Continuing the Year of Movement

Post surgery workouts are nothing short of miraculous! No leakage, no worries and I'm loving it! This coming week I begin jogging again and training for a 10k run in Bass Lake on September 25. Only two months to get ready, but I'm hoping it will all work out. The Shred DVD that I've been doing has gotten my legs so much stronger, that when I ran before my surgery it was much easier than when I was training for the half-marathon. I did the DVD this week and I'm hoping when I run on Monday it will be doable. Wish me luck! :)

Scootering Along

We bought Spencer a scooter to enable him to cover more distance than his bicycle for school and work. He is soooo excited!

Old Pictures are Simply Adorable!

Mom and Dad at the ranch

Posing in front of the rock at the ranch

Mom's pretty dress

Cutting the anniversary (I think) cake

Grandpa Jarvis, Mom, Dad & Grandma Jarvis

Carey, Mom & Me all dressed up

 Love old pictures!

Symbiosis

The term symbiosis (from the Greek: σύν syn "with"; and βίωσις biosis "living") commonly describes close and often long-term interactions between different biological species or certain mothers and daughters. See photo:

Madison, as a professional therapist, has clinical terms that describe our relationship, but anyway you look at it, we are intertwined in each other. Connected at the hip, yet we live independently apart from each other (about 2,500 miles apart as the crow flies). She is visiting me for 10 days sans Dan the Man (thanks, Dan!), so I have her all to myself. Although, I have been graciously sharing her with family and friends this past week. Our time together is so short, I want to capture as much with her as I can.

This girl who came into my life 24 years ago this past Wednesday, is able to make everything sunny in my life. How blessed am I to be her mom and have her.

We've hung out, had her birthday party, a family gathering, lots of swimming, auntie and nieces galore, time with grandparents, shopping, dining out and on and on. She had 10 inches cut off of her hair and will donate it to Locks for Love or some organization. She's such a giver! Her haircut looked so cute on her, that I had the hair stylist cut my hair in the same style that afternoon! I'm such a goober! She's so darn cute! You know the popular girl in school? The one that's cute, smart, talented and nice to everyone? Ya, that's her. Someday when I grow up, maybe I'll be just like her.

I love you Mad and I'm so glad you've been here this week. I can't wait for November and our trip to NYC and spending time with you and Dan.

Doing Just Fine, Thanks!

I'm over a week past my surgery and I'm still feeling great. I'm walking three miles now and having NO problems what so ever! It's even better being able to sneeze or cough and not worry lol! I tell you, if you're questioning whether or not to have this procedure done, I say DO IT!!!

Surgery a Success!

Day one post-op - feeling really good. Went for a mile walk this morning after only having slept four hours last night (I pulled a Tiff lol). No real pain associated with the surgery, just a sore feeling, and today I'm just careful how I sit. I highly recommend the surgery for any woman suffering from incontinence. It will make such a difference in your life! I can't wait until I get the ok from my doctor to go ahead and work out and be able to have the freedom of movement without worrying about leakage. Dr. Kelli Beingesser from Fresno Women's Medical Group did the surgery at the Fresno Surgical Hospital. It was an outpatient procedure. I went in at 6:30 a.m. and was out by 10:30 a.m. I am soooo glad I did this!

Back to Some Favorite Series

With the release of The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, I've gotten back into the Twilight world. Oh, Bella, Edward and Jacob, how I've missed you! I worked at the coast this week and so I was able to listen to Eclipse on cd on my drive over. So nice to remember all of those little details, although I did find myself rolling my eyes sometimes at Bella, wishing for her to, just get over it! I'm really looking forward to listening to Breaking Dawn.


So, the new book focuses on Bree, a vampire who was made during the turmoil in Seattle as part of an army that was built to go against the Cullen family and destroy Bella. Meyers seamlessly incorporates this story into the already established Eclipse novel. Bree is a good character and Meyer's states in her introduction that she knew it was going to end badly for Bree, but wished it could have ended another way. No such luck when the outcome has already been written! A one day read and nice addition to the Twilight saga.

Another series I've gotten back to is Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series. The newest book, Dead in the Family was recently released and I was going to wait until it was in paperback to read it, but Christy bought it for me after I loan her the whole series. Thanks Christy! I began reading it and could not remember any of the previous events the characters were referring to, so I thought I'd better take a look at the prior story, Dead and Gone, but none of the story was familiar! Now, I forget books, but usually can remember parts of the story as I read it if I've read it before. Nope, not a bit with this story, so I think I bought it, but never read it! So for me, I got two new Stackhouse stories!

I really like this series. I think she's on the 11th book in the series and I enjoy Sookie as a person. I am intrigued by how Harris creates the world Sookie lives in and the conflicts and concerns that encompass that world. One conflict Dead in the Family touches on is what occurs when the shape shifters want to make the presence known to the world. Vampires were the first to come out of the closet and because of the world's relatively good response to that announcement, shape shifters decided to let the world know that they exist. Shape shifters, who could be the neighbor down the street, your army buddy or school teacher, are not as well received as the vampires and humans feel betrayed and lied to because they didn't know of their existence.After all the vampires are dead or another species. The conflict plays out in the political arena as congress is attempting to pass laws whereby shape shifters must "register" with the government their abilities. This doesn't sit well with the shape shifter community as they feel they are Americans and some have families who have been in the U.S. since it was established. Interesting to find out if Harris will reach a conclusion for this dilemma in the series.

Two great authors and series. Check them out if you haven't already.