New Lease on Life

My life will be changing for the better soon. I am taking major action with my health. I have to make drastic changes, as I am now 150 pounds overweight. I have been for a long time and I am so over it. I will be blogging about my journey for my own sake. Others may join me for the ride!

About six weeks ago, one of my friends came into the bank and I had noticed that she had lost a lot of weight and I wanted to know how she had done it. She told me that she had been seeing a doctor that was giving her hcg shots (the pregnancy hormone) and eating organically. My friend, is also a filmmaker and she suddenly tilted her head and looked at me and asked me if I would be interested in being a case study in her documentary that she was making about the diet. All expenses paid.

Can I just say that at that moment, I felt as though God had handed me a gift straight from heaven. I immediatley said yes. I didn't have to think about it. I have to give myself shots everyday, but I don't even care. I need drastic intervention to take care of my health.

So, Tuesday I met my friend at the diet Doctor (Dr. Rodgers) and had my first consultation. He is so nice, and so are everyone that works at the office. They gave me the first month of medicene and injectors and explained the diet to me and everything that I needed to know and do/don't . I could hardly wipe the smile off of my face when I was leaving the office. I feel as though I have been handed a second chance at life. I start my first shot on Sunday the 26th. I can't wait.

Family Vacation

Tuesday, September 7 our family, plus Nana, left for our trip to Myrtle Beach. We were all very excited, as you might expect. Having lived there, we know our way around and have lots of friends that we were excited to see. We arrived at the Coral Beach Resort at about 3pm and checked in. After unloading, we went to Wal-Mart to buy some groceries and got settled in for the week.
Wednesday, Scott went to see his friends that he used to work with and Savannah and I went to see mine. My friend Rebecca was coming to meet us at the hotel to spend the afternoon on the beach with us and go to dinner. We had a great afternoon on the beach with her, even though I got a tad sunburned. Savannah had a blast in the ocean and playing with other kids. That night we got ready and went to eat at Joe's Crab Shack which was great as always and then went to Build-A-Bear Workshop, where we waited in line FOREVER! Finally we left with the ICarly bear, stuffed and loved and dressed in an ICarly outfit, to the tune of $40.00. Oh well, what is vacation for?!
Later that evening, Judy, Savannah and I were on the balcony listening to karaoke when Savannah decided to go inside. She didn't realized that the sliding glass door was closed and she slammed into it hard! I thought she had broken her nose. Anyway she fell back and was crying and I carried her to bed and she seemed to be okay. The next morning she woke up crying and saying that her foot hurt. It was swollen and she wouldn't step on if for anything. We ended up in urgent care and spent most of the day, with the end result being that she was in a boot and a wheelchair and couldn't stand on her foot until we got back home to see a specialist. But at least it wasn't broken! Thank God!
So, we set about making the most of our time. She actually was quite patient and really enjoyed the attention she got. She was able to get in the pool several times, and she rode the rides at the carnival. And boy has she enjoyed that wheelchair. She wants to go everywhere in it! Even to the bathroom.
Friday night, Scott and I had date night and we went to Crabby Mike's for crab legs. It was wonderful. Haven't been there for three years and I thouroughly enjoyed it. After we ate, we went to visit Missy and Damon and there little girl Hallie, who we hadn't seen in three years as well. It was great catching up with them.
Saturday was a really full day, as it was our last. We swam, and then went to visit Kevin, Candy and Talon. Afterward we visited with MaryLou and Chris for a few minutes. Then we went to Broadway and shopped around for a little bit and let Savannah ride the carnival rides. Afterward she went on a shopping spree at the Disney store and spent almost all of her vacation money that she had saved. After eating at Cheeseburger in Paradise we called it a night.
Sunday we came home and boy was I glad to be home. This has been our most challenging vacation ever, but we still made the best of it. It is still my favorite time of the year!

Wedding Weekend

Thursday, I left work at three and Savannah and I headed down the road to Lexington, South Carolina. Travel went rather smoothly until I hit Asheville right at rush hour and with road work going on, well, you get the picture. We got to our hotel at around 8:30. We made our way to our room, which was very comfy and nice and settled in for the evening.

Friday, at breakfast in the lobby, I ran into all my cousins from Alabama and my aunt Donna and uncle David. It was so good to see them. It seems like forever since I had talk to them. After breakfast, mom and I went to get a pedicure and Dad and Savannah met us at Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch. They have got awesome lunch specials! After lunch we went back to the hotel and went swimming. Savannah loves the pool. Friday evening, we all got dressed up and went to the rehearsal dinner, at which Savannah would eat nothing except chocolate cake. It was REALLY good chocolate cake. We had prime rib, chicken cordon bleu, squash casserole, steamed asparagus, salad, and mashed potatoes. It was delicious. It was kind of relaxed and we were able to visit with other family members.

Saturday, we went to Fatz for lunch and didn't get back to go swimming until 2:00 which was kind of dissapointing because Savannah had been wanting to swim with her cousins and they were packing up to leave at that point. But we still hung out at the pool with Mitch, Brian, Domini, and Donna and mom for a while. Savannah played in the pool till I dragged her out of it. After all we did need bath and showers before the big event!

THE BIG EVENT! was bigger than pretty much anything I have ever seen. There were over 800 people in attendance. The ceremony was gorgeous and the reception was over the top. We actually ended up leaving really early though because I was terrified that Savannah was going to get lost from me in the great throng of people. You can just turn around and she will disappear. Raegen looked gorgeous though and I am happy that she had her dream. After getting back to the hotel, Domini, Mitch, Corky, Brian, Chelsea and I all went to Applebee's while our parents babysat for a few hours. We had a great time catching up. The one bad thing about such large events is that I didn't even get to say hello to my cousin that got married, or her parents. That made me sad, because I love them very much and I don't know when I will see them next.

The ride back to Virginia on Sunday was not even overly long and mundane. It actually went by very quickly. Just hate that it had to end so quickly and that I have to get back to work. For this week anyway. Next week, I am headed to the beach!!

Visiting

Well, after a flurry of cleaning and getting the spare room ready, my parents arrived on Saturday. Surprisingly, it is still quite clean and it is now Tuesday afternoon. This has been of course, thanks to the effort of everyone.

We are having a great visit. Saturday, we had dinner and just hung out talking and visiting with each other. Savannah of course, wanted Granny to climb up and down the stairs about a thousand times to her room. She had out Hi-Ho Cherry-O! and Chutes and Ladders and Cootie! and all other games that are anywhere in the vicinity of being near our residence. She found them.

Sunday, we went to church and out to lunch at Los Arcos. After, we went home and rested and watched a little TV and just had a relaxing afternoon.

Monday, mom and dad had a day to themselves while Scott and I went to work and Savannah went to her first day of preschool. After supper last night we watched "Horton Hears A Who" and when Savannah went to bed, mom and dad watched "Kingdom Come" and laughed like hyenas. They laughed so loud that Savannah was having a hard time getting sleep. She kept saying, "What in the world is going on down there?"

So, today I am at work (you can tell I am working really hard, huh?), and Granny and Granddaddy have taken Savannah out for a day of fun. They went out for breakfast at the IHOP and then went shoe shopping. The last that I heard, they were at Sugar Hollow Park playing on the playground and getting ready to go on a hike. I also know that a visit to the Ice Cream Stop is on the agenda. Makes me wish that I was off work today! I am glad that she is having the opportunity to spend time with her grandparents.

Thankfully it is only Tuesday and we still have until Sunday till we have to say good bye. We are having a really great visit!

Oh! The Anticipation

They say that the most exciting thing about vacation is the anticipation of it, and I do believe that is true. I find myself almost wishing my life away for at least one month before anything exciting comes up. The next few weeks are going to be exciting at the Rhea household.

My parents are coming for a visit on Saturday and they are staying until Thursday. Savannah is so excited to see her Granny that it is about to drive her crazy. She hasn't seen Granny since the end of April when we went to visit them. My dad came for a short visit later in May, so we have seen him since, but it has been a long time since we have seen my mom. Four months to a four year old seems like forever.

Then, on Thursday, we are leaving (my parents, Savannah and I) for Lexington, SC to attend my cousin Raegen's wedding weekend extravaganza. I am so excited to get away for a few days and spend it with aunts, uncles and cousins. We are all staying at the same hotel, so our kids will be swimming and playing and having a ball together. That with the rehearsal dinner and wedding, will make for a fun, memorable and busy weekend.

Then, Savannah and I will come home and go to school and work for one week and then. . . off to the beach we go. Scott, Savannah and I will pick up Nana and head to Myrtle Beach for a week, where amidst all the touristy things that we love to do, and swimming and relaxing, I will feel at home, because it was once my home. I will visit some of my dearest friends and cry that I can't see them more often. We will go to Build-A-Bear and build a ridiculously overpriced stuffed animal and not bat an eye. I will pay ten dollars for tickets for my daughter to ride three rides at Broadway at the Beach and it will be over in five minutes. And I will love every second of it.
And so will she. Can you feel my anticipation building?

And then we will come home, and it will be over, and I am not anticipating that!

Weekend

What a great weekend! Scott had to work Saturday morning, so Savannah and I got out early and went to Target. Then we met up with Aunt Martha and went to the Highlands Festival. We had a lot of fun looking at all the crafts and eating Kettle Corn. How can you not love that stuff?! Scott met with us in time for lunch and we all had hotdogs before Savannah got a glitter tattoo and jumped in a bouncy house for what seemed like an hour! Then she wanted a blue slushie and we headed back to our car and on our way to Sam's.

Thank goodness I had a clean sundress for her in the car, because the blue slushie was all over the white t-shirt by the time we got to Sam's. No big deal. Children will be children!

Sunday we went to Nana and Gicky's so Scott could mow the yard and I went to Wal-Mart and did a little tax free shopping. After we went home last night, Scott was thrilled to watch the football game last night. His favorite time of year is fast approaching!

If only the week could be as nice and relaxing as the weekend!

The week of a child

This week Savannah has discovered that she loves fried shrimp and lasagna. I always love discoveries like this because it is yet something else that we have in common! This week is being quickly filled by field trips, which is my little adventurer's favorite passtime. Yesterday she rode on the Abingdon trolley, which she has been dying to do and today she is going to the Coomes Center to go swimming and on a picnic. When she found out her response was, "Woo-Hoo!" This is her standard response to anything that is exciting in her mind. She met a new friend the other day and said "Mom, don't you think she looks like Lena?" Now, I must interject that she has met Lena once, and it was four months ago, and the fact was that the little girl did indeed look a lot like Lena! Her brain doesn't forget anyone or anything. Of course this is what I would say, after all, I am her mother! I do love the unending excitement of a child. We should all take a lesson from them. Joy in all things!