So lucky, so blessed

(Disclaimer: I debated even hitting publish on this post...but this is my blog and hence my thoughts...)

Lately, I have been feeling very lucky and blessed.

The hubby and I have been on the same page for a while now. We are in sync with each other and it's been very nice. We no longer argue about money. Almost a year ago we started on the Dave Ramsey Plan and our life has gotten better and better ever since. In October, we started going to church. We have been married for almost 10 years and I have been wanting us to go to church ever since we got married. I swore I would not be that woman at church who brought her kids but her husband didn't come with her. Besides, once we got married and moved to our current city, I lost my home church (driving 2.5 hours one way was not gonna happen). So anyway, we started going to church in October...we don't argue about money anymore b/c we live on a (gasp!) budget and our life is generally good.

We've been blessed with DH having a good job. I have been at my job for almost 10 years...and working from home for almost 7 years. My job also provides our health insurance and it's better than what a lot of people have so I won't complain about it.

We have 2 wonderful healthy boys that adore each other. They have blessed and enriched our lives so much. We adore them and love spending time with them. How did we get so lucky?

So...here's my question. And I will be 100% honest here, I am SCARED TO DEATH to even say this. I feel like things are going so well....when will the other shoe drop?? Yeah, we had some major car issues this last week but b/c of our budget and our savings, it wasn't a problem at all money wise. But I mean....I feel like I'm so lucky and we've been so blessed especially in the last year. I know there is a higher power at work here too and to that I am thankful.

I'm trying to get closer in my walk with God but I'm new at this too. The hubby and I have never prayed together before...ever. Every time we go to church (so every Sunday now), it's such an emotional experience for me. I think hubby thinks I'm crazy b/c I cry every time we are in the church service. :)

I don't know where I am going with this. Just trying to get my thoughts down on proverbial paper. Lately, I feel like things are going so well. It looks like there IS a reason for all of that.

I'll be back to your regularly scheduled blogging after this. Promise! ;P

Where does the time go?

Holy cow, it's Wednesday.

What happened to the weekend?? And Monday and Tuesday?? Lately, the days seem to be going by so fast and it's only going to get worse (or maybe better? Closer to spring and summer and warmer weather).

Well, I survived the weekend. It wasn't great eating wise but it wasn't a complete disaster either. This week hasn't been great but it's not been awful either--eating wise. I've been keeping up with my workouts thus far. I need to get something done today and tomorrow.

So I want to know if this is normal. When I am running outside in the cooler air and I take deep breaths--I get a bloody like taste in my mouth. I drink while I run and also spit out mucous (sorry if that is way TMI!) and phlegm and there is no blood. But that taste is there--is that normal??

I got out on Monday and rode my brand new bike for 36 minutes. My mommy parts were sore afterwards but once I recovered I was fine. My butt wasn't even sore and that's why I bought the bike I have--LOVE the seat!

Okay, I'm going to go get some lunch. I've been trying to do higher protein at lunch time (well the whole day actually) and it's done a world of good for my afternoon snacking! Have a great OP day!

Stats don't lie...

(sung to the tune of Shakira's Hips Don't Lie).

Last week I installed a new stat counter on here. I was curious if anyone was still reading b/c I wasn't getting any comments. Low and behold you are! I've gotten 2 comments (1 per post) on my last two posts but yet my blog has been visited way more than that. If you're here and you're reading, go ahead and leave a comment! I won't bite, I promise. I'd really like to know who all is out there nowadays. :)

So it's been a super crazy week! Work was pretty crazy on Wednesday and I stress ate to deal. When am I going to learn that doesn't work or help??!!? Tuesday, I did get on the elliptical for 20 minutes and it felt so good. I didn't set out to do any certain mileage or work extra hard--just 20 minutes. I felt good afterwards and I worked up quite a sweat. Today (Thursday) I got to take my workout OUTSIDE! I went to the park and ran 2 miles. Well, I won't say ran. I walk 2 minutes and run (more like jog) for 3. Back before my injury in October, I was jogging 8 minutes and walking for 1. I'm really trying to get back up to that. My mini is in 64 days and I am starting to freak out a little bit. I think I'm going to have to go back to the mentality of doing something work out wise every day. That's what I was doing back in October. I did something almost every day--whether it be a walk or a jog or the elliptical. Now, I have my brand new bike to add to the mix and I can't wait. The weather this weekend is supposed to be GORGEOUS. I'm hoping the hubby and I can go for a ride on Sunday afternoon. I still have to get a bike trailer so I can take my littlest man when I'm not riding for fitness. Can't wait to get that though and make it a family affair.

I am so looking forward to spring. Just this morning I was telling the boys all the fun stuff we are going to do this summer--the pool, the zoo, playing outside, riding bikes--oh I can't wait! I feel like I've spent so much of the last 2 summers inside b/c DS2 was so little. I'm so thrilled to be at this point with them. They adore each other which makes my life a lot easier! :)

We're trying to decide where to go for vacation this year. Looks like we are going back to Florida. I told DH that next year, we are going to the East Coast. I want to go somewhere different and somewhere we've never been before. I'm more excited to plan that trip...guess I should get this year's over with first, huh? :) Any tips out there on places to go on the East Coast. Myrtle Beach is out--went there in 2008 and didn't really care for it. I'm thinking Jershey shore or Maryland or somewhere like that. I want to get a beach house that also has a pool. Of course all of that depends on the $$$. That's why I need to start planning now. :)

Our anniversary is in June and the hubsters and I will be married TEN YEARS! How did that happen?!?! I seriously don't know where the time has gone. It's CRAZY!!! So we're talking about going on a cruise this fall to celebrate. I'm kinda excited...who am I kidding--REALLY excited! :) We're looking at five days--KID FREE!!! Oh I'm gonna cherish that!

So with all this vacation talk...I have got to get my butt in gear and lose these pounds. I've changed my goal to "only" want to lose 2o. Heck--that might as well be 200 to me. But I can do it. I'm turning in my journal next week to my leader so I have to track everything. I will exercise at least 4 days this week (hopefully more!) and I will track it all. Last time I did that, I lost 3.6# that week. Well, needless to say--I've gained that all back. ARGH!!! So, that's my plan for this week--journal and exercise. I'm also going to eat higher protein. I'm going to try to keep my snacks to popcorn or fruit. I'm having troubles with my lunches. Here's where I could use some tips! I try to do leftovers, but lately we rarely have them. What we do have, DH usually takes for his lunch. Since I am home, I can make something but I'm usually swamped for time too. I think I just had some ideas pop in my head...but I'll take any ideas you may have out there too!

If you made it this far, GREAT! Now go ahead and leave me a comment--it's not that hard. Just click where it says "comments" to the right of the time. That's where you leave it! I'm dying to know who's reading. I'll be back this weekend with an update. I already have my journal started for the week (week starts Friday morning) so I am on the right track. Have a good one!

Dear Winter,

It is now March 1st.

I hope and pray that you are done with all your snow and ice and cold temperatures. It's not that I don't love you for your own reasons...but I am over you at this point. I am longing to get my exercise outside. I have a brand new bike that I'd love to rack some miles on to. I want to get my mini marathon training outdoors instead of on the elliptical. I'm starting to hate my elliptical and that's not a good thing. The weather forecast here in Indianapolis this week has lots of sunshine and increasing temps. I pray this means spring is literally right around the corner. I'm ready for sandals, pedicures, long walks outside after dinner and family bike rides. According to the calendar, March 20 is the first day of spring. Please, winter, please be over early. You always come early--why can't you be over early too? Also, my boys are dying to get outside too. They are sick of playing inside. They want to go outside and run and play and wear themselves out. I will gladly welcome you next year with open arms and all your snow. But for now, I am over you.

Love,

Amanda :)

So now it's March 1st--what are your goals for the month?? I'm going to get back on the exercise bandwagon. It's been 2 weeks since I worked out and I'm ready to feel that rush again. I didn't sleep well last night so I didn't get up when my alarm went off this morning...hoping to squeeze in a workout this afternoon. We have our FPU class tonight so Mondays are pretty tight.

Okay, so I started this post this morning and came back to finish it. Doesn't look like I'm going to get in a workout today...work is too busy this afternoon. But I will make it tomorrow! I'll report back and tell you how it went.

Oh one more thing...I'm trying to start using twitter more. You can follow me here. Later!!

Stream of consciousness...

It's Friday afternoon. Izaac is asleep. Xander is at school. I have NO motivation to do anything constructive. So I am going to write. We'll see where I get.

I've had absolutely NO motivation to work out or count points the last 2 weeks. We went to Colorado on 2/13 to spend a brief time with my BFF. Izaac stayed with the grandparents as what we were going to do was not for little guys. We did take DS1 with us and he had a BLAST. While on vacation, I worked out EVERY DAY (granted we were only there for 3 days) but this is huge for me. I worked out and I didn't eat like crap the entire time I was gone--GO ME!!! We spent 2 days in the mountains tubing and DH tried snowboarding. Xander loved tubing as did I. Told the hubby next time *I* want to ski. But we came home on Tuesday (2/16) and I was sick. Spent the rest of the week sick. It wasn't fun, but on a bright note, so far this month, it's only been me that's been sick--a RECORD in this house this winter. I ate better on vacation than I did once we got home.

I swore off fast food back in January as part of a 1 month trial. Had Taco Bell in early February and felt like crap the entire rest of the day. And I mean stomach in knots for HOURS crap. I knew it was the fast food. And before I gave it up? I ate TB all the time. Like seriously, 3-4 times A WEEK! Now my body can't stand it (and my wallet is a lot fatter with all the money I am NOT spending). So needless to say, I made another 1 month vow of no fast food*. So when I am eating bad, it's not even fast food bad. But it's too much other stuff. Went to the store the other day and bought a box of Life cereal--BAD IDEA! I kid you not I think I ate half the box that day just sitting in front of the computer working.

*Fast food (to me and my sister who I made the pact with) is anything with a dollar menu AND a drive thru. We said Subway was okay and Chick-fil-a and that's about it. So there's no McDonald's, Taco Bell, Wendy's, Burger King, Hardee's--nothing like that. Places like Panera and Chipotle are okay. This is our definition...these places get us into trouble.

Today, I was going to work out during nap time. Decided to sleep in this morning since I didn't have to work (thank you new policy that I can now work ANYTIME I want). But now my foot is bothering me. My foot that I injured back in October and had me sidelined for 3 months. Like pain that hurts when I walk type of pain. WTH?!?! I haven't ran in almost 2 weeks. My half marathon is in 10 weeks. Oh and let's not even mention the weight...

Oh heck why not. I'm up almost 3 pounds in 2 weeks. Yes, 3#. Sad! I know I can do this. I've changed my weight goal once again (this is my personal goal anyway...for the time being). For now, I only want to lose 20#. Well, now more like 23 but you get the picture. So today, I am counting points and writing it down. I had a weight watcher smoothie for breakfast--so yummy and very filling. It's almost 2 in the afternoon here and I haven't had lunch yet! I may not...I think after I publish this, I'm going to curl up for a little nap.

In other news, DH and I have decided that there will be a baby #3. The timing I will keep to myself until it gets closer but I will tell you I will not be getting pregnant this calendar year. But 3# is it for us. There will be no more after that. And to answer Nanny's question about my kids names..DS1 is Alexander Kyle and we call him Xander. DS2 is Izaac Jeremiah. Initially we were going to call him Zac (still do sometimes) but Izaac sticks with us more than anything else. I ♥ his name. I love Xander's name too--don't get me wrong. I love them both in their own ways but the one commonality with both names--their daddy named them. :)

I think that's it for this update from my world. I decided to sit down and type and look where it got me? Not really about anything in particular but about a lot of different things. Have a great weekend!

Some good news...

Back in December, I went to see my thyroid doctor for my every 6 month check up. Normally, I have to see the nurse practitioner b/c I wait to long to try to get an appointment with the actual MD. But not this time. They told me to call in September and I started calling on 9/1. I finally got an appointment and went before Christmas. She brings the idea up to me to start weaning me off my Synthroid. We'd never tried since I had been done nursing (and partly b/c I'd only seen the nurse practitioner the last time I was there--back in May). She told me to get through the holidays and then start weaning the pill to every other day, then get my levels checked in 2 weeks. I got the blood work done last week and got a letter in the mail on Wednesday that I could completely STOP taking Synthroid and she will re-check my levels in 4 weeks!!! Isn't that AWESOME news?!?!? Do you realize that most people take Syntroid for the rest of their lives once they get on it?? I know I am extremely lucky and I feel so blessed. I'm hoping that my body will adjust to not having the meds quickly and maybe, just maybe, it will help me lose weight to not have the meds??? I don't know but either way, I am thrilled!

My baby is now 21 months old. How did that happen?!??! We are quickly approaching his 2nd birthday (and big brother's 6th birthday!). I still can't believe it. DH is bugging me for #3, but for now, I am done. I do not want any more children at this point in my life. Life is crazy-busy with 2...I can't even begin to imagine throwing a 3rd one into the mix!

Training for the half-marathon in May has started. I want to be ready for this run but I feel like I can't make any head way in my training. I feel like I'm not doing enough...then there are times where I think I'm doing too much. DH keeps warning me of over training but at this point, I just want to feel like what I am doing is the right thing. I wonder how I can get faster? I'd like to be able to do an 11 minute mile, but at this point that's a pretty lofty goal! But I will stick with it and keep going and training. The training run that I am going to do in preparation for this is in March and it's a 10K (roughly 6.2 miles). I'd love to be able to complete that in a little over an hour or so, but we'll see. I have 100 days until the half--Oh boy!

In weight loss news, there is not much to report. First WI of the new year (1/9/10) down 4#, the following week--down .2, last week up .3, and I don't hold out much hope for this week. It's been a very snack-y, lazy week for me. I'll pull it together this week. I have a plan for this week, so hopefully that will work out for me!

Okay, I'm off of here now...gotta get to bed. 5 AM comes WAY too early....

Happy 2010!

Happy New Year!!!

I love January. Fresh start to a new year, new month, new ME! I got back on the workout wagon last week. I got in 4 days and am on track to get 5 days this week (week runs Friday to Thursday). I also tracked my food and saw a 4# drop on the scale. The holiday weight is almost gone...now on to the other 35# I want to lose. This is it. I am going to do it this year. I am going to RUN that half marathon in May if it kills me. :) Okay, so not literally but I will finish it and I will run across that finish line! I want to do another half marathon in October too so that will keep me running throughout the summer.

I have some other goals for 2010 that aren't weight related. I'm going to take better care of myself. I'm going to spend more time on myself...doing this will help me be a better wife and mother. This past Saturday, I got up early (to an ALARM--a sin in my book) and worked out, headed out to weigh in at a Saturday morning meeting grabbed Starbuck's and came home. It was a GREAT start to my day. There are little things that I am doing too...making sure I brush my teeth AND floss every night before bed. All these little things are going to add up and make me a better person. I'm learning that taking time for myself is VERY important!

DS2 has been sick this past week and it's been rough! All he wants is momma and I'm trying to cater to him. Makes it hard but I've still been taking care of myself. I went to bed right after he did last night b/c I was so exhausted (mentally and physically) from the day. I'm trying to remember that I will miss this age eventually. I may not LOVE it right now but he lets me hold him and cuddle him anytime I want. Eventually he won't want anything to do with me and he'll do anything to get away from me. :) For now, I will cherish these times.

I think that's enough from me for now...I'll check in again after I weigh in this week! :) Which, BTW, is changing. I'm going to my meeting on Thursday night, but my 'official' (to me anyway...LOL) weigh in is going to be at my scales on Saturday mornings. This way, I don't go hog wild on Thursday nights and I can enjoy the one meal out that we do each week. So far, it's working well for me. We'll see how it goes.