Happy Anniversary SoCal!

This weekend marks the 5 year Anniversary of our exodus to Southern California. I still don't quite feel like a Californian, but definitely don't feel like a Utahn anymore. Although, Brad and I as a couple have lived here longer than anywhere else. So perhaps that puts me closer to the mark of being a Californian.  Also, I have 2 children that are California natives.

Speaking of these children, I love to see what is on the memory card after the kidlets have snuck off with the camera.

But, the pic that takes the cake is this one of Missy.

Her tongue is not even at it's full potential here.  She honestly can easily pick her nose with that amazing tongue.  Theoretically, of course... 

Mamavation Monday

I have to constantly remind myself that this is a marathon, not a sprint.  That regardless of what the scale or the measuring tape says, consistent exercise is so incredibly beneficial for myself & for my family.

The scale did not move this week.  I was great with my exercising, not so much with my eating.  My husband notices that I'm looking slimmer so that's good.  

On Friday I went grocery shopping and bought some fresh fruit.  Having fresh produce on hand makes it so much easier to eat healthy.  One of our favorites here are bananas (the 6 I bought on Friday are already gone!).  Chiquita is sponsoring Mamavation Monday this week.  I headed over to their site to check things out.  Wow, they do more than just bananas!!  I had no idea!  We love their bananas so I'm definitely going to be on the look out for the other things they produce.

I haven't reported my measurements here since March 7th so here goes:

Waist: 36.75"

no loss x 7-wks

2.75" total loss

Hips: 40"

.75" 7-wk loss

2.75" total loss

 

Thigh: 21.75"

no 7-wk loss

1.25" total loss

 

I was able to put on my pants I was wearing when I became pregnant with Buddy (22 mo) - they didn't fit comfortably quite yet, but they'll get there.  They are at the small end of a 10 & when I started this process in January I was wearing a 14, so I feel great about that!  After I fit into those, my goal is to fit into the pants Brad bought me when we were engaged.  They're a size 32" waist & totally not in style anymore, but I just want to fit into them one more time! :)

As some of you may know our oldest daughter, Missy, has been diagnosed with autism.  There are few walks/races out there to benefit autism.  This is where Train 4 Autism comes in.  You can sign up with them, choose the event you'd like to train for, & then raise money for the organization of your choice.  I'm raising money for Easter Seals by training for the 1/2 marathon in September.  Train 4 Autism is a great organization!

I hope everyone has had a great week progressing in the Marathon of life! :)

Say what?!?!

Sissy has long said that she is going to have 5 children when she grows up.  I just figured they were going to come one at a time.  She drew this picture the other day, saying it was a drawing of her going for a walk with one of her children.  I asked her what the black mark in her middle was.  "That's me with the rest of my children in my tummy."

Pumpkin Waffles

A while back I mentioned Pumpkin Pancakes in a post.  A friend asked how to go about making Pumpkin Pancakes.  I've posted my generic waffle/pancake recipe here before (it's at the end of that post).  To make it a pumpkin recipe, I substitute pumpkin puree for the oil.  Also, you can add some pumpkin pie spice to the dry ingredients before mixing the wet and dry together.  The waffles I made that are pictured above were made with whole wheat flour.

Writing this up has made me seriously crave some.  I may have to make some tomorrow after my long run.  I've got 10 miles ahead of me.  Some pancake carb refueling sounds like it will be right up my alley.

Baby Burrito anyone?

On a recent Monday, my Awesomely Supportive Husband bathed the kidlets and then kept them busy so I could participate in Mamavation TV. 

When I got called over to see what they were up to, I had to take pics because they were so darn cute!

After this, we had a quick Family Home Evening.  A perfect ending to a great night!

Mamavation Monday

This past week I got back into the swing of things.  I made sure I took the time to exercise and tried to eat well and it paid off.  I lost 2.2# (I'm now 141.2#), that's a total of 13.8# since the beginning of the year and from when I joined the Mamavation Sistahood.

I love that I'm getting stronger.  Today I jogged 9 miles for my half-marathon training.  I can jog (6 mph) for a full minute on a 10 incline.  It's taken me 3 months to be able to do that.  I have a wider range of motion when I do my crunches.

Along with this cardio training comes really sore knees.  I'm hoping that as I lose another 15-20 pounds I will find that my knees won't be quite as sore after the long runs.

I'm looking forward to getting our garden planted in the next few weeks.  It will be wonderful to have fresh produce at my fingertips.  Living in Southern California should allow me to have something growing year-round.  

I hope that everyone else has had an awesome week!  Thank you everyone for all your support in this Healthy Living Marathon of mine! :)

Mamavation Monday

Yay!  I've got my Mamavation Mojo!

My weight is down .4# from last week: 143.4#

I actually didn't get many formal workouts in last week, but with my husband's side of the family visiting, we did some sightseeing which helped me get some moving in.

I also started thinking about do I live to eat or eat to live?  It was a phrase my Mom used last week.  I come from a family that loves to eat when we get together.  When my parents visit me, it doesn't take long for my Dad to ask me if I've got any chocolate around.  We love food.  I don't think there is anything wrong with that.  We just need to find healthy ways to enjoy food.  And consume it in appropriate portions.

I've been eating clean enough lately that most times the idea of eating a burger and fries sickens me.  But, there are times when I need the convenience of just grabbing something quickly.  I gave Subway a try a couple weeks ago and so when I heard that they are the sponsor for this week's Mamavation Monday I was excited to blog about them.

In the past, my kids refused to eat there (Missy, my autistic daughter, is a picky eater).  But, I gave it a try because I couldn't bring myself to eat crap again.  They loved it!  Fortunately, Missy has begun to expand her horizons and will eat a sandwich.  They also loved the cute bag that their dinner came in. Brad and I enjoyed eating a healthy meal!  Win-win all around!

I'm fortunate enough to be a SAHM that can make meals for my family on a regular basis.  Everyone now and then, I'd like a break.  One that is healthy and not going to break the bank!  I'm so glad Subway can be an option for our family!

This week, I'm going to get back in the swing of things with my cardio and resistance bands.  I love the way that regular exercise and healthy eating make me feel!  And, I'm so excited for the Mamavation Twitter Party tonight.  I'm looking forward to finding out who the next Mamavation Moms are!

Mamavation Monday

Guys, I wasn't in the right frame of mind last week!  I know, that's exactly when I need my workouts the most...

  I did my strength training only once and my cardio 3x's (one of which was my long run in my half marathon training - 8 miles!!  Go me!).  So, of course, there wasn't a weight loss, but at least I didn't gain.  I did somewhat good with my nutrition and I think that helped me maintain.

I need to revisit what helped me to be motivated earlier this year and get there again.  I can't let the stresses of life get in the way.  I need to use them to propel me forward rather than shove me backward.

Thanks everyone for all your support in this journey of mine.  It's great friends and family like all of you that make all the difference in the world.