Progress on Goals

I'm here! I know, you were worried that I had given up on blogging forever. My resolutions are mostly going well so far. I decided to hold off on officially documenting any weight loss until the end of the month. I did go the entire week without weighing myself (mostly due to the ugly Aunt Flow being in town), but I gave in and weighed myself today. I'll wait until the end of the month though to document, as planned. This week, I am working on increasing my step count as well as continuing to bring my lunch every day. I am continuing to document my food intake in MyFitnessPal.

I did well and brought my lunch to work every day last week except Friday since I was sick. I decided to buy a couple of Smart Ones (I don't eat those often) for those days when we didn't have enough leftovers, I didn't have time to make my lunch, or I was just lazy. I've been eating a lot of chicken salads with Greek Vinaigrette dressing. I mostly brought my breakfast to work as well, but did buy breakfast at school twice last week. I just had two eggs with ham, spinach, onion, a little cheese, and salsa. I've been having some fruit smoothies as well. They are pretty good, but I need to add some protein powder to keep me fuller longer. I also ate healthy snacks. We mostly did well with dinner for the week except we did eat out (Mexican food) on Thursday night and I did not make good choices--at all. Well, I did drink water instead of diet coke. I am doing pretty well with my water intake. I put half a lime in my water today and I am just gulping it down. I had lots of chicken noodle soup on Friday night and Saturday due to the sickness. I was doubly sick because I must have caught the stomach bug that the girls had last week. Nausea, ugh. No vomiting though, so that's good. We didn't do amazing for eating over the weekend, but I am working on smaller portions and better choices. Baby steps! I feel that when I go 110%, I end up failing faster than if I just make better choices and change my habits.

Pretty much what I ate every day except I didn't eat two boxes of Special K Protein bars or a whole box of peanut butter. Those are snacks.

Eggs loaded with veggies and salsa, coffee (important), and my big water jug!

I also had to go to the doctor last Friday. I have a sinus infection. I suffered for 8 days straight with a bad headache, face pressure, jaw pain, eye pain, ear pain...the works. The doctor wrote me three prescriptions, but the pharmacy was out of one of them. I don't seem to need it much any way. It was a prescription decongestant that the doctor just wanted me to take for a few days. The other two are an antibiotic and a prescription nose spray. They are helping. I woke up today headache-free! My doctor is concerned that my thyroid is enlarged. I am trying not to assume the worst (too late). I go back on February 26th for a physical. My doctor said she would like me to get blood work done as well as an ultrasound of my thyroid. So please keep me in your thoughts that every thing is fine or maybe my fatigue will finally be explained (other than having a one year old who sleeps like a newborn and a four year old who wakes up at 4am). I am hoping to lose a few pounds before my doctor appointment on 2/26.

I really want to purchase one of the spiralizers from Amazon, but for now I just have a Veggetti from HEB. I am making spaghetti with zoodles tonight. I am pretty excited to finally try zucchini noodles. I am just hoping that they are as easy to make as they seem! I am sure the sweet little four year old won't even bother to try them. She told me this morning that she eats cooked carrots at school (but not at home). She said that Ms. Michelle boils them in a pot. I said that I sometimes boil them in a pot, too. She said that Ms. Michelle makes the little square carrots and I make the little round carrots. She doesn't like the round carrots. I tried to explain that it is still a carrot. She doesn't care.

I worked on de-cluttering and cleaning my room yesterday. I surprisingly was able to get a lot done, but then again Makenna did sleep almost all day. It took practically all day and I still have lots to do. I cleaned out my drawers and washed and put away a few loads of laundry. I still need to clean out my closet. I had my husband and brother move my husband's old desk to my room so that I can have a little mini office space set up.I also got rid of that book shelf, but now I have to find a place for those books. I plan to eventually purchase a cute little entry way table/book shelf for the living room so I am sure they will go there. Some of the books are cookbooks so once I get Joey to put wire shelves up in the kitchen, the cookbooks will go there. Pinterest gives me so many ideas. I even hung my scarves on shower hooks on a coat hanger in the closet instead of leaving them all scrunched up in a plastic bag. Baby steps.

Disaster zone: cleaning in progress.

Aunt Flow got in the way of me being superly awesomely sweet to my husband all week. Or he was just a pain in the ass. Whichever you choose to believe. ;) He was actually pretty helpful this weekend especially with the kids since I wasn't feeling well. He took Brynlee out to dinner on Friday so that I could lay on the couch with Makenna.

Daddy took Brynlee on a date.

Speaking of Makenna, tomorrow I will update you on a cute little one year old!

New Years Resolutions

First of all, scratch my previous post regarding Makenna sleeping through the night...*big sigh*...moving on...

Let's talk New Years Resolutions. It's that time again when people make extreme goals. New Years Resolutioners always want to lose weight so they pay for an annual gym membership in hopes that the large amount of money will motivate them to go to the gym (been there, done that) then they crowd the gyms and piss off the regulars. This leads to tons of "gym regulars" bitching on Facebook about how the newcomers won't last long, they don't know what they're doing, they wish they'd give up, etc. This always pisses me off because if you are so into health and fitness then why not HELP out a newcomer? Show them the ropes. Don't be such a jerk. More goals include giving up cokes/sweets/fast food, try to stop swearing, vow to be more positive, less selfish, and everything else. Been there, done that for all of those. I've done well sometimes and other times, not so much.

Here are my big 2016 New Years Resolutions...

1.) Be nicer to my husband. There, I said it. My husband and I tend to pick at each other which often starts in a jokingly manner and then turns into really being annoyed at each other. Other times, I passive aggressively mumble under my breath when I think he can read my mind about cleaning the bathroom or changing a diaper. When he doesn't do what my mind is telling him to do, I get annoyed and pissed off that he is not helping me. He has told me time and time again throughout our 7 years together that I just need to ask him. In my overly emotional woman's mind, I think he should SEE me rushing around cleaning, scrubbing, moving junk from place to place and offer to help. Joey and I will be celebrating 5 years of marriage in March. While our first 5 years have been rough with a new baby our first year of marriage, a major sickness during our second year, a big move during our third year, buying a house at the end of our third year, new jobs, and another kid....it's been five years that I wouldn't ever give back. I strongly feel that we can make the next five years even better and hopefully with less stress. :) I don't know if he secretly has a resolution to be more helpful and nice to me, but he seems to be working on that for the first three days of 2016, lol. I am also trying to love my husband through his love language. I don't really know what his love language IS since he won't take the test (GIFTS?!), but I vow to love my husband the way he wants to be loved even if it's not my love language. We are planning a trip in March for our anniversary. Besides the births of my children, I haven't been this excited in my entire life. So here's to a wonderful year with my handsome, hardworking, intelligent husband...

He did go with me to a Murder Mystery dinner theater, lol. We won!

2.) Declutter. LAWD, can I get an amen? AMEN! Joey told some of our friends that I don't "like" our house (the one we just bought in 2013). That took me by surprise. It's not that I don't like our house. We wouldn't have bought it if I didn't like it. It is just that we have SO MUCH crap that we do not need so it makes our house messy, crowded, overwhelming. One of my top five strengths is the "Input" theme. This means that I have a craving to know more. People who are strong in the input theme tend to collect all kinds of information. This often broadcasts itself in physical collection of things as well. I am SO BAD about accumulating books and holding on to them even though I've already read them, buying little bits of decor for the house but then not feeling like I have the perfect piece to pair with the item so the random pieces just sit in my closet waiting for a match. I am vowing to declutter a room every week this month. I started with Brynlee's room today. I cleaned out her closet and drawers. Feels good! I also don't like to have people (friends or family) over because our house lacks decor on the walls. This leads to my next resolution.

3.) Decorate my house! My main focus is one room per month. My in-laws gave me gift cards to Hobby Lobby (love!) so I bought some items for my mantle and living room. It's perfect for Valentine's Day, which happens to be my favorite holiday. I also don't think it is toooooo "Valentine's Day" that I can't leave the decor up longer especially since the main color in my living room is red. I am on the hunt for the perfect red, black, and white throw pillows and a big living room rug. So if you see either of those items--holler at me. My next focus will be working on the kitchen. My kitchen is kind of a combination of a wine theme and coffee theme. I say this because I have a small coffee bar in the kitchen area. After putting up my wine decor, I am going to work on my gallery wall. I have started adding pieces, but as mentioned in #2, I have yet to put them up. I will be working on it soon! I have awesome ideas for the guest bath (total redo!) as well as the playroom and Brynlee's room. My bedroom and the master bathroom will be the last ones of the list. I also hope to work on the outside of our house when spring gets closer so that we can have BBQs with the people we love! 

4.) Healthy habits. I am not vowing to work out 7 days a week, never eat out, but I am making a point to take care of myself. This is the first time in my relationship with Joey that we have both wanted to lose weight (and save money) at the same time. I think this is great because we can work together and support each other. Like most people, I really have to plan ahead. My biggest struggle is eating the breakfast offered in the cafe at work. It is so good and not expensive. I have to get myself and both girls ready in the morning so I tend to not prep a breakfast and just pick something up in the cafe. Bad habit. Bad, bad habit. We went grocery shopping yesterday (so did everyone else in my town) and loaded our cart and fridge with lots of lean meat, veggies, and fruit. I cleaned out our fridge, freezer, and pantry. We're trying to have lots of easy meal options available such as fish and veggies so that we are less likely to say, "oh just grab something on the way home". Joey is committed more to helping with the cooking such as grilling pork chops and veggies. I LOVE when he grills. I also need to figure out when I plan to work out. The best time to use the gym at work (and it's free) is early in the morning, but that means getting up even earlier (!!!) and taking the girls to school even earlier than I already do plus lugging all of my work clothes/makeup/blow dryer to work in order to shower and get ready. But you know what? If it is important enough, you will stop making excuses and make something work. Besides, I need to use all of those workout clothes that I have instead of lounging on the couch in my Active wear.

5.) Read and blog more. I am committing to reading a minimum of one book a month. The pre-mom Amanda would laugh at that itty bitty goal. I have always loved to read. I could throw down so many books a week! I would rather do that than watch TV yet I find myself watching mind-numbing TV in the evenings because I am just tired. I joined a book club last year, but only made it to three gatherings. The group kept meeting on days that didn't work for me (like dance night) or Joey kept being on call during the week of Book Club meetings. :( I did have fun at the few meetings I went to though. Maybe it will pick back up this year and work better for my availability. I also want to try to blog more. We'll see how that one goes.

So there ya have it. These are my main goals for 2016. We are also working on paying off debt and building up our savings account.

By the way, a certain someone turned one year old in December. More on that later!