Who cares about you, what about the kids?

I've realized I've been in a pretty bad slump. Chalk it up to the low sugar, low carb diet, no diet colas, and no guilty late night pleasures. I'm breaking free and saying enough is enough. I'm done with excuses. I am putting my foot down and saying I can juggle all them apples and make applesauce with the ones that fall!

This conference was pretty amazing. All that mom talk I've never even noticed struck me really hard. I need to be the example to my children and more importantly I need to help them recognize the spirit. I was bawling and in tears. This little guy has changed my entire life around:
 

8 months old this little Jackster! He is eating blueberries like they are going out of style, crackers, stepped it up in the world and is now eating goldfish, loves to chill, eat sno-cones, swing at the park. Jack still hates being on his tummy. He screams and I frequently find him in the plank position; arms straight, body parallel to the floor, butt off the floor, curling his tippy toes into the carpet. It's quite hilarious. I believe he is frustrated that he can't crawl. He is quickly getting the hang of it. I give him a few more weeks. Jack is on the slow track compared to the other two. He has these funny little screams that let you know he wants something. And sometimes I swear he understands what I'm saying and tries to talk back. I love my little Jacky Wacky. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect baby. Jack is officially sleeping in his crib (same room as James).

As for the firstborn:

I'm still trying to decide what to do with him. James is finally sleeping through the night in his own bed! Small miracles do still happen! He is still struggling very hard with speech and language. It effects everything he does. It can be very frustrating. Especially when he throws his little tantrums. I just have no idea what he wants. And it takes a long time to calm him down. Discipline is another mountain we are still climbing. At least for now he understands the concept of consequences. Despite his language delay, he is learning lots of new vocabulary every day. He just struggles with using all his words in a sentence. James' new fav food is a cheese quesadilla. Frozen blueberries and Doritos are his staples.

And I can't forget this wild child:

Madison is the daughter I swore I'd never have; ratty hair, dirty face, stained clothes, mismatched outfits, clumsy, and mischievous. The only other person I know who can trip on air is my MIL. It baffles me. We have an appointment with the optometrist scheduled very soon to check her eyes. Maybe she needs glasses? Madison looooooves Hello Kitty anything, is very considerate of James, and can eat candy all day long. She has a small jewelry box plum full of bracelets, necklaces, and sunglasses. Madison loves her pretty pretties. The highlight of the year was switching out her blue butterfly earrings with Mini Mouse earrings. One of my New Years Resolutions was to teach her how to ride the tricycle. No need, I found her riding it one day! I wanted to say, STOP! That is not allowed until I show you how! Madison has this tiny high pitched voice. It's so girly. Madison has fallen back to her baby ways; requesting a bottle of chocolate milk and running to her bed to act like a baby while reading a book. If there's a pacifier to be sniffed out, she will find it! Her shoes are always on the wrong feet (I find this hilarious!) But once you tell her she will switch them. She sleeps with us now because of night terrors and being afraid of the dark. Since she is such a light sleeper we let her stay in our bed. James grew out of it and I know she will too. My sweet little MP. She loves to be doted over and treated like a princess.

21 Day Easy Diet Week 2

It's been TWO weeks! Pounds lost: 3.2

I can't say that it has been fun. It definitely has not. But I feel like I'm on my way. The scale is teetering down and that is good enough for me!

Here's what I am doing:

• Whole foods
• Whole grains
• Monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) at every meal, 
• No carbs at night
• Good sugar (fruit, stevia) before lunch
• Limiting sugar intake < 25 g/day
• Protein, Carbs, MUFA at every meal except dinner
• Exercise
• at least 2 x per week cardio (running or cycling)
• at least 2 x per week strength training (weights, aerobic, or interval)
•  Breakfast contains (I get to eat like a man b/c I'm still nursing)
• 25-30 g Protein
• 40 g Carbs
• < 14 g Fat
• AM Snack, Lunch & PM Snack contains
• 25-30 g Protein
• 25 g Carbs
• < 14 g Fat
• Dinner contains
• 25-30 g Protein
• 0 g Carbs
• < 14 g Fat

It's been a lot of work to try to meet all the requirements. But if I'm doing it right, I'm not hungry and the food is better than I thought it would be. I get one cheat meal per week. Then I follow it with a detox day: low sugar and few carbs.

Any questions?

Invisioning

You know how people say, the first step is the hardest? Well, here’s to my first step to a new me! I am making the commitment to exercise regularly, chose healthier meal options, and veer away from sugar, processed and fast foods! I can’t lie, my main goal is weight loss. But my other goals are to go back to a whole foods diet! What is a whole foods diet? Well, it’s eating foods that are as close as possible to its natural state. I.e. Chicken, real chicken. Not in a can, not in a patty, not in a McNugget! You are what you eat and I know the things we eat today are not healthy for us! I want to eliminate the chemicals (herbicides, pesticides, preservatives) from my diet and from my family’s diet.

Let me start my saying I’ve cut out my dependence on sodas! It was hard at first, but I knew I had to do it. I weened myself from two sodas to one soda a day. Then I went cold turkey. It’s been the best thing for me. Usually after I would drink two sodas I would feel yucky and sick. I knew this was not healthy for me. The diet sodas are just as bad. I noticed once I quit drinking soda, I was not as hungry. I didn’t crave snacking every second of the day!

The second step was trying to cut out sugar. I’m going to admit I’m still struggling with this one. EVERYTHING has sugar in it! I can not get away from it. This has been the hardest for me. Some days I think I’m manic, so I give in, feed the craving and it’s like euphoria eating a chocolate bar. My mood swings the other way, I’m happy again. But once the sugar high is gone, I’m back at square one. I know this is going to be a hard process. It’s been 2 weeks since I’ve been trying to cut back but I feel like the more I try the more I binge. The crazier I become because I’m not preparing myself for the crash. I need to sub it with good sugar, like a fruit.

My final step is the 21 Day Easy Diet. It encourages portion control, eating whole foods, reducing sugar and working out. Hello! Everything I’m trying to do! It begins with 3 days of Detox Meals, 7 days of Fat Burn Meals, a Cheat Meal (hurray!), and cycles on a different combo of meal rotations aforementioned. 

I'm encourage to write a vision story about the new me. So here goes:

I'm not doing anything special, just another day at the office. I'm called out to do an Engineering inspection and I can FIT into my coveralls pre-Jack. They are actually loose because I've lost more weight than I thought I had to lose! My arms are defined and strong from all those months of training. I bend over to tie my boots and realize just months before it was not so easy. My stomach is flat and strong. I love my new abs of steel! I can hike up the stairs with ease. The running and cycling I have been doing has been great cardio! I'm not even out of breath going up 5 flights. I actually prefer the stairs instead of the elevator to see if I can get in a good burn.

After a long day at work, I come home and wrestle the kids on the floor. Madison lifts up my shirt to fart on my belly but she says, "Oh no! Where did your tummy go?" The flubber is gone and I start laughing. Silly Madison! She forgot I'm skinny again!

A whole new wardrobe is opened in my closet and I'm finding all my best stuff can fit me again! I'm super excited to wear my shorts I've worn only a handful of times, a size 4!

I am feeling great! And I am looking great! If this is what 31 is like, I can't wait to be 32!

The end

Ok, so it might sound a little cheese ball but whatever. I can't wait to see my results! It's totally do-able! Tomorrow I start my diet! Wish me luck!

2011 Goals Re-hashed

Nothing like being home sick to catch up on blogging, tv shows, etc. Since the kids are kind of "pre-paid" for the week, no kids. So it's like a free day. Except I haven't brushed my teeth or showered and it's 3:29pm. Which means I have just under 2 hours before picking up the children. Because showering is for the birds, I'm going over last years goals.

1. I love to cook! I have had the pleasure of entertaining quite a bit in 2010 and have been asked for oodles of recipes. Fact is, some of it's in my head and some of it is in this huge mess of 8 1/2 x 11 papers clipped sloppily together with a bag clip. I spend so much time sorting through it. And when I do find it, it's usually unsightly from liquid spills, kids nibbling the ends off, etc. So with the urge of my hubby who loves me to teach him all the GOOD recipes, my goal is to write down my recipes and put them in protector sleeves in a nicely labeled binder. So if I die my family will still eat Mommas good cookin' - paraphrased from Michael.
Completed. My green patterned binder matches my green kitchen. The pages are plastic inserts and its plum full. I need a bigger binder. I'm always adding new recipes.

2. I would love to live a little more frugally. Get rid of a car payment and start working on long term savings for real.
Failed. I think some things I will continue to struggle with. This is one of them.

3. This kind of contradicts #2 but finish the kitchen remodel, and turn the movie room into two bedrooms.
Didn't remodel the kitchen. But we did turn the movie room into two bedrooms!

4. Try to be more proactive in going to church activities, especially relief society.
I went to RS as much as I could. I had a great time every time I went. There's room for improvement.

5. Be a better friend, and make new friends - the later is really tough for me since I already am squeezed for time.
Okay, so I didn't really try that hard. But I've been trying. That should account for something.

6. Spend more time with my family including weekend trips back to the Rez. Wow, did I just really say that? But yes, I mean it!
We went twice last year. That's a good start.

7. Try to read 1 book - a good one, like one of those classics people are always harping on me about.
I read MANY books! It comes in waves. Kinda like sewing. 

8. Potty train James and Madison.
Check and uncheck.But I have a feeling this is the year!

9. Try to spend more quality time with the kids.
I've been really working hard on this. I feel like we have lots of quality time together now. Having a housecleaner helps A LOT!

10. Not create so much laundry- both me and the kids

James is now putting dirty clothes back in his drawers. He wears a t-shirt for days at a time. I've created a monster! Madison is getting better about NOT changing clothes 20 x a day. Jack wears clothes for days.... just as much as he showers. But working M-Thurs helps me get a start on laundry earlier. It's not so bad now.

11. Date night at least once a quarter. Once a month is too ambitious. We will start out realistic.

Failed miserably at this one. Something to improve upon.

12. I'm sure there's lots more but I think I'm off to a decent start.
Yes, yes it was a good start!

Most of 2011's goals were realistic. I think I took a good stab at it. Nothing like looking back and checking off things you accomplished! Some of these will roll into 2012 for sure. Like potty training Madison and date nights! Can't wait to post my new goals :)

Because of you, I am changed for the better

I'm feeling sappy and sentimental. I'm going to say what every mom says, "I can't believe my baby is getting big so fast!" He really is. At almost a whopping 20 pounds, this baby really is big. James was a year old and not even 20 pounds. I remember because I was worried about putting James in the bigger carseat!

A friend said it best, sometimes you have a child born into your family that brings such a special spirit. I can't explain how he has changed me, but he has. One look at him and I just want to be the best mom in the world. I forget about work, I forget about the chores. When I hear him cry, I just want to make it better. 

Six months is no time at all! I don't remember much about being pregnant with him! It's surreal to think I already have this little 6 month old who is teething, rolling, and eating with his hands! How did this happen? I'm pretty sure I wanted him to stay a baby forever!

I love this last little picture because I had one just like it when I was 4 months old. We have the same look and the same hair! Ha! 

Jacky, your momma loves you so much!

I can not imagine life without you! You are the perfect addition to our family. Without you, we would not be complete.

Retro Run 5k

Today I ran a 5K!

Just when you think it's not possible to do something, life finds a way of surprising you. Let me rephrase, you find a way of surprising yourself! After many years of foot ailments, I have finally found my cure. I'm never going to back now that I know how to care for my legs and feet!

This is my very good friend Josie. We go way back to our college days. She was an honorary roommate (the kind that you hang out with so much she only went home to sleep in her bed - sometimes).

We have had many adventures together over the years. I'm so lucky to still have adventures with her! I love these t-shirts! I almost chickened out on running this race but I'm so glad I didn't! My time was 34:14 and I did not stop or walk! I'm just really happy to be hitting the road again. Besides getting hit on by a 70 yr old guy at the race, it was super fun! He was going ga-ga over my makeup. I would tell you what he said but it's really inappropriate! Ah, Josie - my wind lady. Just like old times. Just like old times.

Disneyland 2011

We celebrated James birthday and our 7th Annual West Family Disneyland Vacation this December. It was our first semi-real vacation for the year, at the end of the year. How sad. We packed light (one large suitcase and one diaper bag) for 4 days and 3 nights at the "Happiest Place on Earth."

The agenda was pretty open. A little Buca Di Beppo (that I have not frequented in years!) with the whole fam. Unfortunately it's hard seating a party of 11, wha? I'll keep that in mind before I have 6 more kids. We ended up sitting in two adjacent booths. Totally unfair when your own brood takes one booth. But MIL was accommodating and jumped right in to help. I love her for that!

Speaking of brood. It's funny how three kids completely rocks your world. First its the whole three-carseats-don't-fit-in-the-back-of-the-Honda-unless-you-throw-your-hip-into-the-door-to-shut-it-so-all-three-carseats-squish-like-sardines, then it's the one-booth-for-you-one-booth-for-everyone-else, then it's the you-gotta-get-your-own-Embassy-Suites-Suite-cuz-now-you-gots-lots-of-cryin'-kids. Not that I'm complaining about any of it, I'm just saying it's cra-zay, as Britney would say.

On Friday we hit the park early. Well, kind of. Our whole fam was ready at 7:30am and the kids basically knocked our adjoining suite door down to get to grandma, only to find they were still sleeping. Uhm, hello? DISNEYLAND peoples! I did not drive all this way to sleep in!

It was a beautiful day in Disneyland! I was worried because the night before the LA area had hurricane winds! Breezy, cool, and a bright, hot sun during the day. By mid-afternoon the sun would lose its heat and cool down. Thank goodness for the black Friday deals I got on kids jackets!

Madison has no idea who these characters are.

My favorite area of the park is Frontierland. That's where they have the Tiki Room. My favorite, favorite attraction. I could sit there all day long and slurp Dole Whip Floats and be happy! James and Michael were at this Gun attraction for at least a half hour, if not longer. Boys. And their guns.

In California Adventure we hit up Toy Story. James had been asking and asking and .... to go. We we waited the hour or whatever it was to get on the ride. Jacky loves his grandma.

After you get off the ride you can usually get in a photo with Woody or Buzz. James was so excited but disappointed when he saw Woody wasn't there. My SIL, Lisa, was a nice extra pair of hands.

California Adventure was under construction for Snow White and Cars, two new attractions. Most the park was closed off. A Debbie Downer for sure. We still got to see Bugs Life, Aladdin, Monsters Inc, and the Phineas and Ferb Show. 

I still can't believe I have three kids. It's amazing that you can find out you are pregnant AND going to have a baby all in the same year!

We hyped James up for his birthday dinner at Blue Bayou, the restaurant inside Pirates of the Caribbean. Madison conked out (not seen). We laid her out across two chairs and she slept thru dinner. Here is my little birthday boy. A big 4 years old!
 

Sometimes you just gotta do what it takes to get everyone in a photo. James was mad at me for making him do this. They don't tell you it's only the "Happiest Place on Earth" when you pump them full of candy, buy every toy in sight, and let them freely roam the streets.

 At the end of the night, logistics was always an issue. See, when you only bring one stroller for the baby and plan to rent two strollers at the park, that leaves you with a load of junk, a stroller you have to fold up (babies can not ride in the stroller on the tram to and fro the parking lot from the park), two sleeping kids and four arms and one vehicle that only seats 5. That means you gotta work a whole lotta magic. Luckily I had some in my pocket and we made it back to the car without losing a child.

As coincidence may have it, Mike's uncle and aunt were also at Disney the same days we were. That is his cousin Payton on my lap. She is 5yrs old and the cutest little girl ever!

P.s. See that white snowman in the stroller, right there in the middle above Jack? There's a funny story about that snowman caramel apple. You see, I waited about an hour to get that snowman. The caramel apples at Disney are a delicacy. Really. A delicacy. Jana will tell you. It's so sinful. They are $10 a piece. So imagine it's like eating gold. It's so expensive you just want to look at it and not eat it. Every morsel is precious. Well, I was waiting in line and the cashier tried to sell me the last snowman that had broken ears. Oh dangit. I got ahead of myself. See this snowman isn't just any old snowman. He's got a Mickey Mouse hat with ears instead a tophat. And it's real delicate like, like it could break off just breathing on it. Well, since they are $10 and all, I didn't want a broken snowman. If I was going to pay full price I was going to have one completely in-tact. I made him walk across the store to the other cashier station to get me one that was absolutely perfect. So he did. I'm sure the 30 people behind me were completely annoyed. After I cursed myself for buying 6 apples total (only one snowman), I held the snowman super duper carefully the entire walk down main street to meet up with the rest of the fam outside the park.I mean VERY. CAREFULLY. I dodged people left and right like it was a football and I was trying to score a touch down. If you've ever left the park after 9pm, you know the madness I'm talking about.

When we get out, I told my MIL the whole story, etc. etc. So she picks it up and starts looking at it, she grabbed it by the end of the stick and used her wrists to look at it up and down. Well guess what? The flick of her wrist did that poor little Mickey Mouse ear in, and it broke off! Oh the fury! All that work, that worry, over a stupid ear! To have it broken right before your very eyes, before your very hands, in your very control! Ah! I deserved it! So after discovering I was mad with myself I decided what a fool I had been. Word to the wise: tear off the Mickey Mouse ear hat and save yourself the trouble!