Tummy Tuck Stretch Marks

The much requested "stretch marks before and after tummy tuck" video is up! What I had before. What was removed. What I have now. And what NEW ones I got! 

Death & Loss.

I dont know if you've noticed..

But ive been a little MIA.

I told you i was super busy with editing my photography work..

 but on top of that, there have been a few freight train crashes in my life..

If you follow my on Twitter or my FB page, you have probably heard a little bit about this, but my best friends have tragically lost their baby brother, Drake. I talk about Nikki Hatch all the time... and Jarome and Jared Hatch who fight MMA.

My friend Steve put this perfectly. 

"Drake was the youngest of four brothers in a family that has no family boundaries and openly accepts anyone with loving arms. He was the quiet sensitive ying to the turbo charged testosterone driven yang of his brothers. Drake lived his life by his own rule and was an outstanding example of being exactly who you are without regard for what others might think or say."

I never had the chance to get to know Drake, but i feel like i now know him so well. Its really hard for me to see the ones i call my own hurting so much. Seeing the rough exteriors just disintegrate under pain's pressure is not easy to watch for me.. i so badly want to fix it... but one thing is for sure.... is its also so amazing & humbling to FEEL the overwhelming love, strength and bonding. 

My mind has just been in another place this whole week. This family is near and dear to me. They are the type of family that make YOU feel like family. And that is just how i feel. These people are my brothers, my sisters, even Braylee calls Gma Matty Grandma. I cant help but put myself in their situation and i cant hold back the tears every time i do. I couldnt even imagine losing my baby brother. I cant even wrap my head around losing my CHILD, my son, my baby boy.... My heart just shatters.

He was WAY too young to go. But one thing is for SURE.. he has impacted, bonded, and changed his family for the better in ways that he will now know..

Hatch family.. i love you guys. Every shooting star, every chill, every beautiful word that came from a brother's wounded heart, and every sweet memory shared... ill never forget.
Hold tight to those moments. Hold tight to the ones you love.
Life is crazy, life is beautiful, Never forget you have a new guardian angel above.

RIP Drake.

"If life brings you down just remember you must be higher than it." ~Me, Drake Warner

Drake's Obituary Link

If you wish to donate to his funeral fund, the Obituary explained how.

And if you live in Utah, email me and ill tell you about an awesome RAFFLE with awesome PRIZES. 100% proceeds go to Drake's fund.

{chrissyann336@yahoo.com}

Jared, Gavin, Drake, & Jarome. Brothers.

 (Photos taken by me at Jarome's wedding)

"Forever in Our Hearts"

Creamy Chicken Veggie Pie Pockets {Recipe}

I came across this recipe.. and it had me at cream cheese.

I have an obsession with cream cheese. Im a real health nut.

I just HAVE to share!

Ingredients

• 4 oz Cream Cheese
• 4 TBS Butter 
• 1/4 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/4 tsp Garlic Salt
• 1 1/2 Cups Cooked and Shredded Chicken
• 1 1/2 Cups frozen chopped broccoli 
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 box Pillsbury Pie Crust
• 
  

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large microwave safe bowl, combine cream cheese and butter. 

Microwave in 15 second intervals until slightly melted and able to stir until smooth.

Add onion powder and garlic salt to cream cheese/butter mixture and stir well.

Add chicken, frozen chopped broccoli and frozen corn to cream cheese mixture. Stir until well combined.

Unroll both sheets of refrigerated pie crust dough. Cut each of the round pie crusts into quarters.

On one quarter of pie crust dough, put 1/4 of cream cheese/chicken mixture (about 3/4-1 cup.) Place a second quarter of pie crust dough over the top (make sure it lines up with bottom quarter)

 and pinch seams to seal off. You can flute the pie crust edges for a prettier look.

Repeat until you have 4 pie pockets.

 Cut about three small slits on the tops of each pie pocket for breathing. 

Place on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

Best "Chicken Pot Pie" ive come across!

Feel free to Pin and share!!

Original recipe fore HERE

Skin Cancer?? Me??

"ONE in FIVE Americans 

will develop skin cancer in the course of their lifetime"

{DISCLAIMER: This information is to HELP, not scare. I had a run in with skin cancer, researched some stuff, and wanted to share to make awareness! This post is for those who will appreciate the info. Read no further if you want to stay ignorant (Lacking knowledge or awareness in general) and in denial of skin cancer rising cases}

Also! Remember vitamin D (from the sun) is GOOD for you! All in moderation guys!

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Im super late in posting this... but May is national skin cancer awareness month. This hits REALLY close to home with me, cuz skin cancer runs in my family.. And i had a little scare with it...

 Yup. Thats MY leg.

When i first noticed it.. i assumed it was just in ingrown hair or something. 

But as the time past, it never went away! Then i noticed it was growing.

It stopped growing so I ignored it for probably almost a year..

Then i finally decided to pull my head out of you know where, and realize that with my history of tanning, and my family history of skin cancer.. i better get it checked.

Walking into the dermatologist office, i had a lot going through my head. I told myself, if it WAS cancer, they just cut it off and im good right??
WRONG!

Well turns out its nothing to worry about and it doesnt need to be removed unless it starts getting bigger again.....

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Im so glad that it turned out to be nothing, but i REALLY want to help spread awareness of how serious this epidemic is.

Skin cancer rates are growing MORE and MORE. Why is this?? Because girls are addicted to NEEDING that bronze, golden tan. Its all in the magazines.. its what we think we need. We think it makes us prettier, skinnier, no one was to be glowing white right?

And to achieve that.... we hit the tanning beds!

Dont deny it... we've all done it! Its the craze! We love to lay out! Its fun!

WELL STOP!

(PHOTO CREDIT)

Seriously girls, just drop it! Tanning beds are the new cigarettes! Once upon a time, everyone was doing it! Yea maybe there were health risks, but WHO CARES! Cancer wont happen to ME!

Well the rates grew and grew, awareness was made more and more known, and here we are! Smoking is like the plague now.... well tanning beds are next. BAN THEM!

Even if you're not worried about skin cancer... girls tanning, UV rays.. all that jazz... gives you WRINKLES and SUN SPOTS and ugly skin! It ages you SO much!

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PREVENTION!

• Avoid the sun between 10am-2pm: -This is when the sun’s rays are strongest, so if you can steer clear of the sun during these peak hours, do so! If you are outside during these times, be sure to wear sunscreen!

• DO NOT BURN! -A person’s risk for melanoma doubles if he or she has had five or more sunburns at any point in life.

• Wear UV protected sunglasses! -Many forget how harmful the sun can be on our eyes in conjunction to our skin. Be sure to wear sunglasses that defend against rays which can impair your eyesight. 

• AVOID ARTIFICIAL TANNING -Yes i am guilty of that as well as EVERY girl. The last time i used a tanning bed was in 2012.. Its never too late to stop! As much as you may like the way you look when you’re tan, it’s extremely harmful  to purposely make your skin this way. Never use tanning beds or any other simulated tanning device. These are just as bad as the actual sun.

• Always Wear Sunscreen! -Whether you’re on your way to the beach or the office, use SPF 15 or greater whenever stepping out into the sun. Look for a sunscreen which blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Apply the sunscreen 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapply every 1 ½ to 2 hours.

• Use UV protective Makeup and Chapstick! -We never think much about it but our FACE is in the sun the most! Winter, summer, ALWAYS exposed! And our face is what we want to keep the prettiest right?! Foundations and chapsticks can have UV protection! Sometimes girls worry about the "shine" with flash photography and UV foundation...but hello.. requiring a flash means its DARK and the sun is gone... so just wash it off and put on foundation without sunscreen at night! TA-DA!

• Keep Newborn Out of the Sun -Sunscreens may be used on babies over the age of six months, but they should also be protected by shade and clothing. Children are very sensitive to ultraviolet radiation— just one severe sunburn in childhood doubles the chances of developing melanoma later in life. It BREAKS my heart when i see parents not put sunscreen on their kids....

Keep in Check!

• Always check your body
• See dermatologist yearly!

And MOST importantly!! Remember... there is no discrimination to the COLOR of your skin! If you are naturally darker (whether is race or you just tan easily).. you STILL ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO SKIN CANCER!!

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WITH ALL THIS BEING SAID....

You can STILL have a tan without the UV rays!!

Im going to post about self tanners! Ive been trying a product and i am in LOVE! 

I am tan, NOT ORANGE. I get compliments all the time... LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Stay tuned!

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{information found HERE and HERE}

Get BIG Fluffy Hair! {With JUST a Blow Dryer}

This is seriously like a ONE minute video haha!
So simple!



Try it out guys! It really works!
dont forgot to pin this awesome tip or share it!
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Oh.. and....
ITS MY BIRTHDAY TODAY!!

i feel so old. Not that 24 old old.... its just weird for ME to be 24..
kinda hard to process!

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Follow me on Bloglovin' so we dont get lost in the hiatus!

SWELL HELL! {6 Weeks PO Tummy Tuck}

Swelling is a very normal part of healing after surgery! The amount of swelling just depends on how invasive the surgery was, and how your individual body heals!

But there is a difference between FAT swelling, and FLUID swelling.

In this video, i explained WHY we swell, why IM swelling more than the average tummy tuck patient, & HOW to tell the difference between fat and fluid swelling!

Then i just wrapped up with how im doing at 6 weeks post op and showed you my tummy of course!

 i get poked with a syringe once a week to suck out fluid :(

 Fluid swelling

 Get even MORE swollen....

The swelling sucks but its just a part of healing!
All TOTALLY worth it!
Ill do more updates on the swelling and when it FINALLY starts to go away!
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I hope this helped!
If you have any questions or things you want me to address,
dont hesitate to ask!

Follow me on Instagram and Keek for better/faster updates!!

---> Weight Loss Journey {full story}

---> Postpartum Bodies {BodyReveal}
--> WHY I Decided Tummy Tuck/Abdominoplasty 

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Google reader is donezo as of July 1st.

 Follow me on Bloglovin' so we dont get lost in the hiatus!

Tummy Tuck Shower Tips!

Having a tummy tuck done makes you realize the little things you take for granted.
Like showering.

Its amazing how something so simple, can be so difficult!
So here are my showering tips to makes things a little easier after having a tummy tuck!



Questions about my my drain was in so long are answered in this video!
As well as WHY drains are used etc!

*Tube tops and handled scrubies will be your showering best friends!

I hope this helped!
If you have any questions or things you want me to address,
dont hesitate to ask!

Follow me on Instagram and Keek for better/faster updates!!

---> Weight Loss Journey {full story}

---> Postpartum Bodies {BodyReveal}
--> WHY I Decided Tummy Tuck/Abdominoplasty 

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Google reader is donezo as of July 1st.

 Follow me on Bloglovin' so we dont get lost in the hiatus!