A Weighty Issue

Phew! Praise the Lord I got back on track this week. I lost 7 pounds. Yahoo!!! That gives me a total of 14 pounds gone to date. Thank you guys so much for traveling this torturous path with me. I couldn't do it without you guys. Allen has lost a total of 24 pounds already :) So, he has lost an Emily, and I have lost a Joseph!!!

Picture from the fair

Sauna weekend

Yikes, it has been so hot here. Yesterday the van was reading 103!!!! Needless to say we tried to stay inside. Friday we went thrift shopping, took the kids to a park with sprinklers and went for our 2.6 mile walk on the JB trail. Wooweeee that was hot even though it was 8 pm.

Saturday we did some running around including The Bass Pro shop for Allen. Then we went to the Monroe County fair. it was quite an adventure as there was a big thunder storm before we got there. It was still raining after we got there. The main reason we went was for the tractor pull...no my neck has not turned red...it was for my dear country boy husband ; 0) We had to vacate our seats once because of all the lightning since we were on metal bleachers!!!! Hannah had a good time. Emily did not like the noise at all. It made her nervous. Joseph slept through it. The poor Allen only got to watch one heat between the rain and it being 10 pm with three small kids. Then we made it all the way to the van before we realized we were missing one of Emily's shoes! Allen had to go all the way back and climb under the nasty bleachers to find it. It is always an adventure :)

Web sites

Here are some web sites I just came across in my Parents magazine.


savingforcollege.com
aap.org American Academy of Pediatrics
cpsc.gov product recall lists
parents.com
upromise.com register credit cards and earn college $$
usa.safekids.org car seat inspection sites
zerotothree.org

I think I may just put some of these on my favorites.

Pray for Kelley

Please please pray for my friend Kelley. She and I were in youth group together. On Monday she lost her dear husband to cancer. I can't imagine being a widow and single mom of two at the age of 30. My heart is just breaking for her! Pray for God's strength and peace. My stomach is just sick at trying to imagine losing my Allen.

Frustration

Ok, I had my weigh in tonight and I have actually gained a pound. I am so disappointed!!! Well, that is an understatement. I am completely and utterly ticked. I had 28 of my flex points left and went for a 3.5 hr bike ride on Saturday and a 2.6 mile walk on Sunday. So unfair!!! Perhaps it has something to do with it being my TOM.

My Hannah

I couldn't resist posting this one. I think Hannah looks so cute in this picture. She is such a mother hen already. She cracks me up. She is very nurturing, but we do have to curb her bossing already :) I can't believe she is going to be three in a month!

Mary Kay

I am going to need to place a Mary Kay order soon. Is there anyone who would like to order something for yourself or presents for others? I have to spend $180 in order to stay in Mary Kay and keep my discount....I don't need that much so I usually try to see if anyone else needs things. That way I get help and you guys get the discount. You will be able to get your product at 50% off. The only thing is that you have to help with shipping which is a total of $8, and pay tax on the full price of the product (the gov't doesn't want to lose its share :P). Let me know if any of you are interested! If you need to see what they have you can go to their website to window shop. I believe it is Marykay.com.

Audrey

Here is a picture of my newest niece. This is Audrey Elizabeth Rose. She was born on July 18th. She is 8 pounds and 20.5 inches. Congratulations to Michael, Tammy and big brother Caleb!!!

Joseph Update

Today was Joseph's two month doctor appointment. He is getting so big so fast. Dr Ortiz said he looks and acts like a three month old :) He is now rotating himself while he is on his tummy. He has begun smiling and cooing. It is so much fun to have him interacting with us. Today he was measured at 23 1/2 inches (75%) and 12 pounds, 12 ounces(75%).

I also want to brag on my girls. I had them all in the doctor's office. The girls were absolute angels! I am so very blessed :)

Battle of the Bulge

Ugh...I know I should be grateful....but I am completely annoyed. I only lost 1 pound this week. Yes, yes.....I should be so happy I lost something....BUT!!!!!!! I know all of you have said to be prepared that men lose so much faster. I just had no idea. I think Allen has lost almost 17 pounds. Don't get me wrong....I am SO VERY proud of him and happy for him....but I am completely green with envy!

Please keep me in your prayers. My will power is hitting a tough spot! Maybe it is my bad attitude that is doing it :)

Picture crazy Momma!

Here are some more pictures of my kids. The ones of just Joseph were taken last night. We was smiling at Allen it was so cute. Then he gave Allen his first giggle. It was just so adorable.

Happy Birthday!

My handsome little man is turning 2 months old today. I can't believe how fast time is going already! He I really starting to look around and notice things. I think he newborn vision is finally clearing up :) He has even started smiling on occasion. I love that stage when they can start responding to me. He loves to be on his stomach. He has amazing neck and head control. I think he will crawl before the girls. They didn't like to be on their stomach much. It is so funny to see how each kid is so very different. I have the giraffe in the picture because every month I take a picture of him next to it to see how much he has grown each month. I did that with the girls too :)

What a weekend

Hello all!

We had quite a healthful weekend. Friday we wanted to go out for Chinese, so we walked there. It was super. Then we walked around the neighborhood. Saturday we did some tootling around and walked the trail at Jefferson Barracks. It was so pretty. Unfortunately I had remembered my socks but forgot my tennis shoes. I had to do the 2.5 miles in my flip flops. Needless to say, I had to walk barefoot for half of it :) Oh well. Hannah walked the whole thing! We were so impressed. Then Sunday we went for a 12 mile bike ride at Grant's Trail. It was so much fun. We had a whole big group. Karen, Bob, Vella, Sandy, Sami, Clarence and Jane all went with us. I would not suggest taking the new trail that branches off. We heard there was a park at the end. It was ALL uphill. It was absolute torture. The hill never stopped and we never found the park. Maybe when we are all in super shape and need a challenge we will attempt Devil's Hill again :) Here is a picture of Hannah and Sami in Sandy's trailer. The kids had a good time too.

And now for my update.....I have officially lost two more pounds last week. So, I have lost 6 pounds since my doctor's visit. I really appreciate all your prayers and encouragement. I SURE need it. This is such a battle. Sometimes I feel so consumed by it. I will say that last week was easier than the first week. Hopefully it will just keep getting better.. Not too hopeful though

What a mess!

This is Emily after one of her first s'mores! As you can see, she really enjoyed it :) She fell in the grass on her way from the campfire to the cabin. Thankfully I had help cleaning her up!

More pictures

Just wanted to post some more cute pictures from the weekend. Allen thinks I have to be part Japanese:)

The first picture is my dad and Hannah at the waterfall in the river. Then it is my mom and Hannah at the river. Then we have Miss Hollywood at the lake. The one that is hard to see is Allison, Gavin, Hannah, my brother Chris, and my cousin Paula swimming in the lake. Yes, my brother has a kid floaty on his head. Guess that is the only place it would fit :) Then Allen and Emily at the river. Do you think she looks like her daddy???

Weight update

Well, this has not been a very easy week for me. I really miss my carte blanche eating :( It has been a struggle to feel those hunger pains. I really do like the Weight Watchers program though. It makes it kind of like a game for me.

I have good news. Drum roll please......for my weigh in I have lost 3 pounds. I am very grateful. Allen has been doing this with me. He is doing so well. I am mad though.....he isn't being as strict with himself and yet he has still lost 10 pounds! I am so proud of him though!!!!!!!

Please keep praying for me. I am so easily discouraged. I want to see results....NOW!!!!!!

The 4th Weekend

We went up to my parents' cabin up in WI for the weekend. It took us 10 hours to get there. The kids did pretty well. We had to have quite a few stops. On the way up there we were hoping to make a quick potty stop but happened to get in there right after a youth group. That took a long time. We really enjoyed going to the lake and river. The top pictures on the top were taken at the river. The girls really enjoyed playing with their cousins. As you can see from the pile-up picture. Uncle Chris loved the special time with the girls. Joseph really enjoyed some time with his Nanny. The picture of him was taken when he smiled at her while she was holding him. This is one of his very first smile :)

Sunday night started the weekend's downfall. We gave Gavin the stomach flu. He puked all over the kitchen floor. Then my mom and dad got it later that night. Allison woke up with it! Oh my, it was terrible. My two cousins got it on Monday too. We were supposed to stay until Tuesday but decided that we had done enough damage and started our trek home.

The disappointments continued. I was so emotional having to leave my family a day early especially in the condition they were in. We aren't scheduled to see them for two months :( Then we stopped for brunch at a pioneer restaurant. Not good food, even worse atmosphere. Oh yeah, I forgot to say that Sunday night my new camera phone got washed in the washer. I forgot to take it off my pocket and my mom washed clothes. Ugh, expensive mistake. The last big disappointment was that we went to Columbia to watch their fireworks. It rained for an hour, so we had two lunatic girls running around the van and one little boy screaming his head off. The rain stopped just in time for the fireworks to start. Well, they never did. We sat staring at the sky for an hour in anticipation. Oh well, right? I don't think anyone in my family will soon forget this 4th of July :)