Who is Guyon and why do I care?!

I have been super MIA, I know.  So much has been going on!  My work is starting its busy season and we just completed the whole refi process!  Yay on saving money :)

Also, I haven't really mentioned it before... but I am now a few treatments in with a physical therapist.

When I was about 11 years old, I had a sports surgeon tell me that by the time I was 30, I would be lucky if I had any movement in my hands or wrists.  He told me specifically that if I did not quit gymnastics immediately, I would be lucky to do ANYTHING in the future with my hands!  As in write, hold things, play tennis... ANYTHING.   I was devastated.  Being 11 and already having 7 broken bones behind me, I thought that I was tougher than that.  I wasn't going to give up just because some doctor told me I should.  (4 broken bones later and 2 elbow surgeries, I finally learned my lesson)

Enter 28 years old and on to the good old 29....

I started noticing that my right hand was cramping pretty regularly.  I then started to lose the strength in it and was dropping stuff on accident all the time.  It got so bad that if I could make it through an entire day and only drop 2 things, I was thrilled! I started researching online and of course did what you are never supposed to do: self diagnosed through WebMD.  I mean, it is hard to look anything up on WebMD and not come out with some sort of fatal illness.  But... it kept coming up with the same thing .... a condition similar to carpal tunnel (just in a different area of the wrist and hand) known as Guyon's Canal and is related to the ulnar nerve.... All the research online stated the same thing... "Get it fixed or it will get worse!"  ... and believe me, the last thing I want is hand surgery!

 source

Aww geez... the 11 year old gymnast in me is pissed. 

So I made an evaluation appointment with a doctor that had been suggested to me by some reliable sources.  After some muscle testing, xrays, and stress tests... turns out it is indeed the same condition I self-diagnosed on WebMD.  The nerves have been damaged and is causing the issues with my right hand, wrist and arm.  Dang. 

However, there is light at the end of the tunnel.  He thinks the nerve issues are also related to my neck.  So he is working on getting my spine back in place and making the vertebrae back in their proper position instead of their current position... which believe me, is totally whack!  Truth. So I'm pumped!  Not pumped about the time and cost but VERY pumped about the changes I am already noticing!  I don't wake up in pain throughout the night!  I have only dropped ONE thing in the last week! (That's a record)... AND I'm getting everything fixed now to reduce long term damage!

Who knows?!  Maybe this 3 month hiatus from all things workout related will be over soon!

I am always so fascinated by how the body is connected.  And I am thrilled to have a doctor that is really going above and beyond to make sure it is fixed.... and fixed correctly!  I even had a treatment today.  Man oh man, am I sore!  


Have you ever been told not to do something and then hated when it slapped you across the face? ;)

Genius?

I think so ;)

Wakey, Wakey... Eggs and Bac-ey

It's been almost a year and a half since I have had any dairy or meat other than fish.  That is a LONG time.  It has truly been an adventure and I wouldn't go back unless it was absolutely necessary.  The changes I have felt in my own body are phenomenal!  No more throwing up.  No more constant pain in my stomach.  No more worrying about where the nearest bathroom is.  It's been a life changer.

That being said, I have been surprised by what cravings quickly diminished and which ones refuse to let go and are hanging on for dear life.  Going into my diet change, I was a cheese addict!  Like serious cheese lover.  As in, I could eat a WHOLE bag of cheese cubes in a single sitting.  Truth. 

I was positive that not having cheese would be the end of the world.  Little did I know that I wouldn't even miss it!  Not one bit.  The thought of cheese actually grosses me out the majority of the time.  Who would have thought?! 

BUT... there are 2 things that I seriously struggle with .... Eggs and Bacon.  Oh sweet breakfast food and all its glory! 

I have always been an egg lover!  Fried, scrambled, hard-boiled, poached, deviled.... all divine!  But of  all the dairy-ish items...turns out I am seriously allergic to eggs.  I had tried going eggless in the past but it never changed my gut issues... But now I am definitely seeing the intensity of this allergy.  As in, I can't eat breaded eggplant if they use egg in the breading.  Sad. 

The other source of Sunday brunch sadness is Bacon.  Oh, beloved bacon.  Surprisingly, the thing that keeps me from eating bacon is this terrible situation...

Yet, according to the Humane Society, this is the year of the pig!  Please go read more here.  Changing their situation is necessary and they have made huge strides over the past year.  

So more than anything for Mr. Pig, pay attention to where your food comes from!  Educate yourself!  And buy local as much as possible.  

And on a side note>  always try to go for Grass-Finished beef... not Grass-Fed. 

Grass-finished is much more strict and generally means the cow was fattened on grass for the 90 to 160 days before slaughter.  Grass-fed means just that... a cow was fed grass... however, the length of time it had grass and the rest of its meals could have been conventional.  (Pending more defined terms via legislation) ... Most grass-fed cows are finished on grain/corn during those 90-160 days. 

So to finish this random little post... I will leave you with one of my favorite facebook memes....

awww.... bacon. *sigh*

Fil-A Fiascos and General Absurdities

Alright friends... I am generally not political on public forums.  (Unless you follow me on twitter... for which I apologize, I can't help myself).  That being said, I have had it up to HERE with all the ridiculousness that surrounds presidential elections. 

I will not get all preachy on you because I have my opinions and you obviously have yours.  (Or at least you should).... Instead, I request that you make yourself informed and do your civic duty of voting in the election. 

Search out resources outside of the norm.  Don't only listen to one news source.  Even listen to the "other-side" to get an idea of what stances and beliefs they consider to be the most important. More than ever, it's our future and the future of our children that are determined with each election.   Be informed.  Make opinions.  And even donate to the candidate you support!  I know first hand from working on a campaign that money (unfortunately) can make it or break it. 

If you are unsure about each candidate's stance on the numerous issues, please visit: http://www.isidewith.com/

The site has an in-depth quiz asking your opinion on each issue and then pairs you with the candidates that share your beliefs.  Each question even has an option to "Choose another Stance" which opens several other answers or allows you to enter your own. 

I always knew I was an Obama girl ....

.... (much to my family's chagrin) even though I have disagreed with every agricultural decision he has made... specifically when it comes to GMOs.  I assumed I would score high with Ron Paul, score 50% with Obama and not with Romney at all .... the results of my quiz surprised me... 

So dear friends - take the quiz, stay informed and remember to VOTE! :)

Mommy's little Slugger ...

The reunion weekend I just posted about here was also a special weekend for my family. I was able to co-host a shower for my sister and my future nephew, Ryder.  My sis is a full time manager for a national company which means she is always traveling to work with her reps in the field. I was thrilled she was actually going to be in town the same weekend I was there for my reunion.

My cousin and I had discussed the room decor with my sister and determined a theme: vintage baseball.   Her husband was a catcher in high school and loves the Kansas City Royals....  I then spent a few hours Pinteresting my butt off and narrowed it down to a few ideas. My cousin is an amazing hostess so I knew going into it that this would be a cute shower :) She made the fun invitations ....

... and I finalized the food.  We rolled the turkey and ham so the sandwiches looked like mini-hotdogs.  The picture isn't as cute as they were in person, but you get the idea :)

The end result was perfect! The shower was classy just like my sister wanted :) I happen to be currently obsessed with mason jars so I was thrilled that they went along with our theme. My cousin and her girls tied the twine with the tag on each glass .... Such a cute result....

The cake was beautiful... 

And the decorations were incredible thanks again to my amazing cousin, Jaime.... 

One of my favorite touches was my idea to fill the jars with baseballs... Love how it turned out (thanks to my aunt for collecting all of them!)

 My sister was genuinely excited and impressed with all of the fun touches. I was so blessed to have such amazing family help out with the food and decor ... Especially my cousin Jaime who is über talented in all things "hostess" :)

Can't wait to meet Ryder when we go home for Christmas!

me, my sis, my mom and my niece

a Not-so-Romy-&-Michelle's High School Reunion ...

Sigh ..... here, let me do it again .... SIGH .....

That is how I feel after Reunion Weekend 2012!  Yes folks, I just completed the much anticipated 10 Year High School Reunion.  Not only was I an enthusiastic participant in all the events ... I was on the planning committee for the darn thing!  

After months and months of phone calls, emails, facebooking, stalking, and all out stressing... it finally happened!  And let me just tell you, it was fabulous! :)

FRIDAY:
The weekend started with a sponsored Happy Hour at a local martini lounge in our hometown.  We didn't know how many people would come to this optional event but we reserved two rooms (for free) and hoped for the best.  Well, it was PACKED! So many people came out to have drinks and chit-chat.  I had the first "shift"... which meant we got there at 7pm to make sure people knew which rooms were ours.  By 11:30, my husband and I decided it was about to get weird (drunkies everywhere) and peaced out.

SATURDAY:
Saturday morning, we hosted a school tour.  The school has changed SO much since good old 2002.

My graduating class.... I am front and center because I was a class officer.  Hilarious.

They have high-tech/fancy white boards, lecture halls, and an entire new Freshman Academy.  (The freshmen now have their own building where they spend all their time, except for electives).  Crazy.  Not to mention, they now have an ENTIRE building for Cheer and Pom!  To say I was jealous is a total understatement!  It was incredible!

The new weight room in the basement of the building is now a weight room for all sports.  

I got teary eyed when I saw they still has Todd's plaque on the wall

2 months before the accident

Saturday afternoon, J and I were able to make it to OKC to see a dear friend's new addition to her family... little miss Cora Rose!

Lisa and I have been friends for what seems like forever!  So the fact that she gave birth to Cora while we were in OK, was such a treat!

Lisa's 16 bday!

post giving birth to sweet Cora :)

J and I had also never met her handsome new fiance, Chad.  It was so much fun seeing them together and getting to meet her little girl :)  I spent most of the time trying not to get tears all over Cora.  She is just beautiful!

Saturday night was the main event!  We rented out a facility in OKC... complete with a cash bar and free appetizers... and the most exciting part of the night... a photobooth!  We paid for the photobooth so all the pictures were free for everyone!  It was definitely the highlight of the night.

Layne

Lindsey

Molly

I was in charge of the out-of-towners board ...

... and the playlist!  I got so many compliments on my song selections!  I put hours into that playlist and finally narrowed it down to just over 7 hours of music.  Happy everyone like it :)

I had such a good time with my high school friends and my husband was such a trooper!  I was laughing with a friend from middle school that night that our roles were reversed.  I imagine that he felt similar to how I have felt at the last 5 years of shows.  Trying to be accommodating but also trying to have fun and be social.  He was a trooper for sure!  It was fun to have him really see my "high school life" ... if that makes sense.

J's name-tag

I definitely feel the reunion went the best possible way... and was better than I was expecting.  (Although, I don't recommend eating sushi before a reunion... doesn't really soak up anything if you know what I mean) ...

The past 7 months of planning and stressing were totally worth the amount of fun I had during the events!  Hoping that the rest of my ladies are able to make it to our 20th Reunion.  I sure did miss having them there.

from our Senior Yearbook 2002

Well, cheers to Reunion Weekend 2012!   If I could describe it in one word.... EPIC :)

Birthday Success - the big 2.9.

Wow! Things have been totally crazy in "Meg & J World" ... We just wrapped up my week long birthday celebration. Yes we celebrate for an entire week. It's tradition. I felt a little weird about turning 29.  Last year of the twenties.  Such a weird idea.  30 doesn't seem like that big of a deal but 29 is just flat out... well... WEIRD.

I've mentioned it before but I am a holiday fanatic. I always have been. I was born on 4th of July so I think being thrilled about holidays is just naturally ingrained into my being. And when I say "thrilled" ... I really mean a-totally-obsessive-holiday-loving-freakazoid. For real. 

 My birthday week started the best way possible: watching the Avett Brothers perform in downtown SLC. They are my absolute favorite! 

I may have cried during the show out of complete joy and awe. Maybe. 

 
 Friday, my sweet friend took me to a bday lunch at Squatters. Thanks Charissa!! It was so fun catching up and having girl time. Friday night and Saturday night consisted of watching my husband's band perform.

If you haven't been to his show yet, you are missing out! Such a handsome man I married ;) 

 Sunday, we went to Lagoon like every other Sunday. Roller coasters. Skeeball. Beer. Doesn't get any better than that ;)

Tuesday was my Birthday date night: Benihana and The Red Door! We've gone there every year for each of our birthdays!  And our anniversaries! :) It's tradition.

  J got me my number 1 item on my list ... An iPad. I have been desperately needing one for my work events but never thought I would actually get one!  I am actually blogging from it now. Thank you J! And my parents bought me this much coveted necklace I found on Etsy... #SoonerBornSoonerBred :)

Our good friend (and old roommate) made the drive up from Vegas to spend the holiday with us. And she brought me vegan donuts. (Pun intended) .... I may have gotten all teary about it. Maybe.

It's a long standing tradition in my family to have donuts on the 4th of July.  Every year, my mom would go set up chairs at the parade bright and early to save seats for everyone.  My dad would swing by the donut shop and my sis would swing by Sonic ... we would end up having a donut and Sonic-drink feast while watching the parade.  I'm big on traditions if you can't tell ;)



The 4th-my actual birthday! We started at the Sugarhouse 4th of July Arts Festival and then headed over to Rio Tinto for the Real Salt Lake vs. Seattle Sounders game. We tailgated just like last year.

While tailgating, I got word that my long time friend had gone into labor and had a sweet little 4th of July girl. a Firecracker Baby

I was so blessed to have some of my amazing friends in attendance at the tailgate! It was scorching hot the entire time so I was impressed how long we braved the heat.  And by braved, I of course mean tried not to pass out from heat exhaustion ... my husband kept saying "Open your eyes! Your eyes are closed!" ha.  It was hot!

My sweet friend Jessie even made me Vegan cupcakes :) ... Which were incredible!

 Not to mention, I had my very own Birthday Crunk-Cup.... believe it.

 The fireworks after the game were incredibly beautiful!! I loved how they programmed them to the music! I have always been a little bit in love with fireworks. (as in, I told my husband there is a company that will take your cremated remains and put them in a firework... Morbid. Maybe. But I will go out with a bang!) ;) I may have even cried during the firework show. Maybe. (geez, what's wrong with me - I am such a sap!)

Weeping Willow Fireworks are my favorite!! Unsure of the real name, but whatever :)

 After the fireworks, everyone came back to our house for dessert and sparklers. It was definitely one of my favorite birthdays yet!!

Thanks to the Sanders for this AMAZING wine bottle holder!  I am in love.

Thank you thank you thank you to my husband, my parents and my wonderful friends for making it so special!! I love y'all bunches!! And you are way better to me than I deserve.

Here's to my last year in my twenties... I hope I live it to the fullest and tackle each new adventure with a smile on my face.

 Alright 29... let's do this!