Christmas Challenge~ Week 1 Weigh In

This week went really well! I even stayed within my points on Saturday when we went to Red Lobster for dinner. I'm not expecting to lose this much next week because the first week on plan is normally a high loss. It's a great start to my Christmas challenge. I'm sticking to the No Fast Food and No Starbucks policy. It's too easy to go overboard...

Starting Weight 6/10: 265
Starting Challenge Weight 11/2: 226
Current: 221
Change: -5!!
Total: -44
Left until Christmas Goal:
6
Left until Ultimate Goal: 46

Off to a great start!!

Halloween Candy...

Halloween candy is a pain. I wasted way too many points on that yesterday. I don't even eat candy often. We don't buy it frequently and it's not a big craving. But for some reason I can't stay away from it! I told the girls they each get to fill up a sandwich baggie with their favorites tonight and the rest is being donated. None of us need all that junk!

Even with the candy yesterday, I'm still down a pound. Hoping I can keep it up. Monday will be tough because we're having a potluck at work. I'm going to eat low point for breakfast and lunch to save for the evening!

So far I've stayed OP and tracked for 3 days. Woot!

Christmas Challenge~ Starting Weigh In

My weigh in day is on Wednesday. So even though I started tracking points again yesterday, today is my first official day. I'm up 4lbs total from my lowest weight in August. Hoping I'll see a change next week!

Starting: 265 (Right after having Noah 16 months ago.)
Current: 226
Change: +4 since August 2011.
Total: -39
Left until Christmas Goal: 11
Left until Ultimate Goal: 51

Today's Tracker:

B: 2 Egg White burritos on low carb tortillas- 7pts
Coffee with splenda and Creamer- 1pt

L: Leftover Mummy Dog, Apple- 11pts

S: ??

D: Tuna/Cheese pita, Carrots with FF dip, Apple, SF Jello- 7pts

S: ??

Total: 26/38 so far

Having Trouble This Time...

I've had 3 healthy pregnancies but gained 50-60lbs each time. I also gained 10lbs after the stress of my miscarriage. I started Weight Watchers Online about 8 weeks after I had Hannah. Weight dropped off quickly (probably because my wedding was 8 months away...that's great motivation). I successfully lost all of my pregnancy weight plus another 10lbs...and then got pregnant with Avery. And I gained it back all over again. Went back on WW and lost it all in about 16 months. Then I got pregnant about a year later. Whew. This time the weight hasn't come right off. My motivation and determination SUCK! My last goal was to lose 10lbs between mid-August and Halloween...I lost none.

So I'm starting again. And this time I have to start adding some exercise! A friend of mine just had her first baby this past week and we're going to start going for walks once she recovers. It's tough working in the evenings because I feel like I have no time during the day to relax and still get things done before it's time to go to work. I'm starting to think our tv needs to stay off during the day. Do we seriously need to watch Price is Right every day?

I'm ready for this:


October 2011- 225lbs

To look more like this:


August 2009- 199lbs

My ultimate goal is 175...about where I was before Jason and I started dating over 8 years ago. But for now, I'm setting my Christmas goal, following in the path of my awesome friend, Elizabeth. I would like to lose 10lbs by then. That's just about 1.5lbs a week.

First step, no more fast food. Which means I need to 100% plan my dinners for work. It's so easy to get lazy. And saying no to Tuesday Night pizza that the guys bring in. I'm also going to attempt to cut back on my Starbucks...though the Skinny Peppermint Mochas aren't too high in points. :)

And I'm going to go for a walk tomorrow morning after I take the girls to school. Avery goes 2-3 days a week. So I'm aiming for 3 mornings a week to start.

Wish me luck!

Menu Plan Monday~ 9/12/11

Here is are menu plan for the week. I work evenings M-F so Jason is in charge of dinner. It's hard juggling the 3 kids and cooking so I either plan something really easy (hot dogs/mac & cheese etc) or something I can prep or make ahead for them.



Monday 9/12: Swedish Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
Tuesday 9/13: Crockpot Italian Chicken, Noodles, Rolls

Wednesday 9/14: Chili, Cornbread

Thursday 9/15: Take Out (Back to School Night)

Friday 9/16: Spaghetti, Garlic Bread

Saturday 9/17: Steak, Sauted Mushrooms, Rice Pilaf, Steamed Carrots

Sunday 9/18: Crockpot Ranch Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli

Head over to OrgJunkie for more menu plans!

First Day of School 2011!

Today was the first day of school! I'm am so happy that the girls both love school. They couldn't wait to go!

Hannah is in Kindergarten with Mrs. Cheney. Last year she tested in to Junior Kindergarten because of her social skills. So this is her second year of Kindergarten. She's one of the 2 oldest (a friend of hers was held back) and seems to be ahead of the game. She knows exactly what to do and how to behave. All of the other kids in her class came straight from Preschool. She has a new teacher but already knows her and her teacher aid is her aid from Jr K.

Avery is in her last year of preschool. She has the same teacher Hannah did when she was 4. Her cousin, Hayden, is also going to DCS this year and is in her class. They're both very excited! Right now Avery is only going 2 days a week but I'm hoping to bump her up to 3 days next month.

Fall is almost here and we're ready to get back into the groove! Add in the fact that I had my first Fall Pumpkin Spice Latte this morning and I'm one happy Momma!

Summer Fun

We've tried to do some special things with the kids this summer and thought I'd share some pictures!

We went on our very first (and definately not last) camping trip. We went to a small campsite at the bottom of the Sequoia National Forest. It was perfect for a family with little ones.










Our big trip was a surprise for the kids...Disneyland!! We just got them up in the morning without telling them where we were going. We kicked things off with a stop at Krispy Kreme.











We had a great summer (but hot and exhausting!!) and we're ready for Fall. Apple picking and Pumpkin carving are just around the corner!!!

Making Our House A Home...

We bought our first house almost 2 years ago. It was a new build home so everything was white and we just left it that way. For Mother's Day I decided I really wanted to paint our Master Bedroom. I felt like we hadn't made this into "our" place yet. Our room is always the last thing to be worked on and I thought that should change. We painted it a pale grey-blue and I love it! We haven't been able to buy the accessories and headboard I want yet but it's much more welcoming.

We've started planning how we want to add personal touches to our downstairs great room. I picked a paint color for the 2 main walls.

It's a bit bright but I think it will work with out dark wood furniture. The rest of the walls will get a new coat of white to cover all the finger prints!

We've also been wanting a new (larger) dining table for a long time. Noah will be outgrowing his highchair before we know it and ours only seats 5. A new table isn't exactly in the budget but thanks to my new addiction to Pinterest, I'm feeling creative and crafty. So Jay and I have decided to try building one plus a bench seat (maybe with storage underneath?). We'll buy chairs though...that's a bit out of our ability! Probably unfinished ones though so we can stain them the same color as the table. I'm thinking something like this but stained all a dark brown (no white):

We also plan on pulling up the carpet downstairs and putting in laminate. We learned the hard way that getting the cheapest quality carpet/padding when building a home isn't smart. We cleaned our beige carpet with our carpet cleaner and the blue color from the padding bled through. We now have blue spots everywhere! :(

I'll post photo updates as we get things done! I'm also going to be making some holiday/home decor from ideas I've gotten on Pinterest!

We're Back and Ready for Fall!

Long time no see! My blog was pushed to the back of my mind with all of the changes this past year. Juggling 3 kiddos, working and going to school can be insane...and exhausting! So we're back and with a new name and design!

We're hanging in there. Jason is still out of work but hasn't really been looking. It's so easy having him home to pick the kids up from school and be with the kids while I work from 3p-1130p. His unemployment won't last forever though so his job hunt will start again soon.

The girls start school in less than 2 weeks and are really excited. I'm so glad they enjoy school. I loved elementary school and I hope they continue to! Hannah decided she wants to try gymnastics this year instead of cheer. It seems like it'll definately be more of a workout and will hopefully get rid of some of her extra energy! Avery will be starting her last year of preschool and her cousin, Hayden, will be in her class. She's very excited! I can't believe I'll have 2 kids in elementary school next year...

Noah's such a little man now! He just turned 14 months and is a full-on walker now. Not really talking at all...more of a squealer...but Avery didn't talk until around 18 months so I'm not really concerned. He's such a happy, well-behaved boy! He's extremely tolerant even when his schedule gets messed up.

I'm enjoying my new job but it's tiring working full-time. I have my moments where I wish I could go back to part-time or be a SAHM. But that's not something we can do right now. It'll be hard once the girls are in school because I'll only see Hannah in the mornings before she goes to school and on the weekends. I worry that she'll look back on her childhood and think I was never around. I would definately switch to day shift if the opportunity came up!

I'm also back on Weight Watchers and finally trying to get rid of the last of the baby weight. My hope is that we will be in a better financial situation next summer and I'll have gotten down to my goal weight so we can TTC#4 (and our last!).

I've also become a Pinterest addict as of late and am feeling the urge to get crafty! I plan to post all of my crafts, decor and baking here as I go!

My Healthy Eater!

This is what my 3 year old asked to have for snack:

Light Laughing Cow Cheese Wedge, Organic baby carrots, Tomato slices, Celery

And she ate it all! Hoping she stays a healthy eater as she grows up!

*~*~*7 Months Old*~*~*

Today my baby boy, Noah, turned 7 months old! His first year is just flying by! I am so thankful to have this little boy in my life. He is such a joy and the light of our lives. His sisters adore him and he is fascinated by them!



At 7 months Noah:



~Can roll both ways...across the floor!

~Is working towards pushing himself up on all 4s.

~Can scootch around (usually backwards!)

~Babbles and squeals constantly. I think his first word is right around the corner!

~Eats like a champ! He's still nursing or drinking EBM about 5 times a day. He's also eating solids (homemade by Mommy! Yay!) 3 times a day. His favorites are Sweet Potato, Avocado, Peas and Carrots. Chicken is pretty much the only thing he won't eat but that might be because I didn't puree it well!

~Sleeps from 7pm to 5am. Then he nurses in bed with Mommy and goes back to sleep until 8 or 9a! He also take two 2-2 1/2 hour naps during the day. He's a great sleeper (A first for us!) and prefers to be laid down in his crib awake with his Sound/Light Projector, binky, Jedi dog and StarWars bear so he can fall asleep on his own. Such a blessing!

~Loves his jumperoo and any toy he can stick in his mouth!

~Wears 6-9 month clothes but will be outgrowing them soon. He's wearing size 3 diapers and will be for a while still.

~Loves showers and baths...but hates getting out!

Noah Gryphon~ 7 Months

Menu Plan Monday~ 1/17/11

I'm not planning on going grocery shopping this week since there's a holiday delay in getting Jason's next check. I'm going to do my best with what we've got at home already. We flip flopped some of our meals from last week and had leftovers one night because no one was super hungry. Can't wait to go grocery shopping though because I want to try some new things (couscous!) next week! :) Have a great week everyone!!

Monday 1/17- Tamale Pie (This was great! Even Miss Picky Hannah ate it...beans and all! I eliminated the pepper in it because I can't stand them. LoL)

Tuesday 1/18- BBQ Pulled Pork (freezer), Baked Potatoes, Corn

Wednesday 1/19- Ham, Stuffing, Gravy (all from freezer), Green Beans

Thursday 1/20- Potato Cheese Soup (freezer), Corn Bread Muffins (looking for a scratch recipe!)

Friday 1/21- Steak/Mushroom Fajitas

Saturday 1/22- Date Night Takeout??

Check back next week for some new recipes!

Head over to OrgJunkie for more menu plans!

Menu Plan Monday~ 1/10/11

I always work on Mondays so I never go grocery shopping until Tuesday or Wednesday. My weekly plans start those days. This one is Wed-Tues. :) I'm a bit burned out in the cooking department so I have a few easy or freezer food days on here. I am trying a new recipe on Tuesday though. (In fact, I'm trying a new one tonight too from last weeks plan...must be a Tuesday thing!)

Wednesday 1/12- Lemon Butter Tilapia, Brown Rice, Green Beans
Thursday 1/13- Veggie Lasagna, Salad
Friday 1/14- Date Night! Takeout for Mommy and Daddy!
Saturday 1/15- Eggs, Sausage, Biscuits and Gravy
Sunday 1/16- Ham, Stuffing (both from freezer), Broccoli
Monday 1/17- Pulled Pork (freezer), Baked Potatoes, Corn
Tuesday 1/18- Tamale Pie

Head on over to OrgJunkie for more menu plans and recipes!

A Milestone for Noah!

My little No-No got his first tooth (At 9 days shy of 7 months)! It just broke through today without any fussing at all from him! :) You can just see the tip of his bottom right center tooth. I can't believe how fast his first year is flying by...it seems like he was just born. Now he's rolling and scootching across the floor, having fits of Baby Giggles when we play Peak-A-Boo and eating solids like a mad man!

Pretty soon this sweet, gummy baby smile with be a tooth-filled grin!

52 Weeks of Organizing!

I'm a little late since we're already a full week into 2011 but I plan on working on my list this weekend! Such a great idea. Make a list of 52 household projects and tackle one each week for the year. Sounds like a perfect way to get our house in order and keep up with it.

Thank you OrgJunkie for the list template! 52 Weeks Checklist!

I hope to post my list by Tuesday!

Happy New Year 2011!

Hopefully I can stay on the ball this time! Blogging is a good way to keep me on track and help me remember the fun things we experience every day. :)

We had a great and busy Christmas with our families. The girls had a blast and I think Avery really liked having her sister home for Winter Break. Hannah's winter break was extended by a day because we had a VERY rare SoCal Snow Day! We had about 4 inches here which is a ton for the Mojave Desert! The girls had fun playing until the sun came out and it melted away...

2010 was a happy but very stressful year. At this point, Jason has been out of work for over 4 months and finances are very tight. We're just trying to push through until he gets a job and I get one closer to home. We pulled Avery out of Preschool before Thanksgiving and she really misses her friends. We hope we can send her back as soon as our jobs stabilize.

For now, Jason is enjoying all the time he has to spend with his little boy. This is the most time he's been able to spend with any of our kids, especially at such a young age. Noah's a super easy baby and I'm hoping he'll help me convince his Daddy to let us have 1 more baby in a year or two! :)

Hoping things will look up in 2011 for us!

Menu Plan...Wednesday! 1/5/11

Happy New Year Everyone!

I'm such a terrible blogger...I can never seem to remember to post! I'm grocery shopping mid-week so here's our Wed-Tues menu plan.

Wednesday 1/5- Pancakes, Eggs, Bacon
Thursday 1/6- Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Brown Rice
Friday 1/7- Steah/Mushroom Fajitas
Saturday 1/8- Homemade Mini-Pizzas, Salad
Sunday 1/9- BLTs/Turkey Clubs, Chips/Salsa, Fruit
Monday 1/10- Sesame Chicken, Brown Rice, Broccoli
Tuesday 1/11- Creamy Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta, Green Beans

We're both trying to lose weight and Jason is trying to control his blood sugars. (He's Type 2 Diabetic.) So we're using low carb pasta etc. :) A bit pricier but hopefully better for us!

Visit OrgJunkie on Mondays for more Menu Plans!