothing was going to be the same. Hey, its a lot for a 4 year old to deal with. After this little episode, things got much better and I tried to be a good big sissy to him. 

Now, almost 18 years later...we've finally found out how to get along with each other. Now don't get me wrong, we still argue and fight and push each other's buttons, but he is one of my best friends. My little brother (well younger brother considering he stands a good deal taller than me and can pick me up like a rag doll), knows me pretty darn well and always knows what to do to make me feel better, or quit stressing, or make me laugh when I'm about to lose it and cry! We've had our moments, but I am SO proud of him for everything he has accomplished in life! On May 21, 2011 at 10am, my brother, Christopher Patrick Duncan, graduated from Powell High School and joined me as an alumnus of PHS. He even made it all the way across the stage and down the ramp without falling or tripping! He did so well in high school, keeping up with his grades, a social  life, and learning how to manage time and working as much as he could to earn money to help him pay for gas, his car, and everything else he wanted to do. Now, as a high school graduate, he is starting to work full time at Food City to earn some money for when he decides to go to school for his career! I am so proud of him for taking each of these steps in life. I am so proud to call him my brother and so, so proud to be his sister! 

This blog post is dedicated to my brother! Congrats Chip! YOU DID IT! :) Here are some pictures from the graduation day...to sum it up...we sure do like to party and take pictures :) 

Chip and dad 

Momma's Boy 

 Love this picture!

 Pretty sure this is when mom lost it...for the millionth time ;)

 He's all grown up! Dang!

 I think he's changed a tad since his picture was taken!

 We really do love each other!

 Chip and his mommy!

 Yeah, we're HOT. We know :) 

It's official! He's got his diploma! 

 YAY! CHIP!

 I got the first picture with the PHS graduate!

 Chip and his "twin" Dusty!

 The wolfpack, as Jerica calls it :) 

 Chip and his beautiful girlfriend, Bailey!

 Too cute! 

 Chip and his Aunt Cathy!

 Isn't this precious!

 Chip and his grandparents!

 Chip and his Aunt Wanda and Aunt Jan 

 Chip, mom and Bailey 

 Chip and mom and dad!

 The men of the family :) 

 Chip and his sissy :)

Chip and his girls ;) 

Once again, Congrats Chip! I am so proud of you for everything! 

I love you! 

-Sissy-