Copalli's Cafe, Cappuccinos & Cats

I used to HATE coffee. 

Hated the smell.

Hated the idea.

Hated the taste, even though I had never tasted it. 

All I knew, was that I would hear Mom every morning moving around in the kitchen making her morning pot of coffee.

I hated that she thought she needed it to get her day started.

...Now...

this is basically me.... 

So, after my injection last Thursday, CC found the cutest cafe for us to have lunch at....Copalli Cafe.

The cafe has the coziest, most relaxing atmosphere.

I love the warm colors throughout, the reclaimed hard wood floors...

And the food...oh my, the food....

is out of this world, knock your socks off, mouth watering good!!!

Everything is made from scratch, nothing store bought.

The cafe is run by a local professor, her son and his girlfriend.

After our lunch, I had to try a pumpkin cappuccino (which only made me yearn for fall)...

I watched him make my drink. He did so with skill and ease and it definitely was reflected in the taste.

I was/am hooked.... 

While we were eating this cute little squirrel came by and was peeping on us.

The staff gave him a mini muffin to munch it. 

It was the sweetest thing!

The staff at Copalli Cafe couldn't be sweeter. They make you feel at home. If I could see my dream job through, it would to own a cafe like Copalli Cafe. It is just THAT good!! 

And it was soooo good, that on Saturday, I woke Lena up and told her she had to go with me to have lunch at Copalli. I could have easily just picked lunch up, but I wanted her to have the whole experience.

Lena and I sat on the opposite size in a cozy little nook.

Everything about Copalli Cafe is just so perfect...right down to the jazzy art they have on the wall.

You can come it, sit down, relax and forget about what is weighing on your mind...have a great conversation with Khalehla and Chris..

and enjoy another pumpkin cappuccino.... 

and pair it with a homemade from scratch S'more Coffee Cake. 

Oh yes. It's THAT good!!

When it's my next turn to bring breakfast for work I know EXACTLY what I will be bringing.

Our Papa Bear was out of town this past weekend, so I snapped him this selfie (gosh, I HATE using that word) to send to him.

CC ordered the Caprese sanchwhich when she and I went.

I just had to buy some fresh basil and mozarella and make my own sandwich. I'll just say this...the girls LOVED it! 

With all this eating out, we've been trying to counteract it by hitting the gym. The gym is my stress release. I love to go at night when there are fewer people. It's just uncomfortable to work out next to these huge bulked up body builders. I feel like I'm being critiqued for doing something wrong. 

After working out I usually rest my muscles in the hot tub, hit the sauna, then shower and head home. I feel so fresh and rejuvenated the next day. There is NOTHING that feels as good as working out.

It not only does your body good, it does wonders for your mind as well! 

I'm not sure what is going on, but my boys have been so clingy lately. Some days they want nothing to do with me, aside from feeding them.... 

and other days I can't get them away from me. It's seriously reminds me of having a baby sometimes. I can't go to the restroom with out seeing little paws under the door and hear one or two of them crying and crying.... 

Even Toby decided to be nice to CC. 

On a weight loss note... my hair has been falling out like crazy. It worries me but I keep reading that it will grow back. It sure better or I need to start looking for wigs!!!

The weather is warming up and we've had no rain for a while...which is really kinda nice!

Meanwhile, I'm on the search for some high protein, low carb recipes that will be good for my Gastric Sleeve.

Pinterest has been most helpful so far!

1/2 THE YEAR GONE - CATCH UP

Where in the world have I been???

What have I been doing???

I've taken blogging breaks before, but never one this extended.

Too much has been happening for me to stop, think and write...some good...some bad and some just unbelievable!

First.. I have found a new book series I am absolutely IN LOVE with!! It's the Coffehouse Mysteries by Cleo Coyle. 

Oh man.. I cannot put her books down. This is not the style book I ever read, but I love all things coffee and I thought I'd give it a try. 

I am so glad I did. I make sure to have a new one in the mail before I finish the one I'm reading. 

The extra bonus you get from reading her books are her recipes. The stories are filled with brewing and roasting details one probably has never even heard of but it also features some really great recipes...and they are all found at the end of the book! 

You can also find them on her website, CoffeeHouseMystery.com.

~~**~~~~**~~~~**~~~~**~~~~**~~

I also enjoyed my last good burger. On Valentines Day Lena and I went to Le Peep and had the absolute best hamburger I have ever eaten in my life. 

Hands down...the best!

Emil and I often eat there for breakfast but have never gone late enough to have lunch.

It was really, really good! 

So, why was it "my last good burger"?

Because on March 2, 2015, I began a new life.

After ten years of back and forth, deciding and questioning, weighing the pros and cons, Emil and I decided to have weight loss surgery.

We both had the Gastric Sleeve. Our surgeries were performed by Dr. John Pilcher...he is amazing!

There are many reasons why a person may choose to have this surgery. Our reasons had nothing to do with vanity.

I was VERY near to 300 pounds and Emil was knocking at it's door. When I got to the point that I wasn't able to tie my shoes, I knew something had to be done. It's not that I enjoyed my size or I was too lazy to do anything about it.

I loved exercising, but my neck injury made everything hard. I hurt all..the...time.

It if was rainy, I hurt. If it was cold, I hurt. If I moved my left side to much, I hurt. If I tried to sweep/mop/wash dishes/wash clothes, I hurt. I basically just hurt..and could nothing about it.

And the weight piled on.

This picture is me as I started my pre-surgery diet the week before surgery. 

Emil was having so many health issues. I knew if I didn't get him this surgery fast, I wouldn't have him long. We are both too young to be in that condition. 

This is me in the middle of my pre-surgery diet. I had lost around 10 pounds here. I think cutting out Starbucks alone assisted with my pre-surgery weight loss. 

I lost a total of 15 pounds on my pre-surgery diet. I think you can really tell it in my face here.  

The surgery has made both Emil and me so much more active. I feel like we have a life now. This picture is Emil 4 or 5 days after his surgery. He was walking more that day than he had in years...honestly. 

This is me almost two weeks out.

I will not say this has been easy. Quite the opposite. No one tells you what you're really signing up for. You are told what you're new stomach will be shaped like and how you should eat once you're healed but they don't tell you what large part of this surgery is mental. For so long one comes to understand that to finish a meal is to clean one's plate. With the Gastric Sleeve that is just physically not possible. You eat until you are full...and you have to learn what "full" is. Believe me, you learn pretty quick. You have to distinguish what is hunger and what is boredom and what is emotional, etc.

This surgery is simply a tool. A tool that you can use to your advantage or a tool you can throw to the side after you had some success and resume your old ways. 

The way I see it, we went through a major surgery, we altered our insides...but we now are more active, eat so much more healthy and have learned how to eat, when to eat and what to eat. Eating used to be the thing I looked forward to...I was planning lunch and dinner while I was eating breakfast.

Eating is now a chore for me.

Something I have to do...often, something I have to remember to do.

My oldest daughter has made some very big life decisions. I won't go into detail now but as a parent, one can only hope that you've equipped your child with knowledge and skill and common sense to make wise decisions and know when to ask for help if needed. We may not agree on all of her decisions, but just like with anything else in life...you can let it wear you down or you make the best of the situation. We are making the best of the situation. It's not always easy...but it's life. It's how we handle it that determines the outcome. 

On a lighter side note, I won Coffee Break With Dani's Pixi make up giveaway. I love this palette. I love all of Pixi's products. Some can be a bit pricey, so to win this was fun, fun, fun! 

Before I went to work after my surgery, Lena and I went to see the new Cinderella movie. I loved it!! It was cheesy in parts and occasionally I silently begged the movie to get to the point, but the costumes were amazing and it was really cute movie. 

The girls and I also visited the Alamo before I went back to work. I knew I wouldn't have any time off once I was back, so we tried to get in as much as we could the last few days. 

We walked around downtown, visited cute little shops, walked around the Alamo and then did the Ripley's House of Mirrors.  

A new park opened up not too far from our house and Emil and I have been going and walking there almost daily. It's so refreshing not only for our bodies but also for our minds! There are little bunnies that hop out. We've seen deer, spiders, bunnies, all types of birds and even a wolf. 

To date I am 3.5 months out from surgery and have lost 60 pounds. I cannot tell you enough how wonderful this surgery has been and how it's changed my life. I actually enjoy shopping for clothes now. 

I try not to buy too much because it won't fit for long. 

I fell in love with the royal blue color of this tunic. 

I wore it twice.

Now it's in a pile for eBay. It's just too big to wear!. 

This side by side comparison is me on the left the day I started my pre-surgery diet at 285 and on the right I am down 50 pounds. 

I really think all the walking helped kick start our weight loss too. My Papa Bear couldn't walk from our house to the mail box (about 10 houses) with out sweating and being completely out of breath. Now when we go to the park we walk about 4-6 miles each time.

We've had an abnormally wet, rainy spring. It's summer now and we've had rain and flash flood warnings. The plants and trees and the grass love it, but it makes for a muddy yard and breeds mosquitoes. And Texas has lost many people in these floods. It's really very sad. 

Back to a happier note... I bought a pair of shorts...and I have worn them!! This was HUGE for me. I haven't worn shorts in years. This pair here is actually getting too big for me. I don't even have to unbutton them to pull them up and down. 

And last but not least, I cut nine inches off of my hair. I have been wanting to cut it for a while. My hair was getting too long and heavy and I really didn't know what to do with it. 

With my surgery, it's a possibility you will lose hair and the doctor said it's not as noticeable on shorter hair. 

That was my excuse.

And I am certainly losing hair. I am scared every time I take a shower. Thankfully not bald spots yet, but I think it's only a matter of time. They say if you have a good protein intake it doesn't happen. Then I hear it's part of the healing process.

Who knows...as long as it grows back I'll be ok.

I didn't have that much hair to begin with!!

Alot of this post is/was about my weight loss, Gastric Sleeve, surgery. It's a major part of my life. It's changed my life and I have so much to say about it.
While it was hard at first and the first two weeks I think I thought I had made a mistake, I can now say it was the best decision I ever made. I wish I had done it ten years ago.

It's better later than never. 

I don't regret it one bit!

Closing Out 2014, Welcoming 2015

It's hard to believe it's 2015. Time seems to be flying by. I've made resolutions in the past...return voice mails, be a better friend, be more organized...it works great and well for a few weeks, maybe a couple of months, then I'm back to my old self. 

This year I'm forgoing any resolutions and will just make adjustments along the way. I need to be a better listener. I listen all the time at work and I think when I come home I kinda turn it off. I need to listen more at home than anything else. What can be more important than listening to your family, for issues big and small. 

That could be an entire post on it's own!

On Christmas Eve the girls and I went to Santa's Ranch. We had gone a few years earlier with a friend but hadn't been back, mostly due to time restrictions. We didn't think we would be getting out of the car so we wore pajamas and CC only had on fuzzy socks. Well, half way there Lena and I needed a potty break and we all wanted coffee or hot cocoa. 

So into Buc-ee's we went...pj's and all. I am so super opposed to people walking about in pajama's, and now I was among them! 

Then my eyes felt really dry and I rubbed them and Lena asked me, with a serious look on her face, "Mom, what's wrong with your eye?" I rubbed a contact out and it was folded, coming out the corner of my eye. Thankfully I found a bottle of solution and put it back in and we were on our way!

Santa's Ranch definitely expanded since we were last there. Here are a few of my favorites!

Stagecoach 

This lighted tunnel has been there since the first time we went. It's so pretty and magical to drive through. 

These photo's don't capture the whimsy and beauty of flickering lights. 

There was a new scene called "In the Beginning". 

It started with the sun, the planets, dinosaurs, Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark and so on. 

I loved Moses parting the waters of the Red Sea. 

I also loved the Ten Commandments.   

David and Goliath 

Jonah and the whale 

Another blue, twinkling light tunnel with trees on each side. 

It was so magical and pretty.

More light wrapped trees, a windmill and even a Go, Spurs, Go sign. 

On New Year's Eve we stayed in. CC worked late and it was cold. Emil and I stopped by the Russian store to pick up some bacon, drinks, cheese and wine. There is one Georgian wine I love but they were all out, as usual. It's a sweet red wine and there is nothing quite like it. 

We substituted this Armenia pomegranate wine. It was really good but really, really strong. One glass was MORE than enough for all of us!

Emil and I drove around talking about the plans and wishes we have. We made it home just in time to watch the local countdown to 2015 on TV. 

When the midnight hour strikes, they usually play oldies and do a major firework display. 

This year they played all new music and no close up of the fireworks. Lena was mad and wanted to drive around and look at fireworks. I had been up since 530 the previous morning and was in no way awake enough to take her. 

We have had some pretty cold weather lately. I've stocked up on different coffees to keep me warm. 

I even woke up to ice on my car a few times. 

Papa Bear bought me a Criminal Minds calendar. I was too excited to put it up at work. I get to look at my guys all day, then come home and watch at least two dvr'd shows in the evening. I can't get enough of Criminal Minds. Some nights I even dream of them...it's usually me and Rossi catching someone. Once I dreamed I was at a garage sale trying to find Hotchner a heart...because he never smiles. 

And I found this cutie on Instagram. I couldn't resist it! 

Two weeks ago Papa Bear and I were going to take a day trip but had to come home so I could pick up my pain medicine. Even trips in the car, other than running errands, causes my back and neck to hurt. 

Thankfully we back because as we were leaving we noticed the back fence was broken and both dogs escaped through our neighbors back yard, who hasn't put up his back fence yet.

They must have just gotten out because they weren't far down the street, but it's a very busy street. Emil and I pulled into the middle lane because we saw Luigi walking across the two north-bound lanes and get inches....inches...from getting hit by a car. It was like everything went in slow motion.

But where was Coco? 

At the same time I white suv pulled to the side of the road to our right and a truck behind that one. The two people in the white suv jumped out and looked down in the ditch. Emil ran over to the right of the road with them while I was getting Luigi from the left. 

I saw Emil look down the ditch and then rub the top of his head. 

I was so scared to see.

Coco was hit by the white suv but the driver said she just tapped her. We wrapped her up, got her out and went straight to the Animal ER. Her breathing was labored.

She had a bruised lung and bleeding around it and she fractured her left back paw in two places.

She had to stay in the hospital until the net day in an oxygen tank.

She had to have a cast put on, take pain pills, anti-inflammatory pills and an antibiotic.

But she was alive!

And two weeks later she chewed off her cast and decided it was time to start tormenting our cats again. I said either the vet showed me another dog's x-rays or this is a bionic girl! 

Lena and I wanted a warm-me-up, so we stopped by Local Coffee one evening. I had forgotten how delicious it is. It has the charm and ambiance of a quaint, cozy coffeehouse where patrons aren't just paying customers, they're friends. 

On this evening Lena opted for a Mexican Chocolate Cappuccino.

It was delicious! 

And last night, after meeting my friend Deana for coffee and cake, I took Lena back to Local Coffee to try their Affogato. It's two shots of espresso poured over vanilla ice cream.

I never tried anything like it. 

And CC picked me up from work last week with the sweetest surprise!

A teddy bear with a note and a penguin pen. I love, love my sweet girl!