2015 New Year Resolutions

Happy New Year! May your 2015 be a happy, healthy, and productive year!

In 2015, I really feel the need to come up with some personal goals. I thrive on structure, planning, lists, and organization and when my world is completely unorganized, I feel all out of whack. So here is my first “list” for 2015.

In 2015 I resolve to…

1. Lose Weight: More specifically, I’d like to get down to my pre-baby weight. I don’t know that I will be able to do that in one year, but I’d like to try. Any significant loss will indicate a good start back into healthy habits, so I’d be happy with that. It’s really about getting back into my healthy habits that’s the most important and the number on the scale will follow after.
2. Exercise Regularly: Any kind of activity—regularly. I want to exercise most days of the week, so at the very minimum that would be 4 days per week—even if it’s just for 10 minutes. As I mentioned before, it’s just about getting back into healthy habits.
3. Be Present: I want to learn to set down my phone more often and enjoy the people I’m with. I think our generation will deeply regret how we prioritize “connectedness” while we lose connection with those who are present and with us.
4. A Single Step: towards my goal to become a professional writer. I honestly have no idea what this will be right now. But I will research and come up with a plan, whether it’s sharing my work or even just taking the time to sit down and write about things that I don’t plan to share with anyone at that moment.
5. Make a New Friend(s): I am terrible at making friends. I am an introvert and always have been. It takes me a while to come out of my shell, but once I have——I’m fairly sociable. lol. But I need mommy friends. I need to be able to talk about my experiences as a mother to people who are experiencing the same things I am.
6. Budget: Pretty self explanatory.
7. Purge: It’s time to get rid of “stuff”. I want to go through each and every room in our home and get rid of things we don’t need and don’t use. I will sell items, donate them to Goodwill, or find someone else who could use them.
8. Blog More: About anything and everything. And to help me with that, I’m going to reveal my new healthy eating plan instead of waiting until I lose 10 lbs. I’ve been following it long enough to know that it works, that it’s not a fad, and I’d like to share it with you.
9. Read More: Wouldn’t it be great if I could read even just one book per month? I think if I set my phone down more often that I could accomplish this. Currently, I’m trying to read a book about infant nutrition. I’ll work on finishing that by the end of January. If anyone has any suggestions on books to read—hit up the comments!
10. A Better Me: I feel like each and every goal I have mentioned so far will make me a better person. But I want to practice focusing on the positive both with myself and with others. I want to be thankful and reap the benefits of having a thankful heart. I want to find a greater joy and let it exude from me. I want to be a better wife, a happier wife, the type of wife that is an ornament to her husband. I want to be a patient mother and my child’s best friend. I want to listen better. I would say talk less, but I often don’t talk enough (hence the having no friends thing)—I want to start conversations. I want to smile more. I want to do good when no one is watching. I want to “be the change [I] want to see in the world”.

While I am considering these New Year Resolutions, they’re things that I want to continue well beyond December 31st. The beginning of a new year brings hope. It’s a time when you can wipe your slate clean and try again. Here’s to 2015!

Reflecting on 2014

2014 was a life changing kind of year. It was one of those years that I’ll never forget and will always hold close to my heart. It was a year where life was lived and time was cherished but some of my personal goals fell to the way-side (which is understandable).

The entire year can be summed up in one picture.

This little girl has been the entire focus of the year. Honestly, I can’t believe 8 months have passed since she was born! From January until May, we focused on preparing for her arrival…

…and from May through December we have been busy getting to know her as she quickly changed from a tiny, precious little bundle to a silly, happy little climber (and even more precious).

But really, I don’t even know where the time went. It seems like yesterday we were preparing, she was born, and now here we are at the end of the year. I believe I blinked.

We became this in 2014:

In 2014, I also quit my job to become a stay at home mom. Sometimes I miss the mental stimulation and working towards a goal, but I don’t have a single regret about quitting. And I can find ways to accomplish these things in 2015 while simultaneously being a stay at home mom.

On that same “career” topic, I have gotten to take photos for a little extra money here and there. I am excited to see my photos in a tourism brochure. But my true passion is writing—and as you know, I haven’t been a faithful blogger! I have felt inspiration to write this past year, but haven’t taken the time to sit down and do it—but I just now feel like things are starting to become routine and in 2015, maybe I will find more time to do the things that I love to do.

In February, my sister and I (both of us pregnant) went on a trip to Arizona and had an awesome time.

We took a few trips as a family of three this year. We went camping a few times in our new camper, and took a weekend trip for a little shopping and swimming. But life moved fast! Maybe even too fast.

As I mentioned at the beginning, my personal goals sort of fell away. I am back at the beginning for weight loss. I have not been exercising. And I just don’t feel good about myself in general. I don’t ever feel pretty or feel like I look nice anymore. My nice clothes don’t fit. And it just wasn’t a good year for the body—although I am thankful for all that my body has been capable of and am in awe of that. I need to do a better job of taking care of it in 2015.

So that was my year! How was your 2014?

SOL Republic Wireless Speaker Winner

 

Congratulations to Tina R.—you are the winner! I’ve contacted you via email.

 

I hope everyone has a happy holiday season! Thanks for entering.

Holiday Gift Guide *Giveaway*

This year, I don’t feel like I need much of anything. Everyone loves to receive a gift though, so I wouldn’t say no to a few small items. Here’s a little inspiration for you as you shop for friends who might be a little like me—a new mom in her 20s.

1. I am in love with coffee mugs lately. Big coffee mugs that are short enough to fit in my Keurig mini. Like this Jumbo Mug from Crate & Barrel.

2. Honestly, maybe I should have started with coffee. It’s a warm, bright spot in my day. It’s a tiny bit of me-time heaven in a cup for this new mama. And I’m in love with Door County Coffee! A monthly flavor fanatic coffee subscription from Door County Coffee. I would die. I take it back, I should have put this one as first! (even though this list is in no specific order)

3. SOL Republic’s PUNK wireless speaker. You guys, this is awesome. SOL Republic sent me one of these to try out and I use it ALL.THE.TIME. When the baby girl gets fussy, I turn on Amazon Prime piano music and baby calms right down. I use it in the kitchen when I’m cooking and currently I’m playing Christmas music. It’s a tiny little miracle with big sound. You could seriously stick it in your coat pocket when you’re out for a run. It’s portable and uses Bluetooth. It comes in a variety of colors. You must get one for yourself, for your friends, for your friend’s cousins, and everyone you know. Or try to win one here. See below.

4. A warm bubble bath, music playing on my SOL Republic PUNK wireless speaker, and maybe sipping on a cup of joe in my new glass mug. Ahhhh. But really, just a warm bubble bath in solitude. I would enjoy that. The solitude would be hard to come by, but a little Warm Vanilla Sugar bubble bath from Bath & Body Works wouldn’t be too hard to acquire.

5. I wouldn’t mind listening to some music other than baby’s music once in a while. I’d love Kenny Chesney’s new album, The Big Revival.

6. This seems weird to request this (wow I’m getting old and boring)—but I really need some new mixing bowls. I want glass ones with lids. Maybe Pyrex? I have been researching but haven’t quite decided on exactly what I want—I just know I want glass bowls with lids. Recommendations gladly accepted!

7. I really need to figure out a workout schedule and I think that doing some workouts with baby would be fun! Something like this Mom and Baby Fitness: Yoga, Pilates, and Baby Massage DVD.

8. A vacation. I’m really dreaming here—but wouldn’t it be awesome to go somewhere tropical? Like Atlantis. I’d settle for Florida. Or a few tanning minutes. lol

9. A really good book. Not the page a minute kind. The kind so beautifully written that you savor every word. The kind you reread because it was so inspiring and thought provoking. And this would have to be a surprise…but believe me, this English major would be excited to receive any book.
10. And another thing I’d love is a good night’s sleep with no interruption. I assume I’ll receive that in about 18 years. Until then…!

What’s on your holiday gift list this year?

 

And now about the giveaway…enter via Rafflecopter below. Giveaway will be open until EOD 12/23 so one of you can find out you’ve won just in time for the holiday!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Finishing 2014 Strong 5K

For some of us, this 5K will be a make up for not getting around to completing the #THB5K 2014. For others, this will be a second 5K to finish out 2014 even stronger.

One lucky winner (randomly selected) will receive a $5 Starbucks e-gift card from me.

Instructions:

1. Complete a 5K between now and 12/31/2014
2. Take a selfie proving your participation
3. Email your selfie to AJourney2Thin@gmail.com with Finishing 2014 Strong 5K as your subject. Include your name in the email as it matches with your Rafflecopter entry (see step 4)
4. Complete Rafflecopter entry. You must do this to be entered to win. All steps must be completed by EOD 12/31/2014

Those of you who completed the #THB5K will receive an extra entry. You can also add an extra entry per day by sharing this post. See Rafflecopter. These will be verified.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I have a confession to make…

I never got around to completing the #THB5K! STILL HAVEN’T! (Anyone who wants to say “well, you should have planned better” can get off your high horse and acknowledge that life happens!)

And I know I’m not the only one. Do you know how many of you could have won the $50 Amazon gift card but didn’t because you never completed the 5K? I had to keep picking new winners!

And this year I understand because I’m living the life of a mom (how those of you with more than one child do it are heros). It can be very hard to juggle life and get in exercise. It can be done, but it can be very difficult sometimes. And I don’t think it’s too big of a deal if we cut ourselves some slack once in a while. Especially on a holiday.

My excuses? As I explained on a previous post, baby was awake every hour in the night and waking up early didn’t happen (I was up at 6 anyways), I prepared my dishes and it was time to leave before I was even showered and dressed myself. Black Friday was busy busy busy. I don’t think I got to sit down and relax. I also felt sick and had a horrible headache. And my brother was visiting for the first time in almost a year. And so I planned for Saturday…and then I felt sick again. And on and on. I have lots of excuses!

But as much as I didn’t want to tell you, and just let it pass on by like nothing was up…I’m too honest for that. lol So there it is. I didn’t even participate in my own 5K. But I still gave away the prizes, so that’s the important part, right?

So I’m thinking… how about this year we have a “Oops…I didn’t get the #THB5K completed but I’m making up for it now” 5K? Now I’m not even going to consider making this an annual event. lol…but maybe just for this year.

And I’ll give away a prize or two. Smaller ones.

And all of you super organized and dedicated people out there who finished the #THB5K—you can do it again and earn an extra entry or two just for having finished the original 5K.

Also—I will keep this one open for a while with no specific day to complete it. That way those of us who are struggling right now won’t have any excuses.

Who would be up for this one? Anyone else pretty disappointed in yourself for not fitting the 5K in?

#THB5K Winners

Congratulations to the winners! All winners have been contacted and most have already received their prizes.

$50 Amazon.com- Brenda

$25 Target- Jill

$5 Starbucks-

Cintia

Jessica

Suzie

Jenna

Lori

A new low and being a mom is busy!

I'm happy to report that this morning I hit a new low... Just barely! I'm down 6.7 lbs!! 

Good job to everyone who completed the 5k today! I have been busy ALL day. I used to get up early to get things done... Well baby started waking at 3 a.m. And would cry about every 1/2 hour after that.  So that didn't happen. I planned to walk after I got my casserole made and cheese ball in the fridge... But as soon as I had that moment (also taking care of baby) it was time to leave and I hadn't even showered yet!

So, I've decided to complete my 5k on Black Friday and spend the evening with family. Good thing that fits within my own rules!!! The best of intentions...

Who else plans to complete the #THB5K tomorrow?

Happy thanksgiving!

Be Active this Thanksgiving and Win Prizes with the #THB5K 2014 (EXTRA ENTRIES)

Are you ready to complete your 5K? If you’re like me, you’ve been eating extra well this week and you’re probably looking forward to indulging in some delicious off plan Thanksgiving food tomorrow. I will be happy to get some activity in tomorrow to balance it out.

So, if you haven’t yet, sign up for the Thankful Healthy Blogger 5K 2014! There are a total of 99 entries so far (18 people officially signed up). I will tell you that in previous years there are more people who sign up than participate. Don’t be one of those people and lose all of your giveaway entries (it’s gift cards for goodness sakes)!

I have added an extra bonus entry option. As in previous years, if you convince friends/family members to participate with you—you will receive extra entries. You will get credit for up to five people. Here’s the best part:

• one extra person- 1 entry
• two extra people- 2 entries (plus 1 from above= 3 entries)
• three extra people- 3 entries (plus 1 and 2 from above= 6 entries)
• four extra people- 4 entries (plus 1, 2, and 3 from above=10 entries)
• five extra people- 5 entries (plus 1, 2, 3, and 4 from above=15 entries)

Make sense? If not, you just make the entry on Rafflecopter for ALL of the listings (if you have 5 extras) and not just the “5” option. As mentioned before, you MUST make your entries on Rafflecopter to be counted.

All entries must be entered by EOD on Friday, as the giveaway will close then.

Good luck!!

What’s your Thanksgiving Day plan?

My philosophy is to enjoy food on special occasions instead of trying to avoid the deliciousness and end up feeling deprived, which often leads to over eating and feeling guilty. That’s just me.

So my plan for Thanksgiving Day is to eat an on plan and healthy breakfast, but allow myself to eat off plan food for lunch and for supper (if I want to). And I don’t mean go on a crazy eating spree—I just mean that I will eat foods I wouldn’t eat 99.9% of the time. Of course, I plan to complete the #THB5K, so I will be getting in a good amount of activity, too.

Friday morning, it will be back on plan 100%. And that’s actually not all that hard to do since I love my new way of eating anyways.

What’s your plan?

The Greatest Love

I try to put my best self out there. I try to be the person that I want to be and should be. I try to do the things that I should do.

I am genuine. I cannot be otherwise. You could say that I wear my heart on my sleeve, but I’m also prone to bottle it all up inside until the pressure is unbearable.

Because of this, I’m often the silent person. And I’m usually the most silent when I am struggling to be the right person, to do the right thing, and to say the right words.

In my outward silence, I try to make the sun shine on peaceful shores, but inside the dark clouds are rolling and the waves a crashing forcefully against my heart. And my silence is most likely heard, even though I don’t want it to be.

And when you and I are alone, you’re often the shore where the waves come crashing in. The storm rages and the salty rain pours and you stay strong. I can see you flexing and bending with the wind like a palm tree in the midst of a hurricane, but you don’t break. You’re strong for me because I am already broken. And with your quiet strength, you carry me through.

And when the storm has passed I am broken still. When the calm has settled, you pick up each and every fragmented piece and you put me back together again as if you were a potter and I, your most treasured work.

In your strength and your patience, when I am least deserving, you show me how you see me and how that has never changed and that it never will. And I, filled with immense gratitude, am made aware that this is the greatest Love I have ever known and will ever know.

10 days left to sign up!

Thanksgiving is only 10 days away, which means that you have just as long to sign up for the #THB5K 2014. The gift card prizes are a fabulous change this year…who couldn’t use a little extra spending money this time of year?

Get over there and sign up!

So you think you’re old and fat?

In the past few weeks, multiple women in their 50s have commented to me, “if I wasn’t so old and fat…”, and each time I was taken aback and I’m pretty sure my mouth was hanging wide open while I tried to think of the right words to say. The words never came and instead I just smiled and shrugged my shoulders. But these interactions continued to weigh on my mind, and I felt guilty that I didn’t have the right words for these women.

Not once did I think to myself, “boy, this woman sure is fat and old”, or anything to that effect at all, actually! To be honest, I actually thought to myself, “she is pretty” or “she has such nice hair”, or “I hope to look that good at that age”. So when these women made negative comments about their appearance, I was surprised! These were confident and good looking women—and they were not fishing for compliments—they genuinely felt bad about their appearances.

There is something beautiful about women 50s and up. I hope that when I reach that age that I can be one of those women who is not embarrassed about my age, but that I rather embrace it with pride. You can always be young at heart—even at 90.

We are far more critical of ourselves than we are of others. How often have you looked at a woman and thought, “boy, she sure looks fat and old”? More than likely, you have been so wrapped up in thinking about how “fat and old” you feel that you haven’t even noticed the other women. Either that, or you’ve been thinking things like “boy, I sure wish I looked more like her instead of how fat and old I look” while the said woman is thinking the same thing about you.

There is beauty in all ages. It’s a different kind of beauty, but beauty none the less. No greater and no less. There’s a story of life lived in those wrinkles and gray hair. The younger years and a younger beauty are elusive—you can no longer get them back. Embrace the beauty of today and cherish the memories of yesterday. Most importantly, don’t hate yourself and stop the negative talk—it’s bad for your. Do good for your body, soul and mind—after all, what really makes you beautiful is within.

And I’m down more weight!

Yipee!! I lost weight this week. I was down another .8 lb. this morning for a total loss of 6.6 lbs.!

I was afraid I was going to have a gain this week since my last loss was last Saturday. That was cutting it pretty close! Now I hope I’m on the losing end again. Those 10 lbs. are getting closer to being gone!! Pedicure…here I come!

Have you signed up for the #THB5K 2014? Sign up—I’d be all over this if this wasn’t my blog and I wasn’t the one giving the gift cards away!! hehe

Update for the week

Hello everyone! Are you excited about the #THB5K? What do you think about the prizes? So far there are only 7 signed up, and that includes me. So it looks like you’re all winning a prize at this point! Those of you who aren’t signed up…what’s holding you back? Get over there and sign up! Make sure that you use Rafflecopter…if you don’t, you won’t be entered in the giveaway.

So what do you think about the new blog design? I’m working on getting things cleaned up and updated—but that process could take some time! I am loving the new look though. Much cleaner. Let me know what you think!

My mom came to stay for the past few days. It was super nice having her here. It allowed me go out and take some photos for a side job. She helps out around the house constantly—and it was a much needed break.

Baby girl hasn’t been feeling very well…something has been a little off for the past week. She has done pretty well today, but I noticed her taking her naps a little early so she must be tired. Last night she only cried a few times for her pacifier—so that’s some improvement. She was sleeping through the night without a peep up until last week. Interrupted sleep really wears on you…I have been pretty lucky.

I haven’t had a loss since Saturday. The scale has been all over the place—so I hope I can lose by this Saturday and not have to count a gain. I enjoyed all kinds of losses last week—practically every day!

It has gotten cold here! Monday it was in the 60s and today it’s in the 20s. Brrrrr! The last I knew it was May! I swear, these past 6 months have zoomed by. I hardly remember a summer in there…but it happened.

Have a great day!

The Official Thankful Healthy Blogger 5K 2014 #THB5K

After a year off, we are back with the Thankful Healthy Blogger 5K for 2014—the fourth event!

As in previous years, to participate in this virtual 5K, you will need to complete a 5K (walk, run, dance, skip, prance, bike, elliptical, etc.) on Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday. This race is about just being active and finishing, so don’t worry if you are not super speedy and fast (I’m certainly not)!

This year, there are gift cards up for the winning! Thanks to your votes in the #THB5K Poll, the prizes are as follows:

Prize #1- $50 Amazon.com giftcard

Prize #2- $25 Target giftcard

Prize #3- There will be 5- $5 Starbucks giftcards

(images from Google)

That’s 7 chances to win some really great prizes! This is in no way associated with the above companies—this is out of my pocket and my way of thanking you for reading all year! Thank you!

The rules are very simple:

• Sign up for the #THB5K by leaving a comment on this post
• After you’ve completed your 5K on Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday do any of the following and come back to this post to make your entry via Rafflecopter:
  • Post a photo proving your participation to the A Journey to Thin Facebook page (1 entry)

AND/OR

• Tweet a photo proving your participation on Twitter using the hashtag #THB5K and tagging @Ajourneytothin

OR

• If you do not have Facebook or Twitter, email me your photo (Ajourney2thin@gmail.com) (1 entry)
• For additional entries into the giveaway, you can spread the word about the #THB5K via the methods on Rafflecopter (many of these options can be done daily also)
• Feel free to proudly display the official #THB5K participant button on your blog! (and get your Rafflecopter entry!)

 

<div class="a-journey-to-thin-button" style="width: 200px; margin: 0 auto;"> <a href="http://www.ajourneytothin.com/2014/11/the-official-thankful-healthy-blogger.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> <img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-OQDsyKdSJY8/VGC8z6Za97I/AAAAAAAAAAw/Zx_ivbzHWrk/s536/button.jpg" alt="A Journey to Thin" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div>

 

Winners will be randomly selected, entry verified, and the the winner will be contacted via email. Winner will have until EOD December 6th to claim their prize or a new winner will be randomly selected.

How about a flash back?

THB5K 2012
THB5K 2011
THB5K 2010

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Just have to tell you...

I am down more weight!! 5.8 lbs. lost!

For the Mommies out there

^(source)

^{I saw this quote on Facebook the other day and it offered comfort to me.}

^{I am a worrier and it’s no surprise that after having a child, I worry about everything mom related. I’m sure that as baby girl grows, my worries will change and possibly become greater. But this quote makes me feel a lot better about my constant worrying that I am “screwing it all up”.}

^{I have a happy baby girl full of smiles and giggles and that doesn’t just happen. I must be doing something right.}

^{For any mommies out there like me, give yourself a break and a pat on the back. You’re doing just fine.}

Another itty bitty loss and missing my clothes

The scale showed me more love again this morning! Down another .3 lbs. for a total loss of 4.4 lbs. as I approach the end of my 4th week. Yay!

I cannot wait to fit into my old clothes again. I don’t want to spend much money on new clothes, so I feel like I’m wearing the same things all the time—which I probably am. I bought a few things so that I don’t feel absolutely horrible about myself all the time, but I miss my old clothes!

I keep talking about those 10 lbs. I will feel better after 10 lbs. lost, right?! I feel better already, but I want to start to see differences in the way that my clothes fit. Another 6 lbs. would probably make a difference.

Thank goodness I’m home most days and just wear my yoga pants and comfy shirts. I know my yoga pants are a bit too snug, but some days I’m just like “forget it” and go to the store (or for a walk, or most recently to vote) in them anyways. I’m pathetic. Don’t worry about me over here, I’m just singing another verse of the Fat Girl Blues.

I’m leaving the 5k poll up for a little bit longer—so if you haven’t voted yet, please do so. Apparently, there’s going to be another blogger Thanksgiving virtual 5k… so hopefully you will all stick with this one too. I appreciate all of you readers out there (if you’re still out there). Crickets… lol

A little more progress… and getting antsy to blog about my new diet plan

As I mentioned, I’m not going to do an official weigh in day anymore—when I make progress, I will count it as progress whenever it is! I will expect another loss 1 week from each loss—if I don’t have another loss in 1 week, I will report it as a gain.

This morning I lost another .6 lbs. bringing me to 4.1 lbs. lost total since 10/10/14. Not too shabby! I’m not yet back to that 5 lbs. I initially lost, but I’m losing just fine. And it’s really encouraging to be able to acknowledge the loss—no matter how small!

I don’t know if I can wait until 10 lbs. lost to tell you all of the details of my new plan (my original promise because I wanted to make sure this wasn’t just another fad). I just love it so much. I can’t even tell you how incredibly different I feel. And food doesn’t hold me hostage anymore (at least not very often). I like the real foods I’m eating. I’m not hungry all the time. And I’m having a lot of fun experimenting in the kitchen—and I can’t wait to share the recipes!

I’ll keep going at it…come on 10 lbs.!!

Don’t forget to vote!

Hopefully you have cast your vote in the 2014 elections, but if not—get out there and get it done!

Since it is election day and all, don’t forget to cast your vote in the Thankful Healthy Blogger 5K poll-- which will determine which gift card receives the biggest prize dollar amount for the #THB5K!

Update on my Progress

On my Friday weigh in, I lost .3 lbs. I hoped for more after an entire week on track 100%—but I had hormones working against me so I need to keep that in mind and try not to get discouraged.

That’s a total loss of 3.5 lbs. in 3 weeks. That’s good progress of over 1 lb. per week, even though it was that first week that I lost 5 lbs. and then gained the next. But you know what? Weight loss takes time. I should know this—it took me years to lose weight the last time…but it happened.

I had a couple of slip ups this weekend. I’ll blame the hormones for half of it.

But I weighed this morning and it wasn’t so terrible—so I’m back at it again! I hope to see a loss by the end of this week. I’m kind of sick of official weigh in days and want to count my “lows” when I hit them—so that’s how it’s going to be.

I completed 2/5 days of 30 Day Shred last week. Excuses. Excuses. Can I use the hormones card again? haha. I did rake leaves one day… that counts, right? I think this week I will do something with less impact anyways…try to make my left hip-leg-knee-foot feel better. I’m thinking some pilates.

BUT this morning I am feeling slightly better in body and mind. I am less monster-like and a little more Alissa-like. Hubby will be happy about that. Seriously. It’s like that. Total transformation. I don’t even know myself!

It was up bright and early this morning due to baby not being aware of the time change—even though I told her Saturday night when she went to bed and gave her permission to sleep in. On Sunday morning, she woke up at 4:30 and hubby told me that I needed my rest so I wouldn’t be cranky all day (I told you it’s true!!) and he woke up with her. This morning it was up at 5:30—so that’s a little progress.

Please take a moment to vote in the Thankful Healthy Blogger 5k (#THB5K) poll. I’ll leave it open for a few days and then I’ll get the official post with prizes put together!

#THB5K Poll

It's that time of year again! And while last year the #THB5K didn't happen due to pregnancy and just being busy...this year it's back on! Please take the poll below so I can determine prizes!

For anyone new to the blog, #THB5K stands for the Thankful Healthy Blogger 5K, an “annual” virtual 5K I host on Thanksgiving Day. Prizes are always involved and it’s just a great way to be active on Thanksgiving Day.

Happy Halloween

I had a lot of fun today with baby for her first Halloween. ADORABLE!

Dear Strangers, Please don’t ask about my baby’s hemangioma

At about a week old, a spot appeared on the back of baby girl’s head. Hubby and I actually noticed it at her newborn assessment appointment and were worried because it looked like a bruise (oh no…what were they going to think?! We didn’t do a thing!). The nurse practitioner immediately knew it was the beginning of a hemangioma (also called a strawberry mark) and said not to worry about it.

Over the course of probably about 4 months, the hemangioma grew—as they do. It is heart shaped and is about the size of a large marble. None of you readers would even know she has it because it’s in such an inconspicuous spot.

From the moment I did research and saw that the hemangioma would become larger and then gradually disappear, I knew that I would never want her to feel like this was a “deformity”, but when she was old enough to understand, I wanted her to feel like it was something unique about her—her own special heart stamp that God gave her.

And after being in public, I am afraid that this is going to be a heart wrenching task for hubby and me.

You wouldn’t believe the random strangers that come up to us in the grocery store and ask us what that spot is on her head. “Is that a birthmark? What happened to her head? What is that thing?” Fingers pointing all the while.

This past weekend this woman rolled her motorized scooter in front of our stroller to ask these questions, trapping us in the spot. When hubby explained what it was, she said, “well that sucks…”.

And what do you do with that kind of a comment about your beautiful baby girl with a pretty little strawberry heart on the back of her head. It crushes you. It breaks your heart for her. I am so glad she does not understand.

I know that these strangers are just curious, but I would never, ever go up to someone and ask them what was wrong with their child.

I know that kids will be curious—but we also once had a boy ask me a bunch of questions about the strawberry mark and then proceed to ask questions like, “will her hood even fit over her head?” (it’s not that big) and the parent did not even correct him. What is wrong with people?

I’m not sure what my point of writing this post is—maybe just to get my thoughts out of my head. I wish strangers wouldn’t ask, but for our beautiful baby girl, hubby and I will continue to answer these questions as if it is no big deal. And when she understands, we will make sure that these questions are always answered with positivity and pride. Even if our hearts are breaking for her on the inside.

I want to go hiking in Arizona again!

Back in February, my sister and I took a trip to Arizona. We were both pregnant, only three weeks apart! This was a quick trip for the two of us before we both welcomed our new babies and became busy with motherhood (this was my sister’s 4th so she was taking a much needed break). It was a fun and relaxing trip.

One of my favorite parts about the trip was going to the Echo Canyon trail and hiking. We didn’t go far, but it was a good workout for our pregnant selves anyways!

It was such a beautiful place. This was my first visit to a dessert terrain and I thought it was gorgeous. I cannot wait to go back someday with the family. I look forward to being at a good fitness level so that we can go as a family, or just hubby and I on a getaway, and go hiking on the trails.

To make the climb more enjoyable, it would be helpful to have a good pair of hiking shoes. I just wore my general running shoes while hiking—but when going down some of those steep inclines (while pregnant), I would have loved to have a little better traction with some good hiking shoes on!  I like the ones sold at The Clymb and they are actually affordable. They have a good selection of trail running shoes found in The Clymb’s women’s trail running shoes section also.

We were told that February was one of the best times to visit. It was warmer than the frigid temperatures at home, but not at Arizona’s hottest and humid temperatures. It was perfect. If we return, I think February would be the best time to do so—especially if we planned on going hiking.

I think my favorite way of getting exercise is doing things like this—hiking and enjoying the beautiful outdoors. It will be a little harder to go hiking now that we have a baby, but it would also be the perfect “date afternoon” activity—even in Iowa!

What’s your favorite way to get some exercise? Do you like to hike? What’s the most beautiful place you’ve ever gone for a hike?

On to Level 3

I completed Day 1/5 of the 30 Day Shred Level 3 this morning. I had to pause the workout after circuit 1 because baby woke up from her nap—but I brought her in the room with me to play while I finished the workout.

She watched me while doing my workout. She would sit there and smile while I did jumping jacks and walking push ups. I hope to be a good example to her in healthy living. I’ve got this!

Let’s not mention the fact that when she gets old enough to imitate me in her play, she will think all of the complaining and groaning is a part of working out.

Where did the week go?

Wow—where did the time go? I’ve been busy this week and haven’t even checked in. And it’s Friday already!

We’ll start with weigh in today—I was up 1.8 lbs. but I was expecting a gain because I went off plan for an anniversary meal and then ended up going off plan the next day for pretty much the entire day.

I got back on track yesterday and am doing well today. I actually feel so much better and more satisfied following my eating plan.

I literally did not have a spare moment Monday through Wednesday so I didn’t get my workouts in. I will complete Level 3 of the 30 Day Shred starting on Monday since I didn’t get that in. That’s ok though. Life happened.

My parents visited and my mom stayed for part of the week. That was nice!

Hubby and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary and actually got to go out on our first real date since baby was born. There was sushi, Japanese food, and cupcakes. It was fun spending quality time together.

I also hosted a little “crafternoon”. A few of us made burlap wreaths. It was fun and I loved how mine turned out! All of ours were different.

I am loving the fresh flowers in the house. Hubby brought me roses, I’m still enjoying a few flowers from my birthday bouquet, and someone brought flowers to the crafternoon. Pretty!

And I thought I’d end with a picture of baby and her pretty eyes.

Week 2 Complete

It feels good to have accomplished another 5 days of 30 Day Shred- Level 2. And I’m glad I’m done because I’m sick of it—hopefully Level 3 will be enough to shake things up a bit! I’m definitely ready to move on to a different workout after completing Level 3 next week!

I had my husband take “before” pictures of me this morning (over a week late). I wore my tightest yoga pants (that I wouldn’t wear out of the house) and a tight tank top. And I cannot wait to see the “after” pictures because the “before” pictures are pretty depressing. Oofta. But at least I’ll really be able to see the differences in my pictures since my clothes are tight- that was the idea.

Hope you are having a good weekend!

Day 4/5 of Week 2 Complete

Just checking in to let you know that I completed day 4/5. One more day!

I decided to get it done first thing this morning so that it was done and over with. Now I can relax (sort of) for the rest of the day without worrying about working out. Yay!

I want to go on to do 5 days of Level 3 next week. Mostly because of my type A personality. It wouldn’t feel complete without adding on 5 days of Level 3 and it would just bug me- even though I’m ready for something a little different and with less impact!

Who’s with me? April, are you in again?

First Weigh in on My New Plan and I am Shocked

I lost 5 lbs.! In one week…ME…the one who has such hard time losing weight.

And the awesome thing is that I am not hungry. If I am, well I can eat.

Hubby even likes the meals that I am cooking and has lost a bit of weight himself (he already lost any weight he may have needed to lose when we decided to diet together back in July…I fell off the wagon back then).

I am successfully living without coffee creamer (I know…amazing) but I have some fairly good substitutes. I’m getting used to it.

I’ve already taken my two rest days for the week…so now I have to workout today, tomorrow and Sunday to meet my goal. I can do this!

And I’m only 5 lbs. away from my 10 lb. goal!!!

Penny Pinching Tip: Save on Groceries with Snap by Groupon

Snap by Groupon is an app that is new to me. But there are some great benefits to using it!

Probably the greatest part about this app is the ease of use. All you have to do is take a picture of your receipt and submit it. Once you hit $20 in savings, you can request a check.

The second greatest part about Snap by Groupon is that you can earn money back on purchases at ANY store. So that means I can shop at my local grocery store if I want to.

I like to take advantage of the savings on items that I already buy like fruits and veggies, milk, bread, and toothpaste.

The only downside to this app is that the quantities of the offers must be limited because eventually the items are marked as “All Gone” and if I haven’t had time to make it to the store, I miss out on the offers.

But it’s very easy to manage because there are generally less offers in a given week than there are on some of the other apps out there. Don’t forget you can earn money back on other apps at the same time. I love to double up my savings between apps.

Sign up today!

Another Day Complete 2/5

I really didn’t feel like working out today but I somehow found the motivation to do it. I’m glad that I did.

Yesterday I took a rest day due to the painful hip/knee issue. I felt better this morning…so that was no excuse for today!

My new eating plan is going very well. I am satisfied. I’m not seeing those huge fluctuations on the scale like I’m used to. I’ve also seen some weight loss—yippee!

Week 2: Level 2- Day 1/5 Complete, etc.

Whew! Got in level 2 today. It felt good to move some different muscles. I really noticed my leg/knee hurting on level 2 though. I noticed I can’t bend my knee all the way—ouch!

I’m pretty proud of myself because last week I completed 5 days of Level 1 and also went on two walks. I even went above and beyond my workout goal.

I’ve been drinking a lot of water. I always drink a lot of water but I started tracking how much I actually drink. 135 oz. yesterday, 144 oz. Saturday, and 121 oz. on Friday. It seems like I am thirsty all of the time! I took a quiz and it said that I should aim for 118 oz. of water a day, so I’m not that far off!

In baby news, she started rolling over last Wednesday and this morning she rolled across the living room! She’s learning that she can get to things that she wants to see and touch. They sure catch on fast.

She also has two teeth now. We also started feeding her solids. We’re feeding her squash this week and she really likes it but she hasn’t quite mastered the tongue movements to swallow much of it yet. It’s pretty cute!

Day 5/5 Complete- Week 1 Challenge Complete

I woke up early this morning to get in the last day of my 30 Day Shred workout for the week! I feel good now that it’s over (except for this hip/knee/leg pain!).

Next week my workout buddy, April, and I are going to do 5 days of Level 2. Anyone is free to join in! The accountability helps. You can comment or shoot me an email.

And Kudos to April for finishing this week too!

Yesterday, we went on a 45 minute walk as a family. I love the fresh air and all of the colorful leaves. Baby is still loving the walks. It was funny because she’d start fussing and hubby and I were like, well we better head home…and then we’d notice her hat had slipped over her eyes and she was just letting us know she couldn’t see. Slide the hat up and all was well! lol So cute.

Hope you are having a good weekend!

Day 4/5 Complete and Weigh in Day

Only one more day left to meet my weekly 30 Day Shred goal! Yesterday I even went for a 1 hour walk. Told ya I have more energy.

I weighed in this morning and lost .9 for the week—so close to a pound! I am still above where I started a month ago, but just barely.

Because I cannot seem to make WW work for me, I have started a new healthy eating plan today. I will still track my points for the heck of it (and since I’ve paid for 3 months…).

I’m going to be a tease and not tell you what I’m doing! I will let you know when I lose 10 lbs. I want to make sure it works before I announce a new plan, etc. Anyone who knows—SHHHHH! It’s our little secret.

But I’m feeling hopeful again. I’m excited to be learning a new plan. I’m having fun looking at recipes and reading success stories. I’m dreaming of how I will fit into my old clothes again. I’m imagining the day where I can wear that pretty red dress I bought a long time ago that I’ve never worn…someday!

Day 3/5 Complete

Whoohoo! Only two more days left and I will have met my weekly goal.

I am sweaty today. Whew. It feels good to have a sense of accomplishment for having completed my workout today. I also think working out is giving me more energy—yippee!

Time got away from me yesterday and I didn’t get my blog post in for the day. But I woke up with horrible hip pain and was just achy all over. I called it a rest day.

And I am glad I did so because today I feel 99% better. My hip is still achy but it seem to be chronically achy. I probably need to go to the Chiro. I have pain from my hip/butt down my thigh, into my knee and down my leg into my foot (on my left side). I’m hoping getting more activity in my days will eventually alleviate the achiness.

I previously said that I would finish week 1 and then decide what I want to do next week. I’m contemplating doing 5 days of Level 2 next week. Maybe my Level 1 buddy, April, wants to join me? Anyone else is welcome too!!

I think that having a very attainable exercise goal this week is helping me.

Day 2/5 Complete and Working out as a Mom

I am slightly sore today; namely my quads, pectorals and knees. But it’s not so bad. I feel better overall. BUT maybe I should take some ibuprofen prior to my workout tomorrow because I felt a little lethargic due to the soreness.

Today I tried completing the 30 Day Shred while baby was awake. I put her under her hanging toys and got to work. She was ok at first but got increasingly fussy. I had to pause for a few seconds here and there to give her a toy or move her under different hanging toys to keep her entertained. She watched me do jumping jacks a bit and fussed when I stopped to rest  ( lol ) and also watched Jillian and the girls do jumping jacks for a bit.

Overall, it wasn’t the best way to complete a workout, but at least I got it done. The biggest failure is that when I was finished I didn’t feel “refreshed”, instead I felt stressed because I spent most of the workout worrying about the baby. BUT I think she may have been getting tired because it wasn’t too long after I finished the workout that she went down for a nap.

There is no way I’d be able to walk or run on the treadmill while she is awake though. It’s a little more difficult to stop a workout like that to entertain a baby. Although, I shouldn’t say never until I actually try it. She might be happy a bit longer if I put her in her jumperoo.

But it is possible for moms to workout with a baby. It just takes motivation, planning and patience.

I’m working on the motivation, can you tell? This week is a success! I also have had to plan accordingly. I.E. get dressed and ready for my workout when baby is happily sleeping or happily playing. That way, I can workout when she is happily playing or happily sleeping. And everyone stays happy, you see? ; )

This new mom thing is definitely a learning experience! Slowly but surely I am getting it. I shouldn’t say that because babies know when parents are starting to feel more confident and then throw their parents a curveball to let them know who’s boss!! Let me be clear, I am getting better but I am also a beginner and still learning! (please don’t throw me another curveball, dear baby)

Day 1 of 5 Complete and Contemplating Rising Early

I did it!

My morning was off schedule so I ended up doing the workout while baby took her afternoon nap. I like to be able to shower in the morning, but I told myself I had to wait until I completed my workout.

I will admit that I was out of breath during the warm up. How sad is that? lol

But it felt wonderful to move, what felt like, every muscle in my body.

I used 3 lb. weights because I wasn’t sure how much I would be able to handle on day 1! I could probably increase that amount but we’ll see how my arms feel tomorrow! It’s the legs I’m most worried about.

I am contemplating setting a 5 a.m. wake up time to become part of my schedule. Right now it just sounds horrific.

But while working, there were times when I woke up at 4:30 in the morning to get my workout in. And I still go to bed at the same time at night. If baby would have a bad night, I could always keep sleeping in the morning to make sure I get my rest.

OR I could just wake up at 4:30 a.m. when my husband wakes up. More than likely I would sit awake in bed from 4:30 to 5 a.m. anyways. IDK.

Then again, if I can fit in my workout every single day on my current schedule (wake up when baby does-- which was 5:50 a.m. this morning) then maybe I shouldn’t worry about it. I do know that I do better when I get the workout out of the way in the morning though. And if I have any plans for the day, it makes it difficult to get my workout in if I don’t get it done first thing.

Anyways, just thinking “out loud” here. Any SAHMs out there? How do you fit in your workouts?

30 Day Shred Challenge for 5 Days

Ok, here's what's up!

I am going to do level 1 of the 30 Day Shred next week for 5 days.

After that, I will reevaluate and decide if I want to do it another week or choose a different weekly goal.

Anyone who wants to do this with me... Hit up the comments! April said she's in!

I know this is going to kill me... It has been a LONG time since I did any intense exercise!

So I’ve been thinking…

I might give myself a fitness challenge.

I’m thinking maybe the 30 Day Shred? I’m not sure if I want to do it 30 days straight or maybe just 5 days per week. I’m leaning towards 5 days per week because I will probably be so incredibly sore from not being as active lately!!

If I do this, anyone want to join me? I’d start Monday.

What’s up in my world

Happy October!

On the weight loss front, it’s hard to believe that a month has almost passed since I started Weight Watchers again. I will be hoping to have a loss on Friday so that I can at least see a tiny bit of progress for the month. I’ll be honest, I am still struggling—but the scale has been showing a tiny bit of love anyways.

Baby girl is 5 months old today. Where has the time gone?

I put together her height chair yesterday because pretty soon she will be starting to eat solids! For now, I let her sit in it and play while we eat supper. She likes to be able to see what’s going on at the table. Nosy little baby. hehe She was pretty excited to sit in it!

We have gone camping a couple of times, including a night last weekend. It is fun! After baby goes to sleep, hubby and I can have some time just sitting by the fire and talking under the stars.

We plan to do a lot more camping next year. We invested in a little camper and it’s just perfect for our little family.

In other news, I used some of my birthday money to buy the Skinny Taste cookbook! I’m pretty excited to try out some recipes soon.

I have been loving my coffee lately. I didn’t drink much (and only decaf) when I was pregnant. What’s your favorite K-Cup? Mine has been the Door County Heavenly Caramel. There’s a local store that sells it.

I have been struggling with what to blog about lately. I’m obviously struggling in the weight loss department so don’t feel like I have a whole lot to share there. I don’t want to QUIT blogging because I like to do it and I have not quit trying in the weight loss department either. What topics do you like to read about? What has drawn you to this blog in the past? now?

I do feel like I am making tiny steps. I’m starting to get back into old (healthy) habits that went to the way-side while pregnant. Slowly but surely. Maybe it just takes some time.

Penny Pinching Tip: Walmart Savings Catcher

You’ve probably already heard of this app because it has been pretty well advertised by now—but I want to tell you that it is WORTH IT. By far.

I shop for groceries pretty much only at Walmart now simply because of the Savings Catcher app.

Here’s how it works. You do your shopping (I’ve even gotten money back on Zyrtec) and pay as usual. There will be a QR code at the bottom of your receipt. Simply use the Walmart app to scan your QR code and wait!

Walmart checks the items on your receipt with various local competitors. If the item is found to be sold cheaper somewhere else, Walmart gives you the difference back. To access this money, you simply create an e-gift card in the app.

I have gotten money back on all but one Walmart purchase I have made. Four trips = $16.15 back. My highest reward in one trip was $6.31—that really adds up! I’m waiting on one more purchase to be processed.

It’s so easy. And chances are you already go to Walmart, at least once in a while, anyways! You’re just missing out on getting money back if you don’t use this app. It’s so so simple.

You can find out more information at the Walmart website.

Valentia Even Glow Serum Giveaway Winner

Just letting you know that the winner has been randomly chosen!

The winner is….. Sharon F. I have contacted her so that she can claim her prize!

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Weigh in Day

This morning I weighed in and lost 1 lb. from last week—so at least I’m back on the losing side of weight loss.

Got to get it!

It’s kind of embarrassing because I’m part of this special program and I have GAINED weight instead of losing it! Oh my. But I still have two weeks to meet my goal and if I stick with it I can definitely do it.

I cringe to admit this, but I’ve lost .3 lbs. since the beginning of September. Any loss is better than a gain at this point. Whew.

I got out for another walk this morning! I earned 5 activity points. It’s supposed to be fall but it’s supposed to be 80 today. I was super sweaty by the time I got home. I’m ready for fall weather!! Baby girl LOVES going for walks now that she can sit up in the stroller.

Have a great weekend!

29

On Tuesday I celebrated my 29th birthday. The last year of my 20s.

Wow.

I know age is just another number in our number centric world but being on the brink of my 30s makes me do some thinking.

I am very happy with my life and all of the steps along the way that have gotten me to where I am today. I have a better husband than I deserve, we have a beautiful and healthy baby girl, and we’re all three happy. I am content with (and thankful for) the important things in life.

However, I continue with my struggle at being the person I want to be and looking the way I want to look.

I came so so so so close to meeting my weight goals in my 20s. And here I am basically starting over again. And again. And again. I have one more year left of my 20s and I want to make it count.

I don’t like how I feel and I don’t like how I look. By the time I’m 30, I would like to be back down to my pre-pregnancy weight. That’s doable—it just requires some commitment.

Turning 30 won’t be the end of my youth—it’s just a number. But I’d like to make it the decade where I finally meet my goals and become the person that I want to be. This last year of my 20s will be the beginning.

Happy birthday to me!

P.S. Don’t miss out on the Valentia Even Glow Serum Giveaway, especially if you’re like me and want to prevent aged looking skin as you get older!

Valentia Even Glow Serum Giveaway

After baby girl was born, I started to notice that my skin began to feel dry and rough to the touch. I think skin changes are pretty common after pregnancy—but I wasn’t quite sure what to do about it.

Valentia Skin Care contacted me at just the right time and offered to send me a bottle of their Even Glow Serum in exchange for a review. And I’m glad I accepted!

I’ve used most of the bottle and am trying my best to get every single magical drop out of it.

At first, I liked how it made my face feel hydrated and smooth when I put it on, along with my normal skincare routine. And then about 2 weeks in, my face started breaking out. I was worried, but I kept using the product and my face cleared up. I do occasionally get short-lived breakouts due to hormones, even while using this product.

The organic vitamin c serum looks and smells like orange juice but is just a little thicker. In addition to the hydrated and smooth feeling, I really do feel like my skin has a glow to it. I spent too much time in the sun in my teenage years without any sunscreen on and I’ve often been able to see the effects of it on my face. I think my face looks less “aged” and spotty after using this serum. I really like the stuff.

In the world of quality skincare products, at $35 for a 1.18 oz. bottle is reasonably priced. It’s available on Amazon Prime so you can get free shipping if you subscribe. But for me, the price is the only downfall.  I know that it’s sold at a reasonable price for the market. The problem is, I already invest money in the Clinique 3-step system and while I would love to continue using this product, I can’t say with certainty that I will (I might)—simply because of the additional cost to an already pricey skincare system I already use.

But if you are in the market for an organic vitamin c serum that really does wonders and makes your skin glow, I highly recommend this product!

And more great news! Valentia Skin Care has offered to give one bottle away to one lucky reader! Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter! Good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Feeling myself again

Thankfully, I am feeling myself again today.

Hopefully it continues!

I even went for a walk tonight. Yay! 

Not Gonna Do It

Today was weigh in and I am not even going to blog about the monstrosity that took place on the scale this morning. I shocked even myself.

It has been quite the week. Baby got her first cold, which has meant less sleep than usual for me. So I’m tired. And Friday night plans have been canceled (for me and baby anyways).

Yesterday, I got my first speeding ticket. And a hefty price that is!

My body can’t figure things out—so I have been PMSing all week. I’m grumpy and I want to eat chocolate.

Add on my weigh in this morning.

And I’ve been feeling depressed—probably due to my body not being able to figure things out. Blah. Blah. Blah. Blah.

I guess that’s not so bad—I’m just grumpy so it seems like it is. I’ll quit feeling sorry for myself soon. Pity Party is about over.

Penny Pinching Tip: Money Back on Groceries (including produce!)

This post contains affiliate links. If you sign up, I will receive a small commission that helps keep A Journey to Thin running. This is an app I use and love!

Another app that I use to receive money back on my grocery purchases is Checkout 51. In this app, you request a check after you have earned back at least $20. So far, I have earned back $10 in about a month.

This app is definitely less complicated than many of those like it. New offers are added every Thursday and run for a week. There are definitely fewer offers than Ibotta, for example, but these offers can be redeemed at any store.

In this past week, I have used to the app to earn money back on tomatoes, granola, yogurt, bananas and blueberries—for a total of $2.25. It seems like this app always has offers for produce, so I make sure to take advantage of those!

You can actually take advantage of these offers without downloading the app by visiting the Checkout 51 website. This app is also available in Canada.

Just another way to save!

This post contains affiliate links. If you sign up, I will receive a small commission that helps keep A Journey to Thin running. This is an app I use and love!

Weekend

Alright, confession to make here. I didn’t track this weekend.

It wasn’t intentional, but my new phone wouldn’t connect to the internet for me to track my points (hoping to get rid of this phone TONIGHT). So I tried, but ultimately gave up tracking. And I really didn’t watch my food intake like I should have.

So I don’t know how I actually did. There have been plenty of times that I thought I screwed up until I tracked my points and realized I was ok. My weight was up slightly this morning, but nothing major. I’m guessing it will be gone by tomorrow.

I was at my parent’s house with family and just enjoyed myself instead of worrying about every bite that went into my mouth. But I am back at it today.

Today is also the first day of a special WW program I am doing—so it was actually pretty good timing for me to have a weekend like that. Now it’s even more important that I keep it together!

And now a photo of baby girl from this weekend. Awwwwwwws can commence now.

Weigh in Day

I gained .2 today. Bummer. But that’s practically staying the same and while I know the goal is to lose weight, I assume that next week I will have a bigger loss. I hope!

Plus, as we know—slow and steady has always been my game in this weight loss thing.

I’ll give it another week at the same points goal and if I still don’t lose, I will take a closer look at my plan and reduce points if necessary.

I was kind of expecting another big loss on week 2, but I was already eating pretty healthy prior to starting and I think that does factor into things. The important thing is that I don’t throw in the towel but that I have faith in the plan.

One important thing is that I am FEELING smaller. Probably less bloated, etc. That’s a good feeling.

On another note, I got my free gift for joining WW.

I got a cook book, collapsible measuring cups, a microwave steamer, stickers with points on them, and a case type thing. I love the style of the case, too bad it says WW!! But I suppose that’s the point.

Have a good weekend!

A Day in the Life of Post (pictures)

I thought I would finally do a classic “day in the life of” post. I’d like to do this every once in a while!

My day started at 6:40 a.m. when I woke up. I love it when I wake up naturally instead of waking up to baby’s stirrings and cries. While it’s always tempting to go back to sleep, I know that I will be awoken by baby and then I’ll end up feeling tired. So it was up and at ‘em for me.

I had just enough time to pump before baby woke up. I get less and less it seems. I now get between 1.5 – 2 oz. per day. I want to continue until I don’t get anything though, because I want to do it for the antibodies. I looked it up and anything is better than nothing.

I didn’t know I was going to do this post yet—so I’m using a couple pics from the last time I was going to and never ended up getting it done!

And then it was in to get baby. In the morning, I give her meds, change her, feed her and then we sit in the chair and rock while she looks around. She loves to just look around. Nosy little baby. lol

After that, it was my turn to eat some breakfast. Every morning, baby enjoys her swing and talking to the little lady bugs while I eat breakfast. I bought that blanket at a garage sale. I washed it all up and she just loves it. She gets all excited when I put it on her.

I ate oatmeal with blueberries and a glass of milk. And of course, I always drink a lot of water in the morning (and all day) and also take my vitamins and meds.

Wouldn’t you know this was the one day that my oatmeal decided to overflow in the microwave. I microwave it the same amount every time. It must have something to do with the temperature in the house?

Baby was really enjoying her swing today, so I went ahead and made my coffee (with creamer) and sat down to read.

By that time, she was starting to get fussy. So out of the swing and time for play!

I sat with her and then quickly washed some bottles and parts.

Time for baby’s first nap. I had just enough time to get myself ready for the day and she was awake again. I just never know what her nap schedule will be like every day. She usually takes one long nap (and a couple more shorter ones) and that can either in the morning or afternoon. Totally random.

After eating, she likes to stare out the window while I burp her. She’s fascinated with trees.

And then it was my turn to eat some lunch. While I ate, baby was entertained in her Jumperoo.

I had a spinach salad with leftover grilled chicken, blue cheese crumbles, tomatoes, and a drizzling of lite honey mustard.

This was followed up by a Chobani Indulgent.

I did some laundry, got my baby bag re-packed with essentials, and straightened up the kitchen.

Then it was time for tummy time. She did this until she started getting really fussy and it was time for another nap.

 

I was feeling hungry so I hate a Grahamfuls. I know, not a nutritious snack but it sure is tasty.

But of course that didn’t fill me up, so I ate a plum and a WW cheese stick.

I ate this while putting together a list of items to get that I could also get money back on from the various apps I use.

The bottles were dry so it was time to make those up. Baby woke up, and her Dr’s office called me, but I was able to get everything done before she got fussy.

So it was time to feed her again.

After that, I headed to a nearby town to pick up her prescription, do a little shopping, and run some errands.

First stop, Starbucks. I got a Skinny caramel macchiato and a cake pop. I was sooooo tired. This really did the trick and I perked up.

I got in the horrible habit of buying chocolate chip cookies at Starbucks (omw I love them) and I know they are very high in calories. So the cake pop was my transition to getting no treats at all…. or something. lol

I do want to mention that I ate more “sweets” than I normally would today. IDK what was up with me today—but this isn’t the norm, I promise!

I had luck shopping for the baby but not much luck for myself! I need some long sleeved shirts. Oh well.

And then it was time to feed the baby again. I fed her in the car and enjoyed the beautiful weather. Ignore my super serious face and crazy hair!

And then it was on to other errands. One of the stops was Wal-Mart—I hate, hate, hate that place. We have two stores in my area and one is HORRIBLE. It wasn’t even a week ago that I said I would never, ever go to that store location again—but it’s just more convenient than the other one.

UGH. The customers are rude and inconsiderate, the employees are rude and have no idea what they’re doing (including a cashier who didn’t know how to process a coupon so she just stood there instead of getting help—I ended up telling her I didn’t want the item anymore), and it’s just no fun!

And then the endless lines. And baby was getting fussy and the poor thing ran out of medicine due to an insurance and Dr. error so she was spitting up like CRAZY. I was putting things on the belt and dropped yogurt—I was flustered, sweaty and everything. lol But I made it out of there alive. Never, ever again, I tell ya… (until next time it’s more convenient to go there…). HA.

I headed home and started to feed baby. Hubby finished so I could get supper together.

I ate an egg white omelet (well…it was supposed to be an omelet but it kind of fell apart) with turkey and cheese, Ezekiel bread with PB and banana, and blueberries/strawberries. Delish!

After that, hubby entertained the baby while I quickly entered my info into the apps for savings. So far, I got back 11.77 and am still waiting on one more app to come through. Pretty amazing savings, huh? And all things I would have bought anyways (except for one item that I think they ended up paying me to buy…).

And then I put baby to sleep for the night—and here I am! I was going to go for a walk tonight but the time got away from me. At least I did a lot of walking while shopping today.

And I have to wash bottles and make bottles so I can start all over again tomorrow. Not to mention the kitchen is a mess again. SIGH

I still have points left for the day—so I did pretty good.

Tomorrow is weigh in day—we will see!