Happy 27th Birthday!

Hi fellow followers! Just a quick note to let you guys know that my birthday this year was one of the absolute best yet! Whoda thunk that I would be so comfortable in my polished grill on my birthday...honestly it didn't bother me one bit! I'm getting so used to my grill that when it's gone in a few months...It will take some getting used to being without one! I'll probably feel the same way I did when I got them on...Like a complete fool! I'll need to learn to talk in a new way so that I don't spit at anyone! LOL I'm willing to take the risk of re-learning to eat, drink, talk, sing, whatever...as long as I get this grill off! I'm getting so so so excited to get them off now that it's closer :D It will be a little sad because...then what will happen with my blog?? I mean...If this blog is about braces and they come off...then what do I do?! I'll have to create a personal blog I guess...but It won't be the same :(

So for my birthday a few friends came with me to watch the boat races! We left town on Friday night and had a few drinks and appetizers at a lounge. Actually one of my friends and her husband own the lounge so it was nice since we knew them. We chatted up a storm and had a lot of fun! Saturday morning we woke up put our bathing suits on and went to the boat races on the lake! It was like 105 degrees that day...but if you know me, you know I LOVE the heat! So it was the perfect bday present from mother nature! Plus we sat under a tent most of the time.

After the boat races my girls and my grill went to Karissa's house for a nice dip in her pool! It was nice to catch some sun rays...I'm already tan, but after swimming for a few hours I was even more tan! LOL

Later that night we went to have dinner at Bonefish, a seafood place...super yummy food and super duper yummy watermelon martini's! Not made from the watermelon flavoring...but from real watermelon! It was so delish! I'll have to share those pics in my next post...I don't have those on my phone camera which is where these are from.

After dinner we went dancing! It was so much fun to dance with the girls ALL night! I mean to the point where my legs hurt! It was a good workout for sure! Stayed up way past midnight when it was officially my birthday! Girls sang happy birthday to me and we had a shot of Patron to celebrate the occasion...which I hated! But did it anyway...in honor of my 27th year of life! Like I said in my last post, I'm so thankful to God and the world for what it has given me...everything it has offered and thrown my way. I'm just so thankful for life right now that words can not explain how I feel! So if you're reading my blog God, I just want to say THANK YOU FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS AND I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

On Sunday, we drove back home and my mom wanted me to have dinner with her and my brother at her house. She cooked...what's better than mom's homemade enchiladas for dinner? NOTHING! She made enchiladas, had flowers for me, baloons, and a small cake...it was the cutest nicest thing! Of course my mom is an amazing woman anyway...she always knows how to host dinners and I'm blessed and lucky to have her in my life! I'm lucky to have family and friends who surround me and make life even more blessed. So for this small intimate dinner my mom said invite some friends...I'll cook for all of you! So I decided to take my 'special' friend. The one who sent flowers for my birthday. Plus...the girls were already home and they'd spent the last 2 nights with me, so they were off the hook. And I wanted to introduce him to my mom...and what a better time than durring my birthday dinner? So I had mentioned it to him a few days before and he agreed to go. He picked me up at my house around 2:30 then we drove to my moms. We go there around 3:00, mom opened the door and I introduced them. They were both a little nervous...Heck I was nervous! I've never ever taken anyone home to meet my family so this is a huge step for me!

Dinner went well, my sister, her bf, and my younger brother joined us for dinner. It was a great time. They didn't drill him with questions and made him feel comfortable. As comfortable as that situation could be anyway :) After dinner...mom pulls out old photo albums! Of course...you know like when you see in the movies where parents show the guest pictures of you naked in the tub when you were 3?! Yeah...this reallyl actually happened! SWEAR! No pictures of my naked toddler butt, but definetly some embarassing pictures! Then my mother pulls out my Senior graduation pictures! Great! When my mom handed him the third album...I pulled it away and hid it. I said ok...enough embarrasment! I mean I was turning red! LOL other than that...it went well. We left a few hours later, he had a soccer game (he plays for a local leauge) and then we watched a movie. Overall one of the BEST birthday's ever. I was so happy through every moment of it! :) and still am :)

Girls at the boat races:










My cousin Elizabeth...people say we look alike, what do you think?










Oh and I found me a baby! She was the cutest thing ever! Wearing a little swim suit and as adorable as ever!









Very interested in my hat:









And my grill!

Lots of Love,

Claudia :)

Summer Love

I LOVE LOVE LOVE summer time! Not only because it's my birthday, but because I love the heat...I love the warm weather. It makes me a happier person to be in the sun...be outside working on my yard, playing with my dog, hearing kids laughter as they ride their bikes down the street, birds chirping, the smell of my rose bushes, and the beautiful summer nights! If I could have my way...I'd love summer EVERYDAY!

This is my last summer with my grill...and by that I mean the grill in my mouth not the grill I have sitting in my patio! LOL I can't express how excited I am to get these things off this year! And not only that...the fact that I will NOT have to have jaw surgery is even more exciting! My ortho said my chances of surgery were less than 20%! I'm very excited about this news!

Grill and I...Getting our Tans on!

My birthday is this Sunday...I'm really really excited about it! I turn 27! Surprisingly I'm not sad this year...usually my bday's are bitter sweet, I never want to turn a year older. But this year is different, I don't know what it is, I can't fully explain it, I don't fully understand it...but I'm so excited, happy, thankful for every little bit that GOD has given me! and that includes another year of life...even if it means I'm getting older...I don't care!! Because I was blessed enough to live another year, blessed enough to walk, talk, breath, sleep, work, spend time with family, live, love, learn....EVERYTHING!

Birthday Cupcakes made by a co-worker:

Flowers/Balloons...and even CAKE delivered by a special someone ;)

I'm even grateful and thankful for all of the hard times that have come this past year. And trust when I say my 26th year was one of the toughest yet. I had some pretty deep dark moments, that only those close to me know about. But you know what? I came out a survivor...A better person. I look at life differently, I appreciate and value all of the little things around me from the sun setting...to the piece of broken glass on the sidewalk.

I've also been lucky enough to experience feelings I've never felt before...for another person. It amazes me that it's possible for someone else to make me feel things I've never felt before. It's amazing! I never thought it was possible for me to feel so happy and complete next to someone...even if we're sitting in complete silence...Awww :)

I'm going to a wedding on October 2nd...and I will be meeting a completely new different group of people and I want to have my braces off by then! I will be crossing my fingers and saying a little prayer every night...and if you fellow followers could say a little prayer for me...I'd appreciate all the help I can get!

Summer 2010 is honestly one of the happiest yet...just when you think life can't get any better...GOD does His thing!

xoxo,

Claudia :)

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

YES...TODAY I CELEBRATE ONE YEAR WITH BRACES! AMAZING HOW FAST TIME PASSES! IN JUST A FEW MONTHS THESE SUCKERS WILL BE COMING OFF! FINALLY!

OH YEAH...AND I GOT FLOWERS DELIVERED TODAY FROM A SPECIAL SOMEONE! :) SUPER DAY...SUPER EXCITED!!

Day 1:

Day 365:

IMPROVEMENT??

I am...

...wearing my bands during work! I'm so proud of myself! Awesome!

xo,
C

Hey All!

Hey!
Just writing a quick note to let everyone know that my grill and I are still alive and in one piece! LOL I've been doing a better job of wearing my bands...I must admit I still don't see a huge change :( Kinda scared because I don't want to wear these things longer than I have to! I'm hoping I will have these off by Christmas! Crossing my fingers....and of course crossing my fingers I don't have to go through jaw surgery. And to all my fellow bloggers and their grills who are about to undergo jaw surgery...you are in my thoughts and prayers! I wish you guys the best! I'm sure you guys will do just wonderful and come out with a marvelous smile in the end! xoxo
Summer is in the air and I love it! I love love love summer time, and this summer of 2010 will be my second and last summer with braces!It makes me want to get into shape and I've been hitting the gym and eating cleaner lately! I need to fit into my Capri's that don't fit anymore!! I'm sure I can get into them in a few weeks! Just watch! I know I've been under a lot of stress lately with work and it was consuming my life there for a bit...with no time for my self...but I'm determined to find time for myself and the gym, and of course my Buggy! I've been walking with him more as well.
Oh and this weekend we celebrated my good friend Cassandra's graduation from college with dinner and drinks and a family BBQ on Saturday. It was super fun and there was extra good food! Burgers, hot dogs, steak, salad, cheesecake...so so much food! My grill and I were in heaven! I'm much more comfortable eating fully dressed with my gear...I've learned little tricks along the way. It doesn't compare not even 1% to the first day! I remember that so clearly because it was so hard and funny at the same time! Well...now it's funny, but at the time it wasn't! LOL and while I was there one of the guest had a grill! A fully-polished, blue-banded, bedazzeled Grill! I get so excited when I see someone else with a grill! A fellow Griller! LOL She felt totally comfortable in her gear, sporting a smile all through the evening so it made me feel extra comfortable! I love people who arn't afraid to show their be-dazzels! It empowers me to do the same...so to all you out there who do the same: Thank You! :) and keep on Smiling!!!
My teeth have been extra sensitive this time around. I think it's because my grill underwent a major detail...with the cleaning and tightening all at once. My next ortho appointment is in August, the second I think. But will be posting before then...just cause.

My cousin Neddy and I in Las Vegas two weeks ago! He's such a nerd...but I love him!










Much Love <3
Claudia

So So Sorry!

I've been neglecting you...dear dear followers! I've been super duper busy with work lately. We just went live with a new computer system and it has taken up my life! Litterally! I worked 49 hours of overtime in a two week period! That's more than a job and a half! Paycheck...nice! Restlessness...not so nice!

Anyway back to what this blog is really all about...my teeth and braces!
I went in for a teeth tightening and cleaning yesterday...and my teeth are killing me :( I woke up at 6am, had to be at the orthodontist to get my wires taken out by 7am, then go get my teeth cleaned at 8am and back at the ortho for my tightening and new wires by 920am! Took up most of my morning! Luckily I have sick time at work that will pay me for my time! So lucky! The other exciting thing is that it was the first time I actually got to see my teeth for longer than 5 mins without my wires! It gave me a much clearer picture of what my teeth are looking like!

I am getting over a cold I had with a hight temp of 102! So of course the day I go into the ortho/dentist I get a cold sore! :( I hate those! The one good thing is that my dentist saw it and said he could user a laser treatment on it...which would help it heal faster! Whhhaaaaaat? I had no idea there was such a thing! So he did the treatment and my cold sore felt better immediately! Weird! But lucky there is such a thing! Whooda Thunk?!

I drank my lunch yesterday and today...Broccoli soup! yummy! I started out using a spoon...but quickly changed to a straw! LOL

On top of my cleaning and tightening I got bands...which I have had to wear for most of my treatment. I still have a slight overbite on the top left side of my bite. I got in a bit of trouble for not wearing them 23 hours a day...but he said I was still on track! Luckily! I have been doubling up at night so I hope they are moving just as fast!

So other exciting news...looks like things are looking good and it seems like I will not have to endure the pain of jaw surgery! Let's keep our fingers crossed!

Hope everyone is doing great! I promise to keep posting more frequently...don't un-follow me! LOL

xo,
C

Almost 10 months!

Hey fellow brace bloggers!

I had an ortho appointment on Monday afternoon, all went well! I was worried about getting in trouble for not wearing my bands 23/7...but on the contrary he understood I worked and did a lot of public speaking...but he told me not to expect to get my braces taken off in June, which would be one year. He originally estimated 12-18 months...he told me it would more than likely be 18 months. I guess I can't complain considering I'm not wearing my bands like he'd like me to. He did say that I am on track to get them taken off in December and nothing past 18 months...which was a good thing :)It will be the best Christmas present EVER! So exciting just to think of that day!

This is what I have been doing with my bands...putting them in Bug's hair! LOL










I sat on the chair, the assistant took my wires out and gave me the option to brush and floss. I decided to bring my own toothbrush this time (Thanks to Makay! She mentioned it in one of her posts...and I stole her idea :)

It's always so exciting to see my teeth minus the wires! I always thing...WTHeck? They look straight to me...why can't I get them taken off already! LOL...but obviously the ortho thinks otherwise! haha!

I had thicker wires put in both on top and bottom...I also had the powerchains put on both sets of grills. It's always nice to get a new clear powerchain since after 10 weeks of eating you can't help but stain them a bit. (not bad staining) Plus I drink coffee daily...which at the beginning I was worried about staining...but now I go with the flow since I have discovered I just can NOT function without coffee! LOL!

After that I was pretty much done. I still have to wear the same bands...which didn't surprise me considering I don't wear them as recommended. My teeth hurt and are a bit sensitive, but nothing like my last appointment! My mouth is used to the back brackets and things are going as smoothly as they can be :)

I did find this yummy Hamburger Helper Easy Mac stuff... Microwavable, easy, yummy, and best of all easy to eat with sore teeth.












Other things I like to eat after a tightening:
Yogurt
Cottage Cheese
(Sometimes I mix half yogurt and half cottage cheese to get equal amounts of carbs and protein...trust me it's delish!)
Mashed Potatoes
Bananas
Pudding
Protein Shake (Myoplex Light in Strawberry)
Oatmeal
Soups
Milkshakes
Ice Cream

Next appointment is in June...My appointments are also starting to be sooner. I was seeing the ortho every 10 weeks...now I will be seeing him every 8 weeks!

For Fun:

Baby Bug and his new Sock Monkey Bed!












xoxo,
C & B