52-Week Challenge: Week Eighteen

This week's is challenge we one we all knew was coming.  It was inevitable.  "Work Up a Sweat" means getting in regular aerobic exercise three times a week by raising your heart rate 60-80 percent for 30 minutes.  To put it more simply, this week's challenge is exercise.

I might not be the best person to be posting about this because I actually love to exercise.  I get seriously grumpy when I don't get a run in.  After I had MJ, the doctor put me on a strict no-exercise program for 6 weeks.  To me, this felt longer than my entire 9-month pregnancy.  My husband would probably agree with that. :)

I think the key to sticking with an exercise regime is finding something you actually enjoy doing.  And, call me crazy, but I love to run.  It's my "me" time each day where I get on the treadmill and just relax.  It's very rhythmic (so I don't really have to concentrate), and I just lose myself in my music or catch up on my TV shows (God bless the iPad).  It relieves stress and makes me feel like I'm actually doing something really good for myself (which I am--strengthening my heart and lungs AND maintaining a healthy weight).

Honestly, for this challenge, I wouldn't get TOO worked up over trying to reach that ideal (60-80% increase in heart-rate).  If you want to do the math (or pay the money for a heart monitor), be my guest.  Otherwise, use the "talk test."  If you can't talk while exercising, you're probably over-exerting yourself.  BUT, if you can talk normally, you'd not exerting yourself enough.

However, I honestly think the essence of this challenge is trying to get in at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least three times a week.  I know it's hard to find time for it but, considering all the benefits exercise has, I think it's highly worth trying to fit this into your life.  It's easiest for me to have a set time every day.  For me, I always run at the same time each day:  during MJ's morning nap.

Good luck!

52-Week Challenge: Week Seventeen

Okay, I admit: I failed miserably at last week's challenge.  What should have been the easiest and most fun challenge we've had thus far turned into a nightmare.  I just could NOT shake this horrible mood I've been.  I saw no humor ANYWHERE.  Maybe it's this ungodly heat.  Maybe I'm PMS'ing.  Maybe I'm just a grouch.  Whatever it was, it was here to stay and making me quite an awful "rhymes with witch." I promise I will try harder next week.

Anyways, moving forward.  This week's challenge is entitled "Get Five Squares a Day."  It involves developing a regular eating schedule that keeps you feeling satisfied all day.  The book suggests that instead of focusing on three large meals, focus on trying to eat five or six smaller meals throughout the day.

Now, this might work for some people, and I'm all for finding a schedule.  But really--five or six times a day?  That just doesn't work for me.  First of all, who has TIME to eat five or six times a day?  Secondly, is anyone really hungry five or six times a day?  I apologize if some of you are, but I'm really not.

So I say, this week, focus on finding a plan that works for you, and stick to it.  For me, it's 3 square meals and an afternoon snack.  In fact, I find my meals lining up with my son's meals.  Here is my schedule:

7:00--Wake, feed MJ, eat breakfast
11:00--Feed MJ, lunch
3:00--Feed MJ, afternoon snack
6:30--Feed MJ, dinner

It works for me because I know I have to stop and slow down during those time periods to feed my child; why not feed myself as well?  I read somewhere that most people's bodies are on a 4 hour schedule anyway, which is exactly what MJ's feeding schedule is so--perfect.  Honestly, I can't imagine trying to shove another two meals into my day.

So I might be veering off from this week's challenge a bit, but it's only because I've found a system that works for me.  If you need to eat 5-6 smaller meals a day, please feel free to do so.  The most important thing is to find a schedule that works for you (and by working for you I mean that you aren't overly full or starving at ANY POINT during the day).

Good luck!

Water Baby

It's hot here.  And not just hot but uncomfortably hot.  Already.  Almost 100 degrees, and it's not even May.  *Sigh.*  It's going to be a long summer.

The one (and perhaps only) benefit of heat is the possibility of introducing MJ to the pool.  We bought a kiddie pool last summer for Oskar, and this summer it will double as MJ's pool.  There won't be much "swimming" of course, but it it will be perfect for a not-even-1-year-old to splash around in and beat the summer heat.  And we have been blessed with a child who LOVES water.  Seriously.  He didn't even cry during his first bath.  

Anyways, we blew up the pool a few days ago and filled it up to allow the water to get warm.  Oskar, of course, wasted no time jumping right in, but the water was too cold for MJ.  He was forced to watch longingly from inside as Oskar got to play. . . 

We finally decided today that the water was warm enough to try out.  Swim diapers on, onesie off, and we were ready to go!

Oskar, of course, jumped right in with him to keep him company. . . 

. . . and promptly tried to steal his toys.

"Hey--that's my toy!"

Hoarding his toys closely so Oskar can't get them.

He likes it!

The water was still a little chilly, so it wasn't too long before he was ready to get out and get wrapped up in a nice, warm towel.

But the water fascination didn't stop after we got out the pool.  Daddy got the hose out to water some of our plants and, boy, was that thing COOL!

He even stuck his face right down in the stream.  How the water didn't go up his nose and cause him to gag, I will never know.

Even after putting on some dry clothes, he STILL wanted to see the hose.  And who am I to say no to this little face? 

Getting wet is FUN!

This is going to be a long, hot, FUN summer! :)

52-Week Challenge: Week Sixteen

I'm a little bit more excited about this week's challenge because it seems like a small break in our grueling schedule.  I don't know about you, the last few weeks have been hard.  It seemed hard to keep up with the challenges and even harder to remember them.  But, then again, maybe it's just me.

Anyways, this week's challenge is entitled "Laugh Out Loud."  Pretty self-explanatory.  Make laughter a daily exercise.  'Why?' you might be asking.  Well, laughter provides physical, mental, and social benefits.

Physically, laughter reduces stress, relaxes muscles, boosts the immune system, and strengthens the heart.  Mentally, it eases anxiety, improves our mood, and often shifts our perspective from serious to lighthearted.  And socially, laughter makes us more attractive, strengthens relationships, and decreases conflicts.

But, if you're like me, some days just aren't funny.  How can you work laughter into those days?  Here are few tips:

1.  Start with a Smile.  Laughter begins with a smile, so make an effort to smile more.  Smile at strangers in the store.  Smile at your family and friends.  Smile at the TV for pete's sake if you have to.

2.  Get Away from Debbie Downer.  Surround yourself with people who make you laugh.  Children and pets can provide HOURS of amusement.  Avoid people who seem to radiate negativity.  Their personalities will do NOTHING to enhance yours.

3.  Take Yourself (and Life) Less Seriously.  This is a hard one for me.  But try not to beat yourself up for mistakes or for things in life that irritate you.  Try REALLY HARD to laugh at them.  Sometimes just forcing yourself to smile or laugh will change your outlook.

4.  Play.  Build some playtime into your day.  Do things that are fun.  Watch a comedy.  Read a funny story.  Tell jokes.  Play with your kids.  Heck--act like a kid!

5.  When in Doubt, FAKE IT!  If smiling and laughing don't come easily to you (as they don't for me on some days), fake it.  Force it.  As silly as it might sound, practice it.  The more you do, the easier it will be.

Take a break this week and enjoy the challenge.  And if you forget to do it, laugh about it. :)

Matty the Mechanic

Today was another beautiful day in Las Vegas (save for the wind), so I took Matty to the park for a little outdoor playtime.  We spread a blanket on the ground and parked the stroller directly behind us in an attempt to shield us from the wind.  Well, I didn't realize that he had never been this close to the stroller and OUT of it before.  Let's just say that "outdoor time" became "explore the stroller time" very quickly.

"Ma'am, let me have look here and make sure everything is good to go.  Front tire looks good."

"Back tire feels fully inflated and ready to go."

"Let me get a better look at those reflectors.  Yep, nice and shiny."

"Looks like the car-seat is attached securely."

"All in all, I'd say she's a beaut, ma'am.  Now let's stop this fooling and take me for a ride!"

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, everyone!  Rejoice in the empty tomb today.  He is RISEN!

And now, for some Easter cuteness. . . 

He was really not interested in the basket and its contents at ALL.  I had to put the bunny in his lap to get him to sit still long enough to take pictures.

"What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Oh. . . hey!  There's a whole basket full of stuff over here!"

Drool started, Easter bib came on (thanks Grandma and Grandpa!)

"What am I supposed to do with these?  They're empty!"

"Guess I'll just put it in my mouth."

I walked away for two seconds and came back to discover the basket tipped over and the contents dumped on the floor.  He had discovered the "grass" in the bottom.

"What in the world. . . ?"

"Delicious!"  (Don't worry--it was recycled paper, NOT the plastic stuff. . . and I took it out of his mouth right after this picture was taken.)

"Wait--these aren't EGGIES!"

"Do they taste like eggies?"

My little Easter bunny. . . look closely and you'll see his tail. :)

On the move, grabbing his Easter book to give to me.

Learning about the TRUE meaning of Easter.

Happy Easter, everyone! God bless!

52-Week Challenge: Week Fifteen

Happy Easter, everyone!  I hope you are all enjoying time with your families and enjoying the glorious fact of the empty tomb today.  He is RISEN!

A short post to get you up to speed on this week's challenge, which is entitled "Put the Whole in Your Grains."  This week, choose grains that are whole instead of those that are refined.

Whole grains contain all parts of the seed, which means they are loaded with fiber and other nutrients.  Consuming them can lower your risk for things such as stroke, diabetes, heart disease, and tooth loss.  They can also lower your blood pressure, your cholesterol, and your weight.  However, most foods are made with "refined grains," which means parts of the seed are removed, lowering their fiber and nutritional contents.

Luckily, the public is wising up to the benefits of whole grain, and there are many choices now available on the market.  Look for ingredients (I hope you're all still reading the ingredient list!), look for things such as brown rice, oats or oatmeal, whole grain (fill in the blank), or whole wheat as the first few ingredients.  But beware--just because something says it is "multigrain" or made with "wheat flour" does NOT mean it is whole grain!  Check out the book for a complete list of whole grain terms.

Some ideas to incorporate whole grain into your diet:

*Breakfast: Whole grain cereals, oatmeal, shredded wheat, whole wheat toast/bagels/english muffins.
*Lunch/Dinner:  Whole wheat tortillas, whole wheat pasta, brown rice in lieu of white rice, add whole wheat breadcrumbs to your meat recipes, and try adding whole grains such as barley to your salads.

Alright, that's all for today.  Best of luck, and Happy Easter!

"After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.  There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it . . . The angel said to the women, ' Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he is risen, just as he said.  Come and see the place where he lay." --Matthew 28: 1-6

Fresh Air

A quick post to share some cute pictures.  The weather here in Vegas has been AMAZING the past few days:  sunny, 72 degrees, 9% humidity. . . perfect!  In addition, one of Jonathan's sisters has come out for a few days to visit.  So we've taken advantage of her presence to get OUT of the city and enjoy the scenery.  Yesterday we ventured into Red Rock Canyon (see a more descriptive post about previous visits here) and, unlike the last time, actually did some REAL hiking/climbing.  Well, her boys did most of the climbing; Amy and I hiked alongside them on the trail, and while I tried not to drop my child, she tried to stay calm and hope hers didn't fall.  Anyways, got some cute pics of MJ as we stopped to rest.

LOVE the view. . . and you can't see how tightly I was holding onto him. ;)

Today Amy took her boys down to the Strip to see a show, but I couldn't bear to stay indoors, so I took MJ to the park across the street from our sub-division.  We sat down and watched the big kids play baseball, a little girl fly a kite, and several people run around the jogging path.  The highlight for MJ was the GRASS!  Although we have grass in our backyard, he isn't allowed to touch it since it's so highly fertilized (and his hands would grow straight from the fertilized grass into his mouth) so this grass was a real treat.

Little baby toes in the grass for the first time. . .

Look, ma!  I can touch it!

I think this park has the BEST view of the city (because you can SEE it, but not be really IN it.)

That's all for now.  Just had to gloat about the beautiful weather and scenery. :)

Happy 8 Months, MJ!

This month has been the most fun we've had since you were born.  Your personality is shining, and you are becoming such a happy, FUNNY little boy.  You're starting to be able to get around, so you definitely keep us on our toes, but little man:  you make me laugh every day.  We just love you so much. Here are a few of my favorite moments from the past month.

Love. :)

Silly boy.  Sometimes I think you think you're an Oskar dog.

Our little Mario, courtesy of "Aunt" Debbie. :)

Aunt Erin wanted a picture of you in your aviator hat, but I love this picture so much because you are smiling and laughing at Oskar, who is just off-camera.  

Getting so close to crawling!  Any day now!

My absolute favorite video.  I LOVE how much you love Oskar.  I think you love him ALMOST as much as I do. ;)

It's always sunny in Cool-Town.

My little hero.

Oskar loves you too (when he thinks I'm not looking!)

A first date with Kailey Haugh.  She didn't wear pants. . . and you wore pjs. :)

Army crawl!

Look at the big boy in his big boy chair!  Ever since you saw Kailey sitting here eating dinner, you REFUSE to sit in your highchair; you HAVE to sit in the booster seat to eat!

You do drive me crazy sometimes, though.  On this particularly rough day, I decided I'd had enough and was going to ship you to Abu Dhabi.  You seemed to like the idea. . . you sat in this box for almost 15 minutes, perfectly content.

My big boy also refuses to lay in the baby tub anymore.  You HAVE to sit up (although I'm not quite ready to let you sit in the big tub).  Here you are relaxing after a long, tough day.

A mobile baby = a baby-proofed house.  Sorry, kiddo:  you can't come through here!

You definitely know what you like and what you don't.  

LOVE when Daddy joins us for story-time.

Silly, SILLY boy!

Thanks for the laughs, kiddo.  Keep 'em coming!  We love you!