Advocare 24 day challenge!

Oh wow! It has been a LONG time since I posted.  I feel like since the move I have been doing nothing but sleeping, working, and cleaning with a little help from the "wild man". 

ANYWAY, after being on weight watchers on and off for 2 years I decided it was time for a change. I have been stuck on a plateau with my weight.  My friend messaged me about her Advocare products and said HEY, try this! So, I figured "why not".  Today is the first day on my 24 day challenge.  I want a cookie :)
jk, I'm actually doing alright. I woke up took my pills, chugged my fiber drink (chugging is a must because the texture is NOT pleasant) and ate some eggs.  I don't usually eat breakfast so this was a bit of a struggle. I drank a SPARK this morning instead of my usual coffee and I loved it! I didn't sleep good because Mark wasn't home. Every little noise I woke up, like "ah, someone's coming in the house" of course no one did. But, I felt like I had a full nights sleep.
           I told myself I wouldn't drink more than one today but, I couldn't help myself.  I just liked it so much.  The energy it gives is unbelievable and you should see how fast I'm typing this!! I'm HYPED UP! Just kidding, it doesn't make me jittery or hyper at all but I do feel like I can clean my whole house.. I'm not going to but I feel like I could if I wanted to. SO... breakfast I had my protein, complex carb, and fruit, it was just eggs with some homemade all-natural salsa, a small piece of whole grain toast with NO added sugars, and a few slices of a pear.
Next, instead of having a snack I went and rode my exercise bike for 30 mins. I feel like that is a must since I had so much energy. I made myself a wrap and some veggies for lunch and of course took my lunch pills.
It was a super easy lunch. I had some leftover turkey sausage meatballs that I made and just wrapped it in a whole grain wrap. I added some lettuce and cranberry sauce.  I had some all natural whole berry cranberry sauce, I don't know if it was allowed but it was just a small tbsp so I didn't care. :) Then I heated some zucchini slices in a skillet with some Cajun seasoning. DELICIOUS!

Finally, for dinner I think I will just eat a grilled chicken salad, since Mark won't be home, I will not have to cook anything. 

I'm so excited to see results after my 24 day challenge.  It's only 24 days and if I don't like it I don't have to continue.  JUST 24 days!!! I can do this.

Of course I will not post ANY results till the end of my 24 days... so sorry! You will just have to check back later.

Well, It's off to work.

For me anyways,  This is the 2nd job in 2 months. :) I'm pretty pumped about it hopefully they can work around my schedule. I had some problems with management at the old job so I quit and finally found another....
When I say I had problems I mean. Management had some problems. I did nothing the people they chose to employ were the ones with problems. Problems that made me feel uncomfortable working in the enviroment and many of them were illegal..... I didn't want any problems to come out of a bad enviroment. If police were to show up my ideas of becoming a teacher would get thrown down the drain bc of the people there and I would automatically be guilty bc association. SO....

I am going to try this one out! :) I already like my jersey that I get to wear as a uniform. I think i look good haha.

E has a new babysitter and he/I am SOOOO excited! She seems great and E is so ready to play with someone besides me. Hopefully she can handle a little boy. I think she just has girls in her family..... She's in for a surprise!

Breakfast, anyone

According to the new WeightWatchers360, Routines are the key to sticking to your diet. I'm not talking about eat the same thing every day for a week but good routines like.... drink water before meals or exercise 3 times a week.  I have decided once a week I will try to find a new routine and stick with it for a week. As the weeks progress you are supposed to build on that routine. Easy right...

I decided I would start with the easiest one. :) Eat breakfast everyday. I am NOT a breakfast eater. I prefer coffee.... and then more coffee.... and then more coffee. I guess this would make it difficult for me but if it means I eat then bring it on.  To kickstart your metabolism every morning you are supposed to eat a meal with protein at breakfast. This also helps you not to overeat at the other meals because you aren't as famished.

Today, I am trying to eat some breakfast. I JUST CAN'T. I am not hungry and it doesn't taste like coffee so I'm not really into eating. I tried some nice plain yogurt with fruit and sugar.  It's tasty but it is taking me FOREVER just to munch/mush away at it. ha. I guess it's difficult to eat when all you want is some toast.

O well, I ate half and enjoyed my coffee so that is progress right. But, I'm so excited for today we are going to a friends house to play. E's pretty pumped. I'm pretty sure 4 boys under 5 are going to be exhausting but HEY, that's motherhood right.  It's fun to hang out with other exhausted moms. :) But I really look up to this mom and wish I had her strength. She has 3 boys. I just have 1. Her patience is 2 times more than mine. She is the bomb!
Can't wait!!

12 in 2012!

I took this from a wonderful blog I follow.  I'm supposed to Link up but I missed it that day :) BUT anyway here are MY top 12 things that happened in 2012! :)

                                                                12 favorite things!

 

12. Favorite movie you watched:

Probably Lawless, (I know right) it's pretty violent but I went on a daddy-daughter date with MY dad to go see it. We haven't had one in a long time and we shared popcorn and even went out to eat afterwards. Luckily, we both liked the movie.  At 23, I realize how much I still need to spend time with my parents.

 

11. Favorite TV series:

This is a tie. PLL and Hell on Wheels!

 

10. Favorite restaurant:

Got to be Buffalo Wild Wings. Those wings are just TOO MUCH! :) LOve it!

 

9. Favorite new thing you tried:

Green tea! I have fallen in LOVE with drinking green tea.

 

8. Favorite gift you got:

My mixer! I have been using a wonderful whisk for over 2 years now. To actually have a mixer that does all the work is a blessing.

 

7. Favorite thing you pinned:

I really didn't pin too much this year. I was busy. BUT, I guess

 

6. Favorite blog post:

My favorite was in Jan 2012. When I did our 2011 year in a recap :) It has the best pictures.

 

5. Best accomplishment:

I would have to say MOVING!

 

4. Favorite picture:

Of course one of my baby!

 

 

3. Favorite memory:

Celebrating E's birthday in the NEW house! (or as he says "My new house with the steps) 

 

2. Goal for 2013:

Get back to little ME, meaning taking a little time everyday for myself. And stay in school :)

 

1. One Little Word:

Joy

 

 

 

It's Finally Christmas time!

Yay! The Christmas season is HERE!  I am super excited this year because I get to decorate the new house and E is finally old enough to realize Santa is coming again. We have already decorated the tree but MR. SCROOGE (aka Mark) is procrastinating about putting up some lights.

Last week, we went with some friends to see the COOLEST thing ever.  It was a Christmas train! They had about 4 train cars that were decorated inside and out with all things Christmas. IT WAS AWESOME! Well, I loved it at least. E didn't really like waiting in line but he actually sat in Santa's lap without crying. It was a proud moment for mommy!

 

You can still see the uncertainty in his eyes BUT, he didn't cry. He actually walked away and said "Mom, Santa is a weelly nice guy" "Mom, I think Santa is my new buddy". 

JOY!!!!!

 

Well, I also get to start to work TODAY. I haven't worked in over 2 yrs and E is not to happy about it.  I asked him how he felt about mommy going to work like daddy. E said, "NO, you can't go to work. I will throw myself in the fwoor (floor) and cry, cry, cry, cry."  Needless to say, I don't want to leave him because Mommy may cry cry cry too.  

 

Here's hoping everything stays calm and the tears are a minimum today.

 



"I don't know??"

Today has been a long day. I now have a new appreciation for the House Parents at the village. I love the children there but after being there and volunteering/helping for just about 8 hours, I am exhausted.  I know taking care of my child can be tiring on a day with little sleep but having 4-6 other kids at the same time is so much. Especially when the ages differ so greatly, I am so greatful the Lord has sent wonderful house parents to the village to work and care for these kids because honestly I do not think I could do for 10 days straight. I absolutely LOVED having fun with them today, but now I am happy to be able to come home and rest and sleep and only have one little boy to bathe and get to sleep.

After talking to one of the younger ones today, I asked "are you excited for santa to visit you this year?". He gave me a puzzled look and I said, "Is santa going to visit you?" I was astonished at his answer...... "I don't know??? Probably not."     Never in my life did I ever wonder if Santa was going to visit me. I always had a Christmas on Christmas morning. It breaks my heart to know someone so small was unsure if Santa was going to visit.  I never want my child to have any doubt that he will not get what he needs and even what he wants especially at Christmas.  It breaks my heart to realize not all children have the opportunity to experience Christmas morning.  I have decided next year we will of course do a 'shoebox' and try to find something better to give to as a family. We will see!

ANYWAY, I love having a 3 yr old. The comments that come out of his mouth are priceless, and even some of mine.  Never did I think I would have to get onto someone for LICKING a public window,  or chewing on a table pretending to be a dog haha.  I also yelled earlier this week,  "HEY, get that dinosaur out of my tea" and lied to him saying there was dirty poop on the floor just to get him off the floor of a restaurant, surprisingly it worked, after he asked who's poop of course.  The things that come with parenting are unbelievable.  His comments tonight were also great.  He said, "we need to put a big'ol piece of tape on the moon, that way it will stay in the sky forever and ever".  Mark asked "Can you reach it to put it up there?"  E said, "NO, but Uncle Baba can fly his airplane up there and do it for me".   Of course he loves that Uncle Bobby flys planes and his faith in people is amazing.

Everyone is in our prayers this week because many ppl will be traveling and some may even try to get out and about on Friday (which is just cray-cray). Keep praying for our family as we keep unpacking and try to meet new families. We have already met many great people at a new church we are planning on joining. It is just hard to realize we will not be members of OUR church in Mt. Pleasant with our friends. Hopefully, we can make this church OURS too! Night

Exhausted