Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Elizabeth was a pig for Halloween, I was a cowgirl, and Ben was a cowboy.  We took a ton of pictures for Elizabeth's first Halloween.  Enjoy!

Happy Halloween!

 

 

Pumpkin on the butt!

Our little piggy!

 

Her trick-or-treat bag.

 

 

Trick-or-treating at the neighbors

Family photo!

Watching the big kids trick-or-treat.

15 to 31

15 days until I am celebrating my 31st birthday!

 

LOVE this dress from Express.  Sequins rock!

 

 

Today I was bad again, this darn Frankenstorm (yes, that is my excuse) has really rocked me off my diet and exercise regimen.

 

Today I weigh: 143 (I've gained back 1 pound, BOO!!!!)

 

Today I ate-

 

For breakfast:

2 Special K Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars- 220 calories

 

For lunch:

Left over chicken fried rice and 1 skinny cow bar- 430 calories

 

For dinner:

Pasta, meatballs & sauce, glass of wine, and 1 slice of chocolate cake- guessing around 1290 calories

 

Total calories: 1940 (BOO!!!)

 

I did not exercise today.  Tomorrow is a new day and I must start fresh.  I am really hoping that I have not gained more than a 1/2 pound after today.  I am disappointed in myself, but once you fall off the horse, you gotta get back on.  Work returns tomorrow and structure always helps me. 

Now... I have to avoid the Halloween candy.

 

 

 

 



16 to 31

In 16 days I will be 31 years old!

 

How fabulous is this coat from Ann Taylor loft!?!

 

Today I was off from work because of Frankenstorm.  Ben worked from home and Elizabeth and I played around the house.  I also got a lot of scrapbooking done!

 

I was pretty good today until we went to our neighbors house for dinner.

 

Today I weigh: 142.8

 

Today I ate-

 

For breakfast:

2 Chocolate Peanut Butter Special K bars- 220 calories

 

For lunch:
Left over fried rice- 520 calories

 

For dinner:

Snacked on hummus and pita chips, then had 1 serving of spaghetti and sauce, 1 mini hersheys bar, and 1 reese's.  - guessing around 800 calories.

 

Total calories: 1540 (whoops!)

 

I did not work out today with my trainer.  It was supposed to be our last session but got postponed until next week because of Frankenstorm.  I hope to work out tomorrow, but we will see if we have power/if the gym is open/ if I can make myself do it.

 

Have a great night!



17 to 31

In 17 days I will be 31!

 

 

 

I love this sweater!  Instead of cakes, I have switched to clothes that I want to buy from Ann Taylor Loft once it's my birthday and I am into my smaller sizes!

 

 

 

Today I weigh 142.  (*I don't think this is a true weight because I have been sick and not eating)

 

Today I ate-

 

For breakfast:

Nothing

 

For lunch:

1 hot dog- 350 calories

 

For dinner:

Chicken fried rice and spring rolls- I'm totally guessing here with My Fitness Pal, but it says 792 calories

 

I did not work out today because I was sick all morning.

 

 

Total calories: 1232



18 to 31

18 days until I am 31!

 

Let's Go Gamecocks!  And Happy Birthday to me!

 

 

 

 

Today I weigh: 142.8!!!

 

 

Today I ate-

 

For breakfast:

1 bacon and egg sandwich on an English muffin- 240 calories

 

For lunch:

1 pouch of tuna on an English muffin with a light strawberry yogurt- 380 calories

 

For dinner:

Red Baron 4 cheese pizza, 1 apple martini- 952 calories

 

Snack:

2 snack size kit kats- 140 calories

 

 

Total calories: 1712, whoops- went a LOT over

 

 

Workout for today:

1 hour step aerobics class

Pumpkin Patch

We went to Butler's Orchard today to get our pumpkins.  It's a family tradition that Ben and I started the year we got married.  We found this fabulous, beautiful family farm and now we go there every year.  Here are some photos of our family fun today!

Ben walking up and down the rows of pumpkins.

 

Ben found his pumpkin!

 

Elizabeth likes her pumpkin too.

Me and Elizabeth enjoying the orchard.

 

Elizabeth enjoying the pumpkins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our pumpkins

 

In line to buy our pumpkins

 

Ben carving his pumpkin

 

Ben's carved pumpkin

 

Carving my pumpkin

 

My carved pumpkin

 

Elizabeth not too happy about getting her picture taken.

Our 3 pumpkins glowing in the dark.

 

19 to 31

In 19 days I will be 31!

 

Thought I would google 31st Birthday Cakes.  This one looks pretty good!

 

 

On Friday, I weighed 143.4.

 

On Friday I ate...

 

For breakfast:

2 Special K Chocolaty Peanut Butter Bars- 220 calories

 

For lunch:

1 Chocolate Chunk Granola Bar, 1 Strawberry yogurt, hummus and veggies - 355 calories

 

For dinner:

Left over chicken from Wednesday night, Garlic toast, rice, vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup, and 1 1/2 glasses of wine - 924 calories.

 

I allow myself one cheat meal a week and Friday nights are usually that meal.

I also did not workout on Friday (our gym does not have daycare on Friday afternoons)

 

 

Total calories: 1499



20 to 31

In 20 days I will be 31!

(sorry this is a day late)

 

 

How about this delicious looking stand of cupcakes?

I love cupcakes as much as cake!

 

 

Thursday I weighed 143.4.

 

 

Thursday I ate:

 

 

For breakfast:

2 Special K Chocolately Peanut Butter Bars- 220 calories

 

For lunch:

Chocolate Chunk Granola Bar, Light Strawberry Yogurt, 3 TSP. of Hummus, veggies for dipping (carrots, broccoli, bell pepper)- 355 calories

 

For dinner:

1 hot dog, 1 serving size of tater tots with ketchup - 530 calories

 

 

In the evening I enjoyed:

1 apple martini for Thirsty Thursday (and forgot to take a picture) - 243 calories

 

 

Total Calories: 1340

 

 

For my workout:

 

I did a 5K on the treadmill in 36 minutes (which is 4 minutes faster than my run with the stroller!)

After running, I did a little bit of lifting.

21 to 31

In 21 days I will be 31!!!

 

This cake looks almost too good to eat.  Almost.

(and yes, I know it has a 16 on it)

 

So. I realized last night that I forgot to write down my exercise yesterday in my blog post.

So yesterday (Wednesday) I ran/walked 2 miles on the treadmill, then did 25 minutes of step class, then did  ab exercises and a low back exercise. 

 

 

Today...

 

I weigh 143.8!!!  Yay!!!

 

Today I ate...

 

For breakfast:

2 Special K Chocolately Peanut butter bars - 220 calories

 

For lunch:

1 granola bar, 1 light strawberry yogurt, 3TSP hummus, carrots, broccoli, and green pepper- 355 calories

 

For dinner:

Ben baked a whole chicken, yummy!

8-10 ounces of chicken, 1 cup of green beans, and 1.25 cups of roasted potatoes with garlic- 540 calories

 

Total calories: 1115

 

 

Workout for today:

 

I did a 5K around the neighborhood pushing Elizabeth.  I use the app endomondo to keep track of all my stats.  According to endomondo I did:

 

3.13 miles

In 40:24 minutes

4.65 was my average speed

12:53 minutes was my average mile pace

I burned 424 calories

1st mile- 12:31

2nd mile- 13:11

3rd mile- 12:37

 

I haven't pushed Elizabeth in a few weeks while doing my 5k but last time I did, I completed it in 50 minutes.  So, I have shaved 10 minutes off my time!!!

 

Elizabeth and I after "our" run

 

 

22 to 31

22 days until I am 31!!!

How fabulous is this Gamecock birthday cake!??!!!

So, I tried something new today.  I weighed myself at different times of the day.  Normally I weigh myself at the same time every morning.  Right when I get up, I get on the scale.

Today I did that, I got on the scale as soon as I got up.  I weighed 145.2.  I was a little irritated because yesterday I weighed 145.  However, I reminded myself that I lifted yesterday and so maybe that 0.2 pound weight gain was muscle :)    (optimistic?)

But, after the gym today I weighed myself again.  144.4

I was elated!  Jumping with joy!!!

Then I ate dinner.  Back to 145.2.  I guess I will have to see tomorrow morning.

However, I wore my old shorts to work this morning and I had to pull them up all day.  I had several students tell me I need to get a belt.  Ha!  I guess those shorts are done and I need to bite the bullet and buy some new shorts before I reach my weight loss goal.

23 to 31

23 days until the big 31st birthday.

I am continuing my love of cakes as well

(maybe motivation for fitness?)

 

 I LOVE this Zebra cake.  It is so fabulous and yummy looking!

Today I weigh: 145 exactly

Today I ate-

For breakfast:

2 Kellogg's Special K Chocolatey Peanut butter Bars - 220 calories

For lunch:

Chocolate Chunk Granola Bar

Light Strawberry Yogurt

2 TBSP.  Hummus

Carrots and Green pepper (with my hummus)

total: 285 calories

Snack before the gym:

3/4 chocolate chunk granola bar

3oz coke zero

total: 68 calories

For dinner:

Home-made tacos with beef, lettuce, and salsa- about 500 calories

Total: 1073 calories

Workout for today: I worked out with my trainer for 1 hour, lifting weights

 

 

24 to 31

So...continuing with my goal to 31, I am on my second day of the push to fitness.

I'm also continuing to look at fabulous birthday cakes.  Today's cake is:

My stats for today:

I am 5'3"
I still weigh 145.4

Today I ate:

Breakfast:
2 Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls - 280 calories

Lunch:
Egg, Bacon Sandwich - 240 calories

Dinner:
BBQ Chicken, Corn, and Garlic Bread- 540 calories

Total:
1060 calories

I need to eat 1200 calories a day, so I am going to treat myself to a glass of wine to get to 1200.

Workout for today:

1 hour Zumba class at the gym and then I also ran 1 mile in 10:30 minutes

25 til the big 3-1

In 25 days I will be 31 years old. 

( Isn't this cake fabulous!?!)

I am excited for this birthday as my 30th year has been one of my best ever.  I still firmly believe what I said when I turned 30.  My 30s will be way better than my 20s because:

1) I now have the money to do the things in my 30s that I wanted to do in my 20s
2) I have the most wonderful husband in the world
3) I have the most wonderful daughter in the world
4) I have accomplished the goals I set for myself (things I wanted to achieve by the time I was 30) - such as, own a home, be done with college/graduate school, become a mom


So, now as go further into my "best decade ever" I need to set some new goals:


1) I want to travel to Italy before I am 40.
2) I want to buy our "forever" home before we are 40.
3) I want to maintain good fitness


In working towards goal #3, I have been working really hard the last two months to lose weight and get into better shape and I want to push myself ever harder.  Starting today, I am challenging myself to a 25 to 31 challenge.  25 days to better health by my 31st birthday.  To work towards this goal I want to:
- Work out at least 6 days/week
- Use My Fitness Pal everyday
- Be able to run 1.5 - 2 miles without stopping by my birthday
- Update on my blog everyday my progress (accountability)


So...as of today, here are my stats:

I am 5'3" (I don't think that will change)
I weigh 145.4
I wear a size 8 pants, small or medium shirts, and size 7 shoes (don't think shoe size will change either)

Eight months old!!!

Dear Elizabeth,

You are eight months old today!  You seem like such a big girl to us and have changed so much in one month. 

You are 8 months old!

 

 

 

You now have two teeth, the front bottom and love rubbing your pacifier on them.  You sit a lot but love to stand as much as possible.  Nana and Pap Pap, Uncle Adam and Brigette, and Annie and Pari came to visit.  Annie even babysat  one night so we (dad and I) could go to Melting Pot for dinner.

 

You have started eating baby oatmeal for breakfast and continue to eat phase 2 baby food for lunch and dinner.  You have also started eating some finger foods with dinner (yogurt melts, cheerios, and mum mum's).  You still drink four bottles a day, all of them six ounces.

 

You still take two good naps a day, one in the morning for about an hour and one in the afternoon for about two hours. 

 

You have started wearing size 3 diapers and wear some 6-9 month clothes, 9 month sleepers,, and 6-12 month dresses. 

 

We weighed you today and you weigh 17 pounds and are about 27 1/4 inches long. 

 

You go to Laura's house everyday and play with Sam and Alice.  You are so happy everyday when I pick you up and I know you are learning so much from your older friends.

 

You continue to take froggy everywhere you go and we never leave the house without him. 

 

This past month you have watched a lot of baseball and football.  You are becoming a great sports fan and love cheering for all the fabulous teams (especially the Gamecocks)!

 

We love you so much!

 

Love,

 

Mom & Dad

 

Here are some pictures from your adventures of the last month:

 

Go Gamecocks!

 



Go Steelers!

 

Love the hair!

 

Nana, Pap Pap, and Uncle Adam visiting

 

 

 

 

Play with Dad's shoe.

 

Trying oatmeal for the first time. Yummy!

 

Elizabeth loves football as much as her parents.

 

Ann and Pari came to play with Elizabeth.

Elizabeth loved playing with Ann's nail polish.

Not sure what they are all looking at.  :)

 

 Hello!

 

Trying Mum Mums.

 

Trying Cherrios!

 

Let's Go Pitt!

 

 

Yummy Cherrios!

 

Elizabeth can feed herself a bottle!

 

Elizabeth got a LOT of Halloween cards from my mom and Grandmother

 

 

 

 

more photos to come as our internet connection works...