Just Another Day

Wow! I didn't realize that it had been over a month since I last posted!  Let's look back a little bit.  I had been MIA before my last post and I never explained why.   Well to begin with I was out of town for about a week and a half.  Being out of town started with Declan's pediatrician calling and telling us that the x-rays that he had on his head at his previous checkup had come back with the appearance of a partial coronal suture fusion and harlequin eye deformity.  And that meant we were going to have to see a pediatric opthamologist as well as a pediatric neurosurgeon.  So we started making the appointments and visiting doctors which after all the appointments and talking with the neurosurgeon the doctors concluded that the x-ray and x-ray report were bad and the he did not have either of the problems that it listed.  So needless to say there was a lot of drama before hand and many many prayers after.

On the weight-loss front there has been some change but not much, hopefully I will have a nice change this week and be able to report it back here !

Half Marathon

So, I have been MIA for a bit...more on that later.  First, I finished my first HALF MARATHON! And let me tell you it was HARD!  So much harder than I thought, even though I trained for it and felt really prepared.  Originally I wanted to finish in under 3 hours and then I just wanted to finish.

My official time was 3:16:44 and I am happy with that (for now).  So I ran the Knoxville Half Marathon and I don't know if any of you have ever been to Knoxville (or run this race) but it is HILLY! I mean hill after hill after hill it felt like there was no down hill just up and flat.  I am looking for another race to run later this year that is a little less hilly and then to run Knoxville again next year in better shape and hopefully down some pounds to really see how far I have come!

I was supposed to run this race with my sister and college roommate....but they both bailed so I ran it alone and talked to a few people along the way.  I didn't even put in my headphones instead I decided to just enjoy the race atmosphere which was a lot of fun! I feel like I really have the running bug now and can't wait to do more races!

What Day Is It?

Oh yeah.... It's the day that I am supposed to step on the scale and see the number GO DOWN, too bad that didn't happen today.  Let me explain.   I am still working out and I am still paying for Weight Watchers but for some reason I was just not feeling it this past week, and was that reflected this morning, ugh.  It also does not help that we help run a family business (a small country inn in NC) and we have been recently redoing/updating our cook book.  Can you see where I am going...we have been testing recipes which means eating, not lots of eating, just little bits here and there.  Like today I make broccoli casserole, homemade yeast rolls, and mini cheesecake bites (those are in the oven now and smell AMAZING!).  I also made homemade this Italian Flatbread, (I think I found this on Pinterest) and it was super easy and very good.  I made them so that I could make Seamus pizza's (instead of buying frozen ones).  I am going to freeze some so that I can pull one out a bake him his own little pizza whenever I decide.  So I did all that with two boys (one acting CRAZY and one wanting to be held) and I still am going to work out later.

I have been watching Biggest Loser this season and I really like their theme of NO EXCUSES.  I have to really work on this.  Yes, I get to cook and be around wonderful food on a daily basis, but I also live next to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and have access to many many outdoor trails.  I just have to get out there and get on them!  Another week down, many more to go!

Oh, don't you just love when your child/children look at you and light up, like you are their world!  It is one of my favorite parts of being a parent!!

ABC Book

I saw this idea somewhere (Starting on Pinterest) and then I began looking around and found lots of fun examples, tutorials, ideas, whatever you want to call them.  So I started playing around with some of the pictures that I already have and actually got a pretty good start.  I feel like I have been pretty bad at printing pictures off and I think that this is a fun way to print some pictures and let Seamus interact with the pictures too!  I am hoping to finish this by Easter and give it to Shay then :)

I have had a ton of fun making this book!  I think I am only lacking 9 letters.  I will definitely be making a book for Declan in about a year as well!  It's fun to use pictures from the past 2 years and to see how much Shay has grown up!

So here are a few sneak peaks at what I have so far:

One of those Days

Today was one of those days where EVERYTHING made me mad.  Seamus bounced off the walls, literally, Declan fussed no matter what I did, the house seemed to get messier and messier and all I wanted to do was have 5 minutes to myself.  5 minutes of quiet, 5 minutes of me.  So I did what any other sane person would do, I yelled and yelled and slammed door and finally left.  Where did I go you ask?  The grocery store, yes, the grocery store.  Anytime I really need time to myself and just don't feel like exercising  (AT ALL) I go to the grocery store and walk up and down every isle and it may seem silly but it gives me time to clear my head and get my mind focused back on taking care of my family and how blessed I am to have money to buy food and the ability to make yummy meals for my family.

I came home renewed and grateful.  I baked a loaf of irish soda bread and prepared some cookie dough from one of our Hemlock Inn recipes that will be baked later tonight or tomorrow.  Tomorrow is another day and I will make the best of it.

Weight In Wednesday

204.2 yay!!  I wanted to be under 200 but I am happy with any loss.  Yesterday was my birthday and we went out to an Italian restaurant in town for dinner (and of course dessert).  I stayed within my points by "cashing" in a few of my activity points.  So this week I plan on trying not to use any of my weekly points and just stick to the daily points and hopefully get under 200.  

I am just over 30 days from the half marathon date!  Still keeping up with running/training on one hand it is getting easier and as the distances get longer not so much.  

Today

I did not feel like running today.  I started out (the weather is BEAUTIFUL) and was running a at pretty fair pace but still thinking about NOT wanting to run and then I rolled my ankle.  Nothing too terrible just enough to stop me and make me walk the rest of the way which I really wanted to do anyway.  I saw some dear and ended up having a nice walk and feeling pretty good afterwards.  I am trying to talk myself into starting the shred to incorporate some simple strength training into my routine.

It is my birthday today so that's fun.  My sweet husband let me sleep in and made breakfast and cleaned the kitchen...no wait that is what I was dreaming of when I was woken and got up with Declan at 5am.  We are going to dinner a little later and then watching Tower Heist :)

My Weight Watchers weigh in day is tomorrow and I am hoping that will be a really good birthday present.

A bit of Everything

• We went to a wedding this weekend and my parents came and watched the boys so Chad and I actually had a weekend to ourselves.  It was a little strange to not be woken up in the wee hours of the morning when my kids for some reason enjoy getting up.  We went to Chapel Hill which was fun to see the campuses (UNC and Duke). Lots of fun and a beautiful wedding all around. We were happy to see our boys on Sunday afternoon though :)

• I lost a little weight this week (206) So at least that's a pound, even with all the YUMMY food that I was surrounded by at the wedding this weekend.  I don't have any major travel plans in the next few weeks so I am hoping to actually stay within my point plus range and get some weight off.

• I ran 7 miles today, ok well I walked some especially in the beginning and then ran the rest.  I read the Hunger Games this weekend and got a little freaked out being on the trail in the woods so I turned around and high tailed it back towards civilization ;)  So my last 3 miles were MUCH faster than my first 4.  I wore a pair of socks that I knew I shouldn't have they are far too thick and make my shoes feel too tight, but I wore them none the less and I have some wicked blisters on my my toes because of it, that and the fact that the trail was SUPER muddy so I ran through a couple puddles and got my shoes ( and therefore sock) wet which sucked big time.  Other than that I feel pretty good.  I walked about a mile cool down and stopped and stretched along the way and then did a long stretch after I came home and took a hot hot hot shower.

• Declan is getting so big!  He is taking after this brother and thinks that it is really funny to stick his tongue out and make spit noises.  Ahhh, life with boys they are both so cute and I can't get enough of them!

(These are not super recent pictures but they are so stinking cute I just love it!)

Weigh-In Wednesday: On Hold

Ok so we have been visiting my parents and getting our house in order to be rented so I was not at home on Wednesday this week and let's just say I really don't like my parent's scale.  I am pretty sure it is heavier than mine so rather than be discouraged I am holding off until next Wednesday when I will be home.  I have not done great with tracking my points this week, I think it is always hard when you are not at your own house with your own food etc.  We have a wedding next weekend so I should get back on track here soon!

In other news, 5k tomorrow!  I have been keeping on track with the Half Marathon training so running is getting easier in a sense even though the distances are getting longer.  I have a hard time motivating myself to run "fast"  when doing my training runs, especially since I run by myself.  I am thinking that this  5k will give me a pretty good example of what pace I am capable of running since I will actually be competing and I do have a rather competitive streak.  I would love to run the 5k in under 30 minutes, but right now I am averaging about 12 minutes a mile, which does not make me too happy knowing where I once was with running....but that is WAY in the past.  So maybe a little competition will get me moving faster...we shall see.  I will post my finish time sometime this weekend!!

February Photo Challenge Days 4-8

Ok Here are Days 4-9....20 Days Left!

 Day 4: Stranger (This was more than a little creepy to take)

Day 5: 10am

Day 6: Dinner (I forgot my dinner so I took a picture of my sweet baby Declan's dinner)

 Day 7: Button (ok lots of buttons)

Day 8: Sun

Day 9: Front Door (We are visiting my mom and dad so it's their door)

We will be back in town in a few days so I will post pictures 10-12 when I get home!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, I am running a 5k Saturday and hoping or a good time!  I will post on that soon too!!

February Photo Challenge

I came across this Challenge on Pinterest to take a picture everyday in February.  Since my 365 for this year has not been doing so well I thought I would try something smaller and since it's my birthday month when better to try.

Here are my first 3 days:

Day 1: My View

Day 2: Words

    Day 3: Hands

Pictures

So lately I have seen lots of pictures of adorable siblings.  An older brother holding his baby brother with a sweet smile is one picture that I would LOVE to capture.  But no, this is what I get:

Now, Seamus loves his brother and always wants to hold him but suddenly anytime there is a camera, even if I have my phone trying to take a picture, he gets mad and makes these wonderful faces.

This one is not too terrible, I did for a moment think he was going to throw his brother off of him.

Seamus loves to just wear his underwear, it is really quite funny and annoying at the same time.  We are constantly asking him where his pants are and then he just runs and hides under a table laughing like the mad man that he is!

So, anybody have any tips are getting siblings, well older siblings, to take pictures?  

I will leave you with 2 pictures I was able to capture that I love:

This one of Daddy and his boys is ADORABLE, this was right after we moved to NC and only really seeing each other on the weekends.

I was able to snatch this picture right before Seamus started yelling about pictures, if only laundry wasn't on the back of the chair but such is life :)

I am one lucky lady!

Weigh-In Wednesday: Success!!

So this morning when I stepped on the scale I saw 207!  That's five pounds since last Wednesday!  I have been doing well exercising but Weight Watchers was just the kick I needed to get my eating on track.  For anyone struggling I highly recommend Weight Watchers.  I tried just counting calories and for some reason that does not work for me.  With the extra weekly points you get on Weight Watchers is allows you to enjoy going out while still being able to lose weight.

We have a wedding to attend President's Day weekend and my original goal was to be at 189, I am thinking that is not going to happen now since I didn't buckle down when I set that goal and am really just getting started.  So new goal is to be under 200, which should be doable since I have just over 2 weeks.  I don't expect to lose 5 pounds every week (wouldn't it be nice though) but I am super happy and the task now is to keep my head in the game so to speak because I tend to be a food rewarder and get lots of yummy stuff when I see a loss on the scale.

 I have decided that my 20 pound reward is going to be a new pair of running shoes.  I am hoping that 20 pounds comes right around the end of February which would also be around my birthday (Feb. 28 for those who care) so I will actually have money to buy them as well :)

With the Knoxville Half Marathon quickly approaching I have signed up for the Marietta Mardi Gras 5k on February 11th in hopes that a little competition will kick my butt into high gear.  I have a real mental problem when it comes to running and I always have.  When I am running I start thinking about why I am running when I could walk and then it becomes an internal battle to keep running, turning my music WAY up helps to drown out my inner voice but it is still a struggle.  Anyone have anything they do that helps keep them running, I am fully capable physically I just mentally struggle!

I am in week 4 of Hal Higdon's Novice Half Marathon program which means only 8 weeks until the race.   I really enjoy this program, especially since they have an iPhone app that tell me how far I have gone and how much more I have to go.  This is actually the longest I have stuck with a program on my own in a LONG time! Second 5 mile long run on Sunday we'll see how that goes.

Weigh-In Wednesday 4: On Saturday

So I actually did weigh on Wednesday 211.2, not as much as I hoped for but that goodness for a loss!  We were visiting family this week and eating wise was not perfect but I did keep up with my workouts and training for the Half Marathon.  I am happy to be doing Weight Watchers again, it makes eating so much easier for me and really makes me stay on track.  We have a wedding to attend in just over 2 weeks and I am hoping that I can work my butt off and get under 200, that would make me so happy.  I still have a long way to go to be where I should but at least progress it being made.

Weigh-In Wednesday 3

So today was not pretty (213.4) yeah that would be a 1.4 gain and it really makes me mad.  But instead of eating ice-cream and wallowing in self pity I have decided to rejoin Weight Watchers and continue to train for the Half Marathon.  I don't really have much more to say because it makes me so mad, so until next week.

Weigh-in Wednesday 2: REALLY

So I have been exercising and exercising and exercising and yet still when I weighed myself this morning I saw 212.0.  6 ounces REALLY!!!  I mean I could have been eating better, and a trip to Marietta to visit this weekend probably didn't help, but REALLY, REALLY!  I guess at least the scale moved because it hasn't done that in weeks, so there's something.  I plan on working on my caloric intake more this week so hopefully I will see a big number next Wednesday.

My Half Marathon training officially started on Monday which also coincided with me trying to start doing no carbs (again) and again I discovered that I cannot do a no carb diet, it just doesn't work.  Especially with all the cardio and running I am doing.  So I am trying to stick to around 1200 calories and get only good carbs when I have them.  I have thought about signing back up for Weight Watchers because I really enjoyed it while I was doing it before Declan was born but right now I am choosing to pay for the gym instead and work on my eating habits on my own.  Ok enough is enough maybe I will actually see some real loss next week.

Life with Boys

Anyone who is a parent to those interesting little creatures known as boys knows that they can make you crazy ( I mean CRAZY) but they are so cute while doing it sometimes it makes me want to scream!!  Seamus is beginning to show some small signs of jealousy when I am holding, feeding, paying attention at all to Declan.  This came out in a hilarious way this morning.  First a little back story:  I was able to potty train Seamus about 2 weeks before he turned 2, so around the beginning of December, it went pretty quickly and he really took to it.  (Anyone preparing to potty train feel free to ask questions.  I worked at a day care with young 2 year olds before moving and staying at home so in the last 3 years I have potty trained close to 60 children.)  Before potty training Seamus did not like to wear pants, he would kick them off first chance he got, but his shoes had to stay on :) Fast Forward to this morning.  I am feeding Declan trying to wake myself up since Seamus still enjoys getting up before 7am Seamus is being his normal silly self when he decides not only are his pants coming off but he is going to take his little underoos off as well and run/dance around screaming PAWYEE, PAWYEE, PAWYEE (potty) so I put Declan down take Seamus to the bathroom (he doesn't go) and then he climbs in my lap and asks for Thomas.  Quite a drastic little move to get me to put Declan down and gain my attention.  I can only imagine what his next tactic will be.  Oh boys, boys, boys, gotta love em.

Running, Running and more Running (Weigh-In Wednesday One)

This week on the half marathon training front has not been so fun.  The Knoxville Half Marathon is 12 weeks away and right now in the mountains of North Carolina it is COLD!  We have had some snow and temperatures well below freezing.  So this week I found a gym near town (actually on the Cherokee Reservation just outside of town) that was not crawling with resolution runners or really anyone else for that matter.  It is kind of hidden and does not look like it could hold all that it does from the outside.   It is a very reasonable price (only $40 a month) and they have everything I will need to lose weight/train for this half marathon.  I have talked to one of the trainers and will be meeting with him 2x a week and doing the other day of strength on my own.  It's a pretty nice set up.

That being said I HATE running on the treadmill!!!  I can run 3 miles or more outside with little mental effort, physical sure but mental no problem.  Ugh but running on a treadmill my mental capabilities just disappear, I run for a few minutes and just can't get into any groove or focus on anything other than how long I have been running, which really REALLY sucks. So here's hoping for temps above freezing soon!

Training actually starts 1/9 so next Monday I will really start following the plan instead of just running everyday, which will be a nice.  I hope that I also see some scale movement.   I took a fitness test at the gym and got weighed and measured didn't really like seeing those numbers.  Apparently my scale at home is much more forgiving.  I think I will go with its number instead of the gyms.  But that will help me keep an accurate record so I guess it's a good thing.

I think I am going to start calling Wednesday my weigh in day.  

So Weigh-In Wednesday One : 212.6 YIKES!! and that is all.

Project 365 Day 2 and 3

 Day 2: Sitting by the warm fire as the snow falls outside.

Day 3: Declan is happy and supporting the Vols (even though we don't have a bowl game).

Bed Time

So, we are getting settled in to our new home and to everyone living under one (one very small) roof.  Since staying at my parents house the past few months our bedtime routine suffered (Grandparents have a hard time listening to their grand-kids cry).  Seamus got in the routine of having someone lay down with him until he falls asleep, which with a second child and a husband who is working in the evening does not work.  He also has been and has always fought naps and fought sleep in general.   I am trying to get back into a routine and get a more normal bedtime for him. This has not been easy, sometimes he "naps" at 2:00 and doesn't wake up until 6:00 so putting him to bed at 7:30 becomes very challenging.  Other times he naps at 10:00am and is ready for bed at 6:00.  It doesn't seem to matter what time he goes to bed (even if its 10 at night) he wakes up between 5:30 and 6:30 (maybe 7:00 if I am lucky).

What are your bedtime routines/bedtimes.  Is there anything that you have found that really works?