Snow!!!

Here in Ga, we don't get a lot of snow...but this year we have (and rumor has it we will get one more blast). The kids (and me) loved it! Seriously, so much fun.

Halfway (plus a few days)

I started the Project 10 challenge in Jan and have truly loved every minute of it. My initial goal was not to lose a bunch of weight; I know that the number on the scale is not the end all be all. I just want(ed) to get some of my muscle back. I got with my good friend, Mallory and she helped me create my goal and has been an amazing support person to me over the last 49 days or so. I haven't shared much about it here, mainly b/c I am just busy being a mom, photographer, wife, chef, maid, chauffer...you know the mom stuff and my blog just gets pushed to the back burner. I decided that I did want to take some time today to talk about how this is changing not only my body but also my attitude. When I joined the challenge, I was constantly in a funk. I was not happy with anything. I was added to a private FB group....it's filled with positivity, motivation and FUN. I have helped other people start their road to a healthier version of themself and I have gotten my monthly kit for FREE. Best of all, I feel amazing...so much like myself. I'm not even on my antidepressants anymore. I'm a better mom, wife...all of it. The scale has not gone down that much and I'm ok with that. I have lost inches....and not 2 or 3 but 7 and I'm only halfway done with this 90 day challenge! I have been working out and I'm so glad that I trusted Mallory and jumped into this. It really feels great to take care of myself again.

Here's some photo proof of my inches lost. I still have a ways to go but I'm so thrilled with my progress (5lbs and 7 inches).

Time Flies

I can not believe it's been so long since I posted here. Life has been super busy and I just forget to write things down. Let's see...Tyler is 11mos old. I have no idea how he will be 1 in less than a month, but he will be. Conner has been busy playing soccer and Parker is just, well, he's Parker. Tyler isn't walking (that's fine by me), he says a few words, loves food and is overall a happy little dude. Conner is a typical first born older brother. He likes to pick on Parker and boss people around. He can be very sweet at the same time. Speaking of Conner, he started speech Jan 24. He's doing alright with it. Josh has been working...a lot. That's really nothing new. I have been busy. I can't seem to keep up with laundry and really that's more because I just hate laundry. I have been taking much better care of me. I've been drinking shakes and working out. I feel much better and am seeing some positive changes :)

Oh and today is Valentine's Day....so Happy Valentine's day...from mine to yours...

Shakin' it up

A few months ago, one of my very good friends started posting photos of her w/these shakes on FB and instagram. I dismissed it for a while and then I was intrigued. I messaged her and asked her about these shakes. I could tell she had lost some weight but I notice more that she had lost inches and her body had changed. I looked at her page and saw the price and thought. Oh, no way. I was not interested in drinking my meals anyway. A few more weeks went by (and I had visited her page a few times) and I decided to text her again about it to get more info. She sent me the link to her page again and that time, I watched the challenge video on the home page. It caught my attention...and I continued to think about these shakes. Then, I decided to try it. I needed something easy (and cooking 5 times a day or spending the only day that Josh had off prepping just wasn't working). THIS is so easy. The shakes are delish and I liked the results that I had seen (not personally but w/other challengers). I won't lie...I haven't been FULLY doing the challenge for the past 5w but I've decided that I AM going to do this. FULLY. I got my second shape kit and no more half trying. My 90 day goal is to work out more. I have been saying that I need to get up at 5 and work out. I am.

When I got into great shape after Parker was born, I just followed clean eating and I loved the results. I was lifting heavy weights and watching everything I ate. Now, I just don't have the time to cook everything. I was trying to drink protein shakes and was hungry about an hour later. With these VI shakes, I am not hungry for a few hours. You can make them taste how you want them to taste. They even have butterfinger (you just mix it using the recipe!). I don't drink a shake for breakfast and a shake for lunch; but I do drink one for breakfast and another for my afternoon snack...why? Well, that's what works for, ME. I like to snack in the afternoons a lot and I like sweets around 3. SO, I'll make a hot chocolate shake (seriously, it's coconut mik, cooca powder and shake mix...easy!), a reeces pb shake. I get my sweet tooth fix and it's healthy and nutritious! I also LOVE the banana and chocolate shake. SO good. One of the questions I have been asked is "is it expensive". NO! not at all. It's less than $3 per meal...and that's for a nutritious meal, not a junk food meal. It comes right to my door at the beginning of the month. As much as I hesitated to try this, I'm so glad I did.

Who wants to join me in a 90 Day Challenge? Let's meet our goals together!

Chocolate banana shake

oh, and PS, my jeans from college fit again!

Science

This boy loves Science. He loves learning about ecosystems, animals, fossils, marine life, rocks...all of it. He loves it. When people started asking what a good birthday gift for Conner would be, I told them Science related things. One of the things we got was a crystal mining kit. The crystals were hidden in this block of plaster and when I say it was hard to bust open, hard is an understatement. At one point we decided we'd use our own tools/ It was super cool and equally messy and he loved it.

Making Changes

Change is one of those things that is always worth it but so hard to actually DO. Lately, Conner's behavior has been less than stellar. Let's face it, it's been straight up awful. I have tried almost everything to get his attention, to encourage better choices and behavior. I've tried positive reinforcement, negative punishments...nothing really works. Since Halloween, we have fought over candy every.single.day. He will sneak it to eat it. He hides it so he can go get it later. I have decided NO more. I'm going to limit what he eats. He's alawys been very picky and we've just said, whatever he will eat is better than him not eating but he's five now so his diet is getting an overhaul. It's going to require work from me (no more box mac and cheese), but I know that making him eat whole foods, non-processed crap will help him. It will help the dynamics of my family. It's not like he eats junk all day long but he doesn't eat a large variety of foods. He will eat strawberries, apples, applesauce, grapes, PB, cheese, yogurt, some chicken, pork, beef, spaghetti, mac and cheese (but now I'll have to make it or buy annies but is that really better?). He will not eat any veggies and I mean zero. He will not eat eggs, he will not even try a lot of things. Food has always been a battle for me with Conner. I have NO idea how I will actually pull this off but I am determined. I think Trader Joe's will be my new bff. Stay tuned...hopefully I will have good behavior reports soon!

"those" days

You know the days I'm talking about...the days when the kids that went to bed too late get up too early. Those days when all they do is fight...and it starts just because one looks at the other. Those days when the baby refuses real food, for no good reason; maybe he just wants a bottle. Those days when one child ends up with scratches and a busted mouth from fighting...and it's only 8am. Yep, it's one of THOSE days at our house today. These two precious gifts have fought over the air they breathe. They have stolen food from one another and have tried to create a wwf ring on the couch. Meanwhile, the baby (who just wants to be big and can climb stairs. omg), is trying to get in the mix. I can't even think straight and it's 8am. I want a drink...maybe I'll spike my coffee. Did I mention...it's election day so there's no school. Yep, one of those days. BUT during one of these days, I remind myself that they are little, they need to be taught not yelled at. They need love, not for a mommy to yell. They need extra cuddles, because yes they are tired (and woke up coughing so they probably don't feel well). They need their own space, they are little people and all people have rough mornings and crappy days. So, instead of yelling, I show them some grace. I love them, unconditionally. I have tired days too and days when I don't feel well and I express that by telling them that I'm really tired or don't feel well. They are little; they can't (and don't) always express that verbally but by using behavior. It's grace they need and it's grace I'll give. Now, that doesn't mean that I haven't yelled at one or both of them (seriously, leave the baby ALONE) but I just have to remind myself of the grace that I like extended to me and I try to extend that to them.

this post makes no sense and I know that. whatever. It's tuesday one of those days and I'm tired. I'm going to get more coffee. Happy Tuesday :)

So What Wednesday

So what if...

I'm having coffee at 4:25pm.
I JUST realized it is Wednesday. really? wow.
I need a haircut. desperately. I won't get one until my hair guy is available and that really may be never since he got a FT job NOT doing hair anymore...
I am seriously considering a homeschool type program for Conner. Josh is not happy about this.
I just put make up on. yes, it's 4:30 in the afternoon. Apparently I think I'm starting my day over w/the coffee and make up. whatever.
I love my van, but I hate my van.
I think it's hilarious that Conner has started chasing girls on the playground...why? oh, b/c they scream. hilarious.

Link up w/Shannon!

I have a confession...

Can I just be like Maxine?

 
I'm a terrible house wife. I get very, very tired of cleaning/picking up the same things over and over again. I can keep it picked up and I do vacuum the rug and sweep the floors and clean the kitchen every day but the rest. ick. I hate it. I wish I was OCD about it. I wish it drove me insane. I mean, on one hand it does. It's an organized mess. Laundry is my nemesis. Bathrooms (with little boy pee all over them) make me want to curl up into the fetal position. I DO clean, I really do but I hate it and I never want to do it. I need HELP in this dept.  I try to clean one thing every day but nothing is ever all clean at once and that just annoys me so then I think, well, why bother?!? When I had just Conner, the house was always clean...always. I mopped twice a day (clearly I had NOTHING better to do). Then I had Parker and it was a little worse and I mopped once a day. Now I have 3 of them (all mobile) and I mop every other day and the bomb of toys gets bigger and the craziness is louder (and I'd totally have more kids, if we could!), but I need to clean this hott mess and simplify my life.  What works for you? How do you get organized and how do you keep everything clean?

So What Wednesday

This week I'm saying so what to...

I feel off the clean eating bandwagon. I need to get back on. I'm not saying it's a fail...yet.

I have not worked out in almost 2 weeks. I don't know what my problem is. I just don't feel like it.

There are many things in my life that I can not control nor do I know what to do about them, so I just dismiss it. I can't worry about everything.

FB sucks. I admit it. I also can't delete b/c of my business page.

I have been having a lot of abdominal pains. Every test has been 'normal' and my pcp says I can go to a GI "if I want to". I don't want to.

We're having family photos done Sunday and I'm not sure what we are wearing. I can dress YOUR family but not mine.

I love school. It's the best thing I have ever done for my kids.

What are you saying so what to? Head over to Shannon's blog and link up!