Fit Friday

Even though I absolutely didn't want to I stepped on the scale this morning and was super nervous because, as I mentioned in my last quick post, I ate a lot of popcorn last night which (for me anyway) has a history of affecting the scale due to it's high sodium content. However, I think that since I've been consistently drinking over a gallon of water a day it sort of balanced it out.

I was down one pound (since Monday).

I'll take it!

Even though I haven't been able to do "organized exercised" every day this week, I have been watching my bodybugg and constantly just trying to up my calorie burn through little things and I think (slowly) it is paying off.

So - week one - down one!

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Total lost: 21 lbs.

Still to lose (to ultimate goal): 34 lbs.

Oops.

It's the last night before week one of Fit Friday and I had already forgotten I'm supposed to weigh in tomorrow morning.

Had I not forgotten I wouldn't have eaten 3/4 of a bag of popcorn by myself this evening.

Needless to say, tomorrow morning could be disappointing interesting.

Just sayin'.

Summatime!

Today feels totally summer. Most likely because (as it's the end of July) it is totally summer.

The kids and I got up early at about 8am and did chores and then threw some food in our tummies, clothes on our backs, bottoms in the car and headed out for some blueberry picking before the heat hit.

We went to an orchard (patch?) that I heard about from a friend but hadn't gone to yet. Seriously, there were so many big huge berries, the fields were beautifully manicured, and the bushes were so easy to pick from that we managed to pick over 15 pounds of  berries in 45 minutes (with a 9 week old infant in tow). To top it off, this week the berries were only $1/pound (normally $1.50/pound) - FTW!

We had so much fun just hanging out (eating berries), laughing (eating berries), and I answered no less than a bazillion from-the-four-year-old questions (eating berries).

After not throwing up yay! finishing at the blueberry farm we headed to Costco (since we were already in town), grabbed some lunch (nursed in yet another parking lot), and then headed home (after a coffee run of course).

When we got home, the kids volunteered to "watch" the baby (ie: Natalie watches the baby as the boys watch Natalie do it) while I mowed the lawn (exercise plus sun on my white legs - another win!) and then we went for a long walk (more exercise!) while we waited for Jeff to come home from work so we could have dinner and a relaxing evening (bagging blueberries for the freezer).

I just love days like this. My kids get along (they usually do anyway, but on days like these they're especially...chipper) and we just genuinly have a good time. Especially in the summer.

Birthday Boy (Man)

So (as was barely mentioned in a previous post) it was Jeff's 32nd birthday on Sunday. I did not make a big deal out of it meaning I did nothing for it and ended up feeling really rotten about the whole thing. I was just... tired, I guess.

Well through that experience I learned that my husband even though he won't admit it likes to have a to-do about his birthday (unlike me - I would just as well skip mine altogether each year).

Needless to say, I felt terrible the whole day (especially as he spent the majority of it cleaning out closets and organizing his hunting gear - I think because he was trying to make me feel guilty bored).

So, we went out on a date last night. He got a ride to work with a friend and I (along with Fischer) picked him up at 5:30 and we went from there.

I started the night off by giving him a card from the "sympathy" section that said, "I'm sure you felt terrible when your birthday wasn't properly acknowledged and I'm sorry" (or something like that) which made him laugh (off to a good start) and followed it up with a really good birthday card (he appreciated that I got him a "good emotional one") and an espresso milkshake from our favorite coffee shop (those milkshakes are a rare treat and let me tell you - they are the BEST). We had driven there on his birthday to get one and the stinkin' coffee shop was already closed (a major fail that did not make the day any better for him...or me).

Next we went to Outback Steakhouse for dinner because I already had a gift card for there and we honestly laughed the whole time. It was wonderful - and exactly what we needed.

After that we looked at what movies were playing and my husband took pity on me and didn't make me go see a super-hero movie (even though Batman, Spiderman and The Avengers were all playing) and since it was his birthday technically he does get to choose (guilt-free!) what we see. I was very grateful. So we just walked and talked and laughed until we decided to head home.

It was a great night. And I love that after being together for over 15 years (yes, we started YOUNG) we still prefer each others company to any other.

Man, I love that man.

Fit Friday (on Monday)

I'm officially 8 weeks post pregnancy. But I am officially not even close to pre-pregnancy weight (about 20 pounds to lose still - YUCK!) so I'm reinstating my Fit Friday posts.

For reals.

I've already started getting on the scale (and already lost about 20 pounds), already started working out, I'm getting back into the habit of keeping track of what I eat, so all good steps forward but I'm ready to have a little more accountability (i.e. YOU GUYS to report to) to help me keep this jump-start rolling.

There you have it.

Ultimate goal (a bit further than pre-pregnancy weight)? Lose 35 lbs. ...and GO!

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Total Lost: 20 lbs.
Still to lose: 35 lbs.

Pizza Popcorn and a Picture (what more could you want?)

The other day while I was nursing I happen to be watching Dr. Oz  and he shared a recipe that I decided to try (because the main ingredient is popcorn and the name of the snack has the word "pizza" in it. So obviously.) and OMGoodness, it's so yummy!

Here it is:

PIZZA POPCORN

(This will make 8 cups of popcorn for only 200 calories.)

- 3 Tbsp of un-popped kernels
- 1 Tbsp of grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp of garlic powder
- 1 tsp of paprika
-1 tsp of oregano
-1 tsp of salt
-1tsp of chives

You're supposed to be able to use regular kernels and pop them in a small paper sack in the microwave, but I tried that and um, it didn't work very well (everyone thought the house was burning down) so I just popped a microwave bag of popcorn (because I don't own an air popper - a monstrosity, I know) and it worked just as well.

I just popped the popcorn and dumped it in a gallon sized zip-lock plastic bag with all the other ingredients, shook it up really good and PAH-ZAM - yummy goodness! Jeff even loved it so it's a total win (even though it means that now, much to my dismay, I have to share)!

So there you have it. Go try it, you'll love it!

OOOOOHHHHH and today, along with my husband turning 32 (I'm pretty sure he'd prefer me to just glide right past talking about that one), our baby turned 2 months - so it's a pretty big deal up in our house today actually we've spent most of the day cleaning and watching NCIS reruns so not a big deal but whatevs. So, here's a pic of the little chunky-monkey sporting his 2 month milestone sticker.

GAH, I swoon just looking at this (even though he's currently sleeping about a foot and a half away from me I still look at pictures of him and feel like I miss him...weird? Oh well.)!!! Anyway, I LOVE this little guy SO MUCH!

Aaaaahhhhhh.

Crazy how *seeking* a closer relationship with Him will change my inner perspective on my outer circumstances so vastly (and quickly)...Only not really crazy at all. It's just how He works.

I am thankful to have a loving God who meets me right where I'm at and takes me by the hand to gently show me how I need Him so desperately. And then He lovingly meets those needs as I seek His heart instead of constantly seeking his hand for what I thought I needed wanted.

Nothing outwardly has changed - no circumstances in my life are any different...only inwardly - and that is more than enough.

I'm so thankful and honored to simply be able to delight myself in my Lord.

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I've been struggling lately. With, well, myself. I'm not proud of my thoughts, I'm not proud of the convictions I've had but pushed away because I thought I could address them on my own if I just worked harder at it.

Because I can't.

But He can.

He wants me to expect Him to move in my life. Not just outwardly but inside my heart, too. He already knows my struggles, my heartaches, my hurts, and my frustrations. He knows what makes my blood boil and what makes me feel so insecure I just want to hide under the covers of my bed until I feel strong enough inside to face the outside again.  

He knows me.

I just need to ask Him to move in me (and then expect and know that He WILL).

So I am. Over and over again, I am. And I know that even if He doesn't take away all of the things that I struggle so much with, He will address my heart and the way that I react to those things.

He will help me. Because He promises that He will.

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From Proverbs 31 Ministries:

"I'm not gentle by nature, but I can be gentle by obedience. I'm not patient by nature, but I can be patient by obedience. I'm not peaceful by nature, but I can be peaceful by obedience.
I can. And I will.
I can be the unglued woman made gentle, patient, and peaceful. God, help me. God, forgive me. And in the shadow of that realization and repentance, the miracle begins.

Dear Lord, please open my eyes to see the places I need You to change in me. I know I have wrapped my identity in so many things other than You. I want You to change those rough, imperfect places in me. Help me become the woman You created me to be. In Jesus' Name, Amen."  -- Lisa Terkeurst

YES, exactly.

"I want a kind heart, a tender heart, a sweet heart, a compassionate heart, a caring heart, a servant’s heart, a soft heart—the heart of Jesus.


I long to be more restful and less resentful, more merciful and less mercenary, quicker to listen than to speak, quicker to be flexible than rigid, more likely to be consoling than controlling, more often saying yes than no.

I want to forgive from my heart and not just avoid the pain of conflict. I want to encourage people for their good, not flatter them for my benefit. I want to see what you see in others and not obsess over what I want for others. I want to feel joy and hope every time I hear your name and not feel rejection and self-pity when I don’t hear my name. Like John the Baptist, I want Jesus to increase and me to decrease."

Scotty Smith

Liking Laundry (wow, that doesn't taste good coming out of my mouth)

As most of you already know, the washing machine and I are not friends.

Shortly before Fischer was born I taught Natalie how to do the laundry (I know, right? A.w.e.s.o.m.e.) with the agreement that I would fold after she threw it in the washer and dryer (and everyone puts their own away... ideally). It's been working out great since she literally loves to do it, and when it's just folding that I have to do, I don't find it all that terrible (gasp!) and don't have too hard of a time keeping up with it (double gasp!).

Well, that was working great until I went and threw a wrench in the whole process by - wait for it - deciding to start using cloth diapers on Fischer (I know. I'll give you a minute to pick your jaw up off the ground.). Right when things were getting into a groove and all the laundry dots were being connected, I went and completely messed everything up.

Or did I?

I've found, much to my surprise, that I take so much pride in the fact that we're cloth diapering that I actually enjoy rinsing, washing, and drying his little diapers. I love knowing we're saving a ton of money without switching to Geico and I love that we're not making all that extra waste (pun intended) by tossing disposables.

{Note: We did use disposables on our first three kids so I'm totally guilty of making PLENTY of waste when it comes to diapers, but I'm trying to (sort of?) make up for it this time.}

Granted we're only a week into the whole cloth diapering gig, so there's still plenty of time for me to grow to hate how time consuming it is, but for now I'm really (honestly!) enjoying it. Plus: No diaper rash to be seen since switching - so that's a double bonus!

Oh, and it totally helps to have an awesome Mother in law who will make you super cute "wet bags" to store the diapers in until it's laundry time. (The big one is for my changing station and the smaller one to keep in my diaper bag.) Didn't know I could be so obsessed over anything having to do with laundry but these bags pretty much shove me over the edge of insanity (but I don't mind because... well just look at them!).