IDGOMB ! Or maybe I didn't!

My friends and I have a post that is done daily over at Obesity Help Tenn. Forum. It is called "IDGOMB". Now for those who have no idea what this stands for:

I DID GET OFF MY BUTT

or I DIDN'T GET OFF MY BUTT

All of this is referring to exercise or the attempt of exercising we need to do. Some of our posters are very determined to get off their gluteus maxi-mus everyday. They are like post men, "Neither rain, sleet, snow or hail can stop them from their daily grind."

Well, I am a different story. Determination at moving my body is not very high on my priority list right now. It seems I do all I can do by working from sun up till sundown, but I try. I walked about 6-7 miles last week and I thought that was pretty good!

I did try to get to the gym this week. Evidently I did so well, that they wanted to video my treadmill endeavors for future training. So, sit back and enjoy what I look like while trying to learn the treadmill!

Hope you have a great day!

Fun Friday !

Fun Friday is brought to you today by Darth Vader! If you have a full hour of nothing to do, click here to watch the entire series on You Tube. If you don't have time, (In my best Darth Vader voice), "I suggest you make time!"

Have a great and fun filled Friday!

Tankful Tursday !

Well, Tankful Tursday is upon us once again! This last week, I asked all of you great people to list one thing you were thankful for each day. If my calculations are correct (7 x 1=7), you should have 7 things that you are full of gratitude about. Now, from those 7, pick one item that you are grateful for and list it below

My 1 item is my family! After spending the weekend with my Mom and Dad, I realize how supportive my family is. Not only Mom and Dad, but RJ, Beth, my sister…The list could go on and on. So, my one item that I am thankful for on Tankful Tursday is my family!

What about you? Who’s next!

If this is your first foray into Tankful Tursday, here is a link to tell you all about it!

Wordless Wednesday

New Recipes

Hey guys! Just thought I would share a few new recipes we have tried latley. One was Terrific Teriyaki Turkey Burgers. As Rachel Ray says..."Yummo!"


We also made a few berry pies since it's that time of year! Just ckick on the pictures to be taken to my other blog.


Another great side dish for 4th of July is the Red, White and Bleu Cheese Coleslaw.

A day in the country!

We had a great day on Saturday. My family, almost all of us, went to Ardmore, TN to visit some relatives we had not seen since 2000 when my grandmother died. It was a fun day to reminisce and update each other on how our lives have changed over the years. Can you tell we were in the country? I thought everyone had indoor plumbing by now.

It was also an opportunity to update our 6 month picture (my wife, sister and I). all together we have lost close to 500 pounds in a one year time frame. I think it's a great idea to take pictures of any journey. We do it when we go on vacation. So why not this type of journey also!

Christmas 2007

Easter 2007

June 2008

I did have a "light bulb" moment. You know, when the light bulb goes on and you are illuminated to all that is happening. My Aunt & Uncle wanted to make sure there was plenty of food that my sister, wife and I could eat. All of the sudden, I figured out something that I have known all along, but just now put into play. You see, this surgery I had is a life style change. When you go on a diet, you only try to eat certain types of foods. Or maybe certain foods only, like the dreaded beet diet! I would rather eat dirt than beets! Anyway, I told my Uncle not to worry about us, we would find something to eat, and we did! Every once in a while, even a blind squirrel finds a nut!

We ended the day at the cemetery where a lot of my relatives are buried. I think this is a tradition every time we go to Ardmore. We of course took lots of pictures there also!

It was a very enjoyable day and I hope it's not another 8 years before travel down that long country road!

Fun Friday

Tankful Tursday !

It's time for our weekly fest of gratefulness! If you missed the original post for "Tankful Tursday", you can get it by clicking here...right here!

Every week we are going to set aside a day to list things we are grateful for! Kind of a filling station for the cup that is darn near empty!

Have you ever heard the saying, "You can't see the forest for the trees"? Well, sometimes we can't see the good because of the bad! We can't see how full our lives are, for the emptiness we sometimes feel!

So today we are going to list things that we are grateful for. If you filled your cup of last week with gratitude, try to think of something different you are Thankful for. If the items you were grateful for last week are still the same, by all means, list 'em!

I am Thankful for:

1) A loving and gracious God who sees beyond my faults, and fulfills my needs!

2) A wife and son who love me no matter what!

3) My health!

4) The ability to get out and walk!

Now, here's our assignment for the next week. Grab a notepad and everyday, list one thing you are Thankful for! Then as the week progresses, we will see that things are going pretty good!

I hope and pray each and everyone of you have a great day!

Happy Belated Fathers Day

First, let me say this post was actually started on Monday! I know today is Wednesday, but life got in the way. I started walking again this week and have been averaging 3 miles per day. When I get home, I usually eat and go to bed! So, I'm sorry about the lateness of the post! Now on to our regularly scheduled broadcast!



Well, yesterday was Fathers Day! I hope and pray every father had as good a day as I did!

My day started off really well with a gift from my son and wife! I got the John Deer tractor I have always wanted, even if it was just a card, it was the one I wanted! Also got some new clothes. Some that have never been worn by anyone else! When you are shrinking as fast as I am, you tend to take what you can get! We went to church as normal, but our pastors niece sang a song that is very dear to me..."I Can Only Imagine". It was great, especially for fathers day. You see, I can only imagine what it would be like to walk with Jesus! Guess what,? One day I will find out!

The day only got better! We spent the day with my Mom and Dad! I love our times together. It was one of the few times that we were together without the entire family. RJ said he thought it would be boring since no other kids were there, but he found out quickly that my Pops can be quite entertaining!

There is never enough words to express what your parents mean to you. Sometimes the expressions are quite disturbing, but most of the time it is nothing but pure love. As a father I know! Anyway, I know my Dad will be reading this, and I just want to say how much I love both him and my mom!

Love you guys! You're the bestust in the world!

Have a great day!

Fun Friday !

Tankful Tursday !

Here recently I have noticed several of my friends (both WLS patients and civilians), are suffering from mild to severe depression.

During the night, I know I should be sleeping, my mind was racing. It seems we could go on forever about the things that are wrong with our life. You know what I'm talking about;

1. The price of gas

2. The price of food.

3. The price of anything!!!!!

I believe you get the message. Well I know depression is a serious thing! I have suffered from it for years, and come from a family that knows the side effects all too well! This is where the midnight thought process kicked in. Why don't we spend a few minutes a day being thankful for the good things and report them here once a week!

When Tom Hanks was in college (I think I remember the story being about Tom Hanks), his humanities professor posed the age old question..."Is the glass half full or half empty?" Tom went home and pondered the thought for a weekend. He was hoping to come up with a really philosophical answer that would blow the socks off his professor. After contemplating for several days, he asked his alcoholic father the same question. His Dad answered this way..."It depends on whether you're pouring of drinking".

Folks, I am pouring! The glass is half full! So, here is my proposition. Every Thursday I will start a post entitled-Our objective is to come up with a list of things we are thankful for! Now, it does not have to be weight loss related. But since this is who we are, why not! Here is my list for today:

1) I am THANKFUL for a loving wife and son!

2) I'm THANKFUL for the ability to work and support my family.

3) I'm THANKFUL for my health.

4) I'm THANKFUL for my surgery and what it's done for me!

Now the list does not have to be long. This is just an exercise to help us keep the cup overflowing! to keep us on the positive. If you are suffering from depression, please talk to your Dr. about it. It happens to all of us sometimes!

Oh yeah ~ I'm THANKFUL for you! Have a good day!

Wordless Wednesday

Check out the speed limit !

Quote for the day!

This is from a blog that I read most days! Today it really hit home. If you are interested in following Cathy's words of advice and wisdom, she can be found here:

Lose Weight Find Life

“The pessimist sees difficult in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty. ” ~Winston Churchill

Let’s use this quote for some empowering self-talk to say to yourself when faced with an emotional eating situation…..

The wls post-op considers unhealthy food choices available to them in an emotional eating situation.

The successful wls post-op achieves success and stays in control of their food choices in every emotional eating situation.

Give it a try!
Believe In Yourself,Cathy, Certified Life Coach, Weight Loss Surgery Coach

I Can Only Imagine !

I recently have seen some updates done like this and thought I would give it a try. This is the first time I have created a video for myself. I have done several for other people, but never one for myself. This was fun !!!! Who know, maybe I can add this to my list of future jobs!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Artistic Accomplishment

For a long time I have admired the artistic development that goes on in blogland! From the different widgets that are all over the place, to the color selections and designs that per-mate our stories.

It seems we are forever trying to update our looks with free items form the web. One of my favorite sites for backgrounds is The Cutest Blog On The Block. Ashley has built a nice little site that caters to people like you and me. She has a business and is using her talent for profit, but what I really like is the free backgrounds that are available. She even goes as far as to tell you how to use the background and do it yourself! That's priceless in the business world!

I would not have known about Cute Blogs if it weren't for my friend Bronie (Team Victory!). Because of the shout out Bronie gave on her blog (which is a very good read and dear to my heart...hint, hint...go there after you read mine!), this gem of a site would have been lost!

Now on to what this post is about. Because of Ashley's knowledge and guidance, I thought I would try to create a background myself. Through many trials and errors (I think we call that life), I finally did it! The background you see here is one I call "Gilded Gold". Will this be the last one I create? Probably not! Now that I have a little more time invested, I might even try to start a business like Ashley!

Who knows, I believe I have time for one more occupational endeavor! Maybe between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. Who knows!

Have a great day! I'm going back to play, I mean work!

update

This is my 5 month photo update. At the moment I am down to 218 pounds, and well on my way to goal. I'm feeling really good about the way things are going and don't regret this surgery one bit.

This next picture is a composite of me starting at 362 pounds, down to 218 pounds. In pictures I can see a difference. In my mind, I'm still the fat kid. I know that it takes a while for the mind to catch up with the body. I just hope it happens quickly!



I hope everyone has a great day!

Fun Friday

New Wearable Feedbags Let Americans Eat More, Move Less

As we watch our weight and shape diminish, someone comes up with an idea to make eating easier! This was just meant as a weekly funny!

How much is too much?

How much is too much?

At what point do you decide that you have lost too much? Don’t worry, I’m not there yet, but believe it or now, I am getting close.

Dr. Dyer suggested that 180 pounds would be a great goal weight for me. Right now I am at 218 pounds. So, I’m only 38 pounds away from my Doc’s goal weight. Right now, I would feel great at about 195. Why that number, I don’t really know other than it would be below 200!

I’m sure a lot of you are hearing the same thing, but it gets old! Everyday people ask me, “How much more do you plan on losing?” My pat answer is not to much more. At church the little old ladies say, “You’ve lost too much; you’ll blow away in a strong wind”. I usually come back with, “It’s been a while since I’ve been flying, so just watch me soar!”

R.J. even got in the act the other day. He told me I’ve lost too much; the veins in my head are showing! But then again, he only sees the veins when he’s made me mad, or didn’t follow an instruction!

Right now, I feel good. I will probably feel good if I lose more. But my question is this, “How much is too much?”

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Pics from Saturdays Walk !

My faithful walking buddy! Chi Chi!

I just thought this was an interesting note about todays society. Why do we hate?

Just a chillin!

Purple Beauties!

A sea serpent in East Nashville? Who would a thunk it!

This rose just found a cool place to grow.

Purple and white!

Just beautiful!

I hope each and everyone of you get out, take a walk, and just enjoy the beauty of your neighborhood!