Pictures, Summer, and really???

This summer we have already done new things!  Love it! 
* A girl I work out with does in-home daycare and invited Brady and I over one Friday morning.  Her youngest is 2 also.  We really looked forward to it and hope to do it again.  It was nice! 
* We've also went to the Clive pool a few times - and ended up buying a pool pass today.  Brady was thrilled being there and so I figured if we go 2/3 times a week, it will more than pay for itself.  Typical Heidi luck though, we went to meet friends there today and of course it was thundering when we got there.  They wouldn't let us in the water, so we hung out inside for awhile but left once it started sprinkling and lightening (obviously).  I bought the pass anyways though and we are good to go from here on out.  Brady did have a tough time understanding why we couldn't actually go in the pool. 
* We also went to the movies with some friends - Jordan Creek offers a kid movie at 10am a few days a week for $1.  So we paid $2 to get in and my pop cost $5.  :)  I'm sneaking one in next time! 
* Oh, I better not forget Brady's first dentist appointment.  There were a few scared whines, but he did great!  I was so proud of him - he even let the girl clean his teeth!

So really, I decided to take care of issues over the phone that I have been putting off.  Brady's nap is really the only time I can do these things.  First up was handling the mess of my new car.  We finally got the paperwork/loan straightened out, but now they have been pulling out more than they should each payment.  So three phone calls/companies later, that is now straightened out.  We also have had major Internet problems FOREVER.AND EVER.  I decided that even though Chris went to school for this sh*t, I would need to be the one to take care of it.  Consider it done.  It was incredibly hard to understand what they are saying over the phone because God only knows where they are located, so after many "I'm sorry, can you repeat that" comments, it is (hopefully) taken care of.  Can you tell I'm frustrated?!?!?!?

Best part next - pictures!!!

 

Please tell us it's normal to hit the softball with a golf club...  We are a little concerned.  :)  Just kidding....

Story time with his cousin Brenten & Grandma Mart

First ride in the gator with my Uncle Todd (his buddy!)  To say he loved it is a complete understatement.

See Melissa, Maxwell isn't the only one who likes to climb!

First dentist appointment

Here we were headed to the outdoor pool for the first time this summer!  He's posing like a little model.  :)

Brady & Beckett = Double Trouble.  I love these two together.

1st time at the movies!!  

Sprinkler time at Beckett's.  So grateful that Julie was able to watch Brady for a few hours that day!

 

A Different Kind of Challenge

Some things have been bothering me lately.  I feel like we are too obsessed with technology - our whole family, including Brady.  I also sometimes get creeped out putting myself, family, house and thoughts out on the Internet for anyone and everyone to read.  I also have "triggers" that set me off on negative thoughts, feelings, etc that really put me on a path going backwards towards the old Heidi, when I should be going forward.  Lately Brady has been wanting to watch Cars and Toy Story multiple times a day.  Annoying - I want an active child - no laziness!!  And I am self-admittedly addicted to Facebook on my phone and something triggered me yesterday that I haven't really felt in years.  So, I am signing off of the tech world for awhile.  I told myself originally it would be a month challenge, but I know I need to do baby steps.  So I'm going to only allow myself to blog/Facebook on Sundays only and go from there.  I'm signing off during the weeks.  I feel bad I won't be able to wish people Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary, like what their kids are doing, etc on Facebook, BUT I am determined to be 'present and active', not absorbed in technology.  After all these years, certain influences in my life have finally made me see that I am in control of my life.  I need to take responsiblity for my actions and be pro-active if I am going to be who I want me (and my little family) to be!!

Have an AWESOME week everyone!!  We are going too!!  :) 

what.a.weekend

My car broke down in Carroll again last weekend and I realized it was finally time to part ways.  The next decision was whether we should buy another used/cheap car to keep our finances in check or spend a little more to have the security of feeling safer out on the road.  I went against two things that I typically preach about: 1. you should always live within your means and 2. they should never.ever make gold or red vehicles.  I bought a gold GMC Terrain.  As it turns out, I love it.

This is how I roll now....

It was also Final Testing weekend at Goals in Motion.  I am so thankful that I spent the money on a second challenge.  I have learned and gained so much knowledge and my coaches were superb.  I can't wait to continue on with this journey.  Here are my stats:

Pounds lost: 9.8 pounds (17.8 total since January)
BMI: down 2 1/2% (4 1/2 total since January)
Push ups: increased from 31 to 36 full push ups in 1 minute this challenge
Sit ups: increased from 41 to 45 full sit ups in 1 minute this challenge
Mile: ran 1 mile in 8:15 (personal best!!!)  - and this was into the wind for the last 1/2 mile
Measurements: I lost around 7 inches total (chest, waist, hips, thighs and arm)

Some of the best things about what I am doing:
* I feel healthy.  When I eat out or eat something fatty, I feel sick and like I am poisoning my body.  I literally want to vomit just walking in the front door of McDonald's to return a movie to the Red Box.  I love 'fueling my body'. 
* I feel incredibly strong and fit.  My body has accomplished a fitness level that I always desired and I still have work to do!  It's wonderful to actually love working out.  I have never walked out of a gym saying to myself 'let's get this party started!'  But I do here - always ready for a fantastic day ahead.
* I spent two years at the Y never really meeting anyone.  I walk in and out of Goals always talking to someone.  I have made friends here.  :)
* Changing my negative self talk has been almost more challenging than reprogramming how I eat and view food.  I can seriously say that I have turned a corner and for once in my life, feel confident that I can accomplish my goals. 

I am very proud of myself and where I am, but I know I still have work to do.  My time table for events this year has changed due to this little thing called a wedding in San Diego this fall.  :)  Very excited for this and October has become my due date - when I will be at or under my goal weight.  Can't wait to get there!!

Drake...Summer Schedule...Pictures...

Well, I reached my breaking point and finally took Drake to the vet.  He has sores on his face that are creating quite the problems on our carpets, etc.  It's too the point where I won't have anyone over anymore and we can't travel with him.  I'll spare you the details...  He needed to get current on his vaccinations and preventatives again, so I bit the bullet (can we say $300 bullet???) and took him in.  The vet said his sores look like cysts.  He's on antibiotics right now for them, but she said they will probably not go away unless they are surgically removed.  He's almost 12 - not sure if that is the way to go.  Although Drake's blood work was excellent a few months ago, she gave him a check up while we were there.  He is definitely showing signs of aging: lumps all over his body, cataracts (she said it's the type where his vision is fuzzy, but he won't go blind), weight loss (she said probably from muscle loss which is common too in older dogs - he's at 87.5 pounds - his lowest ever as an adult dog) and his tear ducts are not functioning properly - which has led to his goopy eyes (which is also common in older dogs).  So as of today, he is up-to-date on his vaccinations and preventatives, on antibiotics and tear drops and we are going to be taking him off his steroids.  He's been such a good dog - I hate to see him age and think about things like how he can't see as well.  He also doesn't always get up to greet us anymore either.  I love him so much (even though I get sooo frustrated!!)

SUMMER!!!  Our schedule has changed again and just in time for summer.  I only babysit on Mondays now.  We are picking up our play group on Tuesdays.  There is library time on Wednesdays and we are planning to hit the pool every Friday (hopefully with our play group) since the pool opens at 11 instead of 11:30.  We need some more fillers, so I might look into classes at the Y.  And of course, we are going to be hitting up the parks - already have been and we love it!!!  I'm making of list of places to go this summer so we won't be caught off guard with nothing to do. 

Oh yes, a big milestone - but yet dreaded milestone.  Brady has learned how to open doors.  Specifically the one to the garage.  And trust me, he would rather be outside so this has already been a challenge to keep him inside.  Oh fun!

Mother's Day 

I actually took him to a noon workout.  He did pretty good for about 40 minutes.   And then he started to get a little "active".  So we left.  :)

His daddy is trying so hard to get him into his outdoorsy hobbies.  This was about 5 seconds before the freak out and he still says "no daddy fish".  He did not like it!

Summer + little boy = scraped knees and bare feet!

He watched another little girl go down this huge slide, so he decided to tackle it!!  Oh, and of course he is carrying Buzz and Woody the whole time.  

Doesn't he look so little up there?  I'll admit - I was close to panicking.  :)

Numbers

I did it.  I hit my revised goal today.  For the most part.  My original goal for this second challenge was to lose 20 pounds.  As things progressed slowly, something else started to happen.  I realized that I was getting really close to getting out of the 150's.  Somewhere that I haven't been in a long time.  My revised goal was to get safely out of the 150's so that when I fluctuate up, I'll still be in the 140's.  Today, the scale said 149.8.  Whoop Whoop!!  I have two weeks left of this challenge.

So, I'll share my numbers.  I'm not ashamed anymore.  It's who I was/am/will be. 

*2003 wedding weight = 118 pounds.
*2006 or 2007 (can't remember) = ran a 1/2 marathon in AZ with my sister and I remember complaining to her how I was now in the 140's and the scale keeps creeping up.
*March 2010 = 161 pounds when I became pregnant.
*December 2010 = topped 200 when I had Brady.
*May 2011 = quit my job to stay home and started working out at the Y = 178 pounds.
*January 2013 = started my first 9 week challenge at Goals In Motion at 164.6 pounds.
*TODAY = 149.8 pounds.  Since the beginning of my first challenge, I've lost 14.8 pounds. :)  This is the amount I lost on my own after I quit my job, but it took my almost two years to do by myself.  Clearly I've learned a lot about nutrition in my new adventure at Goals because it's only been 4 1/2 months!!
*A weight I will be content with = 125/130 pounds.

When I start comparing myself to others, I immediately stop myself and remind myself of the progress I'VE made.  And it's very flattering to have people come up to me and tell me whatever I'm doing is working because they can see the change.  I've had neighbors, people in class, friends, family, our buddy at the grocery store.  I even had an instructor come up to me and tell me to buy some pants that fit.  :)  It's a wonderful feeling!!  I'm working so hard to do it the right way.