MEMORIAL DAY 2011 CELBRATION

why do WE (myself and craig) celebrate Memorial Day?
well not to honor its purpose, lol (sorry, but thats the truth)

we met on a memorial day.
and we make sure , every year that we have that chance to celebrate that moment, we do it.

the day we met, we went out to eat. dutch (so craig wouldnt feel like he was dating me), and his favorite MEXICAN place in Columbia, SC.
so, to memorialize that day, we ALWAYS go eat mexican.

this would be my 1st real celebration since my surgery (2 months prior) and i was just at the stage where i could eat real food. i had been eating real food for a little while but we were gonna see how well i did on bigger dinners, and eating out.
id been other places had a salad, or a burger, or something along those lines, but not a full meal.

so, we adventured out.
one thing about not going to a buffet, i can take hm leftovers.

we had , in the past, frequented ON THE BOARDER. as our destination of choice each year. and wed go because when we tell them its our anniversary, they give us a free desert.
but i couldnt do that anymore, because of the amount i can ijest, and the sugar amount in the desert itself.
so, we decided on a much closer destination we frequent: PUBLANOS GRILL

Dinner is the same every time.

i start with an appetizer of "relish" and cheese sauce. i chose the cheese sauce for the extra proteins (NOT the fat)

pretty common that you get free chips and the cheese dip along with  salsa as well. i didnt have the chips. (fillers! a bad NO NO) craig got the entire thing! lol

Craig, enjoying those chips. lol

Me enjoying a carrot chip from my small cup of  "relish". YUM!

Craigs dinner. A Shredded beef Burrito, with sides of, refried beans. Ugh! look at all that fat! high in protein tho! :)

My dinner. A Taco Salad with Ground Beef. comes with A scoop of Sour Cream, and a scoop of Guacamole.i use the cheese sauce and the relish as my dressing. so i dont use anything for extra fat added.

craig enjoying his dinner.

its funny looking at this image of craig and his dinner. i can remember sitting there after i had given up on trying to finish mine (i had about 5 bites and i was full) he can eat that entire plate. i used to be able to do that, and more, now, it just grosses me out to see him consume so much food. cause i cant do it anymore. (6 months out as i write this post, still have the same issue. cant eat nearly the amount i used to)

thats about 5 bites in, and done. couldnt put another bite in there.

proof i had to take the thing home..over half full.

our annual kiss picture. 

thats one happy couple right there. :)

2 month post op full shot picture.

CRAIG, LITTLE GIRL, & BEARDED DRAGONS

our dog, Little Girl LOVES these bearded dragons! she gets all excited  when craig messes with them, and actually upset when he doesnt. (messes with her daily routine, i guess)

so, the day these images were taken, i HAD to capture her and her enthusiasm for these "long Frogs". Little Girl has a thing for licking the toads in our back yard...she LIKES to do it, weird.

anyway, im guessing she likes these beared dragon lizards because they look ALLOT (in the haed area) like a toad. WITHOUT the foaming at the mouth from licking them.

now, the beardies DONT enjoy her as much as she enjoys them. lol

they, actually...HISS at her when shes too close to them..lol

i think she thinks thats a good thing..LOL

heres some pics.

ENJOY!
MICHELLE

craig holding little girl (note the tongue action there, lol) And the Bearded Dragon Lizard (on his shoulder.

Craig LOVES lizards, but he LOVES turtles MORE! lol

Little Girl wanting to visit with the lizard after she was put down, lol

look at craigs face, lol, the lizard was getting tensed up, craig knew he was about to hiss.

i was lucky enough to catch this picture. lizard hisses at Little Girl.

she is adamant about her lizards, lol, shell do anything to visit with them..lol after he was put back, shes still anxious to visit with them. lol hiss or not.

NEWS - TRAIN VS. CAR: VICTIMS GRANDSON SAYS HE WAS AVOIDING VEHICLE

Train v. car: Victim's grandson says he was avoiding vehicle
Friday, May 13, 2011

A Glover Street man says he was trying to avoid another vehicle when his car became stuck on railroad tracks. His grandmother died when the car was hit by a train.

His grandmother, 82-year-old Susan Weatherford, died Friday morning when a train collided with her grandson's vehicle on Sellers Avenue.

Jeremy Weatherford said he wasn't trying to beat the train, but turned on Sellers Avenue on the way to the grocery store when he noticed a blue car stopped ahead of him. He swerved to the right to avoid it and got stuck on the tracks while the blue car went on.

"I thought I was going to die," Weatherford said as he sat in his grandmother's home. He's lived there with her most of his life.

Orangeburg Department of Public Safety Capt. Mike Adams said at that point the driver got out of the car, while Susan Weatherford remained inside. The train is believed to have struck the 1998 Nissan as she was trying to climb out.

Jeremy Weatherford called his grandmother "one of the greatest people I have ever known."

TURTLE PICS

some pitures of the turtles on the kiddie pool a few days after we put them in for the summer of 2011

ENJOY!
MICHELLE

MOTHERS DAY 2011

i look forward to the holidays that are just for me. im selfish. i enjoy celebrating me. :)
so, as always MOTHERS DAY rolls around one more time, and i get to go someplace i dont ususally eat at.

since my surgery (gastric, ive had the gastric sleeve) going out has almost become obsolete, and i really do look forward to the moments when i can celebrate, and i even enjoy it more so, when its all about me, like MOTHERS DAY, or my birthday.

we usually got someplace where craig can have a steak, and daniel can have a burger with bacon on it, and i..because of the surgery, have to look for something low car, low fat, low calorie. which is super hard to do when your eating out.

i had searched online for a restaurant that had a selection that would suit my needs since this surgery.
i ended up at LOGANS ROADHOUSE. they have a blackened fish that was reasonable.

these are pictures from that night. ENJOY! MICHELLE

craigs having fun. hes such a good man. i really do have a very good husband. i am blesses to have found him.

Daniel, never likes to have his picture taken, i have to sneak the photo op when i can. here hes involved in his itouch.

and me. happy mothers day michelle. :)

craigs standard dinner at logans: Steak, Potato, and a side of  skillet apples.

my much healthier meal. Grilled slamon, skewer of season veggies: zucchini, tomato, red onion, and a side of mushrooms

Daniels dinner. Burger without the "stuff" on it. and a side of french fries.

Protein is the priority when i eat anymore. so i ate my salmon 1st, which didnt leave allot of room for those sides, and i ended up having to take them home.

daniel got to eat the desert id have gotten if i hadnt had this surgery. he opted for a pudding desert.

onto the gifts!

CARD:

Front of card: "Your obviously the worlds most perfect mom..."

Inside of Card: " How else would i have turned out so good? " 

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

my reason for this face is because, it was more about daniel (lol) than about me (and it was mothers day, lol)
its all good. i appreciate the card. love it actually. daniel takes great care in finding these moments to reflect on. its too bad he doesnt sign them.

FRONT OF CARD: " Stuff only Boring old parents like us understand"

Date Night: the time parents go out and talk about the kids.
The ones who can drive you the craziest are thos little people you love the most

INSIDE CARD:
That a kiss besides being sweet now has great potential for GROSSING OUT the kids (lol)
That Tag teaming is a great concept in Pro Wrestleing and in kid wrangling
That 'For Better and For Worse" ususally means for worse at 2am in the morning.

MORE INSIDE CARD:
That parenting is the GREATEST ADVENTURE (And Mystery) well ever know....
And its ANYTHING but BORING, with a FUN WONDERFUL WOMAN like you.. (AWWWW!)

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY.

it must run in the family, craig never signs His card either, lol

and with all the expectation of having something truthfully awesome tucked away insode the envelipe, i open it to find it ONLY held the card itself...lol

Mothers Day Swag: 2 'BUBBA" Mugs.

MORE scary movies for my collection!

Logans souvenir : the small bucket the pudding daniel had was in.

daniel enjoying the REAL dessert id have been given had i had the stomach for it. yum!

and the whole reason i even get to celebrate this holiday. the greatest thing that i ever created. i love this kid!

MICHELLE