TerriDoodle

Thanks ya'll. I'm going to add more beads in between the charms....it's a work in progress! michelle - You should visit that HipChick Beads site....they love hearts, too!

I can sure make you one! The silver is about $25 + the charms....which you can choose at Hip Chick Beads Gets kinda pricey...but a heckuva lot cheaper than James Avery!

I was pasting this pic for my class teacher and I thought while I was at it, I'd throw it up here, too. This is my latest silver creation. All the links are handmade, fused, hammered oxidized and burnished by moi. The charms are purchased except for one that i made. Metal is cool.

Wonder What Judy's Doing? (WWJD, get it?) Jenn - Congrats on starting your new job!!! TracyK - WAAAAY cool about the TT!!! You are gonna be one hot chicky! What hoops do you have to jump thru? Oh, and congrats on the new car!!! Is that the boxy kind of retro-looking car? Those are so cute! What color? Janie - You should avoid getting a 2nd job if at all possible...'cause you know what will happen, right? You'll come to depend on that 2nd income then you'll never be able to give it up! That's what happened to my girlfriend and she's been working 7 days a week for 4 years! She makes about $75K at her 1st job, too! Kat - do you know how to make flan? Have a good recipe? I just love that stuff and have always wanted to make it. Can't be that hard, but it's gotta be a great recipe, y'know? Mom's doing better...I think she's outta the woods for a bit. They're even talking about discharging her "soon". Wow...I don't know if that's good or bad. Kinda scary to think of her without round the clock care. One day at a time, that's all we can do. Pam, is Susanne feeling any better tonight? poor baby!!!

Hi everyone! Enjoying your posts. Eating chocolate. Visiting the hospital. That's the story of my life in a nutshell. Gold poo -- now THAT made me smile.

The Official Website for The San Antonio River Walk!

Don't forget that the Market Days thing will be happening, too.... I just love handmade stuff!! There are some truly talented people in the world! Gruene is just a blip on the screen....a tiny tiny little town where all the little antique houses and buildings have been restored as shops and restaurants. It's been 10 years since I was there so I'm not sure how/if it's changed, but as I recall there were about 25 little shops. The Market Days will add another 20+ vendors, too. Don't forget that if this is not enough for you, that there is a humongous outlet mall not too far away. San Antonio will probably not offer much in the way of shopping where we are (I just don't recall and things change constantly) -- and we will probably go to the Market Square but that is more like a Mexican market, if you get my drift. You won't find any Coach handbags there. LOL

Hi Everyone! Thanks AGAIN for your kind thoughts, hugs and support. Ya'll are just the best! They moved mom out of ICU and into a private room (yea!) in the stroke care unit. It's quieter, more room, lots more visiting hours...and all that is good. She's sitting up, eating, talking and alert....even almost cheerful and being NICE to the nurses!!!? The bad part is that she's not making a whole lot of sense about 1/2 the time, she's confused and forgets that she can't walk or get out of bed! She tried right before I got there but the nurses caught her and put her back with a good scolding. She said she was trying to get to the telephone to call me about that man from England. (huh?) Her heart rate is very high and blood pressure is low. BUT she's alive and not suffering. All is well. I had a bit of fun today at the bead store. Judy has 'commissioned' a bracelet and I got to go pick out all the accent beads today. All the ladies at the bead shop were oooo-ing and ahhh-ing and it was loads of fun. It felt so good to be doing normal things. I went to get my hairi cut as well...and talked her poor ear off. Kinda weird behavior today. Must be letting off some pent up energy or something. Funny observation about the portion sizes for others. Hubby is probably not too wild that I've cut his down as well, but he needs to lose a few too!

83 Days!!!

I agree. I always get tighter and tighter for up to 2 weeks after a fill. I eat normally with better restriction...then WHAM-O! PBing like crazy and can't keep anything down! I have finally(!) learned this pattern and back WAY off of the solid foods during this period of adjustment. Also, as a side note, at this point on the path a fill of as little as 0.1 or 0.2 cc makes a HUGE difference one way or the other with my restriction. This is quite common and many people go in "asking" for an aggressive fill....then end up coming back to have it taken out. So, you are better off taking little bitty step-ups anyway. If you're still not feeling much restriction after 3+ weeks, might want to go back for another TINY fill. Just my $0.02!

I've eaten several gallons in the last 2 months. sorry to make you cry, Pammy

GINa - I LOVE your glasses!! I'd tell you if I didn't! Way cool. Thanks EVERYONE for all your prayers! Ya'll just don't know how much it means to me having you all in my corner...and to come 'home' to you at the end of a long day like today! ((((HUGS))))! Mom is hangiing in there and her spirits are pretty good. Her heart is getting weaker and she's having some problems, but is fairly stable for now. She's still in ICU and I'd love to just keep her there...the nurses are soooo great. Only problem is I can't come and go as I please and spend much more time in the waiting room than I'd like. It sure would be nice if they'd put some decent chairs in there. UGH!!! My emotional state is pretty good, considering. I think I've been preparing myself for this since November...and we've been thru a lot since then. I only want a good quality of life for my mom or a peaceful transition...just don't want her to languish in a bed for months and months. She's such a sweetheart. Everyone who's ever known her says the same thing...she's been a wonderful mother, friend and mentor to me all of my life. I'm pretty exhausted, of course. Not getting much restful sleep. I'll be okay. I'll see ya'll in the morning with my coffee. XOXOXO

Haydee - try one of my jewelry supply sources, Fire Mountain Gems 20 Inch 14KT Gold Necklace Chains - Fire Mountain Gems and Beads or, i found this jeweler who seems to have good stuff: 14K Gold 2.5mm Spiga chain 20" in

Hi -- I moved your thread thinking it was more appropriate for this area...and you'll probably get more responses from those that have been banded for some time, rather than in the Introduction section. Best of luck to you!

Pam, Kat and Judy - Thank you so much. I love you guys.

Hi everyone - Well, Mom took a turn last night and was transferred back to the hospital. It appears she's had a mild heart attack. They did an angiogram and found she has one vessel that is 100% blocked, but she cannot withstand (nor does she want) any surgery. Her lungs are filling with fluid and her kidneys are not functioning up to par. So she's in ICU but she's comfortable...and tired. I came home for a couple of hours and getting ready to head back over there. I know you've all been praying for us and I appreciate it so much! I just want her to be at peace and comfortable. thanks everyone! Oh, and GINA - have you talked to your doc?? Something doesn't sound right. I, myself, am still on mushies...at least for another day. Seem to be doing ok with that.

One of the funniest things I ever heard was my friend saying that hers could fit into a Pringles can!! LOL

Kat, dear.... don't worry your pretty head about drowning. There are thousands and thousands and thousands of people that float on that river every year and it is extremely rare to hear of any serious mishaps. Now, granted, I have not floated this particular part of the river but it should be a fairly quiet ride. You can always walk around the whitewater if you choose to...and probably 50% of the ride is in knee-deep water! LOL You will NOT drown. I promise. You can always skip whole water thing if you want and just relax by the pool or go shopping! We'll probably only be gone about 3 hours.

Tracy - you have NO reason to feel the slightest bit guilty for enjoying a few indulgences on your birthday!!! Gee whiz! Life is meant to be enjoyed....ENJOY IT....especially on your birthday! You didn't eat the WHOLE cake, did you??? (Might want to send that sucker with your DH to work tomorrow, though!) My DH is heading up to Kansas tomorrow....to Fort Scott (?). And he is freaking out about the cold temps he will have to endure! LOL He's going to look at an oilfield...in case you're wondering. I had (sugar free) ice cream for dinner. Nothing else will stay down :cursing:

Who doesn't love toobing?? LOL What's not to like? The Alamo is cool. The story is very moving.

LOVE LOVE LOVE the avatar, Laura!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRACY!!! mmmmmmmmmuuuah!! :kiss: :party::thumbup::cake: :cursing::lol::cool2: :hat: :sad: Yes, after you pay me that, you shouldn't owe another penny for lodging. That's total for both places, including tax etc. LOL Tracy!! PAM - Hmmm. Preggers perhaps?? Oh. nevermind! :mad: That's GREAT news, Kat!!! I know it means so much to you! Sheesh...you're likely to lose 10# in one whack! (no pun intended ... yeee-ouch!) Laura, isn't that a bell pepper dish? I imagine it was the skin from the pepper that did you in. The rice could have done it too, I suppose. I am going thru the same thing i did the last time I got filled (then unfilled) back in September. Restriction is great for a couple of days...then gets so tight I can't eat a damn thing :frown:. OMG, I got into sooooo much trouble last night eating an angel hair Pasta dish which normally goes down fine. Gina scared the hell out of me too with that slipping thread! :eek: Now i'm all paranoid and eating nothing but mushies and foods I KNOW are safe. I just don't understand how I can go from being "wide open" to "overly tight" on only 0.2 cc. i'm a little worried but will try to ride it out. No, the scale hasn't moved. 181-182 for days now. Kat - congrats to you on your loss! Getting sick seems to be the way to go. LOL Haydee - I'm sorry! I hope you're much better today.

Pam - I'm not "disagreeing with you", just wondering if this also is a possibility?... I've read many times that the "WHY" of it doesn't matter at all, but the "WHAT" does! In other words, asking 'why' only keeps you stuck in that behavior as you think and obsess over it. Asking "what can I do to move foreward" unsticks you and keeps you looking forward. keeping your eye on the prize and getting excited about your future retrains your brain to focus there rather than in the past. Your primitive brain wants to keep you rooted in those "bad" behaviors because it ensures your "survival"....which in primitive-brain-terms equates to FAT. This is the way you have "survived" for your whole life and wowser what a great job you've done!! Your brain is not so anxious to participate in a new way of life that "risks your very survival"!! You have to engage your higher brain....your emotions....and get excited about the future and making healthy choices...in order to get that part of your brain to take over and drag the primitive part along with it. Make sense?

Suzie - Thanks for the Valentine!! So cute! I just got it in the mail on Saturday! Gotta love that USPS!

Tracy!! That video was sooooooo fun!! I enjoyed seeing the REAL you and Robbie is just precious!! OMG...gotta go watch it again!!!