tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86835900548105545752024-02-22T13:40:19.439-05:00My road to and thru thirtyMy road to and thru thirty:
A place to vent about, describe, give advice on, seek truth about, and just try to make it to my road through 30 (and beyond).Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.comBlogger188125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-47333716594379411962016-01-03T16:34:00.000-05:002016-01-03T16:34:21.339-05:00I'm back....Anyone who knows me knows I love to write and connect with people. It's probably clear just based on my overly wordy Facebook statuses. I miss writing very much but my life doesn't allow for a lot of time for hobbies.<br />
However, 5 year ago I started this blog to hold myself accountable for a healthy life style and to connect with people in a similar situation.<br />
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And truth is, I've been slacking folks.<br />
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My weight is up, I'm tired, I'm not weight training like I used to and I want to get back to doing what I love. Writing, cooking healthy food and exercise.<br />
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So feel free to follow along, laugh with me and try not to critique my grammar too much.<br />
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Happy 2016,<br />
C<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-91061578008047302112012-08-12T08:31:00.002-04:002012-08-12T08:31:53.105-04:00Where have I been? Blogging like a big girlThis is just a quick post to let anyone who stops by know that the reason I am MIA is because I finally decided to try and be a real blogger.<br />
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From here on out I will be blogging at<br />
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<a href="http://www.thesetenhands.com/">www.thesetenhands.com</a><br />
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I know that if I actually want to write and have followers I needed to buy an address and figure out how to format everything.<br />
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The blog will change a bit too. It will focus on the health of our entire family and my husband is going to be involved. We want to include information and reflection on growing and raising food and of course healthy children too.<br />
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You can check out how it is doing so far, but it isn't quite ready yet.<br />
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<strong>Mainly I am having issues with transferring over my followers and the blogs I follow. Without this I am not sure what to do...but since I have transferred to wordpress it is requiring some figuring out.</strong> <br />
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So check it out and if you bloggers have any advice I would love to hear it!<br />
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I will be back in action soon.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-85346029341896959982012-07-30T07:17:00.003-04:002012-07-30T07:17:44.049-04:00Food we are diggin' lately<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://sodeliciousdairyfree.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBO8_w9IwRxyNywsH1j-GPX4SrmfAiuvGaZ7AZn-1J_4wI5sYFNYrdG_5ZhGZIVdXLMljtbjtwovnWSkegkfZKRvdlGr9rtNTxJF-0dW5SmesTcdwubpMADro1wfeeUoCmbOgp8C75eZc3/s320/coco-milk-creamer-french-vanilla.png" width="320" /> SoDelicious</a></div>
<strong>So Delicious Coffee Creamer in Vanilla:</strong> Uhhh YUM! This stuff walked into my life via healthy eating blogs a few months ago. It is no secret that I love me some coffee. This is a great, natural, dairy free way for me to flavor, sweeten and lighten up my coffee all in one. I am trying to get back to banning artificial crap from my diet as well as cutting back on animal products. This stuff is so good and comes in plain and hazelnut too. You can even download some coupons of of their site <a href="http://sodeliciousdairyfree.com/">HERE</a><br />
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<strong>Kashi Go Lean:</strong> Good ole' Go Lean has been a part of my life for ever. It has a pretty low sugar count (6 grams), good dose of fiber, tastes good and is just sweet enough to act as a great yogurt topper or before bed snack with some blueberries and even a quick before the gym breakfast with some almond milk. <br />
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<strong>Joseph's Flax, Oat Bran and Whole Wheat Lavash Bread</strong><br />
Who doesn't love a good wrap? Or a Burrito? If I could, I would probably eat a burrito everyday of my life. I absolutely love burritos. I try to keep them healthy by leaving meat out and adding extra veggies. But have you ever looked at the calorie count of the tortillas or wraps at your fave sandwich or burrito shop? It might depress you and probably takes your favorite sandwich into the high calorie range. As an example, the Chipoltle tortillas have 290 calories (which is pretty good compared to many wraps..our local burrito places wraps are 350 calories). To me this seems like a steep count for something that just holds all the good stuff together. These wraps are 100 calories for a very big wrap. I usually cut them in half, which makes it only 50. Plus they are so good and soft and made with some nice ingredients. They are a bit pricey, but worth it. I just made veggies burritos in some last night. YUM.<br />
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<strong>Summer Veggies</strong> (Tomatoes, Summer Squash, Green Pepper, Kale, Herbs, etc.): All of a sudden we are loaded with our tasty organic produce Thanks to my hardworking, farmer of a husband we have great produce to eat. I love my veggies grilled, but am hoping to try some interesting combos/ recipes in the next few weeks. There is nothing like real local, non-GMO food. Now that I am done babymaking, I am hoping to spend more time trying to use our land to feed my family. It is a great joy watching the kiddos grow, maintain, pick and eat food. <br />
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Our mini-farmers<br />
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Posted using BlogPress from my iPhoneAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-13383078187096416982012-07-23T14:28:00.001-04:002012-07-23T14:28:24.776-04:00Five years of marriage, what I have learnedWe have returned from an epic family camping adventure and I am forced to get back into the swing of things (especially eating better and hitting the gym). Why is that first day back always so hard?<br />
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While we were gone we celebrated our anniversary. On <strong>July 21, 2007</strong> my husband and I were married on the water in front of many friends and tons of family. I loved that day, but I certainly didn't know all that we were in for during the next 5 years of life.<br />
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Five years is certainly not a long time when I think of the fact that we will spend a lifetime together. However, it has certainly been long enough to teach us a thing or two, to give us time to grow and change, to allow for some hard times and a significant amount of joy, to teach us more about each other and to log some serious hours side by side.<br />
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In five years we have had THREE children. That alone has taught us more about family and marriage than I could have ever dreamed. <br />
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I have seen many a post about what makes marriages work. I know that what makes my marriage work might not work for others. We have our own unique situation. But I thought I might share the 5 biggest things I have learned about MY marriage in the last 5 years.<br />
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<strong>1. It Ain't Easy-</strong><br />
When you are young and in love and you are dating it is simple...you are passionately, deeply in love and you want to spend as much time as possible with each other. But when you get married it becomes more than that. You have to pay bills, you have to worry about if your unborn child is healthy, you have to be a part of each other's family, you have to share everything and make hard decisions together. It takes effort. You cannot get lazy and stay stagnant. Mike and I have had to work through tough financial and personal problems and in order to keep our marriage strong, we had to work. It doesn't just stay all rainbows and puppy dogs without mutual effort.<br />
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<strong>2. Leaving is not and never will be an option-</strong><br />
This is a non-negotiable. Neither of us ever thinks of or uses the "D" word as an option. No matter how hard times may be, no matter what argument we may have, we are in it together and have no choice but to sort through it and work together. I believe that if you think of leaving as an option it would be easy to cause hurt by throwing that around or using it as a threat. We stand by each other and leaving each other will never be a solution to a problem.<br />
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<strong>3. If you feel slighted, say something-</strong><br />
Marriage is a partnership. When someone in a marriage feels like things are not equal then resentment starts to creep up. Most likely it isn't any one's fault, but if you feel an inequity it is important to make sure you get what you need. An example might be that if one person takes on all of the responsibilities of taking care of the kids, they may start to feel alone, or like the other doesn't understand. Suddenly they become angry with their partner. I find that when I need something from Mike (help with the kids, more time at the gym, etc.) I need to be a mature adult and voice my needs. Our marriage works because we both honor what the other needs and do our best to find away to get it for the other.<br />
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<strong>4. Our priorities are the same and we discuss them all the time to be sure</strong><br />
I would probably lose my mind if my husband played video games, or had a man cave, or insisted on going out every Friday night. I know this works in some marriages, but not in ours.<br />
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-Our top priorities are the same: the kids come first and we spend the majority of our minimal spare time doing things with them/ for them. We sacrifice some things we might otherwise do in order to spend that time with them. We don't stay away from them over night or get babysitters of any kind (with the exception of family on a rare occasion). <br />
-We put fitness and healthy eating as a priority. We agree that we want to be fit and are willing to put money and time to make that happen. This was something we had to figure out together and we agree it can never change.<br />
-We go to bed together each night and spend time together. This has also been something we had to learn. We give up TV, going out with friends and even some classes we have been involved in to make this happen. It has made a huge difference in our relationship and our closeness and I wouldn't trade it for the world.<br />
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<strong>5. Leave the drama at the door</strong><br />
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Since the day I met my husband, life became much less complicated. Our relationship is simple: we love each other, we are partners and therefore there isn't anyone else we are as close to. We do not put ourselves in positions where we might act inappropriately. I cannot even imagine what married people are thinking when they cheat. It seems so complicated and horrible to me. We might argue sometimes, but we do not raise our voices, scream and yell or any other big dramatic gesture. This was true when we were dating and is true now. It certainly doesn't mean we are perfect, but there has never been any cheating, yelling, leaving, etc. I cannot imagine going on in a relationship if any of that was to happen. I guess I am lucky that I married someone who is very much like me in how we deal with people and approach relationships. I would hate to live my life in a dramatic whirlwind.<br />
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So we have survived 5 years without getting sick of each other. It is pretty amazing to think of how much has happened in these last few years. I barely even remember who I was before I met my husband. I have never once regretted my decision to marry who I believe to be one of the most selfless, loving and compassionate people I have ever known. I am one lucky girl and I cannot wait to see what happens during the next 5 years that we spend together.<br />
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I love you Michael! You will always be my cowboy<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-67838169523172383222012-07-20T11:48:00.001-04:002012-07-20T11:48:51.569-04:00Healthy(ish) campingI am ALL about making memories with my family. Anyone who went on family trips as a kid has to have dozens of happy memories bonding with their family. Even though our oldest child is only 4, he has already been on many little and big adventures and I pray that some of the memories will stick with him for a life time.<br /><br />Right now we are camping for 3 nights and honestly are having the best time. Packing for and camping with babies and toddlers is hectic, but if you are laid back enough and know how to let things go then it can be great.<br /><br />Sometimes it is okay to have smores for dinner or 2 ice creams in one day, or to stay up late, or blow a whoopie cushion at innocent pedestrians as you drive through the campground. <br /><br />But I am not a spring chicken anymore and I really cannot get away with sitting on my butt for <br />4 days and eating nothing but crap. So what have I done differently to help make this a slightly healthier camping trip?<br /><br />1. I worked out hard right before I left.<br />I got up at 4:30 and attended a group fitness class to whip my muscles into gear before a long car ride.<br />2. I packed good snacks like this:<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/07/20/1321.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/07/20/s_1321.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />3. I bought healthier alternatives to our fave camping dinners. Think spinach feta chicken sausages instead of hot dogs, whole wheat buns, grilled veggies and veggie burgers<br /><br />4. When it is hard to eat your normal veggie amounts you can drink them<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/07/20/1322.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/07/20/s_1322.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />5. And I am seizing the moment to exercise: I just completed a 30 minute cardio blast interval workout by timing thirty sec and one minute sets of exercises like-<br /><br />Stepups on the picnic table<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/07/20/1323.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/07/20/s_1323.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /> <br />Abs using random campsite items<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/07/20/1324.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/07/20/s_1324.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Planks on a beach towel<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/07/20/1325.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/07/20/s_1325.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />And lots of walking lunges and planks up a hill on our site<br /> <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/07/20/1326.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/07/20/s_1326.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />This mixed with burpees, jumping jacks and bear crawls did the trick. Sure it was only 30 min but I was a sweaty mess.<br /><br />I had no set workout plan but I seized to moment when this happened<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/07/20/1327.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/07/20/s_1327.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />That would be 2 sleepy little girls taking an hour long tent nap while their daddy and brother went fishing. Carpe Diem<br /><br />So now I off to make more memories my kiddos won't forget,,,,like this:<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/07/20/1328.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/07/20/s_1328.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />A nice balance between healthy and happy makes for the perfect trip!<br /><br /><br />Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-67541415029100409532012-07-14T12:34:00.000-04:002012-07-14T13:00:00.174-04:00Envy: Comparing yourself to other womenWhy do women spend so much time comparing themselves to other women? We are all guilty of it. It's sad to think that it really starts at childhood, when you wish your hair was as blond or as long as Kristen Bell (the girl who sat in front of me in second grade) or that you talked to the boys with ease like Laurie (my best friend in 5th grade). <br />
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And it doesn't end with childhood does it? Us grownup girls do the same thing.<em> Why don't I have it all together like Jen?</em> or <em>Why can't I have legs like the 5am gym chick?</em> <br />
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I don't dwell on it as much as I did when I was a kid, but it still happens.<br />
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I found myself thinking about this at the gym today. Thanks to summertime my gym has suddenly been taken over by college kids who are home for break (I cannot believe I am old enough to call them kids...**tear**) and I have been watching some of the girls try and one up each other. I wonder what is going through their heads as they compete to wear the skimpiest gym clothes possible in the hopes of getting the former baseball hero of their high schools attention. They roll their eyes at each other and pick each other apart.<br />
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It's sad really, that we spend energy comparing ourselves to others. As I have gotten older I realize more and more that there is a good chance that, <strong>while you may be envious of other women, those same women are probably looking at you and envying some quality that you have</strong>. <br />
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A perfect example of this is my sister and I. As kids we were fairly close. We spent our time playing and imagining together. I was a mother hen and she was the crazy second child who had no fear of strangers. <br />
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We were and are POLAR OPPOSITES.<br />
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It wasn't until the teenage years (or maybe preteen) that we started comparing ourselves to each other. <br />
I am fairly certain that she envied how easy school was for me, how I got the grades and made it seem like nothing, how people thought of me as responsible.<br />
And I envied her: her outgoing personality, he fearless approach to things, her assertiveness in asking for what she wanted and for sure her long, thick, straight hair.<br />
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I was the skinny one, she was the fun one. I was the smart one, she was the one with all the personality. <br />
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As teens this took a toll on our relationship. We didn't get along. We were not friends. We were different and we would not ever admit out loud that the other wished just a little bit that they were more like their sister.<br />
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How stupid! If we could have just said it: "Man Ashley, I really wish I could be as outgoing as you." I bet we could have moved on from our envy and just been friends. The problem with envy is that it seems to come out as that you are annoyed by the very quality that you admire about a person. I constantly scolded my sister for embarrassing me when she talked to some random person at a restaurant, but somewhere inside I wished I could do the same thing.<br />
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So now that I am older and maybe a tad bit wiser I have found an approach to combat my envy of other woman. I tell them what it is that I admire about them. <u>I compliment and recognize and admit</u>. For example, there are a group of woman at my gym, some of who I know personally, that have been working out really hard and look fabulous. I wish I looked like them, were as strong as they are. And I let them know. I tell them they rock (because they do). I let the mom at the playground know that her patience with her 5 kids is far superior to my patience with my 3 and that she is my hero. I use them as my role models, even when I know sometimes that what they are will never be what I am.<br />
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Sometimes I catch people off guard: like when I asked my boss what she does for her skin because it is glowing and beautiful. But most of the time people seem happy and often they give a compliment back. <br />
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It is liberating to let that envy out. I think it makes me like myself more. I know it is better than letting it turn inward, where I let the comparisons to other woman eat me up and chip away at my self esteem.<br />
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So college girls at the gym, stop comparing yourself to the girl next to you, it really does no good.<br />
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And Ashley, if you are reading this, <em>I will forever be envious of your amazing hair, your much bigger boobs, your skinnier upper legs, your ability to say what is on your mind, your outgoing and bubbly personality, the way you are with kids, your natural energy and your fun outlook.</em> I will never be like you, it is not in my nature, but know that sometimes I wish I could.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-74766129714348125402012-07-13T07:44:00.000-04:002012-07-13T20:20:03.957-04:002 month postpartum body updateOne month after baby vs. two..is there a difference?<br />
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My one month post can be found <a href="http://healthyroadtothirty.blogspot.com/2012/06/one-month-post-baby-body.html">HERE</a><br />
and my one week measurements are <a href="http://healthyroadtothirty.blogspot.com/2012/05/post-partum-body1-week.html">HERE.</a><br />
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I am pretty much wearing the same outfit, the tank top is the same size and style but a different color.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Two Months One Month</span><br />
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<center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/07/13/604.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/07/13/s_604.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="298" /></a><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/07/13/603.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/07/13/s_603.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="298" /></a></center><br />
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<center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/07/13/605.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/07/13/s_605.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="298" /></a></center><br />
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<a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/07/13/607.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/07/13/s_607.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="298" /></a><br />
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So what's the verdict? The only picture I notice a difference in is the first. My belly has improved some (which makes sense) and my rib cage looks smaller to me. Both the side and back view are about the same...but I will take the belly improvement</div>
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Here are the stats:</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: currentColor; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border: 1pt solid black; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 92.3pt;" valign="top" width="123"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.7pt;" valign="top" width="148"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One Week Measurements<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 137.9pt;" valign="top" width="184"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Two Months Measurements<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 137.9pt;" valign="top" width="184"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Net Loss<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 92.3pt;" valign="top" width="123"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">High waist<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.7pt;" valign="top" width="148"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">32”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 137.9pt;" valign="top" width="184"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">29”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 137.9pt;" valign="top" width="184"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-3”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 92.3pt;" valign="top" width="123"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Waist (at belly button)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.7pt;" valign="top" width="148"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">34.5”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 137.9pt;" valign="top" width="184"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">32.5”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 137.9pt;" valign="top" width="184"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-2”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 92.3pt;" valign="top" width="123"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hips<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.7pt;" valign="top" width="148"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">40”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 137.9pt;" valign="top" width="184"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">38”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 137.9pt;" valign="top" width="184"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-2”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 92.3pt;" valign="top" width="123"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Right upper thigh<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.7pt;" valign="top" width="148"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">23”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 137.9pt;" valign="top" width="184"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">22.5”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 137.9pt;" valign="top" width="184"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-.5”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 92.3pt;" valign="top" width="123"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Weight<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.7pt;" valign="top" width="148"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">150 (at 1 month)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 137.9pt;" valign="top" width="184"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">150<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 137.9pt;" valign="top" width="184"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</tbody></table>
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So the good news is that I am shrinking (slowly but surely). The bad news is that my body seems to want to hold on to this weight. I can't help but be frustrated with that, but as past experience has taught me, it will come off and loosing weight while nursing is a tricky game of balance.</div>
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<strong>So what are my current goals?:</strong></div>
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1. Build muscles and get stronger: I figure if I keep lifting and taking my new fitness class then I have to burn fat and eventually the scale will have to show it.</div>
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2. Run more (self-explanatory and necessary for the Diva Dash)</div>
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3. Track calories when I can to be sure I am eating enough for my activity level (this has been hard but I am not sure I cannot totally stop doing it)</div>
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4. Get up earlier: I do better when I wake up by 5am. The baby makes this hard but it is getting closer to possible.</div>
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So I will check back in, in one month. Here's to hoping the scale decides to be my friend. </div>
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Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-39452248408033009042012-07-10T15:55:00.001-04:002012-07-13T07:44:34.765-04:00Fitness check in, at least I am getting stronger<br />
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My "official" 2 month post baby post with measurements and all will be on the 12th.<br />
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But I felt compelled to write about this today. I am trying not to get frustrated with the fact that my weight appears to be STUCK at 150lbs...despite working out and eating pretty good. I am hoping that I can make a few minor adjustments to help this along. I have a feeling two things are to blame:<br />
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Breastfeeding- my body might be holding onto fat storage<br />
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Too many sweet things- I need to lay off the frozen yogurt trips.<br />
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I clearly cannot do anything about the first situation, but I am going to start working on the sweets and cutting down on this type of snack.<br />
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I am refocusing a bit, away from looking at a number on a scale and worrying about gaining strength. I took this picture today at the gym:<br />
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<center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/07/10/612.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/07/10/s_612.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="297" /></a></center>I feel like I am getting stronger and my muscles are getting back to where they were. It is frustrating not to see pounds come off, but it still feels good to know I am working hard.<br />
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So tomorrow I am starting a 5:45 am group fitness class and I have been told I may get my butt kicked. I am excited about this and I need a boost.<br />
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So my motto for today is: <strong>less weighing in and more lifting and running.</strong> <br />
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I am not going to weigh myself (after the 12th) for 2 weeks or so and see if refocusing my energy might help.<br />
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhoneAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-16961153933936047002012-07-08T10:51:00.000-04:002012-07-08T10:51:14.019-04:00Working out when you have 3 kids<strong>Easy? NOPE</strong><br />
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<strong>Necessary? Hell Yes.</strong><br />
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I would loose my freaking mind if I did not workout. First off, I would never be alone EVER. I am always with children. I get the kiddos ready in the morning. During the school year the kids and my husband drive me to work (we have one car). I teach a room full of 8th graders all day and then they pick me up. We proceed to make dinner, hang out, play outside, take tubs and do the VERY long bed time routine that comes with little ones.<br />
<br />
I usually have an hour to talk with the husband, clean up, get ready for the next day and then I need to be in bed in order to function.<br />
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Now that it is summer the only difference is that instead of heading to work during the day, I am the one taking the kids to appointments, activities, the beach, playground, etc. <br />
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Now that we have our sweet little girl I have to add nursing (basically around the clock at this point), pumping just to be able to tolerate working out and adjusting my plan to her still ever changing sleep schedule. <br />
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I NEED a break. 1 hour to myself in a day full of giving smaller human beings constant attention. Without it I get depressed. I slow down. I don't get as much accomplished. My marriage isn't as strong. My kids do not get me at my best. And of course I don't feel as healthy.<br />
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I will wake up whenever I need to in order to make this happen, even on very little sleep, even when the kids don't want to let me go. It's worth it.<br />
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It almost has started to piss me off when people who have no children bitch about not having time to get to the gym. I shouldn't hate on them because I was guilty of the same thing at some points in my life. However, I really just want to scream..JUST FRIGGEN GO THEN!<br />
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So we make it work. One of us gets up early (during the school year I go first, at 4:30am, but now I go second) and works out for an hour or so and then comes home to relieve the other.<br />
<br />
At this point in my life I cannot be a fitness super star. I could not train for a marathon even if I wanted to, because I get ONE precious hour in my day. It could have been different when I only had one (jogging stroller and what not) but as a working mom with a four, two and one month old, getting to the gym for an hour is what I am working with and for now it is enough. <br />
<br />
I find it hysterical that some people I work with marvel at the fact that I work out and stay in shape. They act like I am ridiculous or super human for getting to the gym at this point in my life. But what they don't seem to understand is that I LIKE working out, I live for it and it is a break in my day.<br />
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I made the mistake of getting lazy and giving up something important to me once before, and I will not make that mistake again.<br />
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And it is hard. We have to schedule out what we are doing. I cannot take my time at the gym and sometimes a sick kid or a sleepless night makes me miss a day....but we do it because <strong>we need it, to be a happy and healthy family.</strong><br />
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Sometimes I even smile about all the difficulties that come with staying fit and having three small children<br />
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Want an example? This week I was all excited to write up a tabata workout for my husband and I to do after the kiddos went to bed. I had it all written out and somehow it got on to the floor where my two year old (who is currently potty training) somehow thought it would be an excellent idea to pull down her princess panties and take a pee all over my carefully planned workout. My workout literally was pissed on. Guess she isn't into tabata. **Sigh** That's life.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-36479422008508830762012-07-05T15:06:00.000-04:002012-07-05T15:06:16.829-04:00Serious Randomness<br />
After a late night I am feeling disconnected, tired and totally random...so let's go with that.<br />
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<strong>Here are some random passing thoughts/ facts of the week.</strong><br />
<br />
Fireworks are awesome but getting your kids totally off schedule is intense when there are 3 of them who thrive on sleep.<br />
<br />
Swim lessons are going well, it is amazing what my son will do for a young lifeguard in a bikini that he will not do for me.<br />
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I love lifting, and have had some good workouts. However running is not going as well...the right side of my pelvis is so jacked up from having babies, but I will not give up.<br />
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I have 3 friends from work who signed up for the Diva Dash with me. We are in the 2pm heat and I am so glad not to have to start alone.<br />
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If you have not tried So Delicious coconut coffee creamer (vanilla), PB2, Yasso frozen Greek yogurt bars or Trader Joes dark chocolate...you really should. They are my latest obsessions.<br />
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I have no desire to read <em>50 Shades of Grey</em> 1. it sounds disturbing 2. I am a literary snob 3. I have no time <br />
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I threw out a giant tub of the best Spinach and Artichoke dip ever because I would eat the crap out of it if it was in the fridge and I am proud of myself for this<br />
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I wish I had more time for my friends and I feel bad when I miss their showers, etc....but it is just so hard.<br />
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I am driving myself crazy trying to figure out how many roosters we have in our new batch of chickens and contemplating what to do with the one's we can't keep (which probably means shooting them since you CANNOT have more than 2 and probably only 1)<br />
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Our garden is looking good (thank you honey) and I have picked and will cook our first ready pepper tonight in our spicy burrito bowls.<br />
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I am wondering how I can train to be able to do unassisted pull ups...where do I even start when anything involving that type of strength is so damn hard for me? I still do incline push ups. I suck.<br />
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I am probably going to start taking a small group boot camp once a week with a trainer at our gym..maybe this will help with the push ups. <br />
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I would give just about anything for all kids to be asleep by 7:30 tonight...it has been a long week.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-76214127337168396412012-07-03T15:31:00.001-04:002012-07-03T15:33:00.832-04:00Over coming a fear and maybe having hot mom runner's legs?Okay, I have a confession to make. I have an irrational fear or two (or ten). I am a pretty brave person in many ways. I know for sure I have been called tough by some, but in reality there is much that I avoid out of fear or laziness. I am making it a personal mission to overcome a few fear as part of my road to a healthy/ happy life. <br />
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A while back I posted <a href="http://healthyroadtothirty.blogspot.com/2011/03/dirty-thirty.html">THIS</a>: a reflection on sitting out of life. There are several things I really want to do, but have avoided due to some silly fear I have. Like the sledding in the post mentioned, I often find excuses and I rationalize not doing something because I am either worried or feel like it is inconvenient or most commonly I am afraid of failing or looking stupid.<br />
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But I am a big girl now and it is time to work on this.<br />
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The fears I am hoping to confront sooner rather than later are <strong>my fear of running</strong> and <strong>my fear of physical competition</strong>. This all developed in my teenage years. Growing up I was a wannabe athlete. I played field hockey, ran track. When I went off to college I taught jogging and conditioning classes and I was even a personal trainer for a while. <br />
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Does it seem weird that someone who ran track and even trained others to run has a fear of running? Well here is the thing, I was never really good at it. I have always been slow, never really enjoyed it, had knee pain while doing it, etc., etc. <br />
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The other struggle I have had since childhood is that I started the sports thing late in the game. I didn't have a dad who taught me how to throw/ catch a ball or shoot hoops. My mom was active with us, but we didn't do anything in the world of organized sports. I didn't even ride a bike much. In high school I quickly learned that athletes were cool, involved and respected..so I joined the field hockey team (I didn't own a stick or know even one single rule). I played, it was fun, but I was never good. I could keep up in practice and was in good shape..but I am pretty sure my lack of confidence held me back. <br />
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When it came to track I ran distance (the mile) and I never really tried. I never pushed myself and kind of half-assed races. Mostly I was afraid that if I tried really hard and still sucked, that I would be embarrassed.<br />
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But I always wanted to be the sporty type. My grownup self loves working out and lifting weights...but I have never really tackled running. I do all kinds of cardio..but running was my last choice. AND I was so afraid of looking stupid or falling on my face, that I dreaded and physical competition. I am pretty convinced that if you fear a sport, it makes you bad at it..even if you are physically capable of being good.<br />
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Until recently I had just told myself, if you hate running then just don't do it, life is too short to do things you hate. However, I am starting to realize that I need to try running again because I need to get over my fear and my tendency to avoid things that I am not good at. <br />
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<u>BUT my primary reason for wanting to try running is for my children.</u><br />
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I have this vision in my head of my children attending races that I am running, cheering me on as I go or meeting me at the finish line. I feel like that is an amazing thing to show your kiddos....<strong>a mama who stays fit and isn't afraid to take on a challenge.</strong> <br />
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Truth be told I am terrified of embarrassing myself in a race. I hate to think of all the real runners looking at me as a slowly jog along. But what I know is that much of this is a mind game. I figure I know I am tough..I mean I did push out 3 babies without any drugs and I have carried my son up a mountain with out much complaining.<br />
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I can run. I am starting to believe this now.<br />
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So, what am I going to do about it. Well first off, I need to start running. I have a pelvic injury from giving birth that I am trying to work through. I am going to start on the treadmill so I can really track distance, time, etc. and go from there. Though I do not particularly enjoy running, I love to sweat and get my heart rate way up. So instead of just starting with jogging as long as I can and then walking (which is my usual approach) I am going to do high intensity interval training and slowly increase time and speed.<br />
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And the biggest challenge is that I signed up for this baby:<br />
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<a href="http://divadash.com/">The Shape Diva Dash</a><br />
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It is a 3 mile obstacle course race put on by Shape magazine. I am super excited about it because it seems pretty fun and laid back. I am hoping that by starting small with something fun like this, I might be encouraged to keep going and challenge myself with other races. My husband and I are talking about doing another obstacle run together in the future so this will be a good test.<br />
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So I will report back on how running is going. Wish me luck. the entry fee is paid and there is no turning back.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-21468178379255001432012-06-25T14:53:00.000-04:002012-06-25T18:39:48.546-04:00Not my kid (passing judgement)<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong><em>My</em></strong> kids:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">will always brush their teeth- will never be bribed with food- will always wash their hands after taking a poop-will go to church-will eat vegetables-will be promptly removed from a store when tantruming-<strong>will not play with guns*-</strong>will rarely watch TV-will never be spanked-will never sleep in my bed-will never swear-will always get a dirty diaper changed-will not play video games-will clean up their messes-will always have their hair cut-will not ever have my spit used to clean their faces-will not get yelled at- will never be in the yard alone-will not eat hot dogs-will not hit-will not stay in on a sunny day-will not be spoiled-will do all their homework-will know how to swim-will never miss appointments-will never tell me they hate me- will not eat McDonalds-will practice the alphabet-will never be ignored</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6rqDcJqeT1qhlj-evgxpZCDHDVQMUCLXs64fDWHgXWJ00pYnKR_gwNKUrxjGeRxvzZg3uYsZJRViHgTj7QpFfpFb1B-bFa80DoYC0f-Gn6V8IIiwDBcqfBjtaEbGZruLlgG36ToTampz/s1600/chrgun.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6rqDcJqeT1qhlj-evgxpZCDHDVQMUCLXs64fDWHgXWJ00pYnKR_gwNKUrxjGeRxvzZg3uYsZJRViHgTj7QpFfpFb1B-bFa80DoYC0f-Gn6V8IIiwDBcqfBjtaEbGZruLlgG36ToTampz/s320/chrgun.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
*Yes, that's MY daughter with a toy gun<br />
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I bet every person has done it. Judged. Yup, I am pretty sure even the most non-judgmental of folks has secretly judged another at some point. Maybe it was a warranted judgment, as in how we all felt about decisions Casey Anthony made. But sometimes it seems to be the age old mistake of criticizing before we have walked a mile in the shoes of the one we are judging.<br />
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I have done it. First it was pre-kid judging. I wont raise <em>MY</em> hypothetical, unborn child that way.<br />
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And it didn't even stop there. I kept right on judging. Judging moms who had more kids than me. Deciding right then and there how once I had all my kiddos, how I would never to this, or always do that.<br />
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The thing is, I am pretty sure my judgments were a form of self-discovery. Another words, my judgments were less about the person who I was judging and more about me. Me trying to figure out what is important to me, what I hope to do for my children, and what I would not compromise on when it came to raising them.<br />
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The stupid mistake I was making is that you have NO IDEA what you are getting yourself into when you become a parent of one, then two, then three. And it gets even more complicated when you pregnancies are close together and your children are all little. The judgments I passed on other parents, the assumptions I made about what I would and would not do, the vision I had in my head of how I would raise MY kids....that my friends has all been rocked to the core.<br />
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I now understand that the reality is that you CANNOT do it all. If you work full time, have a healthy marriage, have three kids, and friends, and other family member that may need you and a home to take care of, and maybe some pets and of course yourself to worry about, then something <strong>will have to give</strong>. And you will be judged. It is inevitable. And one of the best things that has happened to me recently is that I have finally come to a point in my life that I do not care what other people think (I don't have time to). But I have also stopped judging so much. <br />
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At the end of the day I have a choice. I can focus on all the things that I didn't do for my kids. All the parent rules I have broken. OR I can do this:<br />
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Refocus on the non-negotiable. The things that make up our families moral code. The good in it all. Which for me is-<br />
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<strong><em>-I will tell my children I love them every day</em></strong><br />
<strong><em>-I will put all my effort into giving them a variety of experiences</em></strong><br />
<strong><em>-I will do my best to model a healthy, active lifestyle and get up and out of the house as much as possible.</em></strong><br />
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I am doing the best I can most of the time and I only pray that it is the right thing for US.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-3280274732525602322012-06-13T20:39:00.002-04:002012-07-13T07:44:57.979-04:00One Month Post-Baby BodyOkay, I was dragging my feet on this one....but here we are, one month out from giving birth. And it is time for honestly here. I am starting another road. I have been down this road before, the difficult, but necessary road of weight loss. It is time to get serious and start to think about getting off extra weight and continuing my healthy living/ fitness journey.<br />
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So, how is it all going? Well I have some weight to get off, but the good news is my body seems to be allowing me to start this process because my healing is going well. My doctor recommenced nothing more than light walking until 6 weeks postpartum (which is 2 weeks away) but I stopped bleeding and feel good enough to do some light workouts at the gym. <br />
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So I listed my weight/ measurement one week after birth <a href="http://healthyroadtothirty.blogspot.com/2012/05/post-partum-body1-week.html">HERE</a>. I decided not to take measurements again until 2 months out, mostly because I am not sure much has changed and I have only been working out for a few days.<br />
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My current weight seems to be fluctuating between 149-151..<strong>so let's call it 150</strong>. I am not going to lie, I secretly hoped 5 more lbs would magically melt off and I would be well into the 140's...yeah, not so much. I have only lost 2 more lbs since 1 weeks out. All that "magic" weight is already off and this is what I am faced with.<br />
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So here are the pictures. We will call them BEFORE photos. I choose to <strike>squeeze into</strike> wear this tank top because it is the same shirt I am wearing in my blog picture on the right of the screen. My goal is to look like that in this top again. I think it gives you a good idea of my goal and what I looked like when I was in good shape and at my goal weight/ fitness level.<br />
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<center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/06/13/3316.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/06/13/s_3316.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="297" /></a></center><br />
Front view.....my boobs are huge (notice in real "non-nursing" life I have no boobs)<br />
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<center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/06/13/3317.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/06/13/s_3317.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="298" /></a></center><br />
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Back view<br />
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<center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/06/13/3318.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/06/13/s_3318.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="298" /></a></center> Side: I kinda miss my big ole preggo belly<br />
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So how am I going to get to my goal of 135ish lbs? Well I am going to stick with my goals from 1 week after baby:<br />
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<strong>1. Get back to eating more clean than I am right now-</strong> I am doing pretty good at this. The key is keeping good/ healthy food in the house. I am starting to look at clean recipe blogs and sites again..which helps motivate me<br />
<strong>2. Slowly start to
exercise and get the kids involved in the process</strong><br />
Well my first day back at the gym was Saturday and I have gone on Sunday, and today (Wednesday) and I did the elliptical at home on Tuesday, along with a day of walking around with the kids on a family day trip. I am having to go slow. My body has healed enough to start the process, but not enough for heavy lifting or anything too intense. I still feel like someone kicked me in the crotch with a steel toed boot and my insides are still tender....but I am getting there and I know that by next month I will be lifting again<br />
<strong>3. Get down to 145 lbs</strong><br />
5 lb goals are good for me. 145 is attainable and I would really love to be there by my two month update.<br />
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I would like to add the goal of :<br />
<strong>4. Tracking calories/ fitness using myfitnesspal.com</strong><br />
I have been doing this as much as possible but it is hard to sit down and get anything done with 3 monkeys who need me all day..however, when you exercise and breastfeed it is essential to get your calorie intake under control. I learned the hard way that eating too little can prohibit weight loss even more than eating too many calories. So i will use the website to make sure I am eating enough good/ healthy food to keep my supply and energy up AND to drop the LBS<br />
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So here's to hoping I can drop the excuses and get enough sleep to make this all happen. Every mama knows that the hardest part of having a one month old infant is lack of sleep and no real schedule. <br />
BUT, if I can do it now, I can do it forever. <br />
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I will report back in one month!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-67005715133103553472012-06-04T21:21:00.002-04:002012-06-04T21:21:22.686-04:007 years, thanks to beersToday is <strong>June 4</strong>...which means something special around these parts. It is the 7th anniversary of the night my husband and I met.<br />
<br />
Ironically, though neither Mike and I drink anymore, we met at a beer festival that takes place a few times a year in South Boston. My friend and I literally stumbled into two guys only about 30 minutes before the festival ended. Mike and I were more like the wingmen for our two friends who had been hitting on each other.<br />
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To make a long story short, we ended up talking all night and hitting up several local bars together. At the time I lived right in Boston and could show him all of my local establishments.<br />
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Fast forward seven years, some great dates, a quick engagement, a wedding, 3 kids, a lot of memories, some pain and more love than I ever thought I would get to feel......and here we are.<br />
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My husband, my best friend, my partner in crime..I love you more than words could ever express.<br />
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Days like this are meant for reflecting. Though we don't really "celebrate" this date formally (we have our wedding anniversary next month for that) but I know we both take time to remember and think about our love and our life together and where it all began.<br />
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We had no clue back then. No clue how wonderful and challenging our life together would be...How close we would become...How many sacrifices we would make...How we would quickly grow to need each other..How we would share all of our secrets...and How eventually we would be a true family, two lives who were so separate that day, June 4th, 7 years ago and now so intertwined, two totally inseparable souls. <br />
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Meeting my husband really made me a better person. I know that is cliche and that everyone who is married probably says it...but it is so true. I think about that 24 year old girl at the beer festival and I think of how far I have come since then, how much I have learned. My husband has taught me so much about who I am, what I love and how I want to live my life. I am fairly certain he would say the same thing about me. Somehow we have brought out the best in each other (though it took some time for that to happen). <br />
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I love you Micheal. Thank you for being you and for showing up at that beer festival so many years ago. I am glad that we do not drink anymore, but I am also glad that we were total drunks back in the day, because it would have really sucked not to meet you.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUz9cKywxCoPtD4FsXd3EuwqRuK-MemwaTYEomSl_4r5kOoAauujgzH53GdLozV2ubl0BQwp7u5S73Cb7pY7mSZ42lHcR9TQDFYJEEjfliKNycIEj_Lq07qTcM5cU4H7vvch4LJxD_VLek/s1600/mandc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUz9cKywxCoPtD4FsXd3EuwqRuK-MemwaTYEomSl_4r5kOoAauujgzH53GdLozV2ubl0BQwp7u5S73Cb7pY7mSZ42lHcR9TQDFYJEEjfliKNycIEj_Lq07qTcM5cU4H7vvch4LJxD_VLek/s400/mandc.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-48520726493801706772012-06-03T21:14:00.000-04:002012-06-03T21:14:44.087-04:00Staying sane with 3 kidsWhat is going on in our world...<br />
We have done a lot of playing. The kiddos have been pretty crazy and attention seeking now that they have a tiny baby to compete with. So this mama has been doing a lot of refereeing and putting on shows to keep the monkeys happy and going. <br />
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I love this picture above. Today we had a fun family day that started with an event that we go to each year called Touch-a-Truck. It is a kid friendly fundraiser where they can go and hop in and climb on many different work trucks, construction equipment, tractors, buses, etc. It is a fun time and we always run into many of our favorite families. Charlotte is sitting next to her friend Nate above and boy does she look thrilled. She has such a little attitude!!!!<br /> <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liam and his pal Colby in the firetruck</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our family loves John Deere</td></tr>
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<br />Today was a good day, maybe even a great day. We had Daddy with us, which is always a treat as he works a lot. We had good, healthy, family fun. We also got some decent lunch and frozen yogurt. And all of this was topped of with me coming home and taking a 2 hour nap with the baby. Now THAT is a real treat. I was starting to feel a bit zombie like with the lack of sleep and needed some catching up. The most annoying thing about having a new baby and small kids is reading all of the articles and advice columns that say you need to "find time for yourself, or sleep when the baby sleeps, or do not lift anything over 10 lbs" hahahaha, yeah right. <br />
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So on that note, the other struggle I am having is when to return to exercise. I am pretty physically active with the kiddos all day and I am still sore and have stitches that have not dissolved.Ii really want to start working out, as I know it will lift my mood and my natural energy level...but I also am afraid to do more harm than good. I had thought about starting cardio this week and I may do a test run on Tuesday to see if I can handle it (on our home elliptical) and then if it goes okay I may start to try and get up for the gym.<br />
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I don't think I will lift anything until my 6 week appt and when my stitches are gone. It sure is hard to wait, mostly because I worked really hard to stay fit throughout my pregnancy and I feel like it is slipping away. But damn does my pelvis still hurt.<br />
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Stay tuned for my one month post baby update.<br />
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Posted using BlogPress from my iPhoneAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-33391103089495098142012-05-27T21:29:00.000-04:002012-05-27T21:35:15.251-04:00Raising little girls, scary or exciting?I have two daughters! Holy crap, how did that happen? For some reason when I found out our first was a boy I was not at all surprised and it felt like what I expected. <br />
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Maybe it is because my husband was one of three boys, or maybe because my whole life I was more of a "one of the guys" kind of girl...but a part of me expected that I would not have a daughter....a mom who had a brood of little boys. Well clearly that theory was wrong.<br />
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So here I am, a mama with one over active, joy of a son and TWO little ladies. So why might the thought of raising daughter scare me? I mean I am a girl and I turned out okay, so I should know how girls should be raised, right? <br />
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Well I guess the answer to that is both yes and no.<br />
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Yes, I would like to think I know what it means to be a woman in today's world, that I know what kind of love and guidance my girls will need to be happy and mentally healthy. <br />
But I also know that it can be hard to be a girl in today's world, that no matter what my husband and I do, not matter how much we love them, that they may fall victim to some of the social pressures and expectations that plague the young girls of today.<br />
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<u>I worry for them.</u><br />
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I worry that they may be made to feel ugly, weak, stupid. That they will look at other women, movie stars, models and friends and feel like they are less than them, that they are not good enough. <br />
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I worry about them being confident enough to be alone. I know too many women who end up in relationships and friendships that are not right, or that they settle into just because they do not know how to be alone, to be happy just with who they are without someone else justifying this for them.<br />
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I desperately want them to feel like they are good at many things. ....not just that they are pretty, or smart...but that they have self-worth that comes from many places. I want to be sure that if they fail at one thing that they can find happiness in and feel good about something else.<br />
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I want them to know that <strong>they can always come home</strong>..no matter what, no questions asked. It terrifies me to think that some girls do certain things or stay in bad situations out of desperation and no where to turn. <br />
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I want them to find happiness, to know who they are, to know how a good man (or woman) should treat them, to find real love, to love their family.<br />
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<u>But I am excited</u> about these two little ladies and what the future has in store for them (and for us). I am going to remember the mistakes I made, the wonderful lessons my mother and grandmother taught me, the words that I wish someone had spoken to me.<br />
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I am optimistic that they will have great lives. They certainly have a great role model in their father, and I would like to believe in me too. <br />
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One thing is for certain and that is that I love them with all of my heart and that I would die to protect them. I am also pretty sure their big brother loves them as much as I do..so here's to hoping he looks out for my girls. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-40126238224688725552012-05-22T11:30:00.001-04:002012-07-13T07:45:25.178-04:00Post-Partum Body...1 weekI wanted to have a starting point to go by, even though I feel like it is a bit early for this. My current major goal is to get breastfeeding under control and get Vivienne accustom enough to life on the outside, that I am able to squeeze in some exercise when my body will allow me to do so.<br />
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The doctor recommends waiting until 6 weeks post partum until reassuming exercise. I plan to start slow by the end of week two by just taking walks and maybe doing some light elliptical work.<br />
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It is really hard to just sit around and feel fluffy, but I know better than to push too hard.<br />
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So here is some <strong><u>pre-pregnancy info</u></strong> to put my weight and body in perspective.<br />
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My last know pre-pregnancy weight was 138lbs and I am 5'7<br />
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At that time I had recently (1-2 months or so) weaned my daughter from nursing. Prior to that my lowest weigh was 132lbs, but that was at the peak of breastfeeding at not really a realistic long term weight for my height and frame. I was working out a lot at the time I found out I was pregnant and was in the best shape of my life.<br />
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The picture to the right of this post (in the tank top holding Charlotte) I am 135 lbs and it was a month and a half before pregnancy. That is my goal, to be around 135-140, in shape with muscle tone.<br />
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Pregnancy weight: On the day I gave birth I was 170lbs. This put me at a 32lbs weight gain.<br />
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<strong><u>1 week post partum stats:</u></strong><br />
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<strong>Current weight:</strong> 152lbs <br />
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<strong>Measurements</strong><br />
High waist: 32"<br />
Around belly button: 34.5"<br />
Hips: 40"<br />
Upper thigh (right): 23"<br />
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<strong>The good news:</strong><br />
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I started this blog 6 months after my daughter's birth because I was feeling lazy and generally crappy about my body and level of activity. That post can be found <a href="http://healthyroadtothirty.blogspot.com/2010/12/need-for-change.html">HERE.</a><br />
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At that time I was 154lbs. So I am starting at a much better place. I also exercised regularly and weight trained until 37 weeks into pregnancy, so I think I am stronger and will not have such a long road to travel. <br />
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<strong>The bad news:</strong><br />
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When you have 3 children (one who is nursing), a full time job and a household to look after, NOTHING is simple. If I want to get myself in shape I have to work at it and there will be NO room for excuses. When I started this healthy journey I had to wake up at 4am each day to nurse my daughter, than pump and then go to the gym. I expect it will be even more complicated this time. I do not have a gym that has a daycare and my only option is to go to the gym in the morning or work out after the kids go to bed. But I will do it. I will be a good role model for my kids and I will feel good about myself again. <br />
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<strong>So my first health/ fitness goals:</strong><br />
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1. Get back to eating more clean than I am right now<br />
2. Slowly start to exercise and get the kids involved in the process<br />
3. Get down to 145 lbs<br />
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I will check back in at the one-month mark and let you know how it is going. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-83354490493636678442012-05-20T15:50:00.002-04:002012-05-20T15:50:42.927-04:00Loving where you liveNow that we are done the baby making and baking phase of life, we are turning our energy to the homefront. Namely garden planting, chicken raising and making small improvements where we can. So far we (and by we I really mean my husband) is on a roll. Since my return from the hospital, only one week ago, he has done the following:<br />
Planted tons of potted plants to surround the yard including tomato, lettuce, kale, blackberries, broccoli, herbs and taken a few trips to the local greenhouse for more.<br />
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Transferred all 30 chicken into their coop, which I assure you is no small feet..those suckers are fast<br />
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Helped me wrangle grouchy, attention seeking children<br />
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Started to clear the big field for ground planting, which starts next week<br />
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Let big boy "drive" the tractor so he doesn't feel left out.<br />
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Put a whole lotta dirt into pots<br />
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Straightened the yard for summer nights that are creeping up on us.<br />
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Pushed baby girl in her swing because she would rather be there than anywhere else.<br />
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Finished off a part of the porch which has been nagging us to get finished for two years. Now we can really enjoy the porch rockers and swing that I love so much.<br />
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And this is a huge part of why I love where I live. Because my husband works hard to make it home for us all. A beautiful home that he built himself. A place where I can be happy just watching my kiddos in the yard. With our newest baby in her rock and play in the shade, I sit an observe and I like feeling the security of my own yard and I love watching my kids learn about plants, animal and nature right in their own back yard. And of course it helps that we have the beach only 2 miles away. <br />
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In my eyes there is no better balance than a small little "farm" and the freedom of playing on the beach. I hope to continue to gain more of an appreciation for all I have and where I live. I will never be wealthy, but I know I have a lot to be thankful for. <br />
<a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/05/20/2416.jpg"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/05/20/s_2416.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="210" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-39986620400464477492012-05-18T20:00:00.000-04:002012-05-18T20:00:15.139-04:00Birth, LifeNow that our family of 5 is settling in and our help (thanks mama) has had to leave...boo hoo, I am adjusting, healing and trying to slow things down, take it all in and not let myself get too overwhelmed or overtired. <br />
That might be easier said than done, but if I pause and keep things in perspective, I think I will be alright. Another way to stay sane is just to be sure I get out of the house, go outside for a bit, drive around, visit a friend. Because staying in the house with 3 kids is nuts and even though it is a pain in the butt to get 3 little ones in car seats...the effort does help my mental health.<br />
<strong>So I figured I would share my birth story</strong>. I know the reading of birth stories is not for everyone, so feel free to ignore.<br />
Here is some back story for those who care<br />
All 3 of my labors were all natural. My thoughts on natural childbirth can be found <a href="http://healthyroadtothirty.blogspot.com/2011/03/birth.html">HERE.</a><br />
My first child was 13 hours of active labor, most of which was felt in my back @ 39 weeks 2 days<br />
My second was about 7 hours @ 39 weeks 5 days<br />
and here is my third and final story............<br />
At 40 weeks 1 day I was getting frustrated and just wanted to move on from being pregnant. My other two were born a few days early, so going past my due date was unexpected.<br />
On Saturday May 12 I woke up in the morning having mild contractions. I had been having contractions of the same strength for a few weeks, however I usually did not have them in the morning..so I was hopeful. They were timing about 5 minutes apart, but nothing of any strength. <br />
I showered, and as I was getting dressed I felt some unusual moisture in my underwear. I went to check, thinking maybe my water could be leaking. It was not water, but some blood. It seemed like what is grossly refered to as bloody show and mucous plug. This was a very positive sign, as I never had any of this before being in real labor with the others.<br />
I let my mom and hubby know it was looking like today would be the day. My mom took the kids on some adventures and the husband and I started walking. It was a beautiful day and we walked along the ocean, in the yard, etc. Nothing seemed to be picking up all that much. I ate a light lunch and was sort of doubting my first thought of it for sure being that day. <br />
At about 3pm I decided I wanted to lay down a while (which I am so glad I did). I was having contractions, but they were still mild enough that I was able to sleep for about an hour. When I woke up I was still contracting, maybe a tad bit stronger than before. I went to the bathroom and discovered more bleeding, actually it was enough to make me a bit nervous.<br />
I decided I would clean up, get a few things ready and call the OB. I didn't feel quite ready to go in, but the blood made me nervous.<br />
I ate a banana (after barfing while in labor the first time, I knew to be careful about what I ate) and called the OB. She wanted me to come in right away..and so were were off.<br />
We arrived at about 5pm and went into the room where they monitor you before being admitted. They wanted to check my bleeding and monitor the baby and contractions. They gave me a saline IV just incase, due to the bleeding. My contractions seemed to pick up a bit as I got on the monitors and they were registering as being pretty intense and timeable (2-3 minutes a part). I got my cervix checked about 20 minutes later and I was 4 centimeters and 60 percent effaced...not a major change and this frustrated me (I was 2-3 centimeters and the same effacement at my last appointment)<br />
However, everyone else seemed to think that was good and I was progressing nicely.<br />
I was admitted, but the doctor insisted that I remain on the monitors throughout my labor. <br />
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This terrified me, as it meant I would not be able to move around as much as I had with my other two. <br />
I stayed in bed on the monitor for just under an hour and then the pain got to the point where I had to move or I wouldn't make it. Babies heart rate was good. I spent a bit of time rocking back and forth and doing modified squats through the contractions. I even danced to some country with my husband. This was all right at the side of the bed because of the monitor.<br />
I eventually moved to just the birthing ball and bounced through each contraction as my husband put counter-pressure on my back. <br />
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They started getting bad enough that I was moaning and having some pressure, but it hadn't been very long so I didn't think I was close. The nurse insisted that I get checked and I was shocked to be 9 centimeters and at -2 station. <br />
The doctor offered to break my water, but I opted to wait a bit because I wanted baby to come down further...I knew that would mean less pushing. So after about 5 more contractions I knew she was coming and I screamed to the nurse that I couldn't get in bed because she was coming out.<br />
As all good nurses do, she said you WILL get in bed and the husband helped her pushed me off the ball. As I did so my water exploded and the nurse yelled to the doctor that I was ready.<br />
The whole room began rushing because she was coming and no one was quite ready. Also, there was meconium in my fluid so they needed a pediatrician who was not yet on the floor. <br />
I had to breath through one contraction without pushing so they could get their gloves on and then I pushed, because I HAD to. With one push her head was all the way out and they started suctioning her due to the meconium. One and a half pushed later and she was born at 8:48pm...an early Mother's day gift.<br />
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She did give out one cry but then stopped for a minute so they brought her to the warmer for more suctioning and for a check by the pediatrician. My second child also had meconium, and all was fine so I think I was not overly worried.<br />
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All was well and after I got one stich (not bad, I had way more the other two times) I finally got to hold my baby girl.<br />
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SO I really only had 3.5 hours of active labor...not bad at all. <br />
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So now we are back to life and routines and preschool and being a family. I am feeling pretty good and am trying my best to enjoy the moment. <br />
Today was the first time I had all 3 kiddos out of the house by myself. We picked up brother from preschool, spent some time at the school playground and then had a picnic lunch on the beach. It felt good to be out and I felt accomplished.<br />
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I will be returning to healthy eating, fitness and healthy lifestyle posts soon, as I am am eager to get myself back to being a healthy mama. So the next post will be a one week post-partum body/ eating update.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-79287335546095717262012-05-14T08:37:00.000-04:002012-05-14T08:37:46.255-04:00A family of 5 and a dream come true<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/05/14/661.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/05/14/s_661.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/05/14/662.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/05/14/s_662.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/05/14/663.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/05/14/s_663.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='254' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/05/14/664.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/05/14/s_664.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/05/14/665.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/05/14/s_665.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/05/14/666.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/05/14/s_666.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/05/14/667.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/05/14/s_667.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />
When I was growing up I had so many dreams and goals. Some of these dreams changed or faded away, some morphed into other things, but my biggest dream of all has finally comee true....
I wanted to be a mom with at least 3 children, have a supportive and loving husband and live a simple and happy life.
I am officially blessed and can say that I have reached this goal.
I am a mother of 3 happy, healthy, beautiful children. I remember after my first I worried that because I loved him sooo damn much, that I wouldn't have enough room in my heart for more. I assure you a parent's heart can grow exponentially.
I have watched my husband and his love for all of us and in awe and appreciation I wonder how I got lucky enough to have found him.
So as you might have guessed, Vivienne Rose Alves is here
With my husband by my side we welcomed our last and biggest baby into the world at 8:48pm on May 12, an early Mother's Day gift.
She weighed 8lbs 7.4 ounces and beat her big sister by only .04 of an ounce. She is 20.5 inches long. She is perfect and pink and chubby and we love her.
I will post our birth story later...but I can tell you it was fast!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-43934506170866046542012-05-06T05:59:00.002-04:002012-05-06T18:56:12.215-04:00Come on out little lady, we love you.<strong>Maybe if I am really nice to her she will make her entrance.</strong> <br />I am approaching my due date and wondering when the little lady might make her appearance. Last night's Supermoon didn't seem to do the trick. Neither did a long walk or any other trick I might have pulled out.<br />I know she will come when she is ready, but it is always hard to wait. <br />I am officially on maternity leave, which is a fabulous feeling...but now this waiting game has really started.<br />Baby Vivi was good to me. She let me finish up work and she let me make my hair appointment yesterday...which was very important being that who knows when the next time will be that I can get my haircut again (I am interested to see how this juggling of 3 little ones will go). So now we just have to wait for her to make her grand entrance.<br />I am getting excited and anxious to meet her. It is amazing to think that I get to welcome one more baby into the world and spend time getting to know what kind of little person she will be. I worry for her so much already. Birth is beautiful, but also a little bit scary. I am afraid of things going wrong...even though deep down I believe all will be just fine.<br />So my next blog post will hopefully introduce a happy and healthy Vivienne. <br />I leave you with this...mama at 39 weeks, 2 days..........<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/05/06/3662.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/05/06/s_3662.jpg' border='0' width='115' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-84695467580258339892012-04-27T19:56:00.000-04:002012-04-27T19:56:15.234-04:0038 weeks vs. 24<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">38 weeks</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXPzQ4pr5Z21MqfHbBrEkEPgeNRo0N4nyQpASJgdDGQ-CjoIgMHchZfTsJcaBAd4uDpvPPJBR2o5pAqqBsYO3ImQfW-_NTG5W2gdhQtYXiP25LBDxw5SXrTS0USzrnmg39miUI3tYuAqP/s1600/DSC01148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXPzQ4pr5Z21MqfHbBrEkEPgeNRo0N4nyQpASJgdDGQ-CjoIgMHchZfTsJcaBAd4uDpvPPJBR2o5pAqqBsYO3ImQfW-_NTG5W2gdhQtYXiP25LBDxw5SXrTS0USzrnmg39miUI3tYuAqP/s320/DSC01148.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">24 weeks</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">38 weeks, different angle</td></tr>
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What do you think? Belly on the left, this morning in my <br />
38th week. Belly on the right, same shirt, different color/ pattern at 24 weeks.<br />
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I'd say I have grown.<br />
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I am still weighing in around 168 right now and am getting to that "I am done" point, mostly due to the lack of sleep.<br />
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Next week is my last week at work (if I make it) and I hope I last so I can tie up some loose ends and leave on a perfect/ organized note.<br />
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My students had a surprise baby shower for me today. It was very thoughtful and included a very large gift certificate to one of my favorite healthy places....Trader Joes. I am lucky to have 89 wonderful young people who have been on this journey with me. It is the sense of family that seems to happen on my teaching team that reminds me of why I love my job.<br />
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So what could be a better way to kick off my post-baby weight loss/ healthy living adventure than by stocking the house with healthy Trader Joes favs! <br />
That will be on the agenda for the weekend, along with a lot of cleaning, baby gear finding and putting a few new things together.<br />
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I am very excited to meet this little lady, to get my body back and to begin living life as a family of 5.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-81239079858066303162012-04-19T20:25:00.001-04:002012-04-19T20:26:22.560-04:0037 weeks...YIKES<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">37 weeks pregnant is a great point because you are considered full term. This means I do not over-analyze every ache and pain and worry about baby being born too soon. I will be happy if she stays put for another two weeks, as I need to get myself together at work.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are my current stats:</span></strong><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #5f3e31; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Total weight gain:</span></i></b><span style="color: #464646; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 30 lbs exactly. I started at 138 and now weigh 168. I anticipate that I will gain a few more lbs, ending up with a 33-35 lb gain.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #5f3e31; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Maternity clothes?</span></i></b><span style="color: #464646; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Uggh. The end of pregnancy is NOT fun for getting dressed. Maternity shirts are getting short. I have a few faves that fit..but am running low. I prefer yoga pants to anything else.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #5f3e31; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Belly button in or out?</span></i></b><span style="color: #464646; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> It has been out for months. Once upon a time my tummy was one of my best features....Not so sure it will ever be again. </span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #5f3e31; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Sleep:</span></i></b><span style="color: #464646; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Ha, well I fall asleep...but staying asleep is not so simple. It is a major game of flip the big belly. After three kids I am used to not sleeping</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #5f3e31; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Best moment this week:</span></i></b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="color: #464646; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I have had the week of, so enjoying some unusually warm weather has been the best. I was also glad to learn I didn't gain any weight at this week's appointment. I feel like my body didn't need it this week. </span><br />
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</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Food Cravings: </span></i></b><span style="color: #464646; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: black;">Pregnant people will probably hate me when I say this, but I do not really believe in cravings. I think it is a crock that people use as an excuse to eat whatever they want. However, I do like to indulge and my favorite warm weather treat is frozen yogurt..which I had twice this week and it was so good.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #5f3e31; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Food Aversions:</span></i></b><span style="color: #464646; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Nothing really. I try to avoid eating too much at once due to a squished belly</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #5f3e31; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Symptoms:</span></i></b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Way too many to list, but the hardest to deal with at this point is feeling like I have a bowling ball between my legs due to intense pressure and the lightening pains this causes me. </span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #5f3e31; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Movement: </span></i></b><span style="color: #464646; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: black;">She is a mad woman. I get elbows and knees and her bum that just full out rolls in my belly, like an alien trying to escape. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Gender:</span></i></b><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></b><span style="color: #464646; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: black;">Ms. Vivienne Rose</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #5f3e31; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">What I'm looking forward to:</span> </span></span></i></b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My final labor experience, knowing our family is complete and starting the journey of getting back in shape and living a healthy, happy lifestyle with my 3 kiddos and husband.</span></span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #5f3e31; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;">What I miss:</span></i></b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></i><span style="color: #464646; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: black;">Being able to run around the yard with the kids, intense workouts, breathing like a normal person.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #5f3e31; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Milestones:</span></i></b><span style="color: #464646; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Considered full term</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">Next appointment:</span> </span></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next Wednesday when the dreaded internals start</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">So that is the life of a pregnant chick soooo close to the end. I am trying to rest, to enjoy my little one's while I can still give them attention and to do what I can to get off my butt without pushing myself too hard. I am trying to stay somewhat active, but am not pushing it because my body has been screaming at me lately.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">Plus, sometimes you just have to enjoy the pregnancy excuse one last time before you can never do that again...as seen here:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfhUAtpKk8cDKylYt3A9H8bAgZ_4hd-GKAphyphenhyphen6CZkPUqlGDXPTG4UfwbqY78luN-0zN8iw4cbkK2jqwehaj02gEEmtLLQ0_tM03e1iDeE3xm78GM02WCRo_eZgkSgQdk_81g-jNxZebUl/s1600/icecream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfhUAtpKk8cDKylYt3A9H8bAgZ_4hd-GKAphyphenhyphen6CZkPUqlGDXPTG4UfwbqY78luN-0zN8iw4cbkK2jqwehaj02gEEmtLLQ0_tM03e1iDeE3xm78GM02WCRo_eZgkSgQdk_81g-jNxZebUl/s320/icecream.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-24571839169285342702012-04-15T16:44:00.000-04:002012-04-15T16:44:35.775-04:00Spring-air, playground workouts and new life on the "farm"There is nothing like good weather to brighten your spirits. As I mentioned before, I am starting my spring break and enjoying a week off with the kiddos. Today was a beautiful day. We spent some time at the beach (even though it was cold at the shore) because my husband was out for a run and needed us to drive him some water and food on his route. So the kids and I did some digging, seashell hunting and of course Liam HAS to jump off the sea wall 100 times.<br />
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Next stop was to pick up daddy and go visit my Mother-in law at the rehab center where she is working hard to get better from a bad surgery. The kids love Nana and we had a good visit.<br />
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Then we convinced daddy to head to the playground. It was about 15 degrees warmer inland, which was fabulous<br />
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Liam wanted to go to the playground to show his daddy how he can go ALL the way across the monkey bars without help. I tell you my little guy is pretty darn strong for someone who just turned 4. He is going to be quite the athlete.<br />
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I love that we have so many playgrounds here. This playground is my favorite. The last few times I went I did some mini-workouts as the kids played. Today was no exception. We all got our fitness on as we played.<br />
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<strong>Pregnancy Playground Workout</strong><br />
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Here are some examples of what I did:<br />
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As I pushed the kids on the swing I did very love squats as I pushed out. I bet I did around 60-80 total.<br />
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I did one leg step ups on various size steps..somewhere around 50 on each leg.<br />
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I did side scissor step ups on the piping around the border of the playground 3 sets of 12 on each leg.<br />
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I went to a steep hill and did lunges up and down that hill 5 times.<br />
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There was also a set of stairs that I climbed a few times, two steps at a time.<br />
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Then a did alternating sets of double knee lifts (great for working the birthing muscles) <br />
and twist planks, modified from Maria's amazing post found here: <a href="http://alifetobraggabout.blogspot.com/2012/04/friday-5-five-exercises-you-dont.html">http://alifetobraggabout.blogspot.com/2012/04/friday-5-five-exercises-you-dont.html</a><br />
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I enjoyed my mini-playground workout. This playground also has a small gravel track, so it is a great place to come with all the kiddos and set up a routine when the baby is here. I love working out with the family and it is amazing to see the kiddos get some great exercise as they watch their parents do the same. Being a role model for my kids to be active and healthy is my main drive for staying fit.<br />
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And just when I thought our day couldn't get any more exciting, I remembered it was time to pick up the baby chicks we ordered. We had chickens for the last two years, but sadly lost the last of our small flock to coyotes a few months ago. So we decided to expand our chicken operation here on our wanna-be farm and now have 30, week old chicks living in our garage. So this fall I will be posting some serious egg recipes, as they are likely to begin laying around the end of October. <br />
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So we will have a lot of new life around these parts. I love the spring and the changes it brings. Our little family plans to take it all in stride and do a lot of planting, growing, working out and raising little things this spring and summer. There is nothing like fresh air and nice weather,,,it seems to revive the spirit.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683590054810554575.post-62992272173428772222012-04-15T08:12:00.000-04:002012-04-15T08:12:16.608-04:00To gym or not to gym.Just sitting here..watching my hubby exercise and thinking about how I cannot wait to join him.<br />
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This week has brought a lot of rest time. I only went to the gym once and did an exercise video on another day. I think I have finally gotten to the point where I am just going to take it easy. Baby girl has dropped and I started having some pretty strong, but inconsistent contractions. I am in NO WAY ready for her to come. I am 36 weeks and I like my babies fully cooked.<br />
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Resting is fabulous. I am off from work all week and the past few days I have slept until 6:30/7, which may not sound late, but it is by our standards. Since I have the week off I am probably going to hit the gym a few times since I don't have the stress of work. But after this week I think I may stick to stretching and walks until she appears. <br />
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I love working out, but working out when it feels like you have a bowling ball between your legs is not that great, or productive. Not to mention when you pay for it later on with hips and nerve pain that makes you want to DIE.<br />
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I am not really worried about getting back into the swing of things after baby. My husband has been working out pretty hard, so I know he will inspire me. <br />
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So here we are. 3.5 weeks until my due date, just waiting our little ladies arrival. I hope she goes easy on me.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089974758861765843noreply@blogger.com0