Pretty pots!

We were waiting for a special visitor outside this morning so I took some photos of Michael and my pots provided an excellent backdrop!

My front garden is looking better each day. I think this warm July sun coming up will really help things grow!

In case you were wondering, Michael is playing with an empty baby tylenol bottle. What? He likes it!

Swimming at the park

McFatty Monday

Today I am linking up to The Heir to Blair's McFatty Monday post. I have been reading these posts for months and finally I have a reason to jump on the train. I am pretty hesistant to share my weight loss journey with people just because I am afraid it will set me up for failure. But, what is the point of trying to do something big if no one else knows about it?

I just started a total body challenge through a local gym and Saturday was our mid-point testing and I was down 9.6 lbs!!

This testing was after four weeks of butt-kicking workouts and food coaching. I actually only worked out for three weeks since I missed a week due to our vacation, but still it has been a long haul. Now I wish I hadn't missed that week so I could see if it made a difference! We have five weeks to go and I am totally re-motivated and ready to give it 100%.

The hardest part of the program for me is "reaching my 10" in workouts. No quitting early, no stopping, no floating through class. It is hard, physically AND mentally.

Anyway...I thought I would fill out the questions prompted on the link up! Here they are:

1. What weight loss/get fit program are you following? Why did you choose it?

I am following Goals in Motion total body challenge. It is a 9 week program of workouts and eating right. The workouts are six days a week and combine resistance with cardio kickboxing. My husband finished the previous 9 weeks and lost 19 lbs and looks awesome! They have a big party at the end and I was so inspired by everyone so I decided to give it a whirl. I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to handle the program since it is pretty hard but every day I get stronger.

2. Rude Question of the Day. How much weight have you lost?

9.6 lbs in the past 4 weeks. Since having Michael, I would say I am down a good 50 lbs. I don't really remember how much I weighed at the end of my pregnancy, but a lot of weight has come off. I don't think a lot of people realize it since I still look really bad, but I am enjoying seeing the numbers come down on the scale! It is a long process.

3. What is your favorite part about weight loss so far?

My favorite part is that I am feeling better. I have more energy and feel all around stronger in my day to day things.

4. What is the hardest part about staying motivated?

Everything is hard about staying motivated! The hardest part is myself and my own little brain that constantly tells me I can't do something. I am working hard to do things even if I think I can't do them! Again, I think losing weight is so much more mental than it is physical.

6. Cats or Dogs?

Cats! Although I love dogs too!

7. Now say something motivational.

You can do it!

Don't stress out about it, just do it.

You'll never know how hard you can work until you start working hard.

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That's it in a nutshell! That felt good to get it all out there...now I am excited to keep working hard for the last five weeks of the program and on!

Have a great Monday!

Playing with the big boys

We spent a few nights at a friend's house in Scott's hometown over the weekend (we were actually on a week long excursion to South Dakota...I will be sharing photos as soon as I wade through my full SD card!).

Michael had so much fun playing with the two big boys so naturally now he thinks he is also a big boy! Oy! I don't want him to grow up yet!

Have you ever tried to take a photo of three little boys?

It's like herding cats.

Eating like a big boy!

Michael has started to eat finger foods only. He really hates it when I try to spoon feed him and he just wants to grab the spoon and do it himself! I'm not sure how much he is really getting in his mouth, but it must be something!

As you can see, he is clearly thrilled by this new development! Ha!

On a side note, can anyone guess where we are eating lunch??

His favorite finger foods to eat are string cheese, bread, puffs, yogurt melts, carrots and sweet potatoes. We will also give him random bits of whatever we are eating and see if he goes for it!

Lavender

"There's a few things I've learned in life: always throw salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for good luck, and fall in love whenever you can"
-William Shakespeare

Sometimes I love the way the photos come out on my iphone camera...it is really hit or miss with the quality, but that is also what makes it fun. Plus it is the laziest way to blog...you snap a photo and email it right to blogger!

Laundry Fun

I've found a new way to keep Michael entertained (and out of the kitty litter) when I do laundry!

I have a feeling it won't be long until he figures me out and climbs right out of his little basket....at least it is good it kept him entertained for one day, right?

It's time!

The day lilies have exploded!

We have been having lots of fun seeing all the bright yellow day lilies around the area-don't worry, I have more pictures of them to share! :o)

Michael has been having lots of fun exploring the outdoors. He is so tactile that he loves to feel, touch, and chew everything!

Notice that nice goose egg he has on his head? He was trying to stand up against a wall with his fleece jammies on and boom! He hit his head hard. I actually think he re-hit it again in the same spot because for a while it was looking worse but now I think we are on the upswing. Poor guy! I guess it comes with the territory!

Landscaping project part 2.5

Well, we are getting there on our landscaping project. I got everything planted in the first bed and partially mulched. We've actually quite a little run of rainy days here so I need to get out there and get it finished. We are also planning on adding some black edging.



It looks pretty sad right now, but let me assure you it will be blooming in just a little while! Everything that is great has to start out small, right?

Scampy has finally gotten smarter than Michael. His newest favorite place to hide and still keep an eye on the action is from one of our tall chairs or stools. It is perfect for him...safe out of Michael's reach!

I caught you!

Michael loves trying to go through this little table we have in our sunroom! He is always playing around it and when I snapped this photo he had such a guilty look on his face! I can obviously see by the drool puddles he left behind that he was playing on it! Once I even caught him stuck on his belly halfway under it....too funny. By the time he can actually figure out how to get through it, I'm sure he will be too big and get stuck!

What's growing...

School is officially out!

I have been having a great time spending time with Michael and trying to get my garden in tip top shape for summer. I've been doing lots of weeding, mulching and planting!



These little coreopsis popped up and are so dainty and happy!

I also got my front pots done (and well watered as you can tell by the photo...ha!). I got this funky colored sweet potato vine from Menards so I will be waiting to see how it ends up at the end of summer in terms of coloring. I also did some wave petunias in purple so hopefully they do well and really fill the pot out. I hate how teeny tiny everything looks when you first plant it!

My gaillardia is also blooming. This is a new one for me, so I'm excited to see lots of blooms.

My perennial bed in the retaining wall is doing well too and everything is getting big! I've moved a couple of things to keep it from looking too overgrown and more consistent. I like the purple in the background so I've moved some of the russian sage seedlings and the lavender. I've had lots of volunteers of everything in this bed which is exciting! :o)

If you look closely you can see one little day lily making an appearance in the upper bed! I can't wait for the time when it seems like everyone's day lilies are just bursting out with lots of color! I have a feeling it is just around the corner.

What a week!

It has been a heck of a week. A doozy, really. And it is only half over!

Today was the last day of school for the kiddos. We had a nice graduation ceremony for the 6th graders who will be going to a new building in the fall and I have to admit I got a little teary eyed. They have grown up so much in just the two years I have worked with them and I am so proud of their accomplishments!

I am always amazed at how by the end of the year we can all work together and create music together. At the beginning of the year we don't even know how to assemble our horns but by May we are sight reading entire sheets of music without any stops and pretty much all the right notes. I think that is something to be proud of! Sometimes I don't think my students realize what a gift it is to be able to make music...I hope one day they realize how talented and special they truly are!

This year was a hard school year for me as a teacher. I feel like I only gave a small percentage of what I should have in terms of energy and commitment to my job. Starting school being 8 months pregnant in August with no air conditioning (not exactly a good combo for job productivity), then a three month maternity leave, and then adjusting to the new schedule and life of a part time working mother (and daycare) really added up.

However, having this year under my belt I am really excited for next year to start. I have lots of ideas and new things I want to try now that I have a feel for the new routine and they way things work with our new administration. I even created a whole new list of "Ideas!" that I posted on my bulletin board at school. ha! :o)

I think I do one of those every year at the end of the school year...I should compile them in my portfolio so I can see what great ideas I have actually pan out!

At any rate, in the past two days my little beginner band as performed three times with a new set of music for each performance. That is a lot! Probably more ambitious than I wanted to be, but it is hard to change the new little traditions we have started at school like playing for the whole school at the end of the year, playing at the talent show, and doing a demonstration for the upcoming fourth graders. I guess that is cool if they remember these things from their younger years and want to do it themselves, right?

Tomorrow I will go in and finish up everything that needs to be done and then it is time for summer!!

Wahoo!