Thursday, September 30, 2010
Thankful Thursday
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
The Biggest Loser Midterm Update
I have weighed in 9 times and have 9 more weigh-in's to go before the competition ends on November 30th. After 9 weeks, I am proud to say that I have lost 19 pounds! This has not been easy for me. I have had to completely shift my diet and eating habits. I have given up a bunch of yummy foods (and drinks!), but I know it will all be worth it in the end. (Actually, it already has been worth it).
A little history: After giving birth to Jake, of course I lost a big chunk of my pregnancy weight right off the top. However, I actually got cocky (and lazy) and thought "oh, I am breastfeeding! the weight will just melt away!" Not true. In fact, I lost about 30 pounds after having Jake and then GAINED 10 back....while breastfeeding. I read a few articles and chat forums on the internet about weightloss and breastfeeding, and it is actually true that some women do NOT lose weight faster/better when they breastfeed. And, unfortunately, I was one of them. Crap. I had thought this was gonna be easy. At the rate I was going, I was gaining about 2-3 pounds a month. I knew that if I didn't do something, I would just say "oh, hell...whatever...I'll just wear elastic pants." But then this competition started at work (started by a co-worker who had just been released from the hospital after having blood clots in her lungs- and she's YOUNG!). We all decided that whether you wanted to lose unwanted pounds or just live a healthier lifestyle, then this would be an awesome experience for everyone.
So, I paid my $5.00, joined the competition, and I decided that I would go the old fashioned route: diet and exercise. Unfortunately, since my schedule does not allow for much exercise, I knew that would really have to be strict about my diet. I started using a calorie counter on my iPhone- My Fitness Pal- and use it to journal everything I eat and to also to look up food information (especially when we are out to eat). Chad and I also have been having fun looking up what we used to eat and how, in one meal, we were probably eating almost a day's calorie allowance. There has been a lot of education for both of us (and Chad is seeing results, too!).
So, basically, I have gone from consuming about 2500-3000 calories a day to right at 1700. When I am running out of calories, I don't eat that extra nighttime snack or just eat something like a green salad with fat free dressing. I drink lots of water and have given up teas, sodas, juices, etc. I get my calcium from fat free yogurt or a small glass of skim milk. We measure our cereal now. I count my Cheez-its. I don't finish my children's plates. If I know I want to indulge one meal, I just make adjustments the rest of the day with my other meals. We eat the Diet Soda Cake with lite Cool Whip as a snack. We try not to eat past 8pm. And we are avoiding fast food at all costs. Brooklyn doesn't even miss it, and Jake will grow up knowing what a "vegetarian night" is.
And because of these simple things? I didn't break a sweat or run out of breath trying to pull on a pair of jeans this morning from two years ago. :-)
I call that success.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Happy 11 Month Birthday, Jake!
Jake, as those of you with children know, is completely uninterested in staying still for a picture these days...
But he humored me (and Daddy) for a few seconds so I could get some shots documenting his eleventh month. This picture shows his (only) two teeth quite well. He pushed these babies out in July, and we have yet to see any more. I am hoping that more are on the horizon because he has gone back to waking up a few times each night....and very early each morning.
Speaking of sleeping...I hate to say it, but we have one of those babies. Brooklyn was an A+ sleeper from 8 weeks on. I tried not to brag to others, but if they asked, I could honestly say, "yes, she was a great sleeper." Jake was awesome from 3-9 months, but at 9 months, we have seen a whole new kid. This child (though initially puts himself to sleep like a rock star at 7:30pm), tends to wake up 1-3 times each night and then is usually up for the day around 5:45am. Sometimes I can nurse him at 6am, and he will go back for a teeny snooze (until about 7 or so), but other times, "Good morning, world!" During the night, he does not wake up to eat (nor will it ever be offered)...and we barely get up to even check on him. We do the initial "Hey buddy/go back to sleep/here is a paci/no? not interested/well, check ya later" spiel, and he usually cries for about 5-45 minutes and then puts himself back to sleep. (BTW, again, another future blog post topic titled "Mistakes I made with my first baby that I did not repeat with my second child.") However, with everything I have seen and heard with other moms, this method usually gets the child to start sleeping through the night again within a week or so. We have been doing this for 2 months now....8 weeks....56 days...give or take a day. NOT WORKING. But I digress...maybe it's lack of sleep.
But back to the sweetness that is my Jake-Jake...
Friday, September 24, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
On Top of Spaghetti....
So, this week, we gave Jake his first taste of spaghetti. He LOVED it.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Singer no longer has to "steal" pianos...
Well, Brendan just released his second album last week, and things are going awesome for him! I went by Best Buy to pick it up and there were only two CD's left.
It's flying off the shelves and selling like crazy on iTunes! In his first week, he reached the status of #1 Singer Songwriter, was #4 for Pop Albums, and #13 in all album catagories. I read today that he hit #93 on the US Billboard 200. It's been an awesome journey for Brendan, and I am so happy for my college buddy and wedding singer.
If you want to hear what Brendan had to say on CNN.com last weekend, click here.
Or just check out these pictures of two of his smallest fans....
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Just in case you wondered...
...if Brooklyn has learned anything in Kindergarten this year.
She now has a few more talents! (Besides naming all the 20+ Duggar family members!)
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Way Back When-esday
Date: September 2008 (1st picture in our new home!)
(BTW, Brooklyn is 3 1/2 here.)
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Way Back When-esday!
Here are Brooklyn (2 years, 3 months), Zoe (9 months), and Allie (5 years, 11 months) in May 2007 at Matt and Rebecca Stein's First Lutheran Church wedding.
...And here are the girls at Drew and Molly's wedding last Saturday, September 4, 2010.
(Brooklyn- 5 1/2 years, Zoe- 4 years, and Allie- 9 1/4 years)
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
A Blue Ridge Wedding Weekend
Jake and Brooklyn with Gramma and Pops
Practing vows with Pastor Mary...
We then attended the rehearsal dinner at an awesome restaurant- the Stoney Knob Cafe. There were 4 food selections, and I was lucky enough to sample a bite of all of them. I ordered the crab cakes and the slaw that came with them had blue cheese- oh my goodness- SOOOO yummy!
They had a live band, and Chad and Drew just couldn't resist joining the fun! I didn't get a shot of Chad singing "Ain't No Sunshine," but here's Drew tearing up the drums...with his sweet bride at his side.
I normally cannot wait to get home from vacations and get settled back into a normal routine with the kids, but I just could have stayed in my Ox Glen cabin for a few more days enjoying uninterrupted time with my family. (Thank you, AT&T for having no signal in Weaverville!)
Congrats, Drew and Molly....the fun has just begun!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Do you think I could get on the Ellen show with these videos?
I know...it's started. I have become one of those parents (again) that share their baby's tricks with the world. :-) But really, I just want to remember these hilarious moments in my children's lives forever..........really. :-)
Mckenzie actually posted this video first on her blog. It shows Jake (about 1 month ago) doing what he does best...defending his big sister. Ahhhhh....I hope this continues when the high school boys come a-calling at the door.
(Chad is actually just tickling Brooklyn in the background and she screams dramatically to egg Jake on.)
It has since evolved to the video below. I think now Jake realizes that Brooklyn is having fun, and he just wants to be a part of the action.
I am not even going to make excuses about the playroom...we were actually in the middle of trying to get Brooklyn to separate old toys for a yard sale, but you see how far we got. My children aren't spoiled at all, are they?