Woooo Hard Post To Share!

Happy New Year.  I know a lot of us try to make those new year's resolutions with the hopes of achieving them.  Mine every year for the last 20 years has been weight loss.  This is something I have struggled with for a long time.

I had a hysterectomy at age 35 and went into immediate menopause.  Not good to start menopause at age 35!  I also have thyroid disease that has my metabolism down to zero.  So on top of not eating healthy and these health factors I have struggled with my weight for a long time.

I have tried every diet ever put out there.  I alway start the year out with eating better and starting back to the gym only to lose momentum after a few months.  Frustration of not losing anymore than 15 to 20 lbs at any one time with any diet and exercise, I was soooo frustrated.

Then this past year Terry and I decided to do something surgically for the weight loss.

 I am going to share our stories with you but this by no means  is the best solution for everyone.  Everyone is different and has different issues and this should not be done lightly.

Here are some before pics of us.

Last Year at Disney in May 2015

Hard for me to look at these pictures of us.

 Terry was weighing in at 300 lbs and I was at a whopping 268lbs.  Yep this 5'3" body was carrying around a lot of extra baggage!!!!! Wow this is the first time I could actually write those numbers down for everyone to see.

We then decided to have a procedure called Gastric Sleeve.  It is similar to Gastric bypass but not as radical.  You do not lose your whole stomach with gastric sleeve like you do with gastric bypass.  With still having your stomach just smaller you can absorb important nutrients and vitamins that need to be done in the stomach.  So in a nut shell they go in laparoscopically and remove a major part of your stomach and leave you with a thin banana size stomach.

So we under went 3 months of preparation. Diet counseling, psychological counseling, saw our regular doctor on a monthly basis before being allowed this surgery procedure.  They do prepare you physically and mentally for this surgery.

Terry had his surgery done October of last year and has lost 100 lbs and I had my surgery in May of last year and now have lost 68lbs and am still losing.  

This is a picture taken right before Christmas a few weeks ago.  We are feeling better and healthy and finally after so many years of struggling with weight issues we are both at a better place.

Something finally worked for both of us and is continuing to work even months after the surgery.
I debated on sharing this on my blog since it is a very personal and very emotional journey for us.
Just thought maybe this might help someone that is struggling with health issues due to being over weight and they have tried all conventual diets and have not had success.

Being a nurse I know if I kept that weight on I was heading down a road to many health issues.  Diabetes, heart disease run in both sides of my family.
So this was the right decision for me.
Like I said this is not the answer for everyone but it was for us.    I do not endorse any surgeon or any of the companies out there that advertise for this type of weight loss.

We went with a safe and very experienced surgeon very renowned in this weight loss field before we made our choice to do this.
Just happy for the first time in many years to not have to make the resolution to try a new diet and exercise knowing deep down I will succeed for a little while only to struggle with gaining the weight back.

Even with this procedure you still have to exercise and make healthy food choices.  I still am a stress eater and crave the sugar when emotional.   This is not a easy fix to a big problem.  I still struggle with my weight but feel like for the first time I can actually keep going and get the weight off.


Now my New Year's resolution is to continue to exercise and eat better and continue on to my weight loss.  My weight loss is much slower than Terry's but Men are always the easy over achievers with weight loss!!!!  So I am being kind to myself and keep telling myself to be patient and keep moving forward.

My hope of sharing this personal journey of mine with all of you might just help someone out there that is struggling like I did.

Thank you for letting me share my weight loss journey with you.
Kris
:)

Found Treasures for a Happy New Year Give Away

As we get ready to say good bye to 2015 and hello to 2016 I have been packing and getting ready for closing on Junk Chic Cottage at the end of January.  

Packing up and bubble wrapping my chippy's that I will hopefully have a new cottage to put them in soon.

Lots of packing to do!

Lot's of these boxes everywhere!

The good news is that while I was cleaning, sorting, organizing and packing I found two of these wine purse's left from my girlfriend party.  So lucky you.  I am going to do a give away of these two bags.

All you have to do is leave me a comment! Yep that's it!  Easy Peasy!  I will throw all your names in a hat (or most likely a moving box lol!) and will draw two out.

So if you would like one of these cute wine purses just leave me a comment below.  If you are a no reply blogger please leave me your email so I can get a hold of you if your name is picked.

These are insulated so they would make for a fabulous lunch tote too.  Every girl needs a wine purse right?!!!!

As we head on down to Happy 2016 I want to wish all of you a new year full of wonderful blessings and much inspiration.

Happy 2016!
Kris
:)

Cute for New Years Eve

Hi Everyone.  Hope your Christmas was wonderful.  I so enjoyed having my family around for the holiday.  With firefighters and nurses in the family to have everyone one together for a holiday is almost a never.  This year I was blessed with them all being off and we could all be together.

Best gift under the tree for me.

I saw this while I was on pinterest and thought it was so cute I would share it here with all of you for a little New Year's fun idea.

Create.Craft.Love

Yep this cute free printable and just taking Hersey's Kisses tied off in a small gift bag.  Just too cute I had to share it and the link.

Have a wonderful week.  I am taking time this week to spend with family.  Last week of the year.

Hope you enjoy this week as we head down to the new year.

Happy New Year!

Love, hugs and chocolate kisses,

Kris

:)

HOPE

Wishing all of you a wonderful Christmas.

Hope you get one of these for Christmas!!!

source/zsazsabellagio blogspot

Hope you have a place like this to enjoy it!!


 There will be no Spotlight this week with Christmas.  We all need to enjoy family and friends and then take a big nap!!!

Have a great holiday week end.
Kris
:)

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas

May peace and love be the best gifts you receive this year.  I am taking this week off from blogging to enjoy my family and my last Christmas in Junk Chic Cottage.
Thank you for all your visits and special gift of friendship shared through out the year.
Have a wonderful holiday.
Kris

Saturday Spotlight: Life Behind the Blogger

Vel from Life and Home at 2102

 Saturday Spotlight: Life Behind the Blogger is a feature done each Saturday that introduces you to a blogger you may already know or a new blogger for you to get to know. This feature gives you a peak into the personal life of the blogger.  Getting to know the special person behind the beautiful blog.

There is so much talent and inspiration in blogland so enjoy getting to know these talented bloggers each Saturday.

Happy Saturday everyone.  This week in Spotlight I have Vel from Life and Home at 2102.  You will love getting to know about Vel and her sweet family and then be sure to hop over to her wonderful blog.  Vel is so sweet, creative and her blog and  social media sites do not disappoint.  Enjoy.

Hello everyone!

I hope your Holiday season is off to a great start!

I am so pleased to be featured here today at Junk Chic Cottage!

Thank you very much for this opportunity to tell you a little something about me and my little blog Kris!

LINK HERE

For those of you who do not know me, I am VEL CRISTE, Mom, wife, Kiddie-doc and 'frustrated' decorator who loves all things design for the home and on myself! ;-)

I started the blog in 2011 as a way to share what has been going on in our lives, to friends and family back home in the Philippines where we're originally from.

Banawe Rice Terraces - One of the famous sites in our country

My passion for fixing up our foreclosed home ended up being both a fun, therapeutic and challenging thing for us since the Blog pushed us to do so much more than we ever thought we could!

Like our Kitchen Renovation HERE

Our efforts in making our house a home , at least a small room was, even featured  in THIS OLD HOUSE MAGAZINE!

Find out about it HERE

But enough about the blog, and let's talk a little more about me and my family.

The Center of my universe

My husband and I met in college, pre-med back in the Philippines.
We got married as soon as we finished med school and had our first born very soon after.
With a growing family to support, and while I was finishing up on my Pediatric Residency in the Philippines, he decided to try his luck here in the U.S. He eventually got into research at the CLEVELAND CLINIC in Ohio where I eventually gave birth to my second son right around the time I finished my training in the Philippines! hew!

My husband then pursued his Neurology Residency training at Northwestern Memorial in Chicago and I took the foreign medical licensure exam, which by the way, consisted of 4 different exams, in a span of 1 year ( that was really tough since remember I just had my second baby too!)!

source

I remember praying a lot more during those times since I was so stressed out about so many things going on in my life - the exams, pressure to pass and do good, taking care of my baby and also moving to another country!
But I was faithful to my prayer and told God that if He really wanted all these things for me, He would "make it Easy" for me to see that. And you know what? HE DID!

source

God helped me PASS ALL MY EXAMS with flying colors and He even allowed me to easily bring my son's nanny with us to the U.S. ( a very rare circumstance ) so we would have some help with the kids and for me to pursue another round of training in Pediatrics at Mt. Sinai in Chicago!
That was a  very clear sign for me and I had no doubts from then on that life would only get better.

Nine years after my second son was born, at the ripe ol' age of 40, I had another wonderful surprise...

Our daughter Sophia

I couldn't ask for anything more in our lives right now. God has provided so much blessings, that asking for more is just being "greedy " I think (Although I always pray for happiness and health for my family and friends all the time still). But I know and believe, that we will always be in need of GOD and His graces all our lives and beyond, so I will continue to pray, live my life the best way I could and enjoy the blessings and talent He has bestowed upon me.

I hope I didn't sound too preachy, but I think you should know the real story of how we ended up in our new home country, and how I try to continue to make the best of everything we have, and to try to share it in my own way, not just for my family, but to all my friends ( on and offline) as well!

I wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

P.S. I just wrapped up my CHRISTMAS HOME TOUR HERE, if you have the time, please, do check it out! :-)

XOXO,

VEL


Thank you Vel for letting us get to know you on a more personal level.    Hope your shopping, wrapping, baking is going great as we head on down to the big day.
Have a good week end.
Kris
:)

Day Two of the Tidings Holiday Housewalk

Thank you for all your wonderful comments left for my post and the others that were in the Tidings Holiday House Tour for December 15th.  Now it is time for Day two of this wonderful Tour.

Enjoy the next bloggers on the tour today.  Thank you for coming by and seeing all the wonderful inspiration.

Thank you Cathy and Judy for organizing the tour of bloggers homes.

December 16th tours:

Kathy's Cottage

Anne's Attic Design

Cherry Hill Cottage

On Crooked Creektt

Sweet Cottage Dreams

Welcome to the Tidings Holiday House Walk.  Enjoy touring my home today and then hop over to tour the others listed below:

December 15th tours:

Junk Chic Cottage

1929 Charmer Cottage

20 North Ora

Ash Tree Cottage

Art and Sand

Welcome to my holiday home tour.  This year my theme was "less is more"!   My holiday decor is simple, white and serene.  Enjoy the tour.

Entry Way 

Flocked tree with mini twinkle lights at night.

I keep my love of gardening in my winter decor.

My beautiful bird I got from Dore gifted me from Burlapluxe last year.  Love her beautiful artistic creations.

Angelic chippy whites.

Love the peace and serenity that angels give to my holiday decor.  I love to surround myself with peaceful angels.

Beautiful angel wings I got from Diana at Sissie's Shabby Cottage this year.  So beautiful.  Her Etsy site.

Beautiful Angel wings adorn many places in my decor this year.

White, chippy and angels.

Simple wreaths on the chippy french doors.

I love to mix my simple salvage pieces in with my holiday decor.

My Hope Christmas tree with all the angels I have collected over the years.

Angel tree sparkles at night.

Thank you for taking the tour of my holiday home.  Please head over to the other blogs on this fabulous holiday home tour.  The inspiration and beauty is amazing.
Happy Holidays
Kris