getting back on track

when shaun and i decided in september of 2008 that we were going to start trying to get pregnant in january 2009, i decided to loose some weight. yes, i'm in the healthy weight range for my height and age. yes, my bmi is fine. but i didn't feel good about where i was. i wanted to get down to the bottom of my healthy bmi, not the top. so i joined weight watchers online and started tracking my daily points. and it worked! i lost about 20 lbs in about 4 months! then we got pregnant in december, so i stopped. i did pretty good while i was pregnant, but by the time C was born, i had gained 60 lbs! YIKES! 60 pounds. double YIKES!

so, C is now 6 months old. i'm back at the weight i was in september of 2008. i'm fine with where i am, but again, i don't really feel good about it. so...i'm getting back on track. tracking my points everyday and planning out healthy and filling meals. it's only been 3 days, but i feel committed again.

so, why am i telling you all this?

i'm not a self-motivated person. or a very disciplined person. so i need outside motivation. i need something tangible. i need goals and rewards. and i need accountability. so - i've set a goal. 20 lbs by vacation in july. what's my motivation? (this is good - get ready) $100, guilt free, at the j.crew outlet in destin! AWESOME!! now, i know this kind of sounds silly and superficial, but i needed something. i just did. the last motivation i had was getting pregnant. but i don't want to get pregant this year (new years resolution # 8), so i needed something else. and it can't be food or a silly gift. it can't be something that i could get on a regular basis. it has to be something unusual. and since we don't have a j.crew outlet near by, and $100 won't get me far in a regular store, and i'm not into buying clothes right now, this reward in july seemed perfect.

now for the accountability. the first time i joined WW i didn't tell anyone. it was only when people started noticing that i was loosing weight that i confesed it was through weight watchers. why? because i was worried it wouldn't work. or that i wouldn't be able to do it. but now, i know that it does work. and now, i know that i can do it, if i'm committed. so, by telling ALL of blogland, i'm re-committing myself to tracking my points. it's like i'm renewing my vows and i want everyone to know.

i'll give you updates here and there. nothing big, i might just slip them in. and maybe some tips and tricks. some good recipes, or healty filling snacks i find. that is, only if i loose weight. if i don't, i'm going to pretend like this blog entry never happened....

here's a couple of things i know from last time.

1- if you are feeling hungry, but don't really think your body NEEDS food - drink some water. it's good for you, and fulfills the oral need your body might be looking for. i just went and got a big glass of water and i'm feeling good now. my snack can wait a bit longer.

2- dotti's weight lose zone. {click here} This is an AWESOME website for anyone on weight watchers. if you scroll down to about the middle of the page, on the right side there is a blue icon that says DWLZ Restaurants. click on that and it will take you to a list of TONS of common restaurants. there, dotti has listed out the menu items and associated points values to them. it's accurate too. i've crossed checked some items and dotti is always right.

Well, that's about it. happy healthy eating everyone!!

western kentucky...

here we come!

i'm going to calvert! it's been way too long, and the city is calling my name.

i'm going to see cami and brad and owen and elliott. some of my best friends that i haven't seen in almost 7 months. way to long!

it's going to be a quick trip but it's going to be awesome! i'm ready to laugh and stay up late and eat and relax and just hang out.

see you sunday!

resolution update

as you may remember, i actually made new years resolution this year and wrote them down in {this blog} back at the beginning of january. well, i'm actually pretty impressed with what i've done so far. so impressed, i thought i would do a little update. i haven't been successful in all of them, but i didn't put them in any type of ranking order, so i've been skipping around and doing what i can.

c's baby book/scrap booking - i had never made a real scrap book until i had a baby. well, i take that back. i made one back in high school, but it isn't that amazing. it's mostly just pictures and random things i printed off the computer. but scrap booking has really come a long way in the past 10 years. there are so many cute options out there. and when i ventured into this project i was pretty intimidated by all the options. but i've really had a lot of fun with it. the ladies in my office gave me a beautiful scrap book full of pre-made pages where all i have to do is add the pictures. mostly baby's firsts. first bath, first day home etc. but there were a few pages i wanted to make myself. and there were a few they left out or didn't give me enough of. this past weekend i got to work and added all the pages i wanted to. it was really fun. i've learned that scrap booking can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. i'm a simplistic person, so my pages are cute, but probably mostly because of the pictures! =)

so, resolution #2 is moving right along!

baking - i've been having a lot of fun with this one. i quickly mentioned in {this blog} that i wanted to make a red velvet cake for valentine's day. well i did and it was awesome! soooo tasty! we are still snacking on it. it's getting easier and easier for me to accomplish these tasks. i was able to do most of them before, but i hit a stress level somewhere in the midst. this cake came so easy and is so good. again, {here} is sunny's recipe. it's pretty easy. you can do it!

resolution #7 - getting better.

dates with shaun - shaun and i were able to do 2 dates this past week! last tuesday night we got to go to the UK vs Alabama game and we went out to dinner before hand. it was really fun to just go out and not worry about what time we needed to come home. the game didn't start until 9 so we got in late. i felt like i was back in college! and then this past sunday we had a nice date at home. we (shaun) made an awesome dinner and we had a candle lit dinner at the table. we enjoyed an amazing dessert, and then snuggled up on the couch and watched a movie. we were really intentional about it being a fun "home date" and i'm so thankful to live with my best friend.

resolution #8 - practice will make perfect.

blogging more - all i'm going to say here is that this is my 2nd blog of the day!

resolution #5 - check

so i'm feeling pretty good about my resolutions so far and it's only mid february. (pat on the back)

how are yours coming?

miracle

baby elliott-

from the day you were born you have been prayed for more than most babies i know. the beginning of your life started out scary, but you are truly a miracle. you were tiny and perfect. to the world you didn't seem ready, but god had a plan and he knew differently. to us you seemed early. but to him, you were right on time.

unfortunately, we have never met. you're mommy and daddy are keeping you safe and warm in the walls of your home. but i know you are amazing and strong. i've "seen" how far you have come and i know you thriving every day.

there are just a few things i wanted to tell you at this stage in your life. things that may seem obvious, but are sometimes easily forgotten.

1- you have the strongest and most amazing mommy ever. she has conquered these past 6 months with determination and strength like no other. she has put everything on hold to love and protect you. she is not the personality to be quiet or be by herself. but she loves you so much, she has done what she needs to do. she is strong and wonderful and amazing.

2- your daddy and brother are pretty great too! ;) they are so ready to protect you and defend you forever. i know owen will be the best older brother there ever was. and i know your daddy is ready to be your knight in shining armor. get ready for boys to be questioned and a few loving but embarrassing moments to come!

3- you are strong. and i know this means your are destined for amazing things. you have been through more in your first 6 months of life than most people will en dour in a lifetime. like i said before - god has a plan. he knew what he was doing when he brought you here 12 weeks early. he knew you could survive and he knows you will continue to become an amazing woman of god. you are a miracle. his miracle. mommy and daddy's miracle.

you are 6 months old today. you are smiling and reaching for things. you are making noises and progressing through all your milestones. and this weekend i will get to meet you! i'm going to bring you a friend too. i want you to teach her how to be strong. i want you to show her that nothing is impossible. and, if you wouldn't mind, mention how great her parents are too!

we love you baby elliott.

HAPPY 6 MONTH BIRTHDAY!

4 days

the weekend is coming! the weekend is coming! and for me, it starts tomorrow. yeah! and monday is a holiday, so that means i get 4 days off! 4 days at home to be with my baby. double yeah!

i want to make something fun this weekend. shaun and i already celebrated valentine's last tuesday because my mom is our only babysitter right now and she will be out of town this weekend. plus, i got shaun tickets to the UK game, so we celebrated a little early. but...i still want to do a little something on sunday. have some kind of tasty treat for dinner and dessert. but i don't know what to make. i'll probably go with red velvet cake for dessert. shaun looooves the cream cheese icing i make. and i was watching sunny anderson's cooking show on the food network the other day and this is the red velvet cake she made. i think i'm going to use regular cream cheese icing, but the look of this one is so cool. i'll let you know how it goes.

but what should i make for dinner? shaun is so picky i don't have a lot of options. i read great recipes all the time, but it almost always includes cheese or ranch or seafood or rice. he is pretty much against all this stuff, plus much more. maybe something steak related? does anyone know any good recipes?

hopefully we will be able to get out and do something and the snow won't keep us house bound. usually i love staying in on cold weekends, but i want to go out and do something. i need a new jacket. one with a hood that is water resistant. {note to future mothers: it is almost impossible to hold an umbrella while holding a baby. so unless you can rock the wet hair look, which i cannot, you need a coat with a hood} shaun (my amazingly generous husband) is giving me his $50 gift card to dick's! i'm looking for something like this:

i hope they are having a sale in the store and i can get a good deal!

happy v-day weekend blog land!

5 months

baby girl-

i can't believe it. 5 months have passed and you are growing faster than i can track!

you are obsessed with your feet these days. every chance you get you are grabbing for them. while your eating, playing, getting your diaper changed. you LOVE your feet! (i love them too - they are really cute and chubby!) they are a little bit ticklish now. i can tickle the bottom and you curl your toes and pull away. daddy is always smelling them and teasing that they are really stinky. i just tell him - stop sticking your nose in them!

you are also starting to sit up on your own a bit. you aren't quiet strong enough to sit straight up, but you are learning how to hold your self up with your arms. i've been trying to get pictures of you sitting up and have a TON where you are tipping over. I have to admit, those are my favorite. but every time you fall you just roll over to your back and squeal with delight. you really enjoy looking around while sitting up. it's like a whole new world for you where everything isn't only horizontal.

you are laughing and playing and smiling all the time. you really are a happy baby. you sleep through the night (11 hours be exact) and you love to hear yourself squeal. you like to practice standing, and i get excited but freaked out at the same time when i think about you crawling and walking soon. you are my sweet baby girl and my favorite person to spend time with (next to daddy).

and you've started to reach for things. papers i'm holding in my hands, my phone, kona. you looove kona. he is your buddy. every time he is in the room you are fixated on him. you reach for him and he stops and licks your hands (before i can stop him!) and you giggle and squeal. you have also started reaching out for our faces. sticking your fingers in our mouths and reaching for our noses. you especially loves daddy's face right now b/c he has a bread. you are always trying to grab the hairs on his face.

you bring us so much joy baby caroline. i can't believe 5 months have already passed. keep growing strong baby girl. we love you more that you could ever imagine.

uh

i don't feel well today. i really don't want to complain, so i am trying to think about better days to come.

right now i wish i was here:

with these people (plus baby caroline, baby elliott, and baby boy stone)

doing this...

i have no idea who these people are eitehr. but we keep teasing that we are going to take a family picture all wearing white shirts on the beach. who knows. if mandy has it her way, we will! =)

uh. i wish it was july....