Wordless Wednesday #5

May Day Weight Loss Challenge- Week #1

The results are in....

I won't keep you in suspense with any commercial breaks! My first week went okay. There were a couple of days that I did do some unhealthy snacking. The unhealthy snacks are really gone now, so I can't do it anymore even if I want to. And yes, they are gone because I ate them. Oh, were we supposed to count calories on Mother's Day? We were? Oops.
Anywho, I did exercise everyday, except Sunday. I walked on the treadmill and took Hailey for a walk around our neighborhood everyday. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually enjoyed the exercise.
I didn't lose as much as I had hoped to lose. Because actually I lost nothing. I didn't gain anything either though, so that's a positive. I would be totally discouraged, but thankfully I took my measurements and my pictures. My measurements prove that my work paid off because I lost inches everywhere I measured. And, I can actually see a difference in the pictures.

So, although I was hoping to lose some pounds, I guess all in all it wasn't too bad for my first week.

My goals for this week:
1. Continue to exercise everyday (except Sunday).
2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day.
3. Plan healthy snacks, so that I do not get hungry and feel the need to start eating everything I can find.

Time to go check in over at Tales from the Scales.

22 pounds to go!

Teeth

Dear Tooth #1 and #2,

It's been over a week now. You've been working your way through my gums. It really hurts. I don't think I can take much more. And, my mom. You know she doesn't like to hear me cry, especially when it's dark out. I heard her mumble something the other night about turning into a crazy lady if she didn't get some sleep. So, my dear teeth-please finish making your way through my gums as soon as possible.

Love,

Hailey

Happy Mother's Day

A Child's Angel

Once upon a time there was a child ready to be born.

One day he asked God: "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?"

God replied, "Among the many angels, I chose one for you. She will be waiting for you and will take care of you."

"But tell me, here in Heaven, I don't do anything else but sing and smile, that's enough for me to be happy."

"Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you every day. And you will feel your angel's love and be happy."

"And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me, if I don't know the language that men talk?"

"Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak."

"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you, Lord?"

"Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray."

"I've heard that on earth there are bad men. Who will protect me?"

"Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life."

"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."

"Your angel will always talk to you about me and will teach you the way for you to come back to me, even though I will always be next to you."

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth could already be heard.

And the child in a hurry asked softly: "Oh God, if I am about to leave now, please tell me my angel's name."

"Your angel's name is of no importance, you will call your angel, 'Mommy'."

By Erma Bombeck

I am thankful for the angel God chose to be my mother.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

For All Moms

We are sitting at lunch when my daughter casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of starting a family. "We're taking a survey," she says, half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?"

"It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral. "I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations...."

But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes. I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but that becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.

I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.

I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop her best crystal without a moment's hesitation.

I feel I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of her discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.

I want my daughter to know that everyday decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom.

However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.

Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself. That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give
it up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years-not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs.

I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor. My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks. I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child. I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.

I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving. I hope she will understand why I can think rationally about most issues, but become temporarily insane when I discuss the threat of nuclear war to my children's future.

I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or a cat for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real it actually hurts.

My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reach across the table, squeeze my daughter's hand and offer a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all of the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings. This blessed gift from God . . . that of being a Mother.

Author Unknown

My Personality

I found this over on Melli's blog while I was checking out her Sunday Seven last weekend. You go here and draw a picture and then it evalutates your personality. Here is my picture:

My results:

You tend to pursue many different activities simultaneously. When misfortune does happen, it doesn't actually dishearten you all that much.

You have a peaceful mind, viewing the world with calm and serenity. To you, life is not about struggle and strife but about existence and co-existence.

You like following the rules and being objective. You are precise and meticulous, and like to evaluate decisions before making them.

You have a sunny, cheerful disposition.

What does your drawing say about YOU?

Wordless Wednesday #4

May Day Weight Loss Challenge

Today is the beginning of the May Day Weight Loss Challenge and I am excited! I have not been doing very well on my own with reaching my goal. I was supposed to have lost all of my weight by May 19th....... I still have 22 pounds to go and I don't think I'm gonna make it!

My story goes like this: I was tiny when I was young. My hubby tells me I was too skinny as a teenager- but I think he's just trying to be nice. After I went off to college I started slowly putting on weight. Then I got married in 2000 and continued to slowly put on weight. Before I knew it I was 65 pounds overweight. In March of 2004 I decided it was time for a change. My diet was simple- I ate less and exercised more. One year later in March of 2005 I had reached my goal weight. I maintained my new weight for a year and it felt GREAT. Then I got pregnant.

You can read the details of my weight gain here if you want. But, the short story is that I gained 55 pounds. I have since lost 33 pounds and still need to lose another 22 pounds. I have been stuck right around this same weight for several months now and I have been getting quite discouraged.

I have some goals for myself.
1. Follow my previously made rules.
2. Stop all the unhealthy snacking.
3. Start exercising. I'm always so busy while Hailey is taking her nap working on blogging and snack eating cleaning my house that I don't take time to exercise. I will start walking on the treadmill that has been gathering dust everyday. Not everyday I feel like it, but EVERYDAY. Well, everyday except for Sunday. Sunday is my day off.
4. Drink lots of water! At least 8 glasses a day. Since I am still breastfeeding I'm sure I should be drinking even more than that.
5. I will write down everything that I eat. Everything. Yes Melanie, you will write down everything.
6. I will check in every Tuesday to keep myself motivated and hopefully get some encouragement from my fellow bloggers and my other readers.

My plan is to lose 22 pounds by July 24th. That is at a rate of 2 pounds per week, which is a healthy amount to lose. For every 5 pounds I lose I will get an awesome button from Tales from the Scales to put up on my blog and I will be recognized on their blog with a gold star. And, since I like rewards so much I will be giving myself rewards as well. Once I lose my first 5 pounds I am rewarding myself with a haircut. It has been over a year far too long since I have had my hair cut.

So for the last week I have been preparing for this weight loss challenge. I ate got rid of all the junk food in our house and I bought healthy food. I have taken my measurements. Hopefully the weeks I do not lose any weight I will still be able to see progress in my measurements from all the muscle I will be creating! I have also taken my picture and will do that each week so I can visually see my progress. You may be wondering if I will be posting those pictures and the answer to that is good gracious NO! I will happily post my "after" pictures on July 24th!

So, I'm off to get started on my new weight loss plan. More importantly, I am making a permanent change in my eating habits so that I can keep the weight off!

May 7th- 7 Months Old

Hailey is 7 Months Old! If you want to see how much she has grown you can see her next to Tigger at 6 months, 5 months and 4 months. At 3 months she is sitting next to a teddy bear, but you can still see how much she has changed.
Hailey's feet are one of her favorite toys.
Sitting in a rocking chair that I used to sit in when I was little.
Play time!
Hailey's 2 bottom teeth are coming in so she is chewing on everything.

Always a happy baby!