MRI Machines Are NOT My Friend

Most people who know me are aware of the fact I am very scared of heights as well as being a little claustrophobic. OK maybe a lot claustrophobic. Being in small contained spaces is not my idea of fun. This makes flying one of my least favorite pastimes given the fact I'm very high up and contained in a metal tube. Elevators are also not on my list of favorite things. Those fears aren't completely irrational, I mean planes DO crash and elevators DO get stuck from time to time. At least there is some logic to those fears. What isn't logical is my fear of MRI machines.

MRI machines are located on the ground. They aren't moving and there are technicians at the ready if I need anything. This morning was the 4th MRI I have had, 3 of which have come in the last 10 months. Chris is allowed to come in the room with me and hold my hand if I so desire. You would think I would be a pro by now. You would think I didn't need to take a Valium to calm my nerves. You would think I could make it through the 30 or so minutes without Chris needing to stand right there to reassure me. You would think that by now I would not be convinced that darn machine was just going to swallow me up. Well you would be wrong.

I wonder things like "what if the power goes out" "what if there's an earthquake" "what if I can't breathe." The list goes on. Fortunately this is where the Valium comes in handy. It helps me not really give a crap about those things.

Today's MRI was no different than the others. I didn't get swallowed up by the machine. The power didn't go out, there wasn't an earthquake. PHEW! I did however get REALLY hot. They always cover you in blankets cause they keep the rooms pretty cold. There is also a fan inside the machine but with the blankets it limits airflow. Today there was ZERO airflow and I got hotter and hotter. This did almost put me into panic mode. Luckily I was able to have the technician pull me out for a quick second to remove the blankets. Relief. Cooled right down and enjoyed the fan blowing on me the rest of the time.

Hopefully nothing has changed since my last MRI and I'm good to go for another year.

Canucks, Breweries and Sequined Jersey Dresses

So I just wrote a post about our afternoon and evening with some good friends from Canada and I lost it when the app closed on me. So now you just get a shortened summary.

Enjoyed a great dinner and visit in Laconner, WA at the Laconner Brewing Company. After dinner we hit up the outlets so Chris could get new shoes from Adidas. He got two pairs. But more importantly Carly found the most beautiful dress I have ever seen. I really should have bought it. So SO PRETTY. Don't ya think?

Good times, good friends.

The end!!

Happy Birthday

Today was Chris's birthday. I am so very happy and blessed to have such a great man to spend my life with. Here's to 35 more years. I love you.

The Princess And Her Doctor

Every year Chris and I say "next year for halloween we are going to go to a fun party and have great costumes." Every year we accomplish neither.

What usually ends up happening is throwing together something at the last minute so we can at least be in costume for when the kids come begging for candy. Last year Chris dressed up as Eric Wedge the manager of the Seattle Mariners. I was Brobee from Yo Gabba Gabba. This year Chris was a doctor. Dr. S. Presseaux. He fixes espresso machines for Starbucks. Get it? I was Princess Peach from Mario. Yes you read that right. I was a princess.

We actually had way more kids than I thought we would this year. About 63 to be exact. The little ones are always my favorite. I think the best of the night was a little girl about 5 with her brother about 7 and as Chris opens the door she says "Rick or Reet." Her brother immediately looks at her and starts laughing, then she starts laughing. It was so cute and so funny.

After all the "rick or reeters" were done, Princess Peach and her handsome doctor went out for a late dinner to Applebees and yes we wore our costumes. Haha.

Oh and I guess I'm taking part in this years NaBloPoMo which requires me to post every day for the month of November. I'm up to the challenge so stay tuned for 30 days of endless entertainment.

Who Wants to Feed a Giraffe?

A few weeks ago Chris and I went to Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon. The highlight of the weekend for me was getting to feed this giraffe named Hidari. I had been looking forward to it for weeks. After a slight bump in the road and having to return the following day we finally got to feed him. It. Was. Awesome. One of the coolest experiences of my life.

Bucket List

I have never been one to make such lists. I generally like to just take life as it comes at me. A fly by the seat of your pants sorta girl if you will. I have never been the most adventurous person, I have no desire to bungee jump, jump out of a plane, climb the side of a mountain etc. As I got to thinking about it more I have realized that having a bucket list doesn't mean I have to be adventurous to the point of hanging off the side of a bridge by a rope or putting my life in the hands of a parachute that knowing my luck wouldn't deploy.

Karl Pilkington of all people has got me to thinking about all of this. Who is Karl Pilkington you ask? Well, he is only one of my most favorite people. No, I have never met Karl but I don't really think I need to. Every week we get to tune in to Science Channel and watch him embark on adventures that perhaps weren't of his choosing, but adventures none the less. Some of which us regular folk could only dream of. Karl is the star of the series An Idiot Abroad. It started last season when we saw Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant sit back and watch with us as Karl traveled to see The New Seven Wonders of the World. As much as Karl has NO desire to travel and leave the comforts of his home in England he is a good sport of all the ridiculous things he is made to do along the way. I would guess that after all is said and done, he is thankful for some of the experiences and people he has met. This season is called An Idiot Abroad 2: The Bucket List in which Karl embarks on the ultimate trip of things to do before you die. This is by no means Karl's bucket list. I am pretty sure his would consist of tea and scones at his own house. If you have never heard of or seen this show I highly suggest you check it out. It is good stuff.

So as I said, this all got me to thinking what would be on my bucket list. Here is just some of what I have come up with so far.

1. Travel to Scotland (where I was born), Italy, Germany and Africa
2. Learn Italian. I don't know why but it has always been something I have wanted to do.
3. Run a marathon
4. Write a book
5. Learn to play the guitar

What's on your bucket list?

Diners and Drives

One of my favorite things to do is to just get in the car and go for a drive with no destination. Chris, on the other hand likes a plan. He likes to know where he is going and how long it is going to take to get there. Fortunately he is willing to bend his rules once in a while.

Yesterday afternoon we were just sitting around and I suggested we go for a drive and get something to eat a little diner we had just seen on the latest episode of Little People Big World. Chris agreed and we headed out with the dog and headed out to the country. It is just so darn pretty here, I really love it. I could drive around for hours and hours and never tire of the scenery.

After about an hour of driving and chatting we ended up at our lunch/dinner destination the Cruise In Country Diner. Just a little hole in the wall place that was so good. I actually tried buffalo for the first time and it was really good. I had the buffalo burger and Chris enjoyed a chili burger. We will definitely be going back.

I didn't take any pictures on our drive, which is odd for me. But we did snap the picture above of these guys getting their coffees at the diner to go.

After eating we headed to a regular spot for walking Belle and then ended our adventure with some ice cream treats. I love afternoons like that.

What is everyone else up to this weekend?.

The Importance of Setting Goals, Achieving Them and Rewarding Yourself.

My struggle with my weight is no secret. I am not sure what happened. I was not overweight as a child and I was athletic as a teenager. In fact, I was skinny almost all my life. Sure I can track my weight gain to significant events in my life like the passing of my mum in 1996 to cancer. I have yet to meet an overweight person who is that way for the fun of it. There is always an underlying issue. While I can say that that one event in my life had a huge part in how I got here, I have yet to figure out why I am still here. Fear of failure? Not enough belief in myself? I am sure there are many reasons, but at some point you just need to say to hell with it. Stop making excuses, stand up and make a change. Sounds simple enough. Maybe it is.

I have had so many ah ha moments but none of them ever seem to stick. I lost over 50 pounds a few years back but the minute I stopped focusing on the task at hand I had gained half of that weight back and fell right back in to my old habits. Why was I successful in the first place that time around? I made goals, I kept track of everything. I had a plan and it was working. The minute I stopped keeping all of it right in front of me my success was halted. Then I got discouraged and ended right back at the starting line.

I am a big fan of the show The Biggest Loser. It has changed and saved so many lives over the years. Every season I watch and vow that it will also be my time to get myself on track. I look at some of these people who are broken and willing to stand on a scale for the world to see. In a very public way they are willing to shed the layers of whatever it is that got them to that place. Sure having the best fitness trainers in the world training you helps. Having a kitchen stocked with all the healthy food you need to succeed helps. And for sure the constant eye of America on you and the chance at 250,000 dollars is enough to push anyone to success. But at the end of the day they are no different than me. They just happened to have that platform to give them that extra push. Would that be nice? Of course. But the reality is that The Biggest Loser isn't the path for all of us. But it certainly doesn't mean we can't take the things we learn from watching and apply it to our own lives. And it most definitely doesn't mean I should sit on my lazy butt and watch it while stuffing something unhealthy in my mouth.

I struggle with motivation. Which when I really think about it makes no sense to me. My health for starters should be motivation enough. I have had 2 cancer scares in the last few years, one of which is very recent. Chris and I would like to start a family sometime in the next few years. And honestly I am just really tired of feeling tired and not having energy. I am tired of this that and the other thing hurting. I am really tired of not being able to buy and wear some of the clothes I want to wear. Yes, Lane Bryant has some nice clothes and yes I shop there. But the reality is I don't want to have to shop there.


Stand up and finish what you started! - Bob Harper 


I have started this journey SO many times the last 10 years and not one of those times have I finished. I have to believe that this will be the time I get it together and I finish. I have revamped my list of goals and rewards which I will post on here in the next couple of days. I know this isn't going to happen overnight, it is a work in progress. I fully give any of you permission to push me in any way you think I need it.

This HAS to be my AH HA moment. I am ready for this and I want this. 


Believe in yourself, trust the process, change forever! - Bob Harper