Hi there. Just wanted to see if I could build a new home with some new (and hopefully old) friends. I do not wanna be 'homeless' anymore so here I am! This is gonna be a place for friends to meet (hopefully) and talk about anything & everything.

My name is Tracy and I live in Deer Park, Texas. I have been married for 6 years. I was banded in April '07. Got 4 pounds away from goal, quit smoking and gained 46-50 pounds back so I am on my journey again. This time as a non-smoker :w00t:

This is a life change and with it comes lifelong friends...wanna come along for the ride? :blushing:

BOO!!!!!!!

All is well.......bbl!!!

goodnight ladies...sleep well :scared2:

Thank you, Ladies!!!

Terri, it's good to hear from you! Take care of yourself.

Jen, I'm proud of you for getting up early to take care of your exercise first. Good for you!! And good for you for getting a good talk w/your DD. I hope she listens and follows her heart about her schooling.

Tracy, you need to do what's best for you. Love you!!

Kat, glad you got the alarms all set up and everything secure. Any word on what's been dumped in the cars??

Hi to everyone!!!

Well, tomorrow (Wednesday) is my last day at work. I am almost positive that my manager thinks he talked me out of it. I am so relieved that it is going to be over.

Have a great night!!

Good morning!

Kat, I know that alarm system has got to be a relief! I'm with you...I do not want another car payment. I am going to drive my cheap ("Jeep") until the wheels fall off!

Jenn, good for you...sticking up for your daughter! Forensics is cool. My mom is 55 years young and is currently in college working towards forensics. She has heard some less than positive comments about her age and why now. She just answers "Why not?". I love her and her attitude!! That is so awesome! I am doing the same, I got home to find my dd and mother discussed my joining the firedept with my friend/hair girl. She said I lost my mind and what am i doing??? I guess my mom tried to tell her the emt training and rescus stuff will be directly applied to my job, but she just discouraged. I was upset and asked them to not discuss me (which my mother knows!!!) with anyone. I wanted to do this years ago and my friends talked me out of it, said I was nuts, and now it directly applies to my job so it is perfect.

So that is awesome about your mom - never too late is what I say.

Tracy, good for you! This journey has not been gravy for any of us, I don't think. You have to do what feels right in your heart. My step-son had gastric after the lap-band® and has been really successful so far! I will have to bring you pics.

Terri...hang in there. The gas will go away!!

Suzie...ready to get back in the pool yet? I remember you were saying you felt Water logged, lol!

Have a good day!

Angela

Thank you, Ladies!!! Happy Birthday - sorry I missed it yesterday

Terri, it's good to hear from you! Take care of yourself.

Jen, I'm proud of you for getting up early to take care of your exercise first. Good for you!! And good for you for getting a good talk w/your DD. I hope she listens and follows her heart about her schooling.

Thanks - I am taking this am off, been 3 days, 1 off, I'll get up tomorrow. I worked 12 hrs and then stayed up until 10 last night. I just can't do it this am. I'm going to jump in the pool tonight when I get home. I don't think anyone will be staying late tonight so I'm out at 3:30 and will be in bed at 6

Tracy, you need to do what's best for you. Love you!!

Kat, glad you got the alarms all set up and everything secure. Any word on what's been dumped in the cars??

Hi to everyone!!!

Well, tomorrow (Wednesday) is my last day at work. I am almost positive that my manager thinks he talked me out of it. I am so relieved that it is going to be over.

Have a great night!!

Kat - I'm so jealous, I know a bunch of guys going and the more I hear are traveling, I am starting to ask if they will take me with them.. LOL

Suzanne - hope you are getting lots of pool time in to make up for not being able to get in.

I miss George, I talked to him lots last night - I was not in a great place being discouraged to do stuff and all.

I am learning to let go of my past and my fears - I knew George was leaving and I think that is why I was so relaxed with him and didn't freak out, there was not the threat of commitment. I can acknowledge it, and I want to change it - I'm trying - I want to forgive Kev in my heart, and myself...I'm glad he came back because I got my closure, but he messed me up a little, I already forgave him and now I'm just angry at him again and that is not good karma

blah blah, sorry, my mind is jumping all over this am

Have a great day - off to work

Michelle, I hope your birthday was a fun one and good luck with your last day of work.

Jenn, you are setting a wonderful example for your daughter right now by taking steps to advance your career.

Tracy, my dad had bypass a year ago and has done very well so far. He hadn't had any problems until the ulcers were diagnosed a little less than a month ago. Problem with the ulcers is, that since his stomach is so small, now the two ulcers cover a good portion of it. He still would do the surgery all over again. He is like a new man. If your insurance covers it and you have thought it through, go for it. Just please be sure to take the supplements EVERY DAY. Good luck.

Kat, I am glad things are quiet. Did you ever find out anything else about the cape? That sounded creepy!

Angela, how did your some come out with the summer school work?

Terri, take it slow. What kind of post op diet are you on?

Suzie, have fun swimming!

SOS with me all the time. Sick so I went to the doctor on Monday...steroid, antibiotic and cough medicine. Oh, well, my son has orientation today and an orthodontist appt. I need to get my shower and start my day. Have a good one, y'all!

Tracy, you need to do what's best for you. Love you!! Thank you so much! The support means so much to me!

Well, tomorrow (Wednesday) is my last day at work. I am almost positive that my manager thinks he talked me out of it. I am so relieved that it is going to be over. I am sorry that it did not live up to what you wanted BUT, I am so happy that you are getting rid of the BS in your life. :scared2:

Have a great night!!

Tracy, my dad had bypass a year ago and has done very well so far. He hadn't had any problems until the ulcers were diagnosed a little less than a month ago. Problem with the ulcers is, that since his stomach is so small, now the two ulcers cover a good portion of it. He still would do the surgery all over again. He is like a new man. If your insurance covers it and you have thought it through, go for it. Just please be sure to take the supplements EVERY DAY. Good luck. Thanks Cindy! It is good to hear the successes. I know they are out there. I saw the pics of Angelas dss and he looks fantastic. Thanks again!

Kat, I am glad things are quiet. Did you ever find out anything else about the cape? That sounded creepy! oh yeah, i forgot to ask about the cape!

Jenn-I am so glad that dd is going to follow her heart and she has YOU to thank for it. I love forensics.

How was your time with George over the weekend with George? When he was around you prob did not even think about Kev as much as you are now. Dive into something to try and keep you mind from even going there. I am so worried that you are fragile and will get stuck in a funk again. (yes I am a worry wart) I miss you so much. Did you decide what to do with your voucher??

Kat-how are your in-laws? Do you hear much from ds since they moved?

Everyone-thank you so much for the encouraging words and well wishes as far as my decision to try for the bypass. The chances are really good that the answer will be NO, but I will not know unless I try. I am going to go to the counseling sessions as well. Even if the answer is no I will go to the sessions because I need to do something to kick start my brain lol. I have been doing alot of praying on this subject and have put it in the Lords hands. I can do all things through Christ that strengthen me.

I woke up this morning and have a horrible pain in my neck (not dh, :lol2: ) so I must have slept wrong. I took something for it so maybe it will start feeling better shortly.

I put chicken thighs in the crockpot with some spices and Tonys Roux mix. My house smells SO good this morning.

About to go swimming a little bit so I am going to get off here.

Have a great day ladies!

Suzanne-LOVE YOU SISTA!!!

Good morning all!

Michelle--you must not have told Facebook it was your birthday---it didn't remind me!!! I need a personal secretary (ya know I am SOOO busy!!). Anyway, I am sorry I missed it---I hope you had a great day!!!

Tracy, keeping your mind and heart open to whatever happens is the best you can do. I know different surgeries work for different people. In fact at my original seminar, the surgeon even mentioned the fact that one of the benefits of banding was the ability to have a different WLS if the need arose. I hope you get what you want/need. Of course we will be here to support you....well until you become a skinny wench!! LOL J/K!!!!!

No one is claiming the cape.....so locks have been changed---which is not a big deal. No activity been going on---alarm is up and going---has caught Rick, my brother....and a hummingbird!! We had to move a sensor, everytime the birds swooped and fought over the feeder the alarm went off!!

No word on the car. Rick got the tank drained, and run fuel through it with injector cleaner in it, and drained it as well. So.....we will see how it goes. I also have a shifter cable going out, which is really pushing Rick to want to trade in my car. I am resisting STRONGLY!!!

We made some reservations for Sturgis. We are going to do VIP with ZZ Top---which is a birthday present to Rick and I from Becky & Gary and Jason and Chana. We also have VIP for Kid Rock, which we won. But we also bought our tickets to the Pitchfork Fondue. A steak place, where you pick your steak from where they are marinating in "special" seasonings, and the cooks then stab them onto pitchforks, and deep fry them! Kind of like the deep fried turkey, it takes only minutes, and the juices are supposed to remain inside! Anyway they have entertainment etc. We got our reservations to the hill climb....and tonight at our dinner meeting with the group we are supposed to make reservations at Deadwood for something in which we ride a train.....I know nothing about it! LOL It is getting close, I KNOW my butt is not ready for it!!

We are taking a truck too. So, I will spend a turn driving. What really sucks---and I honestly don't like this, is Becky is afraid of heights like on the mountain passes---so she goes over them eyes closed, laying down if possible. So I have to drive over---I am not afraid to drive, or pull the trailer---but I LOVE riding over the passes---they are so beautiful, and the air is cool. BUT......if we had to go through a crawl space, she would do it for me, so I will do it for her! The passes are about 50% of the reason we are taking the truck! The other is just in case! If someone were to break down we would have the truck and trailer. Plus we all have trailers we pull behind the bike, for camping gear, this way they don't have to pull trailers. We can stow the gear in the truck bed. The trailers do slow you down some, but mostly you just have to be really careful with them on interstates. The big trucks can cause heavy enough wind sheer to lift them off the ground, and set them rocking. And a trailer rocking behind you when you are sailing along at 70 mph is scary as hell!!!

We all agreed to take a turn driving....but we all also want to ride!!

I got the shelves for our tent, and the new fan. TodayI have to find a 12 volt extension cord. If I can't I HAVE to order it today so it comes in in time.

My youngest grandson is walking she said on FB!!

Well I better get busy. I am having lunch with my neighbor. NOT what I want to do per se....but she is very lonely, and VERY persistant! She has tried to get in on Marie and I going, but I have avoided that. She mentions it regularly, so....today we are going.

Will check in on y'all later!!!

Kat-I am going to mail you some money today for a t-shirt, ok?!

Hang on to it Tracy, I'll call you from the rally to discuss your options!!!

Off to lunch...wish me luck. nice lady, but I don't handle alcoholics and their drama too well.....

Hang on to it Tracy, I'll call you from the rally to discuss your options!!!

Off to lunch...wish me luck. nice lady, but I don't handle alcoholics and their drama too well.....

OK...I am so excited to have a new Sturgis shirt :scared2:

OK---wierd happening this morning. I have not called DD or my parents or anything---but I was showing Rick some things and when I laid them on the love seat next to the front door, there is something black folded laying there--so I picked it up, as I ask him "what's this?" He says he has no idea---I kinda drop it open, and it is a cape-- like you use for cutting hair.

Ooops. I was wondering where I left that thing. You call it a cape.....I call it a "DNA catcher".

Hey Ya'll.

Michelle, I hate that things turned out the way they did on the job front. You gotta do what's right for you though!

Cindy, Zach ended up failing the TAKS Test by a few more questions this time. There is a really odd loophole (according to the principal) that they can use to promote a child even if they fail one of the required tests. He explained to it to me like this: a child can master the reading and writing...then bomb the math and still get pulled through to the next grade if the combined score of all three required test meets a certain number. I don't think that is right.

In Zach's case, I had a meeting with the principal and a couple of teachers from the school (including Zach's math teacher) who recommended to me that we go ahead and place him in the 9th grade. His grades were decent all year in that class, he didn't miss too many days and they said he was not considered "high risk".

The next big test will be in the 11th grade. He has to pass the exit TAKS Test to graduate. I was told they have many opportunities to test and re-test before graduation. I hope we made the right decision but it bothers me because it goes to show that the school system is broken. How can you have a mandatory "must pass" test and then turn around and have exceptions to the rule?

Sorry....got on a rant!

I am in a funk today anyways. The half-sister who is bi-polar has made it clear that she does not want to try to establish a relationship. While I know it is not personal (Hell, she doesn't even KNOW me!!) it still hurts. She told one of the other siblings that just because I wanted a relationship with my dad did not mean that she had to have one with me.

Nice.

I will remain cordial if I see her again but I hope it's not anytime soon. My feelings are raw :cursing: .

Mike didn't want me to get hurt and now I feel like a fool. Oh, well...life goes on, right?? Sorry to be so poopie today.

Have a good night.

kat

i love love love kid rock

will you get me a shirt and i'll send you money?

Tracy too late sister, i'm in a funk, not because of kev, but because of me... I let him walk all over me and i can't commit to anyone unless there is no chance of commitment. my bil just called me out on screwing around with someone I went for a ride with at lunch 2 months ago.

i'm so glad they have such a high opinion of me

have a good night all - going to bed be back soon

Angela-does that sister live locally? Sorry about the drama!

Jennifer...stop that. Just STOP THAT! Dont make me come up there and smack you around! I wish I could give you an ounce of MY attitude. I wish I could bottle it up and sell it...i could get rich! Call anytime. :cursing:

Hey Girls. Very long day and I am totally exhausted. I went back to work at the hospital. Didn't work a full shift, I pooped out after about 4 1/2 hours. But it did feel really good to be back. And they missed us so much.

Michelle, so sorry about the job. You were so excited about getting it. Maybe something better will pop up.

Kat, I don't need a t-shirt. I'll pick up one or two on our trip But I am getting jealous of your trip, sounds like too much fun.

Tracy, Can you put a hot pack on your neck? I hate when I do that and don't realize it till I go to turn my head for something, ouch.

Angela, Please don't let the sister interfere with you relationship with your dad. You still have a long road to travel to get a good relationship, don't let her undermine it. Maybe she will eventually come around.

Terrie, Hi. Hope you are still mending good. I'm so jealous of your newness.

Ok, I took some Loratab and now I'm having a hard time keeping my eyes open. Heading off to bed soon. I have a Doc appointment at 8am. I need to see about some muscle relaxers. I have been getting spasms in my back. Not sure if it is related to the surgery or not.

Have a great one.