Weight loss challenge

My whole life I have never had any discipline with what I ate. After having both babies, I got down to pre-pregnancy weight, and then gained 3 lbs within a few months... Recently though, my eating habits backfired and I started putting on weight... like almost 10 lbs. So I texted my amazing friend Char-Lane and told her I was a fatty and that I needed help. She's a personal trainer, and I attend her boot camps every summer. She has the BEST outdoor boot camps. Each class is a different location throughout the city and each class is a different workout. So after I text her she tells me she is doing a points challenge so I join in for 3 weeks (before Christmas) and I did horribly. I had some discipline but no eating after 7pm just was not working for me... We took a Christmas break and in the new year we started a new 8 week points challenge! I will tell about the challenge criteria later, but the first 3 weeks I gained 3 lbs! Whaat the...? Then I realized I couldn't just follow the rules, I had to change my diet. So I did and over the remaining 5 weeks I lost 8lbs! Then we took a week break (where I put on a few more pounds... note to self... don't eat everything I have been missing out on when this next challenge is over) and now we are 2 weeks into the second round and I'm about 5 lbs down. It's a little too much in such a short period of time, but I promise I'm just following the rules, working out lots, and eating healthy. I've realized this type of challenge is perfect for me. It's almost like a game and I love games, so it motivates me.

For the challenge everyone has put $20 in a pool which is divided in "prizes" for each week and a grand total prize.

The person with the most points wins, obviously.
1pt for contact with someone doing the challenge
3pts for 64oz of water
3pts for not eating past 8pm
3pts for 2 fruit servings
5pts for 3 vegetable servings
5pts for no sweets/sugary treats (only 6 days a week)
5pts for keeping a food journal
5pts for 30 mins exercise or 7pts for 45 mins exercise (only 5 days a week)

Each day you total your points, and you get 10 points per pound lost (calculated once a week with your total amount) and 5pts for maintaining your lowest weight.

So we weigh ourselves every Monday morning.

I'm hoping to lose about 7 more lbs (to get down to 125... though I might not want to go that small) and then I will be very happy at my weight. I don't want to be really skinny, I want to have muscle still.

I have really enjoyed cutting sugar out of my diet.. I do enjoy sweets, but this gives me a reason to say no.. I need to work on not just being motivated for this challenge, but having my own discipline. I also have loved working out 5 days a week for the past 3 1/2 months! I love to work out and I totally find I am able to do it if I just commit to make the time for it.

Monday and Thursdays I go to our ward playgroup where the kids play in the gym and us Moms turn on a workout DVD, usually Jillian Michaels.
Tuesdays I go to Booty Barre (my fav) at the college with Reagan and Amy B. It's such a good workout and its fun to go with friends.
Wednesdays I will be running about 5k in the evenings (as soon as the group gets back up and running) and the last day I will sometimes go to Char-Lanes house and do a workout, or I'll do a workout at home.

I really would love to do this challenge year long! I cannot rave enough about how much I love doing it. Somedays I get discouraged and somedays are hard, but when I started, I had a hard time getting all the points everyday, and now I am getting all my points every week.

I just wanted to document this so 5 years and 15 lbs down the road I can start back on this. :) haha

best friends

These kids are at such fun ages. They love to do everything together. We often go to Stay and Play at Sunnyside School (a free drop in program), our ward playgroup twice a week (we bring the kids bikes and they all run wild while us moms do a workout DVD), lots and lots of puzzles at home, playdates with friends, taking Ty to Joy School twice a week, and taking Ty to soccer. Thank goodness soccer is over. I don't think Ty learned a thing. He was not interested. He preferred to hit his coach on the butt, hang onto his coaches leg, lay down in goal, and sit on the sidelines. Even with all sorts of bribes we couldn't get him to participate. There were a few times he kicked the ball back and forth to his coach, or saved a few goals, or ran up and down the field.. It wasn't all bad. There's something awesome about putting your firstborn in sports at a too-young age and hoping they will love it. In the end, I think we learned maybe sports are best for a 4 year old. We will try again next year and for now we will stick to swimming lessons.

 Diapers over jammies over diapers. Noah's idea, Dad's doing. 

 I know I've said it a million times but this boy loves puzzles. He has 2-100 piece puzzles that he can do over and over on his own. One day he completed the same puzzle 5 times. How cute is this.. sleeping with his puzzle, ha!

They are the best of friends. It's really the most wonderful to watch your kids love each other so much. One day Ty wanted to tuck Noah into bed, he turned off the light and as he was closing the door he went back in and then came out and closed the door. I asked him what he was doing and he said he was "petting Noah's cheek". 

Noah started saying his own name "Mo-ah" haha. Too cute. My Dr mailed me a 24 month questionnaire to do for Noah and he is fine with most things but I realize he is behind with his speech. He has a lot of words he says but I find I am learning his language rather than him learning ours. He can't put two works together yet, but I know he is learning new words every week. With Ty I might have been concerned, but I know Noah is just behind. He will catch up. :)

I'm starting another 8 week challenge. I am frustrated I didn't lose more weight last round though I learned lots and I really enjoyed it. Hopefully I can use my mistakes from last time to maximize my results! 

Michaels hair is growing longer and longer everyday and whenever I suggest cutting it, he says it makes him want to keep it long for longer.... haha is he 14? kidding. It's beautiful hair so maybe if we grow it out a little longer he will agree to cut it all off and we can donate it. That will be an event worthy of it's own blog post. 

Ty's first drawing and more

 See that thing in Noah's mouth? It's no longer a part of his life! He bit through it just after Christmas so I ripped the nipple off and continued giving it to him with a big hole in the middle. He had it for naps and bedtime for the next few days and would try to bite on it, or he'd stick his finger in it and after those few days I stopped giving it to him and he's done! Easiest wean ever. I thought it was going to be a long hard battle but it kind of happened all on it's own.

Noah also started getting out of his crib after Christmas. It's really nice now because he easily gets out and comes and gets in bed with us in the morning. Ty never got out so this is a nice change.

 One of Ty's favorite people, Becky Leavitt, picked this up at the thrift store for him. He calls it his "Earth puzzle" and he loves it. 

 Noah's crooked jaw smile.  

 Ty wearing my hoodie.

 He decided to switch things up and make a bed on his floor... haha. I was so surprised he actually fell asleep. 

 A proud moment for me. :) Ty drew his first person?? haha. Give him a pencil or crayon and he can't do much other than scribbling, but he seems to be able to do a decent job with his finger. He drew one of these in the snow the other day. 

 We went to Popson park.... little did I know it is a dog park... or at least it seemed like it with the 10 dogs running around and up to our kids. We've had amazing weather so far this year with lots of good weather for walks and being outside. We all got very muddy!

 The ice shattered so cool when we kicked it. 

 I love this face... The kids loved throwing rocks in the river.... or on the ice.. haha

Dad and his "boots".. The kids grab on and he says "look Ames, I got new boots". The kids love it.

 Noah with his cute new Moccs.

 Ty loves riding his bike now. We ride all the way to the park on the south end of the green strip. 

 Bed head.

 Caught Noah staring down at his nipple. haha. Such a curious little boy. 

 Triple date with Cass, Glenn, and the Gundersons. All you can eat sushi, and U of L basketball game.

 I started at a brand new salon in a nice area of Calgary before I had the kids. People would bring their own kids for haircuts at guinea pigs and I did a LOT of kids haircuts. It was often frustrating to deal with clients who couldn't/wouldn't sit still only to make very little money. I always thought cutting my own kids hair would be a battle but everytime I cut their hair they sit so patiently. Noah's haircut was no exception. He sat as still as can be and it was so wonderful!! And how cute is that long hair in the back? Don't worry, it's a bit shorter now. 

 This is how Noah eats Candy necklaces... no hands involved.

 The kids holding their newest cousin, Max Fyfe. He is so tiny. 

The latest news is that Cassandra and Glenn got engaged!! We are all so happy Cassandra found someone perfect for her and Aiden. He will be an amazing addition to our fast growing family! They get married on August 1st!!

Christmas 2014

We took the boys to the live nativity and Noah was absolutely riveted. It was beautiful evening for it. After we took the kids to Tim Hortons and they picked out a donut and we shared some hot chocolate. After that we went and looked at a few Christmas lights. The boys LOVED it all. When we got home we did a tree ornament and then after Noah went to bed, Ty and I made an ornament for the tree. It was such an amazing evening as a family.

 Ty won't eat cake or cookies, but he loves donuts.

 Michaels coworker Sarah came over for a haircut before her holidays and brought us some gingerbread men to decorate. Noah loved snacking on all the sweets. 

 The boys opening their Christmas Eve pjs.

 Noah was really into opening gifts this year.  

 Our little family photo. Wow that flash brings out all the different reds. They looked more alike in person. :) 

 Watching Disney Collector on YouTube with Grandpa. haha Ty's favorite.

 Christmas morning! Aren't they the sweetest?

We got the kids a slide for Christmas... to be used indoors in the winter and outdoors in the summer. They LOVE it. I bought it hoping it would encourage more play downstairs with all the toys and so far it's been working. They spent an hour downstairs this morning. 

We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with Michael's parents. Then we went to my Moms for Christmas and ate subs and opened gifts and got to talk to Breanne via Skype! She looked so pretty and happy. It was so fun. It was really nice to just relax at Mom's house and eat food. Boxing Day we went to my Dad's and did gifts and played games ALL DAY...  except when we were eating our delicious ham meal. The kids all played downstairs for most of the day and I felt like a real adult telling the kids to "get downstairs" ha. Oh the memories of being told that 1000 times at family gatherings. "Go play with your cousins"....

 Noah crawling right in to get his gift. 

 The boys got a firehouse for Christmas and they love it too! 

 Ty asked Santa this year for Hungry Hippos. I was not wanting to have that game because it's loud and theres lots of pieces, but then I found a mini one and the marbles are enclosed. Ty talked about getting Hungry Hippos for Christmas for a long time and Christmas morning he woke up and said "why didn't santa bring me hungry hippos?"... we told him Santa took his gifts to G&G Mendenhalls and we said "Santa might not have brought you Hungry Hippos, Ty". So when he opened his gift from Santa he said "I toldja so. I toldja Santa would bring me Hungry Hippos... I knew it" haha... He wasn't even excited (though he was happy). He enjoyed telling us we were wrong. hahaha it was funny. 

 Noah started crawling out of the playpen at my Mom's house on Christmas day and eventually fell asleep in Michaels arms. So sweet. 

Ty and Maddy watching a Christmas show. Probably Frosty the Snowman because Ty is obsessed. He loves all the Christmas songs. 

 Noah playing a fun game with Grandpa. Up and down, up and down. 

I took lots of photos at my Dad's. Theres always lots of people to photograph, though we were missing lots of the family this year.

 We finally had a kid table for the meal. It was awesome and the kids sat and played here for about a half hour before we started the meal. 

 Sweet little Aiden. 

 After opening gifts. We wrapped Ty in leftover duct tape from Dans excellent gift wrapping to Becky. 

 Probably watching Frosty the Snowman again. haha!

 Relaxing and visiting.  

 Making a gingerbread house and tree with the kids. Ty, Maddy, and Sean sure loved it. 

 Michael "helping" haha.

 Cassandra with her usual plate of leftovers that she says she will eat later but never does. haha

 Becky and Cass' beautiful icing job on the tree. And Cassandra posing for the picture.

 G&G Parker were so involved in the decorating. 

 Noah falling asleep again. How cute!! 

We played lots of games. Rummy cards (can't remember the name), the Man game, which, as you can see the men dominated in. Becky, Phoenix and I were out first and Michael proudly won the man game. It's a fun game, if you are a man. haha. We also played a wrapping paper social game I brought, and Becky had a super fun game called Follow the Lead which we all got super into and there were tons of laughs!! Definitely my favorite game that day. I especially love all games so it's heaven for me to go out to my Dad's and Kristi's and play games with everyone. Heaven.

This Christmas I was on a high. It was definitely my favorite Christmas I can think of. I was constantly feeling so happy and I loved all the family time and seeing my kids open their gifts that they loved, and playing with their cousins. It really was exactly how I love spending our Christmas holidays. We are so blessed to have SO much family and although it was busy, I still felt like I got to relax and enjoy it all. I also have especially enjoyed this Christmas season because I felt a lot more emphasis on my Saviour than in years past. Doing our 25 days of Christ I was able to feel the spirit in our home, reading the Ensign and reading stories of giving and of Christ. Our Christmas sacrament meeting was full of beautiful words and musical performances, and most importantly going to see the Nativity with our boys. It was so spiritual and amazing to think our Saviour was born in such humble beginnings. I am so thankful for his life and example to me.