Waiting

Well, I went to the dr. this past Tuesday and then had blood work done Wednesday and should have the results this week early. I have decided this week it is time to eliminate bread and sugar, I just don't think my body can process it well. All I ever eat is whole wheat anyways but I just think there is something in bread period that I need to do without. I have prayed for a lot for help, strength and support for this week to eliminate my cravings. My goal at the start of the year was to have lost the last 7 pounds by February 20 and since then all I have done is gain 3 pounds! My self esteem and mentality are really taking a beating because of this and I really need to work through it because it is pulling me down. Man, I hope the blood work shows something! She is checking all my vitamins, a full metabolic panel, urine, and thyroid. If something comes back iffy, she wants to do another full work up on my thyroid.

I am pushing myself harder this week too in the gym and boy oh boy are my muscles feeling it! The full hour of weight lifting is really what I have been needing and craving and it HURTS! look out summer here comes a new woman!

Issues

I am having issues. Weight issues. I have lost 40 lbs since I had Ian but have been gaining and losing the same 2 lbs since last April! Now, in the past month, I have put on 2-3 MORE pounds!! What gives?? I exercise 4-5 times a week either eliptical, running, bike, pilates, body pump (1 hour of weights) or a combo of 2 of them. I write down EVERYTHING I eat, eat all my fruits/veggies, take a vitamin, make sure I eat enough protein, I don't drink milk but do get calcium in other ways, if I eat a grain, only once a day, never buy junk foods EVER, and am constantly mindful of what and how I am eating. I have truly changed my horrible eating habits into something to be proud of BUT I still feel like a failure because I can't lose 7 pounds to make Lifetime at Weight*watchers???

My leader has helped to try everything....eat more points, exercise less (I want to know the logic in this, I just don't get it!), try all kinds of different things and nothing makes the scale budge. My last resort, and I am going on Tuesday, is to see a dr. and get a physical/blood tests and see if something is missing from me and ask their opinion what my weight should be for my body type. I feel excited about this hoping I can find some answers as to what is going on because I know something is, just cant figure out what!

If this doesn't work, someone schedule me for a tummy tuck and get these implants out of me! That has to be an answer too ha!

Animal Kingdom

We bought passes to Disney this week and our first trip we chose to go to Animal Kingdom since

we have never been. I was skeptical at first thinking it would just be a glorified zoo and that we were going to waste the trip. I was told that there wasn't a whole lot to do. Boy, am I glad we went! It was pretty awesome, the Nemo musical, safari ride, and the Lion King show were definite favorites by far. Ian was mesmerized during Nemo (one of his current favorite words and the ONLY thing he will watch on TV!) The parade at the end of the day was pretty cool too. The girls and Ian met Pocahantas, Minnie, and Donald Duck, Madeline rode her first roller coaster in Dino-land, and me and the 3 oldest were absolutely terrified during another dinosaur ride (NEVER AGAIN!!!) I wish the park would

have been opened longer (they closed at 5) because we didn't even get to see a whole section of the park!

All around it was an awesome day. Ian and Ava both took brief naps in the stroller, Johnny chickened out on the river rapids ride because he can not stand

getting wet, and the kids and I are pretty sure we are over dinosaurs at the moment! (if you have young children, even if they are 40 inches, DO NOT LET THEM RIDE Dinosaur!!! It was dark, fast, loud, jerky and just 100% terrifying for little ones (and ME!)

Ian 22 months, Ava 4, Madeline 6, Johnny 8

sorry guys about the sun being in your eyes!

see how perfect our days was on the African safari!

On the jeep during the safari...we sat in the very back and it was b*u*m*p*y!

Madeline's first roller coaster ride!

Watching a performance

Cold beginnings

Welcome new year! Ian has been sick with an upper resp. infection and we started the breathing treatments. He wasn't a big fan the first couple of times but after a couple of times, he was holding the mask himself for the full time. I guess it felt good on his little lungs.

Ice covered lawns is not something we see often in central Florida! It was super cold for a solid week! Most of our warm lovin plants look like they bit the dust but our grass always comes back. I ran out of clothes to wear too!



I do have 2 other kids! The two youngest are just always home and easier to catch!

Have a great (warmer) week!

My New year

What I am most grateful for this year:

The trips we took! we went to Stone Mountain, Ga (camping), Atlanta, South Carolina, Savannah, Sebastian Inlet (camping) Jacksonville, Disney World a couple of times, the beach many, many times, Sanibel Island, ans lots of little day trips in our area. We are so blessed to be able to provide these trips/excursions to our kids. As i was growing up, we never went anywhere, only Jacksonville to visit family. John on the other hand took lots of family trips and has all the great photos to look back on. I love to travel and want to instill that into my kids as well. Maybe these year we will leave the country! I am so looking forward to taking a cruise and going to Costa Rica someday soon! We also want to try Boston, San Antonio, back to Atlanta and SC, and maybe somewhere south in Florida. definitely going to do Disney of course and try to get more camping trips under our belt. There has been talk of selling our trailer and getting something bigger.

I am also thankful that everyone in our family has stayed so healthy! No flu of any kind, no serious issues what so ever! I am telling you, a healthy diet goes really far when it comes to having a good immune system. I am thankful that our children enjoy eating healthfully and making wise choices when it comes to food.

I am thankful for our finances and work this year. So many folks are out of work and out of money and out of homes. I know we are beyond blessed with John's job and all that it provides for us and I value our home so much. It is perfect for us right now and my children have a safe, warm home that they can feel loved in. What more could you ask for?

What I want to improve on this year:

I need to walk the dog more! he is getting so fat and I don't want him to be unhealthy so more walks for him!

Being more present for my parents.

Keeping our closets clean!

I hope all my readers (ha, I only have like 3!!) have a wonderful SAFE New Years and may you be blessed( and healthy) in the year to come! Much love to you and your families(((())))

Helping out in the church more.

Dress up

Do you see a problem?....is it okay to let my 21 month old boy play dress up with his sisters? I personally don't see a problem...besides the fact that he normally wears Snow white but he couldn't find it so today he was a fairy(with matching fairy shoes!) It was in fact really funny when he went under the play set, lifted his dress and peed across the grass (he was diaperless, obviously!) That had me laughing and then him laughing!

He still does favor baseball and wrestling with his big brother but big brother was playing football with the neighbors so Ian was stuck with all the girls :)

Oh, and the sisters were getting married hence the skirt hoop being used as veils!

I am alive and well

although I am not really sure that anyone ever checks this blog anymore! Oh well, life is busy and happy and everyone is healthy, that's all I could ask for.

Here are some of my updated pictures of the kids....I got a new Nikon for my birthday and I am trying so hard to get my settings right for the pictures and trying to remember which ones work the best so forgive the quality of some of these photos

Merry Christmas from beautiful Florida!

Ian is now 21 months old and his personality has just blossomed. He is still very much a crybaby! but his attention span has greatly improved and he gets along so well with his siblings. He idolizes his "JaJa" and his big sisters still mommy him and take care of him.

I celebrated my 32nd birthday with some wonderful friends and even gave myself my first hangover in years! Ugg, don't want to repeat that ever again!

Johnny also turned 8 in November and celebrated with a bowling party with his friends....all had a great time!

Ava Kai turned 4 in November and had a hello kitty party at the skating rink.....lots of 3 and 4 year olds and skating was quite the funny mix but she had a blast too!

Madeline has lost 6 teeth total now and is missing three at this moment....lots of little gaps going on now!

Christmas time at Meme and Papa's

I promise to make a better attempt to keep this updates, promise!