- Lose the Baby Weight – Want to Join Me?
- Pride Swallowing Time – My Before Pictures – Day 1
- Busy Mom Fitness – Kill Two Birds With One Stone – Day 2
- Busy Mom Fitness- Sweeten Your Disposition – Day 3
- Busy Mom Fitness – Eating Right and the 6 Week Body Makeover – Day 4
- Busy Mom Fitness – Eating Right, Special K & Recipes – Day 5
- Busy Mom Fitness – Oprah, New Fitness Products & Sane Fitness Cards – Day 6
- Busy Mom Fitness – Update with Pictures & Trying Hard – Day 7
How do treat sweets? Are you a sweet-a-holic, or do you rarely eat them? Are you a carb-fiend? Sweets and carbs can slow, stall, if not slam shut your ability to lose weight. Measurements need to be taken to limit your sugar and sweets intake, as well as cutting back carbs to a respectable level. I’ll talk more about simple and complex carbs another time. Right now, I want to discuss sugar and sugar substitutes (something you might know I’m currently struggling with.)
As you may recall, I went through a sweetener crisis about a month ago, when I was asking “Is Splenda a problem?” because of symptoms I was experiencing. You may recall, I was experiencing the following:
- headaches, horribly, debilitating headaches and migraines.
- aching all the time
- getting weaker and weaker
- feeling “not ok” all the time
- overwhelming tiredness, yet I hardly sleep
- back pain
- inexplicable stomach pain we thought was onion-related but appears after I ate, we just can’t nail down what it is or why
- Wrist pain and numbness
- leg aches (restless leg syndrome)
- inability to concentrate
I had previously discussed that I wasn’t exactly certain whether Splenda was the culprit, as each of those symptoms could easily be explained by other factors, such as recently giving birth, having a gazillion kids *ahem*, change in climate, water (our water is horribly chlorinated), and much more. I decided to experiment and stop using Splenda, to see if Splenda did indeed cause any of these, or if I noticed any change. I wanted to also wait on making any other changes, such as dieting, fitness, weight loss, to indeed “test” and see if it was Splenda.
Well, it’s been well over a month since I quit Splenda, and I wanted to give an update as to what I’ve experienced being off of it, and what I’ve used as a sweetener since, how my body has reacted, and an update as to those symptoms I was experiencing and what, if anything, has changed. (This is meant to give you my experiences, to give you information first hand, so you can choose for yourself which is best for your diet.)
Tiredness – still exists, but no where near as bad, but to be honest I think it’s because of my feeling overall healthier with dieting, change in sleep schedule, working out, etc. But there are points in which I could fall asleep right there. I think tiredness is just a given. I’m a parent. It happens.
Hardly sleeping – my sleeping habits have improved, but I doubt Splenda had anything to do with my issues in the first place. In fact, I noticed no change until I began forcing myself recently to go to sleep at a decent hour, now my body is getting used to that, and so, more sleep, thankfully.
Aching constantly – definitely not the case still. I didn’t notice much of a change after quitting Splenda, but I’m unclear when that stopped, so Splenda could very well have been the culprit. My only aches lately have been muscle soreness from working out and a pulled neck muscle giving me trouble.
Back pain – as I mentioned, I was in a car accident, suffered whiplash, and so, back pain is my middle name, but with working out and such, it hasn’t been nearly as bad
Stomach pain – while I’ve always had it, it has subsided somewhat. Could be Splenda.
Headaches/Migraines – this has died down, actually, by a great deal. The only times I get these now is when I’ve done something to aggravate my neck, because of my back injury. The pain in my back/neck will trigger a migraine. Or allergies, as opposed to everyday. This very well could have been because of Splenda.
Wrist pain and numbness – The numbness is gone. The strength is coming back the more I work out, could have been Splenda, or just lack of use in doing anything other than cooking, breastfeeding, holding kids and blogging *cough* 😉
Leg aches/Restless leg syndrome – I still have this, and still take Hylands Restful Legs. I think it’s just remnants of this pregnancy.
Inability to concentrate – I have six kids. It’s still called mommy brain times six 😉
So, Splenda seems to be the culprit for some while it may or may not have been the reason for the rest. But.. what did going off Splenda do for me!?
Acne – I’ve broken out on my chin and cheek. Weird, since I rarely ever. All in the same spot. Related? Possibly detoxing off of it? Not sure, but I’m just reportin’ it here, folks.
Weight gain. Hello TEN POUNDS! I weighed in a month ago at 163. Last night I was 169! And I know, I reported on Tuesday that I was 168 – amazingly enough, in one day I gained four-and-a-half pounds! Up to 173! I completely spazzed! I went and saw a “doctor” only to be told that I didn’t have enough info, and to chart my weight for 2 weeks and call them with the results, that they would not do any blood tests. Say wha? You know? I don’t think I have to tell you how much this concerns me.
Since then I’ve dropped down to 169, but still, that’s a lot, considering. It is more than likely the sudden sugar intake and salt, so I cut them both out, practically. Sodium is unfortunately in some products, so I’m doing my best to eliminate it.
I know, I reported that I only gained four pounds the other day. And then I got on the Wii Fit and found I’d gained again! So apparently, what I was using is NOT helping aid weight loss, in fact, it’s causing weight gain!
At first, when I quit Splenda, I used plain sugar. BIG mistake! I felt truly jittery and spazzy on it, and I crashed a lot. I was recommended stevia, an herb sweet enough to mimic sugar, with 0 calories. Here they are, the two stevia products I’ve been using –Sun Crystals and Truvia.
One day, when Truvia wasn’t available, I saw Sun Crystals, which contains half stevia half cane sugar, so I purchased it, as it came in a bigger box and was seemingly a cheaper stevia option.
Sun Crystals tasted marginally better, with the sugar already in it, and all, but after using it a bit, that’s when that out-of-thin-air weight gain appeared. Not sure what happened, or what the difference is between the two products, considering Sun Crystals just a combo of what I was using before, Truvia with sugar, but in an effort to find out if it is indeed the issue, I’ve stopped using Sun Crystals, too.
So for now, Truvia, so we’ll see how this goes. So far so good, I enjoy it much more now than I did in the beginning I sure wish they would make a bag, or at least an option without all the individual papers, right now. Perhaps the weight gain is my body saying it doesn’t like stevia. Or perhaps this was just a fluke weight gain in a day kind of thing. Or maybe it’s sugar-related, because I didn’t completely eliminate sugar when I first started using it. Or something.
If you’re looking for a recommendation, definitely get off the sugar, but if you do use it, use it very briefly and only organic raw or natural (unbleached – it will be brown-looking). In the sugar substitute department, stay clear of aspartame/nutrisweet, with all of its crazy reports of how toxic it is for you, definitely research and try and go with what you can live with, for you and your needs. You’ve seen what I’ve written here about Splenda, and my experiences with stevia thus far. I know there are others, too. Try them for yourself and see what works for you.
What about you? What sweetener do you use? What works for you?
(Update: I only ever use Truvia anymore. So much so, I bring it with me to be sure I only use it. Because of Truvia’s help in eliminating sugar and Splenda, I am down almost forty-pounds. See my weight loss posts for more details.)
sugar cubes on pink creative commons picture by klevo! via flickr
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Testing this out… 🙂
Helping you test it out! Looking forward to your TDT post tomorrow! =)
OMG! You can reply in an email OR by visiting the blog! How wicked
awesome is this!!! OHHH!!!!
i love disqus for the whole commenting straight from email thing. i had to take it off my main blog tho cos someone kept having issues lol but i still keep it on all my others.
OMG I can reply with my email????
hehe u sure can 🙂
So you received this to your inbox alright, then? My reply to you?
yep all in the inbox AND on your comments to your post. disqus rocks like
that 🙂
ROCKS TO INFINITY!
just testing ..
Here I am to help you test your comments! Looks like they are working!
Thank you!! I am totally replying to you in an email, and it will appear
on the post, too. OMG I love this!!
How fun! I love comment conversations! And a Mr.Linky alternative?! FINALLY. I’m on my way over!
Amanda! You can email reply to me, and it posts! How sweet is that!? And
yes, MckMama used the new linky today for Not Me Monday, and it looks
good! I’m so stoked for this new alternative!!!
Very cool – was it hard to install?
Not at all Jen! You copy your template, upload it over there, they give
you an amended template, you install that one by copying and pasting,
and WALA!
Jen – we can talk to each other all while commenting back to each other,
it posts the reply back to the person, emailing them, AND on in the
comments! Suh-weet!
Trying out the reply from the website. Let me know if you get this emailed to you, Jen!
Testing…hmmm
Testing right backatcha 🙂 Let me know that you got it in your email, too 🙂
I was thinking about trying this out, too. Let me know how you like it after a few days!
Steph
I definitely will! So far, I’m loving the email-to-post-to-commenter
feature. So you can either check back to the post to reply, or check
your inbox. And the cool widget on the side which lists top commenters,
top posts and recent comments – absolute score! Pretty easy to install, too
Well this sure looks cool! You are amazing! I can barely post something on my blog and you pull out these super cool features! YEAH!!!!
Oh you’re so cute! This took literallly no time to do, I was freaked for
no reason, thinking I’d break my site or something. It’s a lot of fun to
be able to email my reply to you, have it go to you AND post, too!
How are you?
I use wordpress and it has a plug in that does this, you can choose who to reply to though in a list of people. I had to have it that way too, drove me nuts the other way.
I’m friggin LOVING this system. L-O-V-I-N-G it. Cuts my workload in
HALF. Maybe more! And its super cute! I win! 😉
Hi there, I just loved your blog, it’s one of the bests I have visited so far, keep updating!
Thank you for the flattering compliment, Isis! I appreciate it!
Yes, I too just joined disqus, so far i like it. I am glad to see you do to.
Oh I know! I love it! I love being able to reply AND email at the same time!
Excellent site, useful information thanks
Aww, that was too cute!!!
Thank you, I can’t get over some of the funny ways they fall asleep 🙂
Wow, your kids have talent! I wonder how they manage to sleep so well in the oddest positions, like your little boy who is seemingly standing up but asleep! And just how cute can your youngest get? He looks so cute sleeping with his one hand over the edge, so grown up! Thanks 🙂
I swear, I have no idea, but its HILARIOUS!:)
Too Cute!
Congrats on being Loyal Blogger!
Alyzabeth’s Mommy
Thank you Alyson!! 🙂
Those are great. Kids can sleep anywhere/any position.
PS: Congrats on being 5 Minutes Loyal Commenter. So cool to see a familiar face/blog.
Thanks honey! I was so floored and honored!!!
That’s so funny! I saw this when you posted it on FB yesterday! 🙂
Hey, congrats on being Featured Commenter at 5M4M!!!
{giggle} would you believe I got another strange sleeping picture taken
today of my 5-year-old again? This time it looks like his hand has been
swallowed by the couch LOL!!
Cute series. Kids crack me up.
Don’t they, though? 😉
How funny! Mine are all picky sleepers, they can’t just sleep anywhere. I’m the one who can fall asleep half standing on the side of a couch. LOL
OH HECK YEAH thats me too. Second I hit the pillow, or the couch, for
that matter…. 😉
Thanks for your comment over at Maternal Spark! See you at BlogHer NEXT WEEK! WOOT!! Adorable exhausted children shots.
You’re so welcome, Ann! Great great stuff! I’ve enjoyed reading you!
Can’t wait to meet you!
I woke up from a nap, and just remembered that your little girl and my little girl were playing together while you and I were sitting around talking!
Pretty cool….. BlogHer next year fo’ sho!!!
Aww,that’s so sweet! Next year for BlogHer and hopefully Type A in
September! 🙂
Don’t you just love how kids can fall asleep anywhere. Great pictures. Stopping by from MBC. I am now following your blog through networked blogs. Hope you have a great weekend.
Thanks Stacie!! 🙂
ADORABLE! So cute and that rail on your couch is amazing! I’ve never seen one before…love it.
Thank you!We’ve got rails everyfrickenwhere for our kids, even on either
end of our king bed since we co sleep LOL
This really sounds pretty nice 🙂
You have done a great job by installing disqus as the comment system, i think it’s the best!
Lisa, I’m sooo proud of you! You look fabulous! I really need to find the motivation to work out again but certainly can’t use excuses because you’ve got more kids than me.
Thank you SO much, honey!
Wanna work out with me!? We might not live next door to each other, but
we can do it together, you and me!! Besides, its fun to have a partner
in crime, too 🙂 {giggle}
I really should…I have that Wii Fit and the Golds Gym Cardio but just
never actually sit down to use it.
Catherine Davis
3 Kids and Us Blog | http://www.3kidsandus.com
The Wii Fit was what started me off and helped me lose a bulk of the
weight. I loved doing the hula hoops, running, and the yoga to help me
lose. The balance games were just a warm up to get me pumped about it
(who knew losing weight could be so much fun!)
The EA active is now toning me and really getting me into super shape
but I still use them both, I prefer certain exercise on the WiiFit, and
the balance games are just straight fun AND the Yoga feels awesome.
Congrats!! Im proud of you girl!!!
I SHOULD be working out and dieting…i need to lose at least 15 lbs and get toned- 🙁
Thanks Yasmine!!
If you’re looking to get toned, I have a few good suggestions – either
the Wii Fit (because its fun and is essentially getting you fit while
you play, but has awesome yoga to stretch) – the EA Active (which will
push you into getting into shape with regular exercises and sports) or
getting out and walking while using a variable resistance band (which
you can get at Walmart). A resistance band is better than using weights,
and you can do many MANY things with it, and it /*really*/ helps tone. I
was thinking about devoting a blog post to some of my favorite exercises
using the resistance band that I use.
wow lisa!!! so impressed!! you look HAWT!!! congrats!!!
Thank you honey!!!
You look SO good. I love your hair too 🙂
Thanks Tiffany!! (You’re one to talk, hot momma!) 😉 My hair is another
story… I’m having SUCH a time styling it! It took quite some time to
get it like that yesterday, needless to say LOL
You’re doing GREAT Lisa! You look beautiful and so happy. 🙂 Congrats on the 4 month mark and the weight loss.
Thanks Miranda!!! I’m hoping to look as good as you soon enough. You are
so sweet, I am so bummed I didn’t get to meet you this past weekend, but
soon enough, I hope we will! 🙂
Congrats, Lisa. You look great. Scott and I are starting back up with our Wii Fit when we get settled in the new house. Hopefully I can do as well as you have. :o)
Yay for the move and for starting up again! How’s the move coming
along??? 🙂
You two might also get a kick out of the EA Active, you two can work out
side by side on it. Hubby and I do, and we love it – we do everything
together anyway 🙂
HOT MAMA! WAY TO GO!
{giggle-n-blush} thank you honey!
You look great, Lisa! Don’t let the plateau kill your motivation.
Thanks Amanda!
I definitely won’t let it get me down. I think the plateau is basically
telling me that all the ‘excess’ is gone, this is just trimming myself
down, now, and it’s going to go much slower. This has definitely been a
life changing experience for me this go around, I’m not going to
fluctuate, this is it, forever. Almost 9 years overweight is much too long.
You look GREAT!!
Thank you!! 🙂
YOU LOOK AWESOME!! I bought the Wii Fit this week … no to get my butt in gear!!! You are an inspiration.
Thanks Amy!! Oh, you and your family are going to have SO MUCH FUN with
that Wii Fit! The kids “help” me with all the exercises, doing it with
me, and there are SUCH giggles with the balance games, because they’re fun!!
Holy Schnikeys, champ! You look FANTASTIC!!
Way to gooo!!!!!
Jay
LOL you are so cute! That made me smile, HUGE! Thanks Jay!!!
Awesome Job Lisa!!
I am ready for the next challenge over at Shrinking Jeans but am also (slowly) working on it myself. I need to pull out my Wii Fit again, I used to be so dedicated to it.
Thanks Laura! I’m so ready for their next challenge too! That comradery
that comes along with it, I loved “teaming up” with others, and the
experience altogether.
Definitely dust that baby off, it’s fun! And the yoga.. ohhh, do I love
the yoga…
LISA!
WOW! You look great! I’m in, what do I do? I still have almost 30lbs to lose to get to my pre-pregnancy weight. Who’d have thought 25lbs could look so good – look at you, I’m jealous!
I have the Momdot trips as motivation too but a buddy or 2 would be even better!
Kim! 🙂 Thank you!!! I’d love to work out “with” you!! Let’s talk! I can
tell you (very long-windedly lol) what I did and have tried in the past
if you wanna hear all my craziness! 🙂
I have to lose about 30lbs (at least!), too! My high school reunion is coming up in November and I want to look GOOD! =)
Look at you! You look fantastic!!! Go Lisa 😀
Thanks, sweetheart 🙂 *much squishy love to you*
Wow! Congratulations! A soon as the air boot comes off, I want to lose some weight. Can we be partners?!?! I want to get EA Active… I already have a WII fit!
Thanks Cheryl! Certainly!! 🙂
Oh, you look fabulous!!! I wish I could find the motivation. Congrats!
Thank you Rhea! That’s definitely one thing you need is motivation. For
me, I had owned the wii fit for about a month, and was doing okay on it
(but not dieting) and I really didn’t have the fire to lose the weight
yet. I was having fun, mind you, because it is great fun to play, but it
didn’t really sink in as to what I should be doing until one day it told
me I gained/ four pounds in a day/. I literally freaked out, went to the
doctor, because I was afraid, you know? I wanted to know what was wrong
with me!! They told me to keep track of my weight every day, to weigh
naked, and to start dieting, that, at the time, they could find nothing
wrong. So I did, because I was afraid, I didn’t know what was happening.
And every since, because of that fear and the fear I had on my son’s
birthday being rushed to the hospital for abdominal pain and a racing
heart, I realize that, unless I got myself under control, my body will
have “it’s say” no matter what. It was really scary to not be in
control, to feel my heart race, to feel something wrong and know that I
had to fix it. I’m too scared to know what the “or else” is.
You will get there, there will be an epiphany for you, or something that
just clicks to motivate you. And when it does, come see me, I’ll be your
partner 🙂 *hugs*
You go girl! You look great! I will be adding this to my list of faves so i can use you and inspiration after i pop this kiddo out in November!
Thank you!! You made me giggle with “pop this kiddo out” lol I used to
say the same phrase!!! You are so sweet, thank you for faving it and
using it as inspiration, that made my day {blush}
How are ya feeling, btw?? 🙂
You are so very welcome and thank you for being brave and sharing your journey so i can be inspired. I think i always start out saying things like “when i give birth” or “when the baby arrives” but as i get closer to the end and things get more uncomfortable it becomes “when the kid is here” or “when i pop this kiddo out”. Either way i am so happy to have made you have a better day!
I am doing well! only 15 more weeks to go and it seems to be flying by!
HOLY CRAP 15 weeks to go, it IS flying by, I swear you only just
announced you were pregnant!! (I felt the same way with my last two, too!)
Thanks again, honey, you definitely did 🙂
I feel the same way! My first pregnancy seemed to linger forever but the next and this one seem to have flown by so fast my head is spinning. I am compiling questions for my midwife now and looking for anyone to give me some good questions to ask like hospital vs birthing center, midwife vs dr, breastfeeding questions ect? Any suggestions?
How “natural” do you want the birth to be? How much intervention? Did
you feel it was too much, or not enough? Really sit and mingle over that
one – do you like laboring on your own with your own things around you,
or do you feel safer in the hospital, “just in case”? Once you answer
those, the others will be easier.
For me, with my last two births, I labored at home until I was in
transition – I arrived at the hospital both times at 8cms ready to rock
pronto! Laboring at home for me was so much nicer, easier, my stuff, I
could walk, lay on my couch, my bed, my bath, y’know? Once I got there,
it was so clean and hospital-like and not home and it made me anxious. I
would’ve loved to have had a midwife, but luckily each doctor I’ve had
(with the exception of one on rounds once) was a joy.
My intentions all along with both my boys were to go completely natural with a midwife and the least amount of intervention but because of early bleeding was unable to do this.
This time since everything has been perfect, the plan is to stay at home as long as possible (the birthing center is about a 20 min drive if not speeding) and then head for the birthing center. They have a birthing tub, showers, and everything is set up more like a home than a hospital.
They are only about a block from a hospital should anything go wrong and they call the hospital as soon as you call and say your on the way so they can have emergency vehicles already there encase of an emergency.
I always felt very trapped and at the whim of the doctors at the hospital rather than having my own opinions and wants looked at. I hope to avoid that this time around.
They provide a doula and a midwife to help with everything but let you set the boundaries as to how involved they are. I am really hoping for a whole different experience this time around.
Oh my gosh girl, that is WONDERFUL! And you know what else? That sounds
EXACTLY like what I got (the dream birth) with my toddler. I didn’t have
a great birthing center, it was still an Army hospital, but I had a
FANTASTIC doctor who truly understood I wanted it natural, and sent me
home in labor to do “my thing”. I came back huffing and puffing at 8cms,
and it was just a dream. It really was, it made me feel good to make
their lunches, clean the kitchen, rest on my couch, do my own thing at
home while laboring. She was a dream pregnancy, too, perfect round
belly, hardly any weight gain, it was just – perfect. I think you’re
going to get your wish. Go for it!!!!
(Also, just to excite you a little – mine was a girl. Steph from
Adventures in Babywearing finally got her home birth, and she was a
girl, too. Perhaps yours, heading in the same direction, could be a girl
as well??) 🙂
That is what i am hoping for. Honestly i have to admit i am scared to death. When in the hospital you always know that an epidural is a back up option if you cant take it but laboring on my own and then at a birthing center it isn’t an option anymore. It just scares me to think what if i cant handle it. Does that make sense?
They confirmed a boy on my 20 week us but the funny thing is everyone keeps telling me that i am having a girl. I have been really hesitant to call him by his name that we have chosen. It is almost as if i am not comfortable with a boy name?!?
Oh my gosh girl, that is WONDERFUL! And you know what else? That sounds
EXACTLY like what I got (the dream birth) with my toddler. I didn’t have
a great birthing center, it was still an Army hospital, but I had a
FANTASTIC doctor who truly understood I wanted it natural, and sent me
home in labor to do “my thing”. I came back huffing and puffing at 8cms,
and it was just a dream. It really was, it made me feel good to make
their lunches, clean the kitchen, rest on my couch, do my own thing at
home while laboring. She was a dream pregnancy, too, perfect round
belly, hardly any weight gain, it was just – perfect. I think you’re
going to get your wish. Go for it!!!!
(Also, just to excite you a little – mine was a girl. Steph from
Adventures in Babywearing finally got her home birth, and she was a
girl, too. Perhaps yours, heading in the same direction, could be a girl
as well??) 🙂
Oh my gosh girl, that is WONDERFUL! And you know what else? That sounds
EXACTLY like what I got (the dream birth) with my toddler. I didn’t have
a great birthing center, it was still an Army hospital, but I had a
FANTASTIC doctor who truly understood I wanted it natural, and sent me
home in labor to do “my thing”. I came back huffing and puffing at 8cms,
and it was just a dream. It really was, it made me feel good to make
their lunches, clean the kitchen, rest on my couch, do my own thing at
home while laboring. She was a dream pregnancy, too, perfect round
belly, hardly any weight gain, it was just – perfect. I think you’re
going to get your wish. Go for it!!!!
(Also, just to excite you a little – mine was a girl. Steph from
Adventures in Babywearing finally got her home birth, and she was a
girl, too. Perhaps yours, heading in the same direction, could be a girl
as well??) 🙂
wow Lisa! you look A-Mazing! Way to go woman! I wish I had more motivation, I think I may start waking up earlier in the morning to walk before everyone gets up, you’ve inspired me!
Aww, thank you Tara! {blush} Walking in the morning is SO AWESOME, I
love that morning air, I love the quiet, the birds, the dew, it is so
refreshing!! I love it particularly in the spring when there’s that
slight chill in the air, and in the fall when its begun to get cooler
and you can almost smell the winter creeping in. I think YOU have
inspired ME to start doing it too! Thank you!
YOU LOOK AMAZING!!! I have the EASActive AND the Wii-fit!! What are your routines? I want to look like you!!! I did the 30-day challenge the day the Active came out & lost NO lbs…just a few inches here & there. Started Weight-Watchers (doing it myself after free wk online trial ended) and bought a DS & Personal Trainer Walking, inspired by wiimoms and have definitely become more aware of being active. I JUST learned that I could “Free-Step” on the Wii-Fit that I’ve had since Christmas and did it both days now since figuring that out. Felt good, got on the scale…UP 1 lb! Getting frustrated…how do YOU do it, can you share your routines? THANKS girl!! =)
Oh, you are so sweet Shannon!!
I believe the 30 day challenge will help you tone and get active,
strengthen your muscles, lose inches but I’m not 100% certain it’s goal
is to help you to lose weight as much as it is to get you more active
and “feeling fit”. My husband is doing the 30 Day Challenge. I tried one
of their pre-formatted workouts and after 17 minutes my legs were on
fire when it was supposed to be a 20 minute “all over” workout that had
only focused on legs, one leg exercise after the next! UGH! I then
discovered I could make up my OWN routines and thats what I do (my
routine is below) – I do what I enjoy, what works out where *I* want to
work out, and it even gives you an indicator at the bottom telling you
what percentages of your workouts go to your upper, lower and are
aerobic (sweet!) I dont think they’re accurate as to calories lost,
though, so I do it for the sake of toning and getting in shape, because
it works! I like then doing the Wii Fit’s aerobic section, then yoga and
balance games to cool down and end on a fun note. Or sometimes I’ll
start with the Wii Fit balance games, go to the aerobic, then yoga, then
later do EA Active. I keep changing it up so my body doesn’t know what
to expect to keep it active and not get ‘bored’. 🙂
I’ve never tried Weight Watchers – just whatever you do, be careful of
your salt and sugar intake- you’d be surprised how much you drop when
you cut both of those out, and start choosing low fat over regular (like
low fat sour cream and milk). I so would love that DS Personal Trainer
thing to try, that would so rock to be able to work out without being
strapped to my Wii!
By the way, the Free Step and Free run are AWESOME to do and to watch a
show DVRed or something while you do it, or watch something with the
kids. I love to use weights and do arm exercises while doing the free step!
My routine with EA Active is – heavy bag hard, dance fast 3 & 4 hard,
dance fastest 1 & 2 hard, kick ups, run/walk medium, alternating bicep
curl hard, shoulder press hard, alt. tricep kickbacks hard, front
shoulder raises hard, upright rows hard, alternating side lunge/toe
touch, alternating standing knee crunches hard, squats, squats with toe
raises, shoot/pass 1 (basketball), inline skating, pitch/catch/bat,
batting 1 hard, back/front/mid court, and serve/bump/set/block. About 30
minutes of buck-kickin’ 😉
For Wii Fit I do both hula hoops, I do the step, adv step or free step
to watch a show, I do the partner run a couple times with my kids (since
they smoke the crap out of me with their little legs) or I do the single
run island lap. I do the first 7 or 8 exercises of yoga, with a few at
the end, like the dance. I then end with a couple balance games for fun 🙂
As far as diet, I eat a lot of small meals to keep my metabolism going,
I start the day with a Slim Fast shake I make myself with the chocolate
royale shake mix, 1/2 water 1/2 skim milk, tbsp peanut butter, 1/2
banana, benefiber, shake of cinnamon and ice. Like having a milkshake
from an ice cream shop everyday – I love it! I choose sensibly,
substitute turkey and chicken for beef (so I don’t bulk up), I choose
low or no sodium foods, with no sugar or salt (I use Truvia in my coffee
and tea) and if I have to splurge, say, eating out, I still ensure I
choose wisely, and have vegetables/salads, but don’t skip dessert unless
I’m uber-full. After all, we don’t have to punish ourselves and deprive
ourselves constantly 😉 I just do dont it all the time, either.
I am here to help if you need it, contact me anytime!! 🙂
I’m going to do it ALL & start RIGHT NOW!!! THANK YOU, Lisa! YOU are a TRUE INSPIRATION!! I am mad-crazy inspired!!!!!!!! *squishy tight hugs*!! =)
I am so SO glad!! You can do it, I know you can! Email me if you need
anything, save it since I emailed you, K?? 🙂
Lisa, you look amazing! You should be so proud!
I want to get an EA Active… no money to buy one now, but that is what I really want. I don’t find I get a good workout just from the Wii Fit.
Stefany, thank you! Most of my weight loss came from the Wii Fit,
actually! I bought the EA Active to get me over my plateau, and I’m
glad, because it is helping strengthen me and make me feel like I could
kick butt lol, but there are things I like better on the Wii Fit than
the EA Active, and vice versa. I think they both complement each other
well 🙂
What are you doing on the Fit that counts as a workout? (don’t say yoga, don’t say yoga!)
I find that it is more fun and not a lot of exercise. Do tell how you got it to work so well for you!
LOL um.. I do the hula hoops, the step, the running, the
(thing-that-shall-not-be-named) and the balance games LOL
At first, to get warmed up, I did the balance games. They got me excited
and once I’d go through each game,I’d move on next to aerobics. After
that, I’d *try* the strength, but at the time my back wasn’t good, and
so I couldn’t do half, so I’d do yoga. Yoga, while it hurt at first, I
could do, and the more you do it the easier it gets. In fact, now using
the EA Active and strengthening myself even more, the yoga has not only
gotten easier, but more enjoyable (I think the trainer even says that on
the game, too lol)
Lisa you look awesome! We just got a wii, so now I’m thinking of maybe getting the EA Active. I don’t really need to loose any weight, but I wouldn’t mind being more toned. I am just not a workout person at all. I should just bite the bullet and do it.
Yay, you DID get the Wii! Congrats!! And thank you!! You can tone up
with either of them, really. With the Wii Fit you’ll be able to play
games that entertain the kids. With the EA Active it’s exercising that
measures calories lost that help tone and focus on certain groups. It’s
a toss up, they work well together for those really focused on results,
but it all depends upon what you want from it 😉
In the meantime, play games w/ your kids on the Wii, and spring for a
resistance band from Walmart – that’ll help you tone. Should be in the
fitness section, near the yoga mats and weights 😉
Thanks! I have a resistance band. I got it with the 6 week body makeover thingy I tried. I tried the diet and it did speed up my metabolism, but I would go from one minute not being hungry to the next being ravenous. I had to eat right then or I would pass out. This didn’t work so well when I was working and in the spa with a client. I couldn’t excuse myself to go eat. I did it for about 3 weeks and then had to quit. Like I said, I don’t need to loose weight, in fact if I loose more than 10 lbs I’m considered underweight thanks to my height. I just know I’m not as limber as I used to be, and my thighs could use some toning up.
Yes, that resistance band is good! I still have it! Yes, the diet will
rock your metabolism hard! Just do the exercises for it, then, and
you’ll tone up pretty quick. Do the breathing/walking exercise, too. I
always loved how I felt after walking and breathing that way.
Awesome job!!! You go girl!
Thanks Shana!! 🙂
You look a lot smaller than an 8! I am so proud of you! Congratulations! What an achievement!
Oh my goodness, you are officially hired as my ego booster-upper! For-ev-ah!
Thank you so much!
You just look amazing!
Thanks Amber! Hoping to look somewhere in the realm of as fabulous as
you before I meet you! 🙂
YOU ROCK! This is so great, Lisa! YOU LOOK HOT!
Thanks Maggie, errr I mean Heather {giggle}
(You know I’m kidding)
(You know I love you)
(Right?) 😉
ok…man I need to get up off my butt and stop making excuses! WOW! Im so impressed and amazed AND inspired! I have the EAS Active, but am now wanting the Wii Fit. I just got a new pair of running shoes to hope I can start running- even though I get horrible shin splints usually. Well- I will be trying to get pregnant again by the Fall, so Im hoping to drop as much as possible before then. I really SUCK at motivation which I have read alot of these ladies saying the same thing. I wish there was a viagra-style pill for motivation!! haah! Im also glad you told Shannon (my sister) all the great things you do including that yummy sounding morning shake!! thanks for sharing and as of now you are my “fitness hero!”
Erika, you are such a sweetheart, thank you so much!!
The shake is fantastic, I certainly do not mind making it once if not
twice a day, it is filling and delicious, and feels like I’m cheating
with a chocolate malt every morning!!
Do NOT run, especially on the hard road, if you have troubles with shin
splints (my husband does too), try doing the EA Active running, this way
you’re wearing your shoes inside on a carpet, and not for that long.
Start with the short run/walk, first. I also do the kick ups, which is a
lighter version of the run, where you try to kick your own butt (lol)
You can do it, she’s motivated enough probably for the both of you now
{giggle}, so partner with her and I’m tellin’ ya, you couple some good
quality vitamins with that shake, along with a little fitness and
healthy meal choices, and you’re gonna start feeling better and that’ll
be the motivation to keep on keepin’ on, I promise! Email me if you need
anything, okay??
What an accomplishment! Congrats!!
Thanks so much Cheryl!!
Holy hotness, Batman! I want to chew on you!
You’re one to talk, Hottie McHots-A-Lot!! Rawr, baby, rawr! I’m ready
whenever you are! {giggle}
aren’t you gorgeous!!! you are gorgeous either way, but wow – you’re one hottie now 😉 way to go!!
Sarah, you are a sweetheart, thank you! (You’re also hired, too.
Personal Massager-To-My-Ego) {giggle}
Lisa, that is incredible! How awesome!! Go YOU!!!
Thank you Sarah!!! 🙂
Congrats! You look great!
I’ve just started my weight loss journey and am taking Aquacize. I really like it and it’s working so far. I’ve wanted the Wii Fit for a while. Maybe in the winter I’ll try it. Again, congratulations!!!
Kasey, thank you so much! I see the Wii Fit is more available now (there
were 2 in stock at my local Walmart). I hadn’t heard of Aquacize before
your mentioning it! Glad to hear it’s working so far! 🙂 Way to go
yourself, hon!! 🙂
Oh you should try Aquacize out! I love it! You can work so hard at it and
you don’t even realize because it is so easy on your body and you don’t
sweat much due to the water. It trims your whole body too!
Kasey Schwartz
Little Sprouts Family Daycare
Chatham, IL 62629
217.371.4514
http://www.LittleSproutsOnline.com
Follow my blogs!
http://www.AllThingsMamma.com
http://www.ChathamChat.com
nice blog, thanks for the post.
OMG! LISA! This is great!!! Congrats! Keep doing it girl!
I think you’ll be my inspiration!
Thank you Angie!!! {blush}
Thank you Angie!!! {blush}
You’re one H-A-W-T momma! What an awesome job you did on losing the weight. I have lost my motivation and really, I nee to find it again. Shrinking Jeans will be doing something with the EAS in the near future so be on the lookout for that!
Thank you honey!!! I am so grateful for you ladies, helping to support
me and make me focus during my plateau. I can’t wait to see what
Shrinking Jeans does!!
Thank you honey!!! I am so grateful for you ladies, helping to support
me and make me focus during my plateau. I can’t wait to see what
Shrinking Jeans does!!
Lisa,
you look amazing and I am sooo jealous. I wish I could find the motivation to go back to the gym:( Keep up the good work.
Connie
You are so sweet, Connie, thank you! If the gym is too much to get to, I
would highly recommend working out at home. I’ve never been one to work
out in front of people, I like busting my butt at home, to myself, with
no one but whom I’m comfortable with watching me. Why not try working
out at home, first? There are some good DVDs out there that are
inexpensive. Do you own a Wii?
You look seriously amazing!! You must feel so amazing, too.
I love that you love working out. I’m discovering that I kind of do, too, even though I never really worked out until right before I got pregnant with Tommy. Working out through my whole pregnancy made me feel so good, even when I was 40 weeks and just didn’t want to do it… I really do feel so much better once I’m done working out!
Oh Erin, you are so adorably sweet, and sure are one to talk about that
whole “looking amazing” part 😉
You love working out, too??? I can’t believe how much I love it!! I love
how it’s feeling, and what its doing for my body, heck I work out
sometimes more than once a day, sometimes even more than that because of
how awesome it feels! I totally get it now, how others who have been in
shape for so long do it daily without missing a beat, how it becomes a
part of you. It never clicked for me like it has now!
Such great success. And so inspiring. Good for you, and for us, your grateful readers.
You look amazing.
Disqus provides you with a better way of attracting blog readers to start thread conversations in blog posts. It enables the post to be more interactive and manageable and it presents blog comments in a nicer, web 2.0ish way.
You look fantastic! Congrats!!!!
Your pictures are totally inspiring.
Lisa,
I am working out and trying to stay fit in your area. Fell off the wagon and it would be great to have a workout partner, finally. Ping me on twitter if you are interested.
This is AMAZING!!! You look incredible!! What are your secrets?
It looks great! What an awesome mom you are. Does she love it?
Thank you!! She LOVES loves it. We had a long talk about where to go
with the room, so the colors we both decided upon a while back. One day
we were browsing and she picked out the pillows and blanket and such,
even the color red. She just didn’t know what we were up to lol
That’s awesome, Lisa! I love it! I know she was so excited!! Good job, Mom!
Wow Lisa, that came out great….shoot I want that for MY bedroom.
I love it, but being and only child I was always changing my room as I pleased. So I would have been very upset if my parents changed anything. By the way I love her shirt. Please don’t judge my comment to much Lisa I have had some wine tonight.
My daughter had the exact same preteen bedding! When we redid her room, we went with black and green apple. Hmmmm….either our daughters have similar taste or our great minds are thinking alike! lol
That is so cool! I love the bedspread!
Will you come make over my room? What an awesome bday present!
Way to go, mama, what a great makeover!! 🙂
You are the best mom!!! The room looks great, I love the colors and the bedding and you were able to use the colors of her posters to make it look stylish and modern, awesome job!!
it looks great! i would have LOVED that room as a teenager. heck, if you took away the Jonas Brothers stuff i’d love it now….no offense Jo Bros! i’m just not really a bubble gum, teen-pop kind of gal.
What a wonderful suprise for her. I love the black, red, and white together. Great Job!!
That’s fabulous. Okay, so when will you be by to do my teen’s room? Including painting? But before we do that I have to decide if I’m going to change the kids’ sleeping arrangements. 🙂
Love the teens room and can’t wait to see the pictures.
Looks great ! LOVE the colors ! I just made over my oldest son’s room. He will be 14 next week.
Gorgeous!
What an amazing gift! I love it!
Wow, great colors and style, you have great taste and what a wonderful gift for her.
Oh I love it! My favorites are black and red! Happy Birthday!!!
Hi Lisa,
Very cool idea. I enjoyed your style of writing too.
She is a lucky girl to have parents like you.
It looks so great! And what a wonderful idea! Happy Birthday to your girl! : )
very informative Extreme Makeover: Teenage Bedroom Edition, Birthday-Style blog. Thanks!
Happy birthday and coooooooooool with the neat room baby
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
awww what a big boy!
my ww: http://mcclurefamilyspace.blogspot.com/
Thanks, he sure is 🙁
It’s so hard and rewarding watching them grow up. What a little cutie!
You said it perfectly, thank you!
Bittersweet. So cute 🙂
Thanks honey, it sure is ..
Look at those little feet and chubby ankles. I LOVE IT! I would be an emotional mess if I had signs of my babies growing up all around me. I love that we get to share these moments with you. :o)
You are so sweet 🙂 I’m glad you get to, too 🙂
Look at that red hair! I remember those days…the ones where you can’t believe how fast they are growing. I remember. The Diva was walking at 9 months and she started standing, holding on to things, and “walking” along the furniture at 6 mos..
September 14th she starts preschool. I am going to lose it. She is still my baby.
I feel your pain…and pride.
Aww, I am completely with you. I will be here for you that day. I know
that day well. *huge hugs* honey
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
He’s pointing at you, love it!
The pointing SLAYS me!
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
OMG! He’s going to be running all over the place. My daughter walked at 10 months. I think she wanted to keep up with her big brother. I totally get what you mean about your heart being in tiny pieces.
He’s definitely a late bloomer for walking with my children, the latest
in fact. But I think he did it to go easy on me, give me a baby a little
while longer, to give me a crawler a little while longer. I needed him
to. I’m really not ready to give that up.
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
I know how the time flies. It’s so hard to look at my 9 year old and believe it has been that long since I held her tiny yet chubby, cooing, drooling, baby-smelling body for hours on end just admiring how wonderful she was. She has since grown into a beautiful, giggling, singing, not-in-a-bad-way diva pre-teen. OMGosh…I just said it…P-R-E-T-E-E-N. I’m going to go cry now. 😉
Check out my WW at Life @ 30!
I’m with you! I have two “pre-teens” and a teen myself. Scary!!! *hugs*
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Aww! Getting Big!
Happy WW!
Kasandria
Thanks honey! He is! 🙁
Thank you! 🙂
Slow down ya over achiever! It doesn’t seem like he should be that big already!
LOL thank you for making me laugh, it is much appreciated this morning.
I’m a wreck.
You’re welcome, but seriously, he’s 11 months?????!!!!!??? Tell that boy to
STOP already. It’s bad enough my baby will be 3 in November. Can’t I keep
someone a baby?
Thank you! 🙂
He’s so cute! What a big boy – it goes by so fast!
Tooo quick 🙁
He is so cute! My littlest girl was 9 months when she walked. They grow so fast. Happy WW!
http://mud-bug.com/2009/08/wordless-wednesday-butterfly-beauties/
They do, Toni! My children are usually walking by now. I think he held
out on me because I needed extra time since he’s my last. *sniff*
Awww They def. grow up way to fast.
They do 🙁
Oh he is just too sweet! I will be in this exact same position next year. A almost 1 year old and a kindergartener! Oh my heart is aching already!
Aww *hugs* Spend every waking moment you can cherishing it, it goes by
soo quickly!
Thank you! 🙂
Awwww…such an awesome (bitter sweet) memory! Look out – won’t be long until he’s walking!!
*cries* I know!!!! 🙁
Thank you! 🙂
My little girl (who will be 11 months in a few weeks) just started doing this too and I can never seem to grab the camera quick enough to capture it!
Cute pic!
Awww! Bring the camera room to room with you! 😉 I have the kind that
has a strap, I grab it and bring it in or wear it to ensure I capture it
🙂 I can’t wait until you do, so I can see her standing, too!!
Heartbreaking, isn’t it??
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
They grow so flippin’ fast. My baby turned 1 today and he is trying to walk.
Aww,congrats to your wee one’s first birthday!!!
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Yes, they do seem to grow up so fast, don’t they? Looks like he’ll be walking soon!
They grow up so fast – He is too cute!
abbies are so adorable more so seeing them having their first steps!
cute!
happy WW!
Wow, they grow so fast. He will be walking soon, then the chase begins.
Great photo! Thanks for sharing it with us!
I love that picture.
I am sorry to tell you it sounds like you are in the part of LA that my friends grew up in and public schools there are nothing to shake a fist at. I don’t knwo what else to say to help, but to wish you luck.
Love the chubs I have one over here too. Mine’s just walking this last two weeks and now everything at his height is swept onto the floor. Gotta love this stage. He still staggers like a drunk man lol.
TOO FAST!! 🙁 Thanks honey!!!
TOO fast 🙁
I will send walking juju ~*~*~* 😉
Too, too fast 🙁 How are you holding up, momma? Kind of scary with them
at school, isn’t it? :/
Thank you honey, it really is tough 🙁
He’s got ninja-like skills in the growing department, I think.
I’m not sure how it works in the Military, but is it possible that you could have your son tested for a gifted program? If his academic skills are as strong as it sounds like, that may be just what he needs. Often times gifted children need a little something extra even if it is just a class a couple times a week that is geared more towards their ability. I also am not sure how it works in military schools but I know in typical schools it’s part of the law and you can request/demand and IEP. (Individualized Education Plan) this would be where the school as well as yourself would write a plan that would outline goals and things that your son needs to work towards during the school year. Anytime a new goal is met or the child’s needs changed it can be reviewed, updated or modified. I have a friend whose son was fidgity in class and they gave him like a yoga ball to sit on, it was something silly but it made a difference. If none of that makes a difference I would consider going to your pediatrician and getting him/her to recommend some ideas to help your son independently. As you mentioned you could always do home school or maybe there is an off-post school public or private that may be more suited for his needs. Don’t throw in the towel yet, I believe it can all come together. Hold your head high and keep an open mind. This is the my first time reading and commenting on your blog, I hope you don’t mind my 25 cents. (inflation ya know!)
I know!! 🙁 *sobs*
That quote is EXACTLY the quote my third grade teacher gave me for him
last year. I won’t back down, he had 2 teachers in the past that weren’t
good fits for him, and it almost ruined him. I didn’t advocate hard
enough, but at least I could volunteer and help. I haven’t backed down
since, this will be no different.
No, you are perfectly fine, the fact that you agree just makes me
realize I’m not being some crazy person, that I have valid concerns. You
are absolutely right, OPEN DOOR POLICY. I’ve been used to that all my
life. The fact that they don’t makes me wonder if they’re hiding
something? Perhaps not my son’s class, because she is AMAZING, but I
have to wonder..
Thank you SO much for your input. We don’t have a lot of money to do a
private school, either. We’re also on post and all the others are off
post and kind of far. I really don’t know what to do. I’m hoping the
principal will help me today.
I think your son’t principal is a bully. I hope he realizes that he WILL have to make changes if this new teacher doesn’t work for him. Geezzzz…. Don’t you hate being the squeaky wheel? You know all the teachers are talking about you in the break room. lol
haha, I would be one of those parents too, if given the chance! (BTW,
please tell me how you went ahead and got the Super’s # like that,I need
those skillz lol)
The principal was fan-friggin-tastic last year. I was CERTAIN he’d
oblige, especially since I had given him the heads up with my
suspicions. I am floored.I think his teacher got to him first and
complained about him. She’s painting him as some trouble child when he’s
not, and he is also sensitive and will take it to heart. He probably
thinks the teacher doesn’t like him at all right now.
Thank you Amy. I love hearing input from the teacher’s aspect, thank you
for that. I am most certainly a parent that can and has been pleased,
really. It just takes a certain level of consideration to understand,
but this teacher is very short, to the point, take it or leave it
person, and that’s just not going to work. He needs caress and patience,
and if you don’t have it, it isn’t going to work.
Yes, thank you! I literally sat in the principals office and asked if he
had his third-grade teacher in a fourth-grade level. He said ‘no’. He
knows his third-grade teacher was spectacular. I want her again. I want
to go back to Fort Bragg to his second-grade teacher again, too. He’s
made so much progress as far as school and finally getting teachers who
understand him, we can’t revert now. We just can’t.
Unfortunately, I am learning that. I was always close with the schools,
ALWAYS. They were always willing to work with me on many levels. We may
have had some bad teachers, but my being there helped. This is so much
different, because there isn’t much I can do now that he’s in the 4th
grade, it’s strict instruction. No books to be read, no crafts, none of
that. I can volunteer in the library or cafeteria but that’s not going
to help. He needs the teacher to be an extension of me, he needs that
compassion and patience.
With schools becoming increasingly harder to deal with, when their sole
purpose is to help guide our youth with education for their futures, for
EVERYONE’s futures, it makes me wonder – why are they doing what they’re
doing? Because it can’t be for the love of children, or is it only the
love of those who conform, or who are too afraid to be anything but a
‘yes man’?
Thank you Kim. I definitely plan to find out more, and head this off
quickly. I won’t back down.
Thanks so much for your insight Phoebe (by the way, tried to visit to
see your post but didn’t find it? Can you send me the link?)
I am sorry to hear you had a horrible year, definitely fight the good
fight for your child, they are OUR children and you are
abso-friggin-lutely right, they chose this profession! I have met some
fabulous teachers, and some I can call my friends, who truly do
everything they can to help teachers excel. I hope you find that for
your son, and I hope my son’s new teacher will do the same for him
(please see, I updated!)
Greg, there is – they test them for “gifted” to enter the gifted
program. They say he didn’t make it. I am SHOCKED. He actually should be
in 5th grade, but he missed the cut-off. He knows these things backwards
and forewards, and it’s usually out of boredom he gets in trouble. He
has had 2 fabulous teachers back to back that assigned him “busy” work,
extra work or help to them to help keep him from getting in trouble by
being bored. I just found out yesterday his third-grade teacher gave him
“worry beads” to play with in class for those times he couldn’t do
anything after a test but wait. See? /*That’s*/ what I’m talkin’ about
needing for him!
I updated my post. They gave us a new teacher. I am hoping against hope
she’s the answer to all of this. Thank you for your thoughts. I am
besides myself, Greg. This could make or break him forever. I truly wish
teachers saw how important they are, and what they do affects them forever!
Stef, I actually feel that way. I don’t want to switch schools because
of this, I have the absolute PERFECT teacher and that means more to me
than anything. I just don’t know how to rectify this issue. I will
definitely try what you suggest -talk to other parents attending, see
how they feel, if they’d like to join my quest against this unfair rule.
For my older child, I just updated – they will switch his teacher
starting monday. I’m so afraid to be optimistic.
Thank you so much Hillary, advice or no advice offered, your support
helps strengthen me, even if it’s just recognition that it’s a sucky
situation. I appreciate that, and you! *hugs*
That’s fantastically smart, Trisha, to go about it in that same respect
as we do with blogging. Wow, I hadn’t even put that correlation
together. That’s awesome.
Thank you for your faith in me. I suppose I should have more faith in
myself, huh? 🙂
Thanks honey!
Yeah, I’m really afraid of being backed into a corner, I’m really hoping
for the best (ironically, that’s his new teachers name – Best!)
Thank you, honey! I am hoping she is, too!
I know. As much as I bitch and moan, I probably should homeschool,
because no one is probably going to do it better than I can. I guess I’m
just afraid? I mean, like, REALLY afraid of messing it up, and them up.
I don’t know :/
Lisa: just a few thoughts, not to try to sway your opinion UNLESS you want to be swayed!
I too was afraid and still have moments of panic BUT love it! Finding a good mentor is helpful. But I try to always remember a few things…
1. Most (Elementary especailly)teachers go to school to learn how to “teach” in general they have no more knowledge of the text or subject than you and I.
2. No one loves your child as much as you.
3. No one knows your child as well as you.
4. With the internet there are sooooooo many resources … we know our children and can really tailor to their needs and desires and love of learning!
5. There is room for mistakes anf that too can be a learning experience!
6. Look at all you have already taught them before they go to school!
7. You can always go back. I have no idea what your laws are like but usually it is quite simple and there seems to always be loopholes if you need them.
Just a few thoughts … I love it and for many reasons but the fact that I can set our own schedule for family time, we eat all meals together so I know that they are eating well (not rushed, etc.), we can rest when needed … if one has the sniffles they can do their work in pj’s on the couch while sipping tea … it limits the illness in the house! When days are beautiful we can do our work outside!
I hope you find what works for you and the kids! It is so tough!
Off to travel back to TN … as my laptop is down that means 2 days no computer!!!! See you later.
With peace, love and kindness,
Amy Lemmon
[email protected]
Blog: Six Flower Mom
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Wow Just wanted to send you good luck wishes and I hope the school situation works out for you.
I’m glad to see you updated and that your son will get a shot with another teacher. Hopefully this new teacher can see the gray. You’d think elementary school teachers would be more gray since that’s how most young kids think and operate. You know where my e-mail is.
How stressful, Lisa. Of course I’m not at the school age experience yet, so I’m not too helpful with advice. But I do so hope there’s an adjustment period and things get better for you all. SO hard!
Oh dear, first let’s take a deep breath. I know I am late in responding, but I hope I can help a little. Having four children of my own with the oldest at 18 and the next at 5 I have had to come to grips with the fact that everyone, everywhere does things differently. I was appalled when my oldest daughter went to middle school and the encouragement to volunteer, stop by, participate and whatnot was discouraged. Not by my daughter, but by the actions and rules set in place by the administration.
Before the school year started this year, my son was slated to go to a different elementary school. I found out that the school’s scores were low and received a letter saying he could be transferred to one not on the needs improvement list. After talking to a teacher friend of mine, I chose the new school. At the original school the teacher loved me when she met me and her and the other kindergarten teachers wanted me to try for PTA president. I was thinking, “Finally my opportunity to make a difference and not just complain under my breath.” Well, at the new school his teacher is a little less than enthusiastic with the parents. She seems hurried, frazzled and distracted and I wasn’t able to win her over. Needless to say, I am on my own.
I saw this all to say, that I understand the feelings that go along with the baby going to school and wanting to keep up the tradition, but maybe you can start another one. Maybe there’s something you can work out with the teacher to “sneak in” an hour while you’re already in the school volunteering to still observe him.
I’m glad your older son was moved to a new teacher and I hope that works out. I am not happy with the way they’ve communicated to you or the things that have been said or the rules in place. You’re definitely right in how you feel and think… try to be okay with the volunteer thing and kick-ass on the gray thing!
I’m behind you all the way!
You got to pick your child’s teacher? WOW!
First I have to say I love your blog. Second I have to say I am from Louisiana & continue to live here & my kids go to school here. Please first don’t generalize the entire area. I regulary volunteer at my daughter’s school & I am allowed to volunteer in her class. I do understand about the no younger sibilings as it is a distraction. I don’t bring my 2 year old b/c everyone wants to play with her. Secondly i don’t know why they don’t teach basic social studies there. I am a product of La public schools & I can say I had basic SS through 6th grade, American History in 7th, La history (which BTW is very unique as we are still under Nepolianic Code unlike the rest of the US hence the parishes vs. counties) then I had Civics & Free Enterprise in 9th, world History in 10th & Am. History in 11th. If you do not believe that this particular school is up to standards check out others in the parish & if they do better then take it to the school board. Louisiana has a pretty good public school system excluding Orleans parish but that is a different story there. I live in St. Tammany Parish so if I can be of any help to you in our struggles let me know. My husband was Army so I feel a little bit of a kinship with you.
Thank you so much for writing me, and for your compliments! I definitely
don’t generalize all of Louisiana, not by a long shot! We love Lake
Charles and we liked Alexandria, and would love to visit Baton Rouge,
Shreveport, New Orleans and more!! We just don’t like the local people
who live around us, we were told before moving here they didn’t like us
(military) and boy are we ever seeing that, it’s their way or the
highway and they don’t understand how much harder they make it for us to
live here, it’s so sad.
Living here in this part of Louisiana for us wouldn’t be half as bad if
the local people wouldn’t make it so hard on us. I had actually looked
forward to the adventure. I am grateful to live so close to my parents
and in-laws, but now I practically count the days until we go. Housing
has been horrible, the schools have been horrible, the locals have
treated us poorly, everything you can imagine that could go wrong, has
gone wrong.
I am so sorry for your troubles. We have a lot of military in this area & they are always welcome. I know you can’t move down here as the commute is to long. I really hate that they are making it so difficult for yall. A lot of natives don’t like there lives upset. I can understand that a little as our area changed greatly after Katrina but the military base has been there for a long time. But bad waters run deep. honestly if there is any way I can be of help don’t hesitate to email me. I can also recommend some good places to field trip & eat in this area if needed. At least you do have your family nearby.
Angel
Our Creator in his omnipotent wisdom placed limits on man’s intelligence but no limits on his stupidity.” Konrad Adenauer the chancellor of Germany from 1949 thru 1963
Test =D
I only have 3 kids and have a hard time finding time to work out! You look awesome!
OH MY GOODNESS!!! That is way too cute!!
OH MY GOODNESS!!! That is way too cute!!
That’s classic! Why can’t I get kids who will fall asleep like that? No, we have to have nightlights, white noise machines, certain blankies, pillows, etc. My kids are so high maintenance.
OMG, those pics are awesome. That certainly does take mad skillz!!!
Hilarious! She’s adorable! Wish I could sleep anywhere!
She. Is. Awesome!
Too cute … could you do a post on how to get kids to sleep? My little one is not so big on it!!!
Love this post and pic. I had one of my four daughters that could sleep anywhere at any time. Often found her asleep in a laundry basket. And, I have one who can’t sleep unless it is in her own bed- makes travelling “interesting.” Those were the days.
-Sean
http://www.daddyteller.com
That’s awesome!!! My kid would never do that. One can dream…
Hope you had an awesome thanksgiving!!
LOL! That’s classic! Too funny and cute.
I’m SOOOOOO jealous! My children are like ninjas of anti-sleep. Since they were infants, they have never wanted to sleep. If you learn how to package these ninja skills, I will sell everything I have to be first in line to buy it. 🙂
BTW, she is gorgeous… and talented. I love that she actually has a foot raised as if posing in her sleep.
oh gosh is only i could do this…ahhhhh the possibilities!
That is just too funny… she is just so cute! I wish I could sleep like that… I can’t even sleep in bed for more than 3 hours at a time because of my back/neck.
Gotta see more pictures of the Amazing Sleeping Girl.
She’s so cute. Same as my boy. He slept in a standing if he feel not comfortable with the diapers. That’s looks so cute and funny!
I started the EA Sports Active and for about 26 days went strong, fell of the wagon and have to get back on. Lost 10″ all over and based on your pictures I can see I must get back on the EA Sports Active daily workout!! Thanks for sharing this story and Congrats for holding strong, after 3 kids 2 of which born 2 years 6 days apart I am just now at a point where I can get myself back on track with getting my body back! Great post!
Test out
I love playing the new games Reflexive puts on here like mad caps bettys beer bar Panda Craze that’s a wonderful game to play. You have to hit the S–>key & the D–>key S=Left D=Right it’s pretty fun to play.
good deals
Wow! I wish mine would do that! He won’t sleep at all during the day – EVER!
*Laughing* Kids really can sleep anywhere, anytime…if they want to. Sometimes I wish that I had that ability. 🙂
A Very Very Happy New Year 2010 To You 🙂
This is great! We are hoping to take our children, maybe next year or the year after, we will see how long it takes to save! I love the family pictures!!!!
That’s a great deal. We’ll have to put off Disney another year I think. Our little one is afraid of characters. We’re going to do a Hershey weekend and b’fast with the characters n stuff to see how he holds up first. That way if it totally sucks, we can just come home early and it’s no big deal.
Sounds like it was a great trip. I hope that this year brings as much to all the military families as last year.
So cool – the pic of Woody and your husband is awesome. The trip sounds like it was so fun and thanks for all the tips. I might have to start working on my FIL who is retired Navy. Maybe we all could go to Disney together.
That’s extra super cool. … I love your photos as well.
Thanks for the heads up! We’re thinking about going back before my husband leaves (again) on deployment. We were just there in October, but loved it so much we may just go back!
Happy New Year! It’s lovely to see you all in spite of having many kids, still can go to Disneyland. That was a very nice deal you got your hands on to. Wish I have a chance to go there as well. Kudos to Disneyland for giving special treatment to our military forces and their families.
I really LOVE how Disney World treats the military and Veterans. When we took my son, the cast members always noticed his t-shirts (or his tattoo) too and made sure to thank him. It does make you feel really proud.
Thanks for letting everyone know what they are doing for this year.
fgdg d
You can reply in an email OR by visiting the blog! How wicked
awesome is this!!!
I would have already smacked him.
This is a classic post. You need to print this one. Oh, and the secret to the child proof caps is to hand the bottle to your toddler – DUH lol.
OMG that is hilarious .. I don’t like child proof caps, I do the same darn thing!
You are so freaking hilarious! OMG…. please get some sleep. But I do think it’s a conspiracy with the childproof caps. That happens to me as well. I hope you get some rest and not have to deal with that pharmacist again for the next week or so.
LOL – This made me laugh so hard!!
I often times HATE the child-proof caps for me, but love them for my kids 🙂
Hugs!
Oh–my–gosh! That was freakin’ hilarious!
You know–I’m not sick or anything, but I was telling my co-worker the other day, while I was standing there trying to twist the cap off an Excedrin tube to cure the headache I had, “The older I get the more I can’t open these darn things!”
So, that said–I think we start out not being able to open child-proof caps and we end up in life not being able to open child-proof caps! LOL…
Oh, don’t get me going on those childproof things! Especially the ones with the caplets! Frustration! Love your blog!
Actually, for me, cough syrup is good for nothing! The cape don’t work, neither does the medicine.
I try not to let other adults see me struggling with those caps. It’s embarrassing enough to myself without other people knowing that I can’t manage lining up the little triangles.
LOL! Hilarious and oh hope you feel better soon.
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You sound unhappy. If I had six kids as a result of not listening to a pharmacist somewhere in the past, I’d be unhappy too. Your attitude is all too common in the “hurry up I have nowhere to go” mentality most pharmacy customers have. The PPPA mandates child-proof tops, but your local pharmacy. I hope someday to read something happy from you. I can only imagine your interactions with your local TRICARE healthcare providers.
The whole bedroom is changed. This is one great makeover!
too cutee ! 🙂
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yep. Everyone should have such a futon! I did! Great post!
I saw this on Adventures in Baby Wearing and thought about doing it. But now that I saw it on your blog, I know I should do it. I love your blog and loved your post about your couch! Hugs!
What a well written post. My couch was an actual couch, I guess I am the odd man out.
Fun! We used to have a futon back in the day! 🙂
Nell
Cute post. We still have an end table from that stage of life. I have painted it and repurposed it many times. It is old and ugly and should go, but it too is more than what it looks like!
I’m sure this takes many of us back in time!!
Steph
You used so many great word pictures, Lisa!
I’d love to hear more about your “decorating on a dime” strategies (and see pictures too!).
Ah the college futon….never owned one, but I know of what you speak! This writing exercise was so much fun to write.. and to read everyone’s entries! I still have my comforter (ala “bed in a bag) from college, it’s now our picnic blanket.
I really like the way you explain things with us, thanks for sharing the nice and interesting post with us! keep sharing the nice post.
This is one thing that I missed and regret not doing. Living on my own.
I love that you chose to write about your futon. I have GREAT memories of a certain college futon. ;-D
That was wonderfully written! Love it. I’m going to click over and check it out now.
Still have one at home too. I admire you for being in this stage of life where you seem so contended and happy. By the way, watch what happens when 1 million young people save over $100 MM for families to fix the economy and save the Planet.GreenMyParents : support the youth movement to fix the economy, earn over $100 at home, and save the Planet.Vote for GreenMyParents at http://pep.si/vote4gmp and join us on Facebook at http://bit.ly/gmp2fb. I’m counting on you. Thanks a lot and more power to you and your blog!
I hear you loud and clear sister! (and this was a REALLY GOOD post) Thank you, friend.
Thank you, Heather 🙂
I try to be thankful for something like clean towels and hot water every day but it IS hard when you’re running around like a chicken with your head cut off.
Last night I had to open cans with a hammer while making dinner b/c my husband “hid” the can opener (outside by the grill) and all the while baby was crying and the boys were fighting. But I’m still forever thankful. Even for my husband. ;-P
Good post Lisa.
Yes, you totally get it, too. It IS hard when you’re pulled in so many
directions with craziness oozing everywhere. And OMG, you got to smash
’em with a hammer!! (My favoritest line from a movie – ever! Well,
almost. Love the Ashton Kutcher “They set me on FIRE” line from Cheaper
by the Dozen, too).
Thank you for the reminder
You’re welcome. Many thanks to you as well for visiting, reading, and
commiserating 🙂
Man I have been in a funk for the whole month… ughh want to shake this darn thing off… found organizing and cleaning helped me… OH man totally life isn’t perfect. I definitely not Mrs. Cleaver, maybe my goal LMAO 🙂 LIFE is great! I am so grateful
Excellent outlook 🙂 The funk will end, soon. Perhaps the warmer weather
and sunshine will help? 🙂
Oh Lisa – we’ve all had those days/moments. I came across this quote and it really spoke to me – “write it on your heart that everyday is the best day of the year.” – Emerson
What an extraordinary quote, thank you! I love it!
I love that: “freedumb.” It is important to take time to smell the flowers and appreciate the moments, but it’s okay to get frustrated. Sounds like mommy needs a break. We need to take a girlfriends’ vacation… I was looking at some in Spa magazine the other day. Not necessarily in the budget, but I was wondering how I could make that happen. I think it helps wonders with dealing with the day-to-day endless responsibilities. Well, I guess I should stop procrastinating about taking the trash out (LOL!) too before it gets too dark.
Oh yea, I had one of your moments this morning as my 2 year old daughter talked.about.everything… I was surprised at the patience in my voice as my inner voice (brat!) screamed. LOL… I kept the enjoy the moment thought in my head, but I sure was glad when she decided she was finished. 🙂
If you can’t afford a spa, perhaps find a hotel that has spa-like
amenities and get together with a group of friends, split a suite, and
go for it? 🙂
What a great post.
Thank you honey 🙂 How are you doing?
Great points Lisa!! I love reading how you describe things.
I’ve had a few days like this recently… and we’ve just heard about another sandbox trip on the horizon — makes for a good reality check to take note of the ordinary… that what might feel like the doldrums of life, are really the simple pleasures we yearn for while hubs is deployed…
Hope your days go better next week!
Oh no, not another deployment 🙁 *hugs* Please let me know if you need
anything, even if it’s only a shoulder or someone to whine to (been
there, as I’m sure you can imagine) {much love}
Thanks for the reminder Lisa. Sometimes I too forget amid the running from doctor appt to doctor appt, the cleaning, the watching of Cars for the eleventy billionth time, etc.
You said eleventy billionth. I’m rubbing off on you, aren’t I? {grin}
I can think of worse people to rub off on me 😉 Hey sent you a couple
e-mails last week. Hope you got them.
I need to roll up my sleeves and dive head first into my emails. Inbox =
scary!
Nice story, I like it very much, thanks for sharing it with us! I would like to say a thanks for making us a part of your family!
How sweet, thank you so much!
Ouch. I am so guilty of freedumb. It’s hard to hear, but I really needed this. You know, it’s been a long winter. I’m hoping spring will bring a fresh attitude along with the fresh air!
Lisa @ All That and a Box of Rocks
http://lisaschaffer.blogspot.com
I hear ya, honey. Spring needs to come and stay /OMGLIKERIGHTNOWKTHXBAI/
love the honesty in here. I can relate and totally agree.
Thank you!
I have realized the same thing recently. maybe it is winter that makes us this way. because it seems like with all the blogs I read almost every one has had some sort of funk going on. But miraculously they all seem to be getting better now that spring is coming. Weird. Maybe seasonal affective disorder is real.
Absolutely, I believe it! Being cooped up inside all day. Bring on the
sunshine!
I certainly hope it’s chocolate, too!
Too Cute!
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Wonderful news, Lisa!
Annnnndddddddd……..EXHALE!!!!! Woo Hoo!!! I am so very glad to see this update.
Enjoy your SpRiNg!
Glad that you are all clear! More blessings coming. The beauty of nature never stop to amaze me.
I am a daily reader (albeit, usually a silent one) but I have been hoping for you and your son, hoping that everything would be okay. I am so very glad for you both. To me, spring is always a special time, but I’m sure that for you it will mean so much more this time around.
Wonderful news, and I love to see the new green every spring too.
Yay! That is wonderful!
That’s such wonderful news! All I ask is that you return the favor of good thoughts for us right now. We’re in the test result/referral waiting period that is the military health care system with our 3yo.
omg…. LISA, i am soooo happy that all is ok!! whewwww that was scary.
xoxoxo
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Yay! I love the pics!
OH HOW SWEET. I love it. And now I want a nap too 🙂
That is so sweet.
too cute Lisa, I know with my son for a tleast the past 6 months he eats like a bird so anything that he is willing to eat I let him!
I am so happy Lisa. I was telling Dave about it yesterday and he just gasped. It hits home to many of us, knowing that waiting, and hoping nothing is wrong.
The clear call brings tears to our eyes because we know how close it was to… it. The time we all try not to think about.
You are blessed and loved! ~hugs~
~Suzanne
Oh wow… bring on the “cute” !!
Thanks for sharing. 😉
So cute! Isn’t it magical how they get all wrapped around each other and don’t mind a bit? Yea, you’re right, bigger couch is in order. 🙂 … Did she have the cereal for dinner too? It’s great to get a break from pleasing everyone’s pallets.
How cute! It is always so sweet when the kids cuddle up together and nap.
she slurped away all the milk, she disappeared into the quiet living room where Baby Dude lie, napping peacefully.
Australian Detox
I guess a nap would be okay…. But when I look at this picture, it doesn’t make me want a nap. It makes me want more babies! :o(
I hear you girl! I love a nap! and that is just an invitation to join in!
I’ve had days when all I wanted to eat was just cereal… I can certainly relate.
That picture is priceless, I totally LOVE it! Thanks for sharing.
Come on over to my blog to see what I have left you:
http://wmljshewbridge.blogspot.com/2010/03/im-total-slacker-blogger-awards.html
Grass shows the changing of seasons. Mostly it look so beautiful.
omg…. tooo flippin cute. can they make some room for me too?
i have to say.. the bottom’s of your kid’s feet are CLEAN. you go girl. That so wouldn’t be the case in my house!! LOL
test message
OMG, you wrote that in 3 minutes? You are a gifted writer!
I love this story and the way you wrote it made me envision the futon, your sitting on it laughing, crying, eating, studying – everything!
Thanks for sharing this, I hope you keep writing for other things besides your blog, I think you could publish something!
thank you nice post
I know just what you mean, we get so wrapped up in what is going wrong, that we sometimes miss the good things that have been happening. We had an entire year like that in 2009. We have set our goal this year to make sure that we see the good in things and life this year. So far we are doing pretty well, but like lots of commentors, this winter has been a challenge – even here in FL, enough already.
I’m glad that you are getting out of your funk… send me an email if you need a pick-me-up! Know that I am always thinking of you and your family. Hope everything works out with your little one!!
Oh, Lisa, that is definitely the best news I’ve heard all week!!! So happy for you all!
Love the new grass and the four leaf clover. I hope you are able to save and frame it somehow.
Hugs and love to you all!!
Oh, the sheer joy that must have preceded this kind of total collapse. Lovely.
LOL! Too cute! I think if a baby with those eyes climbed on me while I was trying to do yoga, I’d let it slide 😉
Cute. I guess he says mom it looks like play time to me
that’s sooo adorable! I promise you will miss this!
Looks like what my 18 month old does to me anytime I am on the floor with him!
I think it’s an unwritten rule the babies only tell each other about…”if they are at your level or lower, it’s game on time!”. Haha. Thanks for the giggle!
LOL! He couldn’t let mommy had all the fun; he wanted to join in too. 🙂
My son does this when I stretch too.
SO cute!!
I know it’s hard to believe, Lisa, but it will be over in the blink of an eye… And you’ll miss it.
Lol! He is a cute little monkey though.
My husband asked me yesterday if I’ve used the Wii Fit we got for Christmas and my response was no, because every time I get it out, the kids fight over it…and it’s though to exercise with a toddler straddling your legs. So hubs says, maybe you should get up with me at 5 and workout….um yeah. Don’t think that’s gonna happen!
LOL sounds like my little man, BOTH of them! this pose looks relaxing for sure but honestly I would be attacked by both the 1 1/2 and 3 1/2 year old boys and if the daughter who is 7 and knows better was home she would join in just cuz she can! Team up on mom time position is what it should be called! LOL Thanks for sharing this pose though, I certainly need any advice I can get in regards to Yoga! ((HUGS))
lol! too cute!
lol I have tried to workout with the kiddos and it’s not easy lol
It may not be calm but I’m sure you wouldn’t trade it for the world!
Came by way of Momspective,com’ s linky!
Sounds like my kids when I work out too.
Well, he looks awfully calm in that picture. 🙂
awwww….he thought you were going to give him a horsey-ride.
LOL — yeah, looks like how my daughter tries to “help” me exercise!
(p.s. I’ve moved to WordPress! Following In My Shoes)
LOL! my kiddo loves to wrestle too 🙂
u may view mine here
Oh but he’s so cute you totally have to forgive him. Love the picture! 🙂
Thanks for sharing this post. This is a very helpful and informative material. Good post and keep it up. Websites are always helpful in one way or the other, that’s cool stuff, anyways, a good way to get started to renovate your dreams into the world of reality.I will write more in detail after my mcp very soon. Thanks!
Too cute (because it wasn’t me trying to do yoga). My 3yo was doing the Wii Fit yoga along side me the other day because I didn’t get a workout in before the kids got up that day.
Oh, this is too cute! It did make me laugh loudly though – I used to find yoga so fantastically relaxing during pregnancy, and I totally miss it now.
Aw! What a cute little face 🙂
Seriously cute! I can’t wait for my LO to develop so much personality
Happy 800th post… and I totally hear ya!
So cute!!
Oh no… I am so sorry!
Noah had a fever of 104.2 last night and it turns out that he has tonsilitus and croup. Hoping you have better luck!
Oh my word, poor little guy! What a double-whammy for him! 🙁 I hope he
improves soon.
We took her to the doctors earlier (fever-free, of course) and they
could find nothing. Sent us on our way with a pat on the back saying
“While it isn’t an ear-infection now, it could be at any time, sometimes
within a matter of hours.” And then her fever spiked to that. 🙁 A tepid
bath and ibuprofen brought it down, thankfully. We’ll see if it’s still
there tomorrow, and back to the doctor’s we’ll go.
Oh my gosh. I am so sorry. I know what all kinds of sickness means too. I do hope everything gets better. I will pray for you all.
Cute child and picture.
yikes! hope your family gets better in time for at least part of Spring Break to be enjoyed!
well, i hope you all feel better soon. that sucks to be sick during spring break.
especially a stomach bug… YUCK
hey, i forgot my list today too… but i am going to do it now..
will come back and link it up when i am done
xoxoxo
ps. i’ll think about forgiving… might want some proof of illness first. LOL *wink wink*
Awww! That SUCKS!! Hope you all get well FAST and can enjoy the rest of your break!
Hope you all get to feeling better soon! *HUGS* We didn’t have our kids on Spring Break, so we didn’t get to do anything fun either. (Not that we didn’t try to get them…ex’s suck.)
very cute and sweety
Could I be your foster parent
oh no, i’m just joking
🙂
No worries about last week or being late this week. I realized I hadn’t done last week about Thursday so I completely understand. However, my excuse is family rather than illness. Hope you all get better soon!!!
I feel your pain, but in a different kind of way. Not sick on our home-front, just got too much going on!
so cute! We haven’t gotten into the barbies yet but we’ve started dressing the cabbage patch kids every 20 seconds too 🙂 Looking forward to barbie time!
I loved Barbies, I am so glad you now have a daughter who will play with them.
My oldest daughter was Barbie crazy. The younger ones are too but they don’t take care of them so I don’t know how long it would take to find all of the accessories and whatnot. It is fun to get all of that out and play, huh?
I had so much fun with Barbie when I was younger, and I still love to check out all the fun accessories! I don’t get the Bratz dolls trend–perhaps it’s the generation gap–but I would cruise around in Barbie’s pink power wheels corvette any day!
Aw how sweet is that!
How sweet of them to do that, aren’t siblings great!
That is awesome!
ugh…..pink eye, fevers and sniffles OH MY.
i love it “THANKTHEFREAKINLORD”
YAY, for the cleaning of the closet and yard sale win….i am very very very JEALOUS
crap, and do all that with 6 monkeys running around… i am quite the SLACKER
have a great week, we are enjoying the warmer weather here too…
going to work on my post right now..will be back to link up
xoxo
love ya chickie
Thanks! I’m excited to add something new to my blog!!
I always make a list but i never blog about it and this gives me something new!
Love it!
Jennifer
http://www.lebedafamily.blogspot.com
That’s just lovely!
Yep, I teared up a little, too. My boy is an only child…and I will have no more kids. But I feel like he’d be that way, too. Thanks for sharing the story. So very sweet.
It is so rewarding when our kids show generosity towards one another. You are raising them wel. They emulate hwat they are shown.
My moment like this was when my older three were young and I took them to sit on Santa’s lap. The youngest, just three years old, told Santa that all she wanted was a pair of roller skates FOR HER BIG SISTER because she knew how much her sister wanted a pair.
You look great.
Happy WW!
Thank you Rob! 🙂
Holy cow! You look amazing!! You totally have a flatter tummy and I think your arms are smaller to me……not bigger.
I have GOT to get this DVD now. I am down 2 pounds pre pregnancy but I still have 10 pounds to go to feel confident and sexy. I would just LOVE to tone up. Toning would make all the difference in the world. We live on 20 acres of land with no sidewalks, so jogging around the block isn’t going to happen, but strapping a 22 pound kid to my back and walking 1/4 one way to the mailbox is. I need more discipline though and exercise EVERY day. You inspire me!
Thank you so much Annie! 🙂 This is definitely a DVD I suggest to give
you an ass-kicking if that’s what you need. Jillian is NO JOKE lol
Wow!! Good for you 🙂
Thank you Nicole! 🙂
You look amazing!
Thanks honey! 🙂
WTG Lisa! Looking great!
Thanks Holly! 🙂
Holy CRAP, Lisa! Look at you! You look amazing! So proud of you!
Thanks, cupcake. You WLW gals are my inspiration 🙂
you can totally tell the difference! That’s awesome!
Thanks Katie! 🙂
You look amazing! How do you do it all – kids, house, exercise, blog, etc?
Thank you Jen!
I don’t. LOL It’s why the blog is suffering, I’m on Twitter and Facebook
sporadically. Some days I can do it, some days something gives. I really
just do what I can when I can. Priority is always my family first,
second is carving out time to work out & eat right, third is finding
time to blog, read, write, tweet and Facebook, tied with house cleaning
LOL!!! (Like I said, something gives..) 😉
Lookin good! Is it rude to point out that your elbow looks pointy now in your “popeye pose?” LOL
I’m trying to shed some poundage for an awards luncheon we need to go to in June. I may just jump in and do the 30 day shred. If I do, I forsee lots of cursing in my house at the tv.
ROFL, no it isn’t rude, you’re right! 😉 And yes, be forewarned, there
is grunting, cursing, and buttloads of sweat.
You looks fab! Congrats!
Thank you Staci!
Wow, Congrats on the weight loss … You are making me feel bad ! I am going to have to follow your blog and hopefully you will inspire me to get out and tone up before I have to put that dreadful bathing suit on for summer !
Thank you! I’ve tried a lot of things, if there’s anything you’d like an
opinion on, let me know! 🙂
Definitely see the results!! I’m gonna have to get me some 30 Day Shred, too!
Thank you DeAna!!! 🙂
Totally jealous! You go, girl!
Tammy and Parker
http://www.prayingforparker.com
🙂
Thank you Tammy!!
wow! you did awesome! Dang i need to start working out too…;)Hope you have a wonderful day. Happy WW!
Thank you Liza!
Very cool. I purchased Jillian’s latest Yoga with the idea that it was cheaper than Insanity. I’m not sure I want to put out all of that money for Insanity.
Have a great day!
http://harrietandfriends.com/2010/04/driven-stremnaya-road/
Did you get the new Yoga Meltdown somethin’-or-other? I really want
that, too.
WOW! You are awesome!! I so need to get my butt in gear.
You look great! Congrats on doing so well with the 30 day shred, I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews – I’m scared to try it though. I’ve had great success with EA Sports Active for the Wii so I think I’ll stick with that for a bit longer 🙂
I began with Wii Fit and EAS Active, too! Then moved on to Wii Fit Plus
and EAS Active More Workouts. I finished EASMW in February, looking for
something “new”, hence when I began the 30 Day Shred. 🙂 I love using my
Wii, I still use it all the time! I love the Free Run on the Wii Fit, as
well as the yoga and balance games. 🙂
Amazing results Lisa! You’re looking so good and healthy! Way to go hun! 🙂
I think you look great both before and after!
I love you!
Thanks for sharing that, it’s so true and it brought tears to my eyes reading it.
I forget how cool it is sometimes to have the best older siblings in the universe!
Wow! You look great. Your tummy is flat! I have done the 30 day shred but only two sections at a time. She makes me grind my teeth but the results are great. What sections did you do and how often? I would like to try it and see if I have the same results…I could lose around 5 lbs and be happy! Not sure I am P90X fit but maybe after this! Thanks for sharing!
You are seriously rocking and rolling! I wish I lived nearby so you can make me work out. 🙂
Holy CRAP girl! You look amazing! I thought the first set of pics a few months ago were amazing, but you’ve gone even further! Wow! GOOD JOB! Keep it up!
Hi my husband is in the british army does the discount apply to the british too do you know or just US?
If you can let me know that would be great, and if they do how do we go about getting the tickets.
Thank you :0)
That is so wonderful and generous of them. It is the moments like that that make you truly realise what family means, and the wonder of raising such beautiful and giving children.
We’ve had a similar “incident” here involving chocolate pudding with a similar result, but I’ve only 3 kids so babes had to make the rounds twice to be happy.
That’s how I feel right now too. I’m halfheartedlyv
trying to wean our toddler. Not sure, but she may be our last.
I so know what you mean. There are days when I want to cry just driving by the elementary school and my daughter is only 2. It hurts realizing they aren’t your “baby” anymore.
I hear you, and this post made me cry.
I’ll put mine back up later. I’m not in the best mood and it wasn’t sounding real great!
Lets hope people all over the world combine to make the Earth a greener place.
Hi lady! I’m back in the to do list business, just at what is now my personal blog. (Another Piece of the Puzzle is going to be strictly autism related.) Lots of yucky paperwork and stuff going on this week. 🙁
I feel your pain with your donate pile. I’ve got my own pile that’s been hanging out in the same corner of the dining room since the first of the year. Yikes!
Too much going on this week between activities & stuff, so I’m keeping the “To-do list” a little short for this week. Gotta take some sort of break, ya know. 🙂
Clutter- now there is an ongoing battle.
I’m one of those weirdo moms who is looking forward to no more diapers and sippy cups. I can’t wait until we can just hop in the car and take a day trip on a whim.
I noticed that so many of us are struggling to lose weight. Sometimes those last 10 pounds can be sooooo
frustrating. I found a great program that helped me take off 20 pounds quickly, safely and easily. If anyone is interested, the program comes with free health coaching, too! Let me know and I’ll be glad to share.
What a great idea! I may have to join in on this next time.
Dang chica, looking awesome!
I am the mum of four year olds and I feel the same at times. Thanks for a post that made me think.
Hahahahahaha! Gotta love kids!
OMG that is too funny Lisa!!!!
A classic! You’re right, you’re lucky it wasn’t in public. I was once loudly told by my oldest when he was 3 (DH was deployed) in a crowded restaurant that “P” is for penis and Daddy and Santa both have a penis because they’re boys.” Good times, good times.
I like this
LOL! Cute. And she reminds me of Toothless the Dragon … in the book, not the movie. 🙂
Have your kids read How to Train Your Dragon yet, BTW? So cute and very different than the movie.
Love it! And I think it’s just as cute that you changed the “t” to a “d” 😀
Do you like the Shred? Right now I’m doing Biggest Loser Yoga every morning – well except for THIS morning but that’s b/c baby slept AWFUL last nite! I love it…but would like to add on something else too. Hope the prep for your hubby’s trip goes smoothly & you’re able to maintain some sanity while he’s gone 🙂
Great going! Being a mom and taking care of yourself has got to be a challenge. But your results speak for themselves! Keep up the GREAT WORK!
Garry
Publisher, http://www.EveryDayStrollers.com
It’s wonderful! And so much more than I have (I have nothing, I’m inspired!)
Steph
Hey! I’m sorry I haven’t posted my to-do tuesday post yet! I’ve been crazy busy getting into this review/giveaway stuff! I’ll get it done I promise! It maybe Tuesday before i slow down but i’ll have one next week! 🙂 I just wanted to let you know that I haven’t forgotten about you!! 🙂
Jennifer
Hey! Just thought i’d let you know that I didn’t forget about you! It’s been a crazy hectic week so i’ll post my To-Do Tuesday this coming week! Have a great weekend!
Tell me more about this nerve pill…….
http://www.hylands.com/products/nervetonic.php
Love love LOVE it. Helps calm you down naturally, keeping you calm,
better able to handle stressors.
Love this! So fun, can’t wait to read more.
{Giggle} Thanks Sarah! I’m having fun doing it. It’s kind-of liberating,
in a weird, Big Brother kind-of way lol
Just saw this on Twitter, Lisa, and I LOVE it. Totally had me laughing. Especially the play by play on breastfeeding.
How you manage to sneak a blog post in during all of this is nothing short of a miracle. Stay strong, stay sane, and keep the nerve tonic pills handy. You’re gonna need them.
Thank you! 🙂
Yes, updating multiple times has me running for sure, but it’s pretty
quick, unless I’ve snapped a picture, which then means I upload, resize,
watermark, then add to my post. So that takes a little longer. But oddly
enough, it’s really keeping me on my toes, AND helping me stay busy. As
if I needed help with the busy part, though. LOL
And nerve pills totally handy. Unicorns and rainbows, baby. Unicorns and
rainbows.
sending you some virtual coffee & chocolate! That is by far the funniest thing I’ve read. I feel your pain 🙂
Thanks Maria 😉 I think I’ve worked up to needing margaritas at this
point lol
Yup, it’s kinda like I thought. After two children it all goes to He$$ in a handbasket. But it goes much, much louder. Sadly, this post made me want more children. After all, we only want five, not six! That’s only 2 more! I can handle it. Where did you get those nerve pills again?
I feel your pain and am completely impressed with your folded laundry and clean stove.
This is so much more hell in a handbasket because I don’t have back-up
(aka hubby). Otherwise, this wouldn’t seem half as bad. But going it
alone? Downright scary. LOL
But yes, it’s so busy, days are so full, I really can’t imagine it any
other way.
Girlfriend – I think under the definition superwoman is your name 🙂 Thanks for keeping it real.
You’re a sweetheart, Jen ♥
As I’ve said, I do what I can do when I can do it, nothing more. If it
gets done, it gets done. I try my best, and go to bed (usually) like a
rock after a fullllll day, balls to the wall, like we only have one
life, you know?
Sounds like quite a busy day!! Don’t know how you do it! If you want to involve the little ones in kitchen cleaning, check out John Ritzenthaler Co Loofah Scrubbers. They come in fun animal shapes and are eco friendly and organic: http://www.charlestonnaturally.com/store/john-ritzenthaler-co-s-loofah-scrubbers.html
Oh, those DO sound cute!
What a sweet post.
Right on sister, I hear you, I think I am going to steal this but add a twist a week at home with a SAHM and her laid off Husband.
dude and I thought my days with two were bad! In my defense I am usually home alone hubby is always gone!
Wow, honey lots of hugs.
Wow LOL There is nothing worse than having car problems. Okay, there are. But car problems suck royally nonetheless.
BTW – I have one less kid but I get up an hour earlier every day. Does that mean we’re even? hehe
Interesting series. 🙂 I think I may totally copy it. I’ll be sure to link back to all of yours if I do!
“Please don’t let today suck.” That cracked me up, sister.
You are one rockin’ busy and GOOD mama. Rock on.
Sounds like you have my mom’s luck – hope the week gets better!!
I thought this is the norm when our guys are gone. My husband comes home to something having been replaced almost every.freakin.time. I think my personal favorite was the water heater during a snow storm – on Valentine’s Day.
Glad the car was nothing major though. Although if you’re like me, you’re wondering what the next fiasco is going to be. I may have to steal this idea for the summer. I’ll have about 6 or 7 weeks of blog fodder.
Why does this all sound so familiar? Oh. Right. Because it is.
I love you! Not sure if I’ve said that lately..
You crack me up!!!
Yum! I have a food WW this week too! That’s a great shot! Come on over and link up! Here from WW HQ!
Yummy tip.
Wow, I couldn’t do that with out having a panic attack.
This experiment seems really cool!
Yummy sandwich! 🙂
Love this! xoxo
You deserve a nap! And a whole lot more!
Wow, I hate things that take way longer to put together then they say. Wow this makes m tired just reading ut,
I can so relate to this and I have three kids at home with four total. Was checking in with my college student via text earlier today ’cause I know she’s in the midst of finals and papers. I’m sure she’ll be ready to jump back into her studies after being around her younger siblings everyday for a few months. 🙂
When you talk about all the things you have to do or did do it sounds like you’re talking about me. It is never ending and repetitive, isn’t it? I think you’re going to have to force yourself to take the time to take a nap. I’ve been jolting awake as well… sure sign of stress.
I am a world of exhausted just reading this! You deserve many naps!!!
Seriously just tired reading this.
sweet post & pic 🙂 sometimes they’re just so perfect right at the moment when you need a little breath.
Wow, that day is tiring just to read. I now need a nap.
Ugh, I’m sorry you’re flying solo in the parenting realm with hard days getting in your way. It’s hard! And oh so important to see the beauty in the mess….like you always do 🙂
I’m glad that the kids gave you a little bit of peace while daddy is away, I know it’s rough on you. I hope you know that I am here for you for anything you need. 🙂
I have tagged you for a photo meme because I LOVE the photos you take of your kids, stop by my blog when you get a chance.
“Squish them like…” LOL… I so understand. I love those clustered together photos. When I look at ones of my three youngest it does erase (or put on hold) the thoughts of the last bad thing they did. Good luck getting through your last few weeks alone with them. I wish I were closer so I could help and give you a break. Think of me when you sip your next cup of coffee or at bath time when things are hectic: I’ll be doing the same thing. Smooches and hugs for a great week.
Oh dont we all have these days. I hope today has been a good one. I love that evenin the worst of times out kids have the ability to make our whole day seem worth getting up to do over again.
well well well…..what a fancy-smancy Mr, Linky you got there.
very very Cool.
so, it sounds like you did kick some major BUTT this week… i have so much to do, but trying to take one room at a time.
I need to take your advice… “Breathe, just Breathe… i NEED a Breather badly!!
sorry i’ve been MIA .. but I’m Baaaaack.
xoxoxo
You’re absolutely fine for taking a break. I always say, do what you can, don’t overwork yourself. I’m the queen of breaks lol It’s how I survive, really. Breathing and break-ing. Um, did that make sense? lol
I can suggest something for the next birthday of your teenager: take a look at these memory foam beds and choose one that you think it will suit the taste of your child. Enjoy!!!
How ironic that we all seem to be in the same boat gasping for air! lol I’m swamped myself, both the home front & at work. There is a slight glimmer of light at the end of this tunnel, but it’ll be a couple more weeks before I can get to it. *sigh* Can I just quit everything and go back to Kindergarten???
I’m with you there. I long for the days of simplicity in playing with toys and taking naps while my parents cooked and did my laundry. What a dream life!
oh Lisa! That sucks! I hope you feel better ASAP! I wish I lived closer so I could take the kiddos for you while you got better! xoxo
You are such a sweetheart, thank you!
Nothing is worse than a sick Mommy.
I am also a Northerner trying to adjust to the south. It has been SO hard.
It has been a hard transition, eh? Over time I got to appreciate the smiley-faced, door-opening, ya’ll-sayin’, kind and polite people all around. So definitely not what I was used to in New York. It was refreshing to drive without road rage, being cut off with expletives-a-plenty, and sweet tea a-flowin’. And then came the weight gain with that ever-flowing sweet tea. LOL
You look AWESOME! I too am on a weight loss journey. Lost 25 pounds- need to lose 15 or so more!!
Hope you feel better soon. You did say in your article your time as a single parent these 3 weeks will probably involve a trip to the ER. Did you jinx yourself?
Ahhh. Crap! {knocks on wood}
She’s so cute. Same as my boy. He slept in a standing if he feel not comfortable with the diapers. That’s looks so cute and funny!
warm greeting for your family ^^!
keep up the good work 😀
I so super sorry you aren’t feeling well and I hope it passes quickly. I think you gave me your ickies ’cause I’m feeling a little blah myself. Weird sore throat, hot and cold at the same time and a little sicky feeling in the tummy. I think a day of naps is fab except when you’re alone with the kids. Take care and have a wonderful weekend. Happy Mother’s Day!
I’m on day 4 of the shred. I am was searching for results on google and found your post. Thanks for the motivation!!! http://moongetsfit.blogspot.com
Lisa, I’m so sorry. I know you read about my shitty mother’s day. I hope that you’re having a better day today. There’s nothing YOU did or didn’t do. And you know what? It’s ok to cry. xoxo
*HUGE HUGS* from Arkansas…so sorry you’ve had a crappy couple weeks. My kids go through that every so often…usually Thursday evenings because they know they won’t be back for a week & I can’t stand to leave their rooms tornado-ized. My solution in the past has been to put everything that isn’t where it’s supposed to be either in boxes or in a pile in the center of their floor…they then have to clean it all up before they can do anything else. They HATE coming home to piles/boxes. 😉
aww, Lisa..I know the feeling. $ of my 5 are OLDER (14-18) and I do remember that phase. It is hard to accept, but try to look at it this way…they are so interested in everything else because of the great job you have done. They are independent thinkers…going after what they want..being determined. They are only kids once, and right now, their life is centered around their friends & whats hot. Don’t beat yourself up.
Now, as far as watching Little Dude, I WOULD HAVE FLIPPED. Uber grounded would be like a vacation at a resort for my kids. I would talk to them abt responsibility & while you support all the fun they want to do, they do need to have respect & you all need to pull together to make your family work while Daddy is gone.
Best of luck, sweetie!!! You are doing a great job!!! And, yes, your man ROCKS!!!
*sigh* I hear you, girlfriend. My Mother’s Day consisted of making dinner for my mother-in-law and a construction paper card I MADE my husband help my daughter make. Nice.
I’m just chalking it up to a season of life. Or something. Hugs, pretty mama. You’re doing great! And your kiddos love you.
Girl, I may have gotten a card and lunch but Casey and I had horrid fight later that day. I think you should check out my motherhood post, I think it this moment you would understand those feelings. I think it was in the water yesterday.
Seems to be going around. I had that kind of week myself. Don’t worry, you’ll get a glimpse of your precious children when you least expect it. Hopefully this week is starting off better for you. Hugs.
This is so cute! I would love their company while I’m doing my daily dread of The Shred!
LMFAO!!! You are too funny Lisa, Gosh I miss ya!
I am sorry you had such a bad day. My mother’s day wasn’t really any different than any other day. If my oldest hadn’t made something in school and my mom taken my girls to get me flowers and decorate me some cakes, nothing would have been done. I got “happy mother’s day” in a text from my husband finally around 10 AM. As for the kids behavior, maybe there is just something in the air because mine seem to be the same way lately. Sometimes I feel like I am maybe speaking in another language because I have to keep repeating my self to get them to do anything. Anyway, *hugs* to you and I hope you have a better week.
Did I see Baby Dude standing at parade rest a couple times? Too cute!
LOL… It did look like that, didn’t it?
Very adorable. The other funny thing is on YouTube, your video comes up along other Jillian Michaels videos. I am sure searchers would prefer your kids as their workout coaches!
It is fun when the workout, isn’t it? Your daughter was really into it. LOL… I love how you’re inadvertently teaching the healthy habits. I never seem to fit working out into my day so maybe I should schedule a time with the kids instead of trying to do it without them. Thanks for the inspiration. 🙂
First of all, Hip Hip Hooray for the Hubby! What a gem. Secondly, I can so feel where you’re coming from that it’s almost as if I could have written this myself. Children are selfish little people and sometimes it seems like they purposefully act un-nice and uncaring, but I keep telling myself that it can’t be on purpose. It must be a kid thing that they’ll grow out of. I, for one, am giving them two to five more years to get it together and care about someone besides themselves. (Well, my younger three.) After that don’t be surprised if I show up at your doorstep with my suitcase and the cab waiting. I’ll either snatch you away or put all the kids in the taxi and send them to the mothers on the Kleenex commercial. (Ut oh, think I’ve had too much coffee today.)
I hope you’re feeling better soon and I’m sorry your Mother’s Day went like that. I can only imagine how upset and freaked out you were to find your baby on the other side of the door! Geez!
Totally know where you are coming from Lisa. My kids didn’t do nothing either, not even a Happy Mother’s Day. I know the older they get the more they care about what is going on in thier own life and no one else’s. Pretty hurtful
Babyone…Oh I am so sorry for your rotten day—I wish it could have been more magical. Or at least relaxing and pain-free.
I hope your husband gets home soon.
Much love and so many well wishes,
Sara Sophia
hahahaha! love it!
So cute and charming , well done:))))
Oh I’m sorry dear but we – mothers always are forgoten. Hope your days are better! You have amazing family dear:)))
What a busy days you have, you afe heroe darling! A man can’t do that you must be sure:))))
That’s so so cute – “Definition of family: Sharing your ice cream with your little brother when he has none.”
You have so larming and cute blog, and family too. God bless you and yes we must remember every second of our life!
Новое?
Ohh really agree with the others, men can’t do that. Good bless our women:)!
Cool, I did not know that Jillian Michaels had a workout for kids. She is such an inspiration.
a month – from the acquisition and sale of wow gold to US and EU gamers. Why is this is the future of work online? Consider wow po the numbers, youth, and low wages of the gold farmers, and the growing interest in outsourcing tasks online.
Congratulations!! You can see a change and you are an inspiration. I started this last year and started noticing changes but ended up six for over 7 weeks and never got back to it. Currently in the process of a move so can’t wait to start this once I have all my movies again. 🙂 Thanks for the little boost. 🙂
Too cute! Parenting is always full of surprises. If you have a chance, check out my blog at http://cupofjoewithjen.blogspot.com/
Yes she wont remember the actions, but will remember the feeling of protection, love and confort. This is the most important feeling in someone’s life. Very interesting article , I really liked it. I will come back for more.
You could try “Insanity” Since it’s only 60 days instead of 90…
Oh I know. I say this all the time. It just goes by too fast. 🙁
It does indeed. It took my breath away when I saw these old pictures 🙁
ROFL too cute!! Love it!! I bet they had a blast though, right?!
Oh yeah, they always do. 🙂
Wow, that is crazy.
Just call ’em super soakers 😉
Oh wow – very funny!! If they do windows send them my way! LOL
Ha, they do/did! I’ll ask how much they charge lol
That is hilarious! Oh the joys of younger siblings.
Sara,
Agreed! LOL They are such personalities, aren’t they?
What a cutie!!
Thank you, Stacie!
LOL… life looks tough for baby dude! You may have a few opponents to be him when we grow up!
~hugs, Faythe @GMT
Haha, I imagined I would, Faythe 🙂
He looks so cool chillin out and watching the match
Thanks, Dominique, I agree! 🙂
Cuteness!!! My boys do that too when we take DD to cheer practice!
Lori,
That’s adorable! 🙂
That’s the way it’s done! Lol
Amen to that, Tammy! LOL
LOL He is certainly laid back and chillin. There is no better way to watch soccer!
Ab-so-LUTEly! You are so right!
He is so cute! He looks very comfortable and he’s staying out of trouble. 😉
Ah yes, definitely staying out of trouble, so mommy can watch the
game! Yay! 🙂
Oh that is adorable!!! Too funny!
{Giggle} thanks Brandy! 🙂
Cute! Your blog is fun.
Aww, thank you so much!! 🙂
OH did you get the evil Look LOL
Haha, hadn’t considered it was an evil look,I thought it was more of
the “oh crap, you caught me!” look LOL
Too fun! He’s so cute sitting there stealing 🙂
Thank you, Paula! 🙂
Thank you so much!! <3
Right? He’s totally a rockstar at the soccer games lol
Thanks Andrea! 🙂
Looks like a great weekend! So nice to see these cute, curly kids scoring goals. You must be one proud mama!
-Deb for Ouidad
Thank you, Deb! I am! 🙂
nice tatoo…Great artwork Mommy. Lov e it the things we do for our children
Heh, thank you!! 🙂 Yes, the things we do for our children 😉
Too funny. My kids haven’t taken any writing utensils to me yet, but my wall fell victim this last week, so who knows.
Oh, I know the wall art VERRRRRY well lol
haha thats a nice piece of art work, my two years old nepheew used to do such sort of paintings on my hands, nice one dear!
Thank you!! Don’t you love it when they do that? 🙂
LOL–that IS funny.
{Giggle} Thank you! 🙂
Very true. I think all parents need a reminder that these moments are too fleeting. Happy WW!
http://www.adventuresofabreastfeedingmother.com/2010/10/my-three-pumpkins.html
Yes, thank you! That’s what I think, too 🙂
You may start a new trend. Maybe the other parents will want arm art too.
Oohhh!! Good idea!! 🙂
you just had to make me cry didn’t you? You’re right-it will all be over too fast!
Aww, I’m sorry, Dee!! 🙂
I feel the same way – it goes by so fast, I have to stop and take time to do even things that seem silly, because one day they will all be out of the house and I’ll miss it. Love that you posted this!
I follow you on Google Friend Connect and NetworkedBlogs! Stop by table4five.net when you get a chance and leave your link, maybe follow me back? 🙂
Thank you so much, Elizabeth! I try to keep myself in “check” by
remembering that time waits for no one 😉
I will stop by and check you out. Heh.
This is just beautiful and quite moving.
Great post!!!
Happy WW! Feel free to pass by my WW post!
Best,
Li
@LaLicenciada
@HerDeepThoughts
Thank you so much, Li! 🙂
That is too funny! You are right, someday you are going to wish you had that drawing back on your arm so you could look down at it and giggle!! They grow up too fast. I love your blog and your funny stories. Probably because it reminds me of my own house:) I left you some blogger awards on my blog. http://www.8aplenty.blogspot.com
Congrats…enjoy!!
Thank you, Sara! I appreciate your sweet compliments 🙂 They do grow
up SOSOSOOOO fast, and I’m having the HARDEST time coping with time not
being on my side. I talk about that A LOT.
I’m currently paralyzed on your blog, not wanting to click away at
anything, because of Leanne Womack at the bottom “I hope you
DAAAAAAANCE” – kind-of, sort-of what I needed to hear today. I’m in a
bit of a slump. Thank you for awarding me <3
Awww!! what a sweet Mom. I have let my kids do that too! ROFL
I’m no where near as cool as my husband. He used to take off his shirt
and let the kids “have at it” with markers LMAO
So true! They grow up so fast.
They do. Sigh. 🙁
Awww, great work!
Thank you, Lisa! 🙂 <3
What a great attitude to take 🙂 And hey, it’s not like he wanted you to have it permanently tattooed on your arm. Hope it comes off eventually!
Thank you! It’s coming off all on it’s own 😉
Awww, they all grow up way too fast 🙁
Yes they do, Shawn Ann 🙁
Actually, I like the drawing, very abstract – and it takes on an additional significance on the body.
Thank you! I like it, too. 🙂
Nice!
{giggle} Thanks, Stacie! 🙂
LOL. That is awesome!
Happy WW!
LOL Thanks Rob! 🙂
great attitude Lisa! so true, they grow fast & poof!! they are gone… sniff…
thanks for stopping, playing along & linking up 🙂 Faythe @GMT
Thank you Faythe 🙂 I think your WW are adorable, thanks for letting me
play along 🙂
Picture made me CRACK up… Your words made me TEAR up… Beautiful.
Aww, Jen, thank you!
Love it! LOL
{giggle} thanks Kathy!
I love that you didn’t wash it off, I don’t love that you just made me have the most overwhelming feeling that i’ve been trying to avoid. I don’t want my son to grow up and my house to be empty – although the prospect of no mess, less washing and ironing – hmmm silver lining, nah wouldn’t change it. Lovely story x
I’m sorry! But yes, it’s a feeling I do NOT enjoy but helps fuel me to
make the most out of everyday. Silver lining, maybe? 🙂 Thank you so much <3
Girl, I feel you hence my new series on my blog clean home movement.
Word.
I find it very hard to part with certains things too, sometimes.
I wish I could understand why I think that I’d forget that time, or
item, or whatever, simply by giving it away or selling it. Maybe I think
I’m senile and forgetful? Oh yeah, I kind-of am. :-S
I’ve been there done that!! 🙂 It’s the little things like this they will remember always! <3
It is, isn’t it?? My husband goes all out and let’s ’em break out the
washable markers and draw all over his upper body 🙂
Great photos…. I love looking back at those kind of pictures, and yes, the time goes by WAY too fast. You have the most adorable children.
Thank you, Lorie! You are too sweet. Time needs to stop going so
freakin’ fast! 🙁
i do on flickr, because I haven’t go a external hard drive yet.
Ooh, see? You’re a smartie. Hadn’t considered backing up using Flickr or
Photobucket – great idea!
I just bought a seagate go flex 320GB at Costco today. So far it’s backing up pretty good. I’m glad its a good one!
Yeah! I was so surprised at how easy it was, albeit LONG because of all
my files (OMG) lol
CUTE!! We’re going as a very pregnant Mary (me, obviously), the Angel bringing good news (Ali), and the Donkey on which I rode in (Chris). 🙂
Hey, that’s such a great idea for a costume! When I was pregnant on
Halloween I was a pregnant butterfly/angel something lol I had on all
black with sparkly hair and wings. I “winged” it HAHA
Adorable! And two thumbs up to your husband for getting into the spirit!! Your kids will remember that always! 🙂
Thank you – we love dressing up and Halloween. The kids get a huge kick
out of hubs dressing up, I agree with you! <3
So cute! I can’t wait to see you in your costume. I remember how much you like Halloween from last year. I don’t celebrate, but it’s fun seeing everyone else. If we were gonna dress up I think I would like to be a modern vampire queen. My son would probably want to be Superman, Ironman, Spiderman or something like that. Amareah would be a princess so, of course, Anna would want to be a princess.
Aw, do you not like dressing up? I do love Halloween, I love playing
pretend with the kids, and we try to go “all out” 🙂 One year we want to
do a whole-house thing, maybe haunted house or something 🙂
I never thought I would see a pirate and Mickey holding hands. Just goes to show that love conquers all.
LOL!! Indeed 🙂
My daughter fell off her bunk bed and continued sleeping on the floor.
Doesn’t seem to phase them at all, the whole, no-bed anymore thing, eh? 🙂
That is so darn cute. You are totally a soccer mom., Now you need to get the “Soccer Mom” bumper sticker for your car.
Thank you! I actually have a soccer mom magnet! Heh 🙂
Ummm, pretty much like that! Although, we, unfortunately, tend to have a few disagreements. Especially when we’ve had an evening that was full of soccer practices. We can have some tired, crabby whining kids in the morning!
I used to make pancakes during the week, too, but now it’s quick cereal or toast and smoothies. We have an earlier bus pick up this year…7:45. UGH.
Uh… It sure looks like a water fight broke out. I remember when we (friends and siblings) used to wash cars when we were young, it always ended up in full scale water fight, this picture is quite decent compared to the carnage we left behind and some times everything in the vicinity would be soaking wet, except for the car =p One day when they will grow up, they are sure going to cherish these pictures.
I absolutely will, David, you are so right. I miss those water fights as
a kid, too. So much fun!
((hugs)) It’s all good hunny! You are a FANtastic Mama and your hubs will be home before you know it! 😉
Thanks honeybun, he comes home tonight! Yippee!! 🙂
Hugs, trust me I understand. Today I called begging Casey to come home because I had the worst kind of stomach bug and a toddler. He asked me why I couldn’t handle both.
{hugs} I hope you’re okay! Feel better, sweetie!
Lisa, you are such an amazing mom! I couldn’t do half of what you do and I only have half the kids (for now. #4 is on the way.)
Thank you, Kristin! I’m so excited with your news 🙂 I’d say it’s a girl
(again) but… I think you’re destined for boys (since you do such a
wonderful job raising romantic, upstanding gentlemen) 🙂
Sending you some cyber supportive hugs, Lisa! You shall survive 😉 Keep them away from extra sugar & matches! just in case 😉 ~Halloween hugs~
{Giggle} thanks so much, Faythe! <3
Could it be the lesser of two evils though? you get up early but you need to go to bed even earlier because you are so tired. I don’t know what you can do to fit everything in, god knows i’ve tried loads of things but I know how this one feels.
I have to be up at 4.30am to drive to work and I don’t get in until after 8pm most nights, my mum is great as she does the school runs for me but as a single parent I still have to do everything else for my 11yr old. I think having a set time to be able to write is great but I think you also have to prepare yourself for when you start. Sometimes without realising it putting pressure on yourself to maintain writing at a set time can have a negative efffect, if you get up earlier are the ideas going to flow or are you going to sit and stare at the screen/keyboard. I have a recorder on my phone and if I get an idea I just speak it to myself, or text it to myself, that way when I do start to write I have something to start with. It definitely helps to make the best use of the time that I have.
Do you want to know something wacky? As much as I wanted/needed to go to
bed at like 8:30 last night, I actually didn’t go to sleep til well
after 10pm. So odd, considering I rose earlier than I have in a while.
But then again, because I couldn’t get to sleep right away, I missed
getting up early today, and instead got up at the normal time. Damn. LOL
I totally agree with what you are saying – I think I need to just go
with the flow for a bit, and not put too much pressure on me to write at
certain times. I felt it yesterday, so I got up with ease. Today, not so
much LOL Will keep that in mind in the future 🙂
I write in the morning, but not super early mostly because I just can’t think clearly that early. Same with later in the evening, my brain is mush at a certain time on most days. So I’m no help. At. All. But I did want to say isn’t silence golden 🙂
Yes! See, late at night doesn’t work because I’m zonked, too. I didn’t
think early would work for similar reasons, but I woke naturally and
just decided to give it a try. Today, though, I failed lol. I will play
it by ear and see – but that silence yesterday was AWESOME! Today, not
getting up, and contending for silence with toddlers is SO not helping lol
Yeah. ME TOO. Exactly. Every detail of this. And then I’m ready to sleep by 6pm. I just don’t know. I think it would help if we didn’t try to watch a movie or a previously recorded favorite show IN BED. Maybe if I sat upright on the couch I would make it longer 🙂
Ah yes, the ol’ TV-watching-in-bed trick, figuring you can cuddle, but
all you do is ZONK. Yup. So then, wha’d we do? We moved to the
couch/living room, and set-up shop there, all fit and proper to watch TV
with each other, and I STILL ZONK ON THE COUCH lol. I think I need tea
with caffeine, or to do aerobics while we watch TV. Romantic, no, but
neither is my snoozing halfway through a show. Ahem.
I love writing in the early morning. For me, the best balance is working out as soon as I wake up and then writing as I cool down before I get started on the day. My best advice for staying awake at night would be not to push it. I know hubby’s need their time too, but it might take you a while to adjust to a new routine. I stay awake by staying busy when I’m really tired – folding the laundry, reading, anything really but watch TV because that puts me to sleep like a dose of Nyquil. Good luck though. Maybe a cup of hot tea?
Oh, I love that idea about working out first then writing to cool down,
Joanna! I also stay awake by staying busy, which I think is why I fall
asleep so quickly when watching TV, mainly because I’m finally still! lol
I will try tea at night – caffeinated instead of my regular
non-caffeinated choice, to help keep me awake while we cuddle. Thanks
for your wonderful suggestions, Joanna! 🙂
I love your ideas!! Feingold. WOW. My mom had me on the Feingold plan when I was a little kid. I’ve been reading more about it lately as I try to purge my home of artificial crap. Thanks for the link to the site. I think I’ll be spending a lot of time on it this weekend.
You’re so welcome! Feingold has helped our family immensely – I wish
more people knew about it, to include restaurants. It is SO hard to go
away on vacation with artificial food everywhere, you know?
That is AWESOME your mom had you on it when you were little! Definitely
take a look and let me know if you have any questions, we’ve been doing
it for years.
I am going to start trying this.
Excellent!! 🙂
Awwww he is so handsome and he looks great!!
Thank you Stacie!
He does look great!
Thank you, Kristin 🙂
What an awesome story.
Thank you, honeybun! 🙂
What a fabulous story… you had tears welling in my eyes.
He looks fantastic, what a handsome young man!
Thank you so much, Lorie!
I did this once, not for a whole month, and it drove me BANANAS. I’m back to weighing every day but I definitely focus more on how I feel than what the scale says. Still, it’s usually a pretty good reflection of how I feel. For me, it’s all about the midsection. All my extra weight seems to go there. Even 2 lbs makes a big difference in my clothes. Bleh.
I do think going without the scale helped me focus more on how I feel, and it was a good exercise. Good luck!
I am completely with you – my mid-section is where I gain, too! And I
hate it! I figure, if I exercise with reckless abandon without worrying
and stressing about the scale, I’m hoping that the weight will
disappear, as does my constant worrying, and I’ll solve my problem
two-fold. Here’s to hoping!! 🙂
I think that’s an awesome idea! I wish I was strong enough to do it, but I’m a little addicted to my scale. I wish I could focus more on how I feel, instead of what the scale says!
so sweet!
That is so cute!
http://atticgirl.blogspot.com/2010/11/wordless-wednesday-31-weeks.html
That is so cute! I love the “speed” of his hands in your pictures 🙂
I adore his hair!
He is so cute! Don’t you love their enthusiasm? My 2 year old yells “Go Leafs Go” at every hockey game we go to…and they’re minor hockey games, not the Leafs, lol.
That’s the kind of cheerleader I need! Maybe I’d be able to get through my to-do list.
He is so stinkin’ cute.
I LOVE Speedo Clappo… he is the cutest little bug! What a great kid and so wonderful that he is supportive of everyone, but especially supportive of his big brothers and sisters. You must be a terrific mom….. what am I saying must be? I KNOW you are!!
HUGGLES!!
Everyone needs a cheering section. It sounds like he is a one man cheering section.
Adorable!!!
What a cutie!
I love that he claps for everyone.
It’s official. You HAVE been bitten by the running bug. Lace up your shoes and hold on tight- your journey is just beginning. Welcome!
This comment makes me want to cry. Good happy tears, mind you. The wind
didn’t lie – I can do it, can’t I?
Yep, you can do it. And if you should ever hit a “bump in the road”, then we will be there to pick you up with support, encouragment and motivation. Now go pick a race for the near future, whether it be a 10K (6.2 miles) or even a half marathon : ).
Lisa, thank you!! I know you ladies will, you have been such a HUGE
inspiration for me to get going in the first place! I have my first 5K
next Wednesday! After that, I’m thinking of the Disney Princess Half in
February. Renee and I were talking about being roommates and running it
for her birthday. I canNOT wait to be in San Antonio next spring/summer
nonetheless – to be closer to you gals and have the ability to run more
races since there aren’t many here!
All I can say is, “Wow.” What an amazing adventure. And what an amazing discovery. You CAN do it!
I love it! What a great post! So glad you, and “the wind,” had a great run!
Winks & Smiles,
Wifey
Yikes! That’s some serious running! Good for you! I bet your kids loved being outside, too!
I absolutely loved reading this post. Reading this brought a smile to my face. I’m not a runner, but I too have felt nature’s touch as part of me wondered if it was an over-active imagination.
Adorable! I wish for just an ounce of his daily joy!!!
Awesome! You will LOVE P90X – I’m in my second round of it and I am addicted! You look fabulous!!!
Thank you! Really, I will love it?? I am really nervous about it with
the pull-ups LOL I really want to be buff but not look like a wrestler LOL!
Good luck on your first 5k. You have inspired me to get out there and try again. Running is a struggle for me, but I so want to be one.
I enjoyed your comment over at 5MinutesFor Mom on the Halloween candy, so hopped over here. Loved reading your post (made me guilty that I don’t run BUT…..) about how you described the last few days – exactly as it was here for me (I will have to check your location). I was home with my four year old for the first time being “Home Mommy” for three days and I thought the rain and wind was against me! All in all, we had a great time together (and now that sweet hubby/SAHD is home all is well). Thanks!
Alyzabeth’s Mommy for Two Years
Alyson,
Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting! 🙂 I hope you don’t feel
guilty because you don’t run, I don’t mean to make anyone feel guilty!
Rain can be SUCH a pest, huh? I recall a time it didn’t even phase us –
not anymore! Yikes!
Angie, really?? Wow, thank you so much! Email me anytime if you need to
talk, I know getting out there and running can be tough in the
beginning. If I can help you in any way, let me know!
Thank you! That’s exactly what I want, too! 🙂
Yes! Isn’t that such a wonderful feeling? Thank you for your sweet
comment & compliment <3
Thank you! My children DO love being outside, yes! All that fresh air
helps them sleep well (and does momma some REAL good) 🙂
Thank you so much!!! I big puffy heart you and look up to you, thank you
SO much for stopping by! {hugs}
Thank you so much, Heather! I really do think I can! 🙂
Ah, I love all of you so much <3 We MUST plan something in Texas for
2011 – what do you have planned? I'll be a Texan in June 🙂
I love it, too! 🙂
Thank you Stacie 🙂
Thank you!! 🙂
Yes, he most certainly is!! 🙂 Thank you!
Thank you SO much Lorie! You are my one-woman cheering section, you know
that? I hope you’re having an absolute BLAST at Brandcation, you deserve
it! <3
{giggle} Thank you! He is definitely a wonderful cheerleader when he’s
inspired to be (he’s also a REALLY good interrupter, too. Heh.) 🙂
Thank you! Your 2-year-old is too cute, Sam! <3
Thank you Lisa! I can’t bring myself to cut it! :-S
Thank you, Bari! Although accidental, I love it! <3
Thank you Shelly! 🙂
Thank you, Melinda! 🙂
I have to admit this to you – I believe I’m losing weight. My clothes
are beginning to fit better, and doing right for the sake of doing right
and NOT because I want the scale to change is SO much better. It is
totally making a difference.
Lisa Douglas
Blogger. Writer. Editor.
Crazy Adventures in Parenting
http://www.CrazyAdventuresinParenting.com
/It takes a special kind of crazy to raise six kids living in the
military. And a lot of coffee./
Find me on Facebook ,
Twitter , Skype
, or join my Blog Frog Community
!
Hi Lisa
Since you left a comment on my meme over at Mommybrunchtales.com. I thought I would check out your blog. It is really great! I love your before and after weight loss. Congratulations to you. I hope to be where you are at soon. I gained 60lbs with my first baby, lost half ot it and gained another 30 with my second and have been in the lose/gain cycle for 5years. Your posts are inspiring. I am commmenting here because I love that you posted all these pumpkin recipes! I am definately going to try one. I have a pumpkin spice cake recipe I love and has been a big hit with others. I will try and find it and add it!
I did the same thing to shake up my weight loss plateau. I can run farther and for longer than ever (I’ve never had endurance). Well, stick with it, Mama! I boycotted the scale for a 3 weeks blew off a few runs out of frustration. Then, hopped on the scale and was down 7.3 lbs! Hang in there, stick with it, you’ll get there.
You know – do you really have any “weight” left to lose? I was thinking that today – because the pics of you look awesome. If you hit a plateau, it might simply mean you are at a good amt of body fat – at that point all you can do is gain muscle. KWIM?
And laying off the scale is a good thing. I did it for years because it was driving me batty. But I do like to watch the scale now – I always assume higher numbers mean more muscle at this point. LOL. I am aiming for 4 more pounds of muscle!
Erin, you may be right. I do have *some* fat left in some areas (belly,
inner thighs), but I do think it’s become this much harder simply
because my body likes where I’m at, plus I’m gaining muscle with all
this running (am up to 7 miles+ in my training!). I do want to lean out
some more, I really want a lean, muscular body. I think yoga and pilates
or resistance training? Something that will elongate what I’m doing. I
love all the cardio, though, I just feel like I need to fine tune
certain areas to get them where I want them (or as much as I can).
Laying off the scale has completely made my workouts and eating well
THAT much better, I think I may just weigh once a month to gauge where
I’m at – that’s it.
Any update pics of you? 🙂
Just FYI this laws are in effect all over the country not just where you live and are not meant to “punish” you for being a military family.
klm
Ok, lady. Here’s the deal. ** I love you.** I have found in you my new inspiration. And as I sit here eating this HUGE piece of chocolate cake, yes at 12:30am too, I am saying to myself, “Janny, glup! This is the lady whooth gonna hep you looth all that.. gluglup, chomp, smack, lick, smuulch.. weight! And though crazy as she may think she is theeths gonna keep you thane too!” So there! You are my new hero! I think I have that P90X somewhere in VHS?? I’m going digging after this…
We are total opposites.. yet so the same! I don’t like to work out (yet want -no- NEED to lose weight). I don’t love the outdoors as much as you do. Also, bad allergies and daily bad-hair-days keep me inside. However, once I’m out it’s an all day affair! We’re both from NY (Bronx here). I was half-raised in PR by a Dominican mother. And my father -whom I’ve never met, is Mexican… sort of like a Hispanic mutt, just blended in all around, you know?
I wanted 6 kids once, but every time I had one I lowered that number by one. So, I finally settled for three. But I think I could’ve had a dozen if I would have felt I had the support of my husband. When a wife has that support, and the husband has faith in her as a parent, then a wife can be Wonder Wo-mom! You are blessed to have that.
My children are grown now. I am now a full time parent to my 3-yr old grandson, Raymond, who is the new love of my life. I eat, breathe, and live for him and through him.. reminding myself everyday not to overdo the loving. And so, I went from High School graduations to diapers and having to do it all over again. Yet, I am loving every minute of it as I did my first time around -just older and wiser now. Still, wiser does not mean I don’t wonder if I’m doing the right thing every now and then.
I, too, moved to the South because the military said it was my new home. Here my soon to be X-hub retired and we bought a house he lives in because after 20 years I was done with the belittling. No, this isn’t a griping session.. just giving you a taste of where I’m at. Anywho, He doesn’t want to sign the D papers because he ‘..Ain’t giving [me] his pension. [He] earned it.. not [me].” I guess he says that because for 20 years (10 military) I must’ve rubbed my stomach until it shone and nothing else. So, since I’m stuck with a lawyer that knows crap about anything and… oh, sorry. Never mind.. I was getting ready to gripe.
So! Story short… well, at least the ending is short. I, too, love to write. I have a blog too.. though I write when something inspires me.. I want to do the everyday blogging as well but just can’t get that disciplined. Maybe if I start doing it then I might be able to develop the discipline to lose weight as well!
Finally, as I said before, you are my new inspiration, my hero. If you can do it with SIX then I can do it with ONE once again.. Sheeeew!!! I did it with THREE at one time so once should be a snap, right?? Ha! Hehehummm…
God bless you and your family, and may He ALWAYS look after, not only your husband, but all those with him there and any other soldier gone anywhere else that the military has sent them.
~Janny
http://www.facebook.com/jannymaha
http://2centsworth4grabs.blogspot.com/
Janny,
Oh my gosh, I want to apologize, I never got notification of this email! I am so happy to have made your aquaintance! I just accepted your friend request on Facebook, will message you there. Hugs! And thank you!
disqus is much better…well improved!
Military deployment family time is an excused absence and does not count in the total number. Always check your FACTS
I did, thank you. Deployment family time is excusable, yes. But when a child is feeling down-in-the-dumps, depressed, Daddy just left, child had a late night up all night worrying and didn’t sleep well, or tossed and turned or is feeling unwell despite not being sick, without a doctor’s note, it would be considered unexcused. Deployment family time isn’t the only reason a military child would stay behind from school while a loved one/parent is deployed.
I’m not sure what bone you have to pick with me? I am so sorry to have stepped on your toes by not agreeing with foolishness like this. Even the doctors here do not agree with this, we’re forced to clog up their offices for sniffles and allergies just to abide by these ridiculous guidelines.
Congratulations! By the way, is it just the camera angle or did you actually get SHORTER after the program?
Thank you, Greg!! 🙂
HA!!! Combo of camera angle and lack-of-cropping LOL!!
wow. real results. NICE!!!
Thank you for putting a real woman with 6 kids on the internet. When I started looking for results from the 30 day shred I kept finding tiny toned woman who didn’t need to look any better. I have 6 kiddos myself and just want to loose some of the baby belly that kind of hangs there. My 20 year reunion is this summer so I have a couple of months to shred some of it off. Well I should get off the computer my 11 month old is awake and screaming and my 3 year old sounds like she is taking apart the dvd player 🙂 Thanks so much!
I think its a great.
Looking at you, before OR after, I would never have guessed you had 6 kids. Are they adopted? Because you were in primo shape even before the shred. I started the shred last year and lost a few pounds and then I got sick and stopped and just couldn’t bring myself to start all over again with the super-mega sore ,muscles from the depths of hell. But maybe I will now. Don’t hold me to that, though. I just want to be thinner after seeing some of the shots from Mom 2.0 that I DIDN’T publish. Ugh…I need to lose 10 lbs minimum.
I’m just reading this and I have been doing Shred it W/ WEights alternating with 6 WEek 6 Pack for…6 weeks, about 5 or 6 days a week. And (RE: your back) I think I AM getting BIGGER especially my waist is bigger, or else my hips shrank. But I don’t like the way it looks, i’m losing my feminine shape. I think maybe Jillian needs to be balanced with something else. Does this happen to other women?
I definitely feel you. I noticed my back was getting bigger, BUT (!!!) I
think your shoulders/upper back getting bigger is actually a good thing
– you become more of an hourglass shape that way. I now find because my
shoulders are broader, I’m stronger up top, with my hips and thighs
getting trim and more muscular, that my waist just *seems* smaller now.
(For me, though, to make my waist completely shrink, I need surgery to
repair my diastasis recti and remove the excess skin from many pregnancies.)
If you feel like you are bulking up too much, don’t eat red meat, eat
more lean chicken and fish, and use less weights (instead of 3lbs, use
1-2lbs). I, too, have been getting more muscular, but I kind-of like it.
I don’t want to have HUGE guns like a man, but I don’t want to wobble at
all, so muscle to me is good. 🙂
Do you have before and after pics?
omg you look GREAT!!
He’s growing up so fast alright, and I wonder how you face every day of him taking his step towards growing up; and also, it looks like he took the whole loose tooth phase well, with that look on his face.
Haha! I’m pretty sure planking has its roots in this – I remember my parents thought pictures of us kids sleeping in awkward positions were hilarious!
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I had not read this before – I think you just might be my mom hero! 🙂
Congrats on our weight loss. I'm so glad that you read up on Splenda and now I'm hoping you'll do you the same with Truvia. I was very surprised to read that you believe that Truvia is pure stevia. Stevia is a green leafy plant and Truvia is a processed white powder (please read the ingredients on the back).First off, Truvia is made by the Coca Cola company (need I say more?). After I started reading labels it became very clear that the FDA is only interested in marketing and keeping their rich corporate sponsers happy. Food packaging claims that products are "natural" (there is nothing "natural" about Truvia)is like saying that diet soda is good for someones diet. Eat healthy, keep it simple—less ingredients–little to no processing. The only way to win this battle is to read labels-question everything. I try to find products that have 5 or less ingredients and then read and reread-it has to say %100 (to be whole-not stripped of important nutrients) whole wheat or grains etc. I think these artificial sweetners give the public a green light to use it just as much and more than sugar when what should probably happen is eating (raw unprocessed) sugar in moderation. This summer I'm going to try to use the stevia plant as a plant-just put it in my jug of tea and see what it tastes like. In the meantime I'm sticking to sugar in the raw. Even evaporated cane juice uses the process of evaporating. In the future I'm going to try and make big batches of sauces, soups, etc so I know that there are whole ingredients and no extra additives or preservatives. Freezing and canning are amazing and just taking one day a month can make a huge difference (if we all pushed ourselves to slow down and take the time, sigh 🙂 I wish I could be a vegan that eats completely raw food but I love food too much. Which gets me thinking: Why do humans feel the need to live in excess (money, food, instant gratification)when all it does is cause emptiness? Why do people feel they need so much sugar and caffeine to "keep them going" and continue to live at a fast pace? Isn't there a better healthier way? Stress causes health problems and I wouldn't be surprised if some of these "natural" ingredients cause cancer. Sometimes people get it in their head that they "need" something when it's really our mind taking over our body. Listen to the body, try not to get wrapped in up weighing yourself too much, health is not about numbers it's a balance of being aware, taking the time and doing the hard work. Thanks for listening 🙂
I stumbled across this site and found it inspirational. As a new mom, I’m one of the lucky ones.. I did all the right things and was rewarded. I didn’t gain any weight, no sagging tummy, no bloating. But i am wondering if I will be so lucky next time, hence my interest 🙂 With six kids, how did you manage the stretch you put your tummy through six times??? From what I can see, you don’t seem to have much loose skin around your abs.
Thank you, Priya!! You are officially hired as my ego-booster! 🙂 And congratulations on being a new mom! How old is your baby? How are you doing so far?
I do have stretched skin – one of my pregnancies I was borderline gestationally diabetic and ballooned to almost 200 lbs. That’s a lot of skin to be left with, and stretch marks left in it’s wake. I am particularly about what clothes to wear, how they fall on my skin, but I will definitely need surgery to remove and repair. I even have some skin hanging over my c-section incision from my oldest son. But you wouldn’t know unless you saw underneath the clothing, but I can tell you, I’ll weigh a lot less when the skin is removed.
I completely understand what you are saying, and your fears of whether or not you will always be so lucky during all your pregnancies. My sister was one of those lucky ones with each of her 3 kids. This time around, I’m entering my third trimester and have already put on 20 lbs, yet, after all this weight loss (and even more so than depicted on this post) and being in the best shape I’ve been in since before having kids, my body still wants to put that weight on, for whatever reason, even though it doesn’t show nearly as much as it did with previous pregnancies (because I started at a much lower weight, I guess?)
I’m also continuing on with working out during this pregnancy, mainly
weight lifting and the elliptical. I had to stop running last month,
with no support to hold up my belly, it was tough getting those miles
in. And I miss it, terribly.