News Flash

I have lost 8 EIGHT pounds since I started my weight loss journey on January 9th. Eight pounds!!! I am so excited.

I have been trying not to eat so much and exercise more. Anna really makes that much easier than ever before. She is all about moving her body lol. She wants to exercise ALL the time. I am afraid she gets that from her father. I have never been addicted to working out. To be honest I don't know if I ever will. I do however think I could get addicted to feeling the after effects of working out. You know the soreness of your muscles letting you know that you are working them. My stomach muscles hurt for 2 days after doing an ab workout. They don't hurt today and I miss it lol. I have joined a free weight loss website! It is awesome. They have trackers for food and for exercise. They have videos for you to work out to. I have joined the boot camp forum and am doing those videos. They are short which makes it easier to say ok it is JUST 10 minutes! Even though most of the time those 10 minutes kick my butt! I haven't really done any real exercising since before Anna. I mean sure chasing after Anna and playing with her is some exercise but to work each individual muscle and work to tone and shape things. Umm well no hasn't happened in a LONG while! It feels good to start taking care of ME.

What are you doing to take care of you?

She Totally Gets it from ME!

This is typically something I would do over at my daughters site but I thought you guys had a right to know a little bit about me lol. Anna has been dying to paint for oh I don't know a week or maybe a month. I decided that since it was so very nasty out this morning we would do that today. So she worked out with me this morning and then we got right to the important stuff!

We have an art kit that I break out for just such an occasion. It has a few different kinds of paint. The kind you use with a brush and then finger paints. So we got these items out and spread paper on the floor in the kitchen and got busy! I hate to admit it but I had trouble with the paint you were supposed to use the brush. I tried wetting the brush and then rubbing it over the paint. That barely worked. I tried using my finger lol I know kinda defeating the purpose of the brush. Then finally I tried to wet the paint and then dip the brush into it and voila that worked!

The finger painting well you know that is a no-brainer! My kind of painting lol. I have always thought that I didn't have any artistic ability. Guess what y'all I can use kids paints and create a little turtle. Of course it is kinda like looking up at the clouds and trying to pick out a shape lol. Check this out!!!

Tell me you can totally see my turtle, right? Ha ha I know so anyway I looked over at what Anna was doing and look at what I see!

You can totally see her dolphin, right! Isn't that cool! Now mine is questionable at best so you know my title is totally bogus. She really gets any artistic ability from my hubby! While we were both all yucked up with paints I decided to do something that we could look back on and marvel at:

I think we will do this yearly and we can see how much her hand grows. How close it gets to being big like mine.

Stuttering

My vibrant and very intelligent 3.5 year old has started stuttering lately. It is pretty much the first word of a sentence. Mainly when she begins the sentence with you or we. I was getting a little concerned about this especially when my father in law pointed it out.

I was talking to a friend of mine about it and she said the same thing happened with her nephew. The parents checked with a teacher of Psychology and were told it is a phase they sometimes go through. Of course, being the computer guru that I am I had to check it out. I found numerous websites pointing out that this happened to their children and that is completely normal. I had no idea that this could possibly happen. They say if your child does this to not interrupt them and to listen carefully to them. The phase should last no longer than a few months.

I can't tell y'all how relieved I was to read that. I was feeling like I was doing something terribly wrong. For her to go from speaking perfectly clear to stuttering I thought something traumatic had to have occurred. No, that isn't the case it is another phase; another sign that she is growing and learning. Apparently her mind is working so fast that is hard for her mouth to keep up with it sometimes. Now my husband and I just have to remember to not try to rush her or make her take her time. Just let her go with the flow and work it out for herself.

Did your little one go through this phase? If so how long did it last?

Wordless Wednesday - Tranquility

Menu Monday

It has taken me all morning to work this menu. Both Food Lion and Kroger have good sales today so I think I will go to both. I know such a pain huh but hey we do what we can to save a few bucks! Here is what I am looking at for this week.

Monday - lasagna

Tuesday - chicken and rice casserole

Wednesday - leftovers

Thursday - nachos w/chicken

Friday - Chicken Tetrazzini (see recipe below)

Saturday - hot dogs and fries

Sunday - left overs or sandwiches

According to my estimations I am $4 over budget. I wanted to try and get the frozen chicken packets. They are buy one get one free so I can get 2 for $13.00. We can eat off of those for several weeks saving me money down the road. However, I can't go over budget so we will see if I can work it out. I think I have a few numbers off and I might be able to cut a few things. I will let you know how it goes when I get back which will be a few hours at this rate. I can't seem to get my daughter motivated to get dressed. She has decided "I will just sit in the car!" Apparently she wants to stay in her pajamas lol.

for more menu ideas go HERE

Chicken Tetrazzini
10 oz. dry spaghetti -- (10 to 12)
3 cups grated cheese - Jack or Cheddar
3 Tbsp. margarine
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup -- (10 3/4 oz)
1 can cream of chicken soup -- (10 3/4 oz)
1 (10 3/4 oz) soup can milk
3 cups cooked diced chicken
salt & pepper

Cook spaghetti as directed until al dente; drain. Sauté onions in margarine. Mix onions and remaining ingredients with spaghetti in a large bowl. Put mixture in containers and freeze. To prepare for serving, thaw tetrazzini and put in a baking dish. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350* oven until bubbly, about 30-40 minutes.

I gor rid of the fur!

My hair had gotten so long and heavy that it felt like I had a fur coat forever around my neck. I had it all chopped off and I am so excited!!! I love the way it turned out!! I think the lady called it the Victoria Beckham cut. You know one of the Spice Girls. Anywho here it is tell me what you think!

Before

After

I feel like I look 5 years younger lol. Of course don't look at my red face in the after pictures. I had just taken a hot shower and dryed my hair. I was HOT!

The Future!

These two ladies are in for the biggest surprise of all. They now what they are having but that is just part of it. What will they look like? Will Shanda's baby have black hair or blond like his sister? Will Lori's baby have red hair like her Daddy's before he shaved it or brown or black hair like her brothers? What will they act like? Will one have a wild child and one have a calm one. Will Lori's be a little spit fire to keep up with her brothers and Shanda's be a little monkey like his sister? So many surprises packed in each belly! Will they grow up to find love in all the right places!?! Will they know that their Mommy's loved them even before they were born? Will they have dreams of being astronauts or doctors or teachers? Maybe they will even fall in love with each other and be a Princess with her Prince Charming! So many surprises! So much to discover!

for more Surprises go HERE!