20 lbs GONE!!!

I generally try not to brag on blogger or especially facebook, but seeing as how I want to make this change permanent, I have to let you all know... I've lost 20lbs! I'm telling you all, because it will keep me motivated to not let the poundage creep back up.

I cannot believe that I used to be 20 lbs heavier! I am so excited to be at this weight, but I am not stopping. I have fallen in love with working out. It's the only thing close to coffee that can help me keep up with the kids & the house & all the other things I do. But, unlike coffee, there is no crash. Of course there is soreness, but that reminds me that I kick ass! *cough cough* Sorry about the language.

I really want to encourage everyone who reads this to take that next step toward fitness today! I never thought I would get here & less than 6 months later, here I am. I'm not a fan of the depriving yourself or working out so much you can't do anything else. I am proof that little steps get you where you want to go. If you need any encouragement, I would be happy to encourage you!

Thanks to ALL the friends & instructors who have taught me & encouraged me! Thank you Pinterest for your amazingly motivating Fitness section!

Real Food mini-challenges

It's been awhile since I've posted anything. What with my discovery of Pinterest, I've been busy making, baking, cooking, & doing things... really pinning more than any of that. Anywho, I love Pinterest! The other day I came across a pin that led me to a blog about a family who took a 100-day challenge to only eat "real food" . I have been slowly moving toward more whole food, more organic, & more local food. I'm not doing the 100-day challenge or even all of the mini-challenges they have. We already try to eat whole foods. The area of our diets that needs the biggest overhaul is our snacks! Typical snacks in our house are:
*Ritz crackers, natural peanut butter, & apples
*Nilla wafers, yogurt, & a banana
*graham crackers & strawberries
*Pretzel sticks & pineapple chunks (canned in juice)

See, not bad, but processed. So, I'm going to work towards less processed foods more consciously. Starting with Grahams, I've just found a pretty easy recipe, a la Pinterest.

Here are some of the other 14 mini-challenges that I am accepting:
*2 fruits &/or vegetables per meal (B & L we usually only have 1)
*Limited beverages (we will do this 90% of the time, special treats)- coffee, tea, water, milk & juice occasionally. We already do this most of the time.
*No fast food for 1 week. We go out to eat about 1 or 2 times per week, anymore than that & we aren't going to fast food, but healthier places like Panera
*100% whole grain. We do 100% whole wheat bread already, but pasta, rice, & other bread items we don't. (oh, we do do whole wheat Ritz! haha). Im sorry, but the Japanese in me doesn't think real rice is brown. Real rice is supposed to be sticky! ;) I probably will just keep with the white rice & switch everything else.
*stop eating when full- I already do this, I assume my kids do too, because whenever they say "I'm done" that's fine by me. I never push food on them.
*no more than 5 ingredients. Well... that one will be tough. I'll be waiting for Corey to come home to do this one, because I want to have the energy & time to bake a few things, so we wont starve. haha (a tad melodramatic? maybe)

Alright, Are you on board with me? Or if you checked out the link & looked at all the mini-challenges, which ones are you going to try?

See ya 2011, Hello 2012

So time to reflect on the past year & look ahead to what may lie ahead in the future year!

2011- It really was a great year. God has truly blessed us! Even in trials he has drawn us closer to Him & that makes it so worth it! We are at a pretty awesome time in our lives. There are always bumps, but this year (from what I remember) they have all been relatively small. Or more likely, my view from here makes them appear small. Here are some highlights. If I forgot one that you can think of, comment it!

* Had many good dates with my honey
* iPad for Valentines Day, we love our iPad
* Will turned 2 with an AWESOME Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme!
* We spent Corey's Birthday in Myrtle Beach with the wonderful Boeckhs! In a really nice condo, btw!
* Will's first real-ish Easter Egg Hunt! (he knew what he was doing & got a bunch of loot!)
* Will & Sophie experienced their first ever fireworks! They LOVED it!
* Meeting the Steinkopfs! I am so glad God crossed our paths!
* Being a DGL for the Silver Sparklettes at MOPS!
* We survived Corey's month long TDY to Alaska (even managed to have some fun & learn somethings!)
* Will started preschool!!! 3 hours, 3 days a week.
* Sophia's 1st Birthday! (that was the beginning of the month of sickness, but my Lil Ladybug had a great day!)
* Fun dressing up for Halloween
* Thanksgiving with my family (the best part was ordering the main parts)
* Christmas-time with Corey's family & some of my family up in Maryland

2012- I'm excited to see where God takes us this year. I feel like we are pretty open. Here are some things that I am looking forward to.

* Corey coming home!!! This is so much on my mind & my heart! I hope it's soon!
* My baby boy turning 3!! He is such a fun little guy!
* Speaking of little boy... Will being fully potty trained! (the week we have no misses will be a glorious one & I will throw a party! Seriously, I think I will! lol)
* Ocean City trip! We always look forward to this! Hopefully Corey will come home early enough to join us for this!
* Both kids will be in preschool! Which is so weird to me! I think I might not like it, but I can learn to ;) I'll be able to get SO much done in those 9 hours a week!
* Sophia will be turning 2!!
* Starting to plan Corey's 30th Birthday Week at Disney World!!! what what!! I have to go to ITT after I get the tax return haha.
* Start fantasizing about my 30th Birthday in Paris (okay okay, a little too early, but whatever! haha)

So, I don't really do resolutions, but I guess I kind of do... Last Year I wanted to lose 30lbs. (I lost 15!), I can't remember what else (I should have looked at past blogs to see if I blogged it, oh well).

For 2012,
* Daily giving up my plans & wants & ideas to God. Daily Dependence.
* Focus on my calling from God. I am called to show God's love to my children, to teach them who he is. I have a purpose!
* I want to spend 15 minutes outside everyday with the kids (even if the weather is extreme), we've already started doing this, but I'll throw it out here.
* Take more pictures. Too general right? Well, I signed up for a 365/52 project, I'm not sure if I'll stick with it, but I just got a kick-ass new PS which I'm able to carry around with me all the time. So that's a step in the right direction
* Workout more often & more consistently. There is always something coming up, but I love working out & it's good for me & my kids! My ultimate goal would be jogging 4 days a week with 3 days of strength training.

Thanks for your encouragement & support! What are some of your highlights? What are you looking forward to? Have any resolutions?

Potty Learning Saga

Wow. Really with the potty learning?! We started with Will in September. He did GREAT, at first. Slowly he has progressed to not pooping in the toilet at all. He will pee & is perfect with pee, but poop has not touched his potty in a long time.
I've been through a wide range of emotions over this. I knew the whole time I should stay calm & not make a big deal about misses, but I failed several times along the way! I decided a couple weeks ago to back off (with the stress in it) & see if that improved things. Maybe I need to just work on it longer, but so far it hasn't improved anything.
I know it's really not something you can push. They'll get it when the choose to. I guess I'm just stressed that I'm messing things up on my part. Either from my stressed out moments or from not giving him the thing he needs to encourage him to do it!
We started out with the bare bottom approach & that worked for awhile, but then it didn't. I've tried rewards, that worked for awhile, but now it only does sometimes & not for poop. I think I just need to get back to my original plan. The Montessori way. I am going to help him to be as independent in this process as I can. No pushing, inviting him to use the toilet at regular times. Maybe keep record of when he poops. I think I may even start having Sophie sit on the potty after meals & before nap/bed.
I know this is silly. I know he will eventually get it. I'm not really stressed about the cleaning up anymore, I've resigned myself to it. I really don't want him to feel bad, because i huff & puff about misses. He is a great, strong, competent boy & I know he'll get it soon. Just know if you are doing this, or about to, I'm here with you. I feel ya. I smell what you're steppin' in!

Our Advent Activities

Instead of a chocolate advent calendar (because we'll get enough of that anyway), I decided to make the advent a little more special & do activities with the kids! So here's our countdown list

1. Hot chocolate with candy cane stirrers
2. Decorate house
3. Open & hang special Christmas ornament for the year
4. Decorate the little Christmas tree
5. Make & hang snowflakes in the window
6. Visit Santa
7. Christmas art (trying to decide which one I want to do)
8. Cotton ball Snowmen
9. Gingerbread house
10. Make grandparent's ornaments
11. Hot Cocoa & Cookies Party (a small party)
12. Christmas Movie Night: Elf
13. Make a gift for the Moppettes (childcare providers at Mom's group)
14. Holiday Treats
15. Go out with Uncle Mike
16. Swan Lake Lights
17. Snowmen Ornament craft
18. Take the neighbors their gifts (muddy buddies)
19. Christmas Movie Night w/Steinkopf's: (not sure which one yet)
20. Visit Janet & "Papa" (btw Janet, lol, I was thinking what if I stayed with you to break my trip up to Maryland up. Im not 100% on this, but tell me your thoughts since here it is, lol)
21. Leave for Maryland
22. ICE @ Gaylord Nationals (Indoor thing with tons of ice sculptures with the Merry Madagascar theme)
23. Make cookies for Santa & family
24. Tutu's Christmas Eve dinner

What do you all think? What are your plans for the holidays? What are you doing for your advent calendars?

I want... a Girl's Nite

I want a few things... okay, technically, I want a lot of things all the time. But as for now, I want 2 things.

1) My husband home. Obviously, this one is always on my mind. I could not say I want anything without acknowledging the fact, that really I want this one.

&

2) I want to get together with some of my best girl friends for a weekend retreat. I imagine Starbucks would be there & of course Happy Hour(s) would be involved. Here are some of the girls I would love to hang out with:
Michelle
Abi
Korinne
Trinity
Janet
Lindsey
Emily
Tammy

There are of course more. I just want you to know, if I was a millionaire I would fly all these girls to some awesome spa in the Maldives for a week. Not only that, I would go as far to make sure their husbands/boyfriends & kids were shacked up somewhere super fun, so there would be no worries. HAHA!

That is all.

S talks!

Well... she is starting to say words. Today she said "bubble" (holding up a bubble wand), it came out more "buba" but you get the idea.
I can't really think of the other words she has said, but you know the norms: "momma", "daddy", "byebye", "hi". Some that are used a lot in our family "aw dn" (all done), "more", etc.
I can see her putting thoughts & ideas together more. She shares well, is curious, is going through a whiny phase, is learning face parts, likes pointing & learning what we call things.

ahh, as hard as the whiny phase is, i still manage to be completely amazed by her & in love with her!

that's it.
p.s. i really want to tell you all about the fabulous things W is doing too, but I'll make a W blog next. haha