Mom • Wife • Triathlete

Loving it...

2011-06-24T23:35:00.003-05:00

So yesterday I took the day off from working out - Jimmy had softball and Charley was so exhausted that she napped until I woke her up at 630pm. It was all good though. We had fun playing and hanging out and just being together.

Tonight after work I had a photo session in Annapolis. So after my awesome photo session with an adorable one year old I took off on day 3 of C25K. I'm loving how it is easing me back into running - I know in my heart that I could push it and do a lot more running, but I don't want to burn out, and knowing that I can accomplish it before I even start is helping a lot and making me want to keep going. Weird I know, but it is working and getting my butt out there so I am going to take what I can get!

Here is a little shot of one of my views on my run...I'm so lucky to be able to run at such awesome places!

Quiet Waters Park - Annapolis, MD

Tomorrow I am off to DE to meet and photograph our newest family member - my cousin's second little boy. I can't wait to meet him! You'll see some of him in a few days on my photography blog :)

I am going kidless - they are going to be with Jimmy at his parents - but I am taking our other 3 kiddos aka the dogs and will be dragging my Dad out on a walk with me and the dogs - so that will be my exercise for the day. It is supposed to be a gorgeous weekend and I can't wait! Now off to bed!!

And the Streak Continues...and the world keeps spinning!

2011-06-22T22:58:00.003-05:00

Made it to the gym last night - 30 minutes on the ARC - since C25K says only run every other day - I went and sweated. So we are 3 for 3 this week. Today I ran before my softball game - C25K day 2. I rocked it! I ran downtown on the water - it was heavenly. I am so lucky to have such amazing places to run!

I am already feeling so much better, so much more energetic. Why did it take so long!!

Oh and the wonderful Roni - sent me this nice little comment on my last post: Lets make a date to run once a week.. NO EXCUSES!

So I am texting Roni right after this to find out what day and time it is going to be. That will be awesome so that I have a set workout/run day every week with someone to hold me accountable. Perfect. Thank goodness for friends. And friends who like to run. And friends who like to run that have kids and don't mind a jogging stroller! :)

I have put myself first the last three days and the world is still turning and things are still getting done...imagine that!!

First Here I Come

2011-06-20T21:54:00.004-05:00

Ok - so here it goes. I have been a major slacker in the "Take Care of Myself" arena. No more. No more excuses. Heck - the "I just had a baby" excuse turned ONE 2 weeks ago (more on her here).

No more, there isn't time, I don't feel like it, I need to clean, I need to do this to the house, we need to mow the grass, etc. I have been making excuses way too long. And no more. I am coming first - I am getting rid of the rest of baby number 2 weight and getting back into running.

I ran tonight at the gym and it felt amazing (boy did I miss that feeling). I was scared - I'll admit it. Yes I ran a 1/2 marathon last October after having Andie - then a 5 miler around Thanksgiving and I think that was the last time I had ran.

So I was scared - I don't know why I convinced myself that I had forgotten how to run or wouldn't be able to run. I can still run - though I started out with couch to 5k on my iPhone - that somehow made me less scared. Though I knew I could run more then 60 seconds at a time, I felt like it would make me feel accomplished when I finished - and it did.

Now I know I did not lose my running ability - it was just left behind a little. But not any more. I know running will help me lose the weight, I know it will make me feel better and be happier and more energetic with my family. I know these things. Why has it taken me so long to get back into the groove?

I was putting everyone else first. Not saying NO - always saying yes. Always letting my husband run and train because I felt bad about leaving him with the girls while I was off at a photo shoot. I felt like he deserved the run, the time to train and exercise.

But why don't I?? I do. And I will. From now on, I will make time. I will get to bed earlier, and up earlier if I have to. I will make running dates with friends. I will go when it is dark - we moved to the country(ish) and there is a neighborhood with all dead ends behind our house that I could safely run in at night with a vest and headlamp (though I might eat a lot of bugs) I CAN do this. I am going to do this.

And I am coming back to this blog, I miss it and it helped me lose all of the weight and a few more after baby number 1 (who is now THREE!) and it will help me again.

This blog world is amazing - has allowed me to meet some amazing friends (in real life now too) and has always provided me with tons of inspiration and I need it more now then ever.

So I'm back. On track. No more pity. No more not wanting to be in photos with my babies, no more feeling sorry for myself when it was me who did this in the first place. I'm done being second. First here I come.

Things...

2010-08-29T22:39:00.006-05:00

Are going great - I'll be back soon to explain...but tomorrow is a sad day...back to work after maternity leave...and boy am I going to miss these faces. I don't want to go...

Wordless Wednesday - Sisterly Love :)

2010-06-30T10:27:00.004-05:00

You can see some more pictures over on my photography blog...

www.carrie-d-photography.blogspot.com

I'd like to introduce you to...

2010-06-19T22:35:00.005-05:00

Andie Kate
Born May 26, 2010
8:51 pm
7lb 6oz
19 3/4"

Sorry it has taken me so long to get this post up...of course there will be more pictures to follow over on my photography blog and some here as well - well once I relearn my time management skills with two kiddos :) Life is wonderful :)

Charley loves being a Big Sister and smothers her baby sister with kisses and hugs every day :) It is wonderful when every time Charley wakes up she asks "where's my baby sister?" melts my heart...

the comments have began...

2010-04-24T18:25:00.000-05:00

Warning...vent post ahead...

I was at the park today with Charley, a friend and her daughter. And a random old lady at the park said "so when is the baby due?" and I responded with about 5 weeks and she said "there is no way you are making it that long!" thanks lady.

Another lady there asked me the same question and was very polite about it and wished me good luck.

Then I have been having those people like the wonderful lady at Noodles and Company when I went there for lunch who assumed I wanted the large size meal instead of the small I usually get - and when she rang it up and I asked why it was so much she said "feed that baby" REALLY?!

And then there was the lady at PetSmart - who called someone from the back and told me to wait for them to get there to put my dog food in my car for me - and when this "someone" arrived, he was like 70 years old and frail. C'mon lady - I didn't ask for help and if I needed help couldn't you have gotten some hot young guy to come and help me? So needless to say Jimmy is doing all of the dog food shopping for the next 5 weeks.

Sorry for the vent - but I'm pregnant not disabled - and yes my stomach is large, but there is a kid in there!! And I seem to not make small children and I am about 5'10 1/2" so I'm not little - but there is really no need for comments.

I go out and take our three 85lb dogs for nightly walks TOGETHER - so over 250lbs of dog - and me every night so I can hold my own people!! Flipping a bag of dog food from the cart to my car, picking up my daughter to put her on the teeter totter (yes the same old lady asked if I needed help picking up my daughter...), or ordering what size food I want - I am all capable of doing myself - so please keep the comments to yourself. Oh and I have had 1/2 a glass of sangria and a few sips of beer - and SUSHI three times while I have been pregnant...so leave me alone!!

sorry again...needed to vent.

Are you ready...

2010-04-18T01:28:00.009-05:00

Where I have been...and what we have been doing...

We have one baby on the way...6...six...SIX more weeks!

We have had 2 major snow storms, which resulted in a week off of work :)

We have had one not-so-little girl turn 2

We had one gymnastics birthday party...

We graduated from our gymnastics class...and continue to go...

We have had many visits to the park (excuse the iphone photo quality)

We have blown A LOT of bubbles!

We had one successful (ok I didn't say enthralling) visit to the Easter Bunny

We had her first Easter Egg hunt (thanks Joy's Hope for the t-shirt tutorial!)

I made rainbow cupcakes for the egg hunt...same as her birthday cupcakes, just a pastel version

We had her first horse back riding lesson...she did amazing!! And has asked us every day since - when she can go back and ride horses :)

So here we are 6 weeks left before our family of 6 (including the 3 pups) becomes 7...until someone becomes a big sister and there is SO MUCH TO DO!

We are slowly getting things done, but some things are in the way. Jimmy has his first marathon in 2 weeks - then we have some plans to take the soon to be big sister away for a few trips to spend more quality time with her.

We need finish her big girl room and move her into it.

We need to get all of the baby stuff down from the attic.

We need to have the baby to find out what it will be!! We have names, well no girl's middle name yet, but at least first names, which I was worried for a while we would never have.

My photography business is booming. I have 2 shoots next weekend and 3 more to be scheduled. I am LOVING it.

There are babies galore around - 2 of my best friends from college had little baby boys within 3 weeks of each other, and we found out another one of our friends is due in November - it is great!

We are planning our summer vacation, I can't wait.

So needless to say - the reason I am writing this at almost 3am is because I am so exhausted after the day is done, that I fall asleep on the couch around 8pm after Charley goes to bed, then wake up around 2 and am wide awake. Need to get better about just going to bed!! But with so much to do...

Thanks for sticking around. I will be back more regularly...but until then check out my photography blog and see what I have been spending my extra time doing :) and loving....and not believing that I am getting to do what I love so much...life is good...no it is great...and going to just keep getting better!!

I did it...

2010-01-28T00:12:00.004-05:00

I have been talking to Jimmy about my dream to do this forever...and finally he convinced me to go for it...so here it is...

Check out what I have been doing since I have been away from this blog for so long...trust me I have been busy :)

my new business website...

www.carriedphotography.com

and my new business blog...

www.carrie-d-photography.blogspot.com

Please stop by and check it out...and if you know anyone in the Baltimore, DC, Northern Virginia or DE area please send them my info!!

Thanks to Krystyn at Krizzy Designs for the help with my new blog!!

Thanks everyone for being patient during my absence!!!

I Wonder...

2010-01-26T07:55:00.002-05:00

I wonder...

Besides being a healthy baby...will this baby...

-be a boy or a girl (I'm guessing girl...you?)
-look like Charley?
-have Charley's (& Jimmy's) dimples?
-be as good as Charley was as a baby
-make labor easier on me? (PLEASE!)
-sleep well like Charley does?
-have Charley's blue eyes or Jimmy & my green ones?
-have brown hair like Charley & Jimmy or blondish hair like me?

I wonder...

Only time will tell...18 more weeks from today!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2010-01-01T11:48:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year to you all!! 2010 is here! The year of our next little one and we can't wait!! I have pictures from Christmas and sledding that I am working on editing...once I get them finished I will have a post up!!

Merry Christmas!!

2009-12-24T08:49:00.003-05:00

**Updated!!** Our amazing card was designed by the wonderful Melissa at MKL Designs!! She was such a pleasure to work with and has many other adorable things in her etsy shop...check it out!!!

Santa Claus...

2009-12-20T22:30:00.003-05:00

Well we talked him up big time - told her she was going to get to go and see him. We even watched him on Dora...sigh. She was excited. Well as excited as one wee one can be and not really get it. So we get her dressed and ready to go...we ask her "are you going to sit on Santa's lap?" she replies with her normal 'uh huh'. Then the entire car ride there which is seriously 4 minutes - she kept saying "see Santa" "see Santa"

Well we get to the mall at 5:15 hoping to beat the after work crowd and we find a line about 10 people deep and a sign that says Santa will be back at 6. Grr... So I wait in line while Jimmy wanders around the mall with Charley and then Charley throws about $20 worth of pennies in the fountain. 6 o'clock rolls around she comes back and gets in line, as we edge closer to the front the 'uh huh' turns to a 'no'. oh geez.

Then we meet the little boy in front of us in line, he is 18 months old...he is going to sit on Santa's lap first I'm glad, she can watch and I just hope he doesn't scream his head off...

Well he does great - SMILES actually. Though as she is watching him sit on Santa's lap - she turns into Little Miss Cuddle - buries her head in Jimmy's shoulder and has a death grip on him and George (yes we told her she could bring George with her to see Santa - I am thinking this is what saved her from screaming her head off - like she did with the Easter Bunny).

So here we go - we weren't getting suckered into the expensive picture packages this year like we were last year. Once we found out we could go up for free and take our own pictures, I was all over it.

Jimmy takes her up and puts her on Santa's lap - she blows him a kiss!!

Then she just sits there waiting for it to be over and wondering why in the world we would make her do such a thing.

But she survived!! And she still talks about Santa every day...so I think we are safe :)

All I want for Christmas...

2009-12-20T21:28:00.002-05:00

Is Adobe Lightroom - to organize my photos and make them look more beautiful...

MckMama is giving away a copy and I want to win!!

O' Christmas Tree!!

2009-12-17T23:21:00.004-05:00

We finally went and picked out our Christmas Tree on Sunday - and here are the photos I promised. Charley was so into running around and checking out everything I didn't have much of an opportunity to get a good shot of her - but these definitely show she had fun!! Enjoy!!

Yeah lets go get our 'trismas tee'!!!

She was determined to find a way to ride on the tree cart!

Exploring...

We found our tree!!

Charley was a great helper!!

She helped Daddy too :)

Timber!!

Helping Daddy pull the cart

I got a candy cane...my first...it is YUMMY!

Post candy cane :) (sticky everywhere...even in her eyebrow) and ready for a nap! Picking out a tree is tiring!! oh and petting every doggie we saw too!!

Next up...Santa Photos... :)

Almost 4 months...

2009-12-11T01:16:00.002-05:00

Yep I'm almost 4 months pregnant...can't believe it. Time is flying and I haven't really had a second to stop and think about it. Lots of Christmas presents to make, wrap, order and we still haven't gotten our Christmas tree. This makes me sad - but really we haven't had time. It just makes me sad that every night Charley says 'trismas tee'. She knows what it is, and wants one. And we are going to get it - Saturday - and there will be plenty of pictures to share.

Tomorrow night we are taking her for her Christmas pictures. We were going to go on Monday, but Jimmy's grandmother passed away yesterday and we are heading to Boston on Monday for the funeral. So we had to do some rearranging.

Things here have been crazy. My friends and I undertook - by our own devices - the idea to surprise our 2 other pregnant friends with surprise showers on back to back days. And I am happy to report, both were surprised and all went off without a hitch. But being 4 months pregnant and running around like a lunatic like I did last weekend, left me exhausted for the week. I am still tired and Jimmy let me sleep until 11 today and then I took a nap from 6-9. Craziness...hence I am up and it is 1:21 am and I am going to work in a measly 5 hours. eh.

So maybe I should go. Though I have been trying to blog FOREVER and now was my only uninterrupted chance. So here I am. Hope everyone is keeping warm up in the midwest...and enjoy the snow up there. oh and please...please, keep it up there :) thanks much!

oh and if there is any one out there in blogland who is familiar with purchasing raw land to build on, can you please email me? We need to figure out what tests we need to do and how much they are all going to cost before we put an offer in on some land we are interested in...and we have NO CLUE where to start, so any help would be appreciated!

I want to win!!!

2009-12-09T15:10:00.005-05:00

A brand spanking new HP Touchsmart 600 computer from MckMama, Kelly's Korner, Stephanie or BooMama!!!

And the winner is...

2009-11-23T17:43:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the delay...Jimmy just picked a number for me and the winner is...

NUMERO UNO!!! Midwest Mommy you won the Little House Tees Giveaway!! Email me so I can get you the information to order your custom Little House Tee!!

For those of you who didn't win - head on over to Little House Tees and order your Christmas gifts today!!

Happy Thanksgiving too all!!

Little House Tees Giveaway!!

2009-11-17T09:36:00.003-05:00

Thank you all so much for the well wishes and congrats on baby numero dos!! We are incredibly excited and though we are so busy it still seems it isn't real - it is starting to sink in. We got to hear the heartbeat yesterday :)

In the picture below and our baby announcement post you saw the pictures of Charley in her 'Big Sister' shirt - this shirt was the way I originally told Jimmy we were pregnant. Then we also used it to tell our family and friends. It was perfect. Yes it took everyone a while to see it and get it - Jimmy included! But I wanted an original way to tell everyone and the shirt was perfect!!

Jennifer who is the creator of Little House Tees is giving one of my readers a shirt of their choice!! (up to $18 in value) She is amazing to work with!! She will help you create a shirt that you will love! She is also very speedy at shipping out your orders, so you will get them very quickly!! I recently ordered 2 shirts for a friend who just had her 2nd little boy - I got them matching big brother/little brother shirts!! Little House Tees make perfect Christmas/Hanukkah presents!!

She has so many adorable designs!! There are some great new holiday designs along with the big brother/sister and little brother/sister designs!

To enter to win a Little House Tee of your own just visit Jennifer's Etsy shop and leave a comment and tell me which design you would pick if you won!!

The contest will close this Thursday November 19 at midnight EST.

Water for Christmas

2009-11-13T08:11:00.003-05:00

Part of being a Mom is doing whatever you can to take care of your child - however there are millions of Mom's out there that can't even get clean water for their kids to drink. This is causing sickness and death.

we have the power to save lives.

To change the world.

With water.

Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80%

of all sickness and disease, and kill more people every

year than all forms of violence, including war.

Please join me, Joy's Hope and Whatever and many other bloggers in spreading the word about Water for Christmas.

I am buying a gift from my daughter to the world - to make it a better place and to make sure more children in the world can have clean water to drink.

Yet for only $10 you can provide one person

in Africa with clean water for ten years.

Ten. Years.

Just $10 gives one child 10 years of clean water...please donate, as much or as little as you would like and help save lives. Do it for your children and do it every year and teach your children that there are kids out there who aren't as lucky as they are and need help getting clean water to drink and how just a little bit of money will help these kids thrive for years.

Today is about water.

Today is about saving lives.

Today is about something bigger than ourselves.

Donate here.

100% percent of your donation will buy water for Christmas.

Every single penny.

Thank you :)

Charley has some news to share...

2009-11-11T09:17:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone...this is Charley :) I just wanted to let you all know I am going to be a BIG SISTER!! Yeah!! My Mommy is due to have my little brother or sister (they aren't going to find out again!) on June 1st :) I can't wait!!

I just wanted to let you all know there was a good reason that my Mommy's blog hasn't been updated recently...she has been feeling like poo for the last 6 weeks or so. She is back to feeling better now and even made it to the gym last night! I was very excited because I missed my friends at the daycare.

Thanks so much for understanding!! Here are 2 more pictures of me in my "Big Sister" Shirt (by the way...my Mom will be doing a giveaway for one of these AWESOME shirts VERY SOON so please check back!!)

I know how you all like my tongue pictures...so I decided to go a little over the top :) Enjoy!

Fabric...I need more!!

2009-11-04T10:31:00.004-05:00

I am so pumped about making so many of my Christmas presents for friends and family this year...and most of them consist of sewing...and that means cool amazing fabrics (of which I am addicted to buying)...and Terry at Sew-Fantastic is having a great giveaway!!

Hawthorne Threads just opened up a new online store and she is giving away a 6 half yard fabric bundle by Studio E!! I want to win!! Will make creating my Christmas presents so much easier and cheap too :)

What a difference a year makes...

2009-10-26T10:01:00.004-05:00

On Thursday of last week we visited our local pumpkin patch (granted there isn't actually a patch there, but it is a farm with animals and pumpkins!) and I got some good pictures of Miss. Charley. But first, lets compare one of last year's pictures... (I tried to find 2 that were the most similar)

To one of this year's pictures...

Here it is side by side...

Woah - it is unreal. She is amazing. Just goes to show you how fast time flies. Can't wait to see what the pictures will look like next year! Well, actually yes I can...she needs to slow down!

She was SO EXCITED to go and get a pumpkin!! She said pumpkin over and over the entire drive there. I don't know if she really "got" it, but she sure did have fun! Here are a few more pictures to enjoy :)

My Favorite Picture of the Day :)

The Pumpkin Hat made a reappearance...

Running to the pumpkins!

mmmm...I love lollipops!

Looking at something interesting...

My new favorite Charley face...she does this when she is excited or surprised by something...I think we said look at the big pumpkin and she does this :)

So interested in the tiny little baby pumpkins

Love...

More love...

She is saying "heavy!" as the tries to pick up her pumpkin :)

This was a quick shot...she doesn't like not being able to 'walk' so she was on her way of getting out!

I hope you all enjoyed the pics. There has been a lot going on here...more to share later. And Halloween pics will come too! :) Let just say we took advantage of it probably being the last year we had a say in what Charley got to be for Halloween! :)

Finally...COSTA RICA!!!

2009-09-19T06:13:00.004-05:00

Ok - so I'm going to take the easy way out...because to tell you the truth since we have been home - I have been incredibly busy getting ready for the 3 day walk, traveling some more, having fun with Charley, breaking my DSLR camera (and getting a new one), working, etc...

So since I finally posted the Costa Rica pictures with captions on Facebook I am just going to post the link to the pictures here...I know slacker - but really - I have been so overwhelmed with finding the hour or so to sit down and put the pictures into blogger in the correct order, with captions and all that I have been avoiding it. So please follow this link and take a look at the pictures. Then come back here and comment - since I try to keep this blog private from my in real life friends and family :) So that would be much appreciated!

Costa Rica Pictures 2009

A few quick things about the trip:

It was amazing
It was SO RELAXING
It was gorgeous down there - the weather was FABULOUS!
The wildlife was awesome
We had private surf lessons - which there are no pictures of because there is a pretty high crime rate there and we didn't know where we were going with surfing and how safe it would be to leave a camera while we were surfing.
The surfing was by far my one of my most favorite vacation experiences of all time. It was SO MUCH FUN. Jimmy rocked it (he's a snowboarder so that helped a lot) I did really good - stood up a lot - which was more then I thought I'd be able to do.
Having private surf lessons on the gorgeous beach where we were surfing was the most amazing thing ever.
The ziplining was amazing as well - I have a video of it too - so if I have time to upload it I will.
For those of you who are wondering - yes we missed Charley - but not so much to ruin our vacation at all. It was very healthy for us to be away from her, and her from us. I think it makes us better parents to be able to get away and have time for us. Others may have a different opinion...but that is mine. And I would and will go away without her again.
Though we will definitely take her most of the places we have been without her, once she is old enough to appreciate it!
All in all it was a little too short of a trip - but amazing, none the less! And we had tons of memories and experiences that we will never forget!

I will be back to regular posting now that I have gotten over the overwhelmness of this post :)

Thanks for understanding!!

And the WINNER is....

2009-09-14T09:11:00.003-05:00

I headed on over to...

Plugged 19 into the little box...and hit "Generate" and it gave me...

EMILY...from The Wild and Crazy Life of the McCann's is our winner!! Yeah Emily!! You have won a custom blog redesign from Jessica at This That and Your Blog!! Congrats!!

Thanks to everyone who entered!!

Charley would LOVE one of these...

2009-09-14T07:40:00.003-05:00

I have seen these all over Etsy - and now one of my favorite blogs is giving away 8 different prizes!

Terri over at Sew-Fantastic makes such amazing products and is doing this great giveaway for hitting 1000 sales in her Esty shop...1000 sales!!

I hope I win a crayon wallet for Charley!! It would make going out to dinner a lot better - as I'd take this along to keep her entertained!!

still here...and so sorry...

2009-09-09T23:28:00.002-05:00

We are back from Costa Rica...A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. Since we have been back I haven't had a chance to sit, let alone blog. I just wanted to say, I have pictures, I have stories, I will pick the winner of my blog redesign giveaway...but we are off to the beach on Friday morning for the weekend, we are going with friends and wanted to take a weekend away to spend with Charley since she stayed home when we went to Costa Rica...So it is looking like everything will have to wait until next week...

So sorry...

and So Sad....Summer is over...but I am squeezing that last beach weekend out!! :) Then I will count my summer over...:(

Many Things...

2009-09-01T12:00:00.007-05:00

Look who is 18 months old!!

She was actually 18 months last Friday - I can't believe it. She is so big. Growing so fast. Talking up a storm. And has such a personality! I LOVE IT! I'd told Jimmy I'd have another kid tomorrow if they came out at 18 months! It is such a fun age...though I'd like if we could take her out to eat and to the store for more then 5 minutes...but I hear that gets better in a few months...anyone? is it true? If not...just lie please :)

We have been trying to hit up the pool as much as we can - but now that Jeannie has wished fall upon us...boo...and it is in the 70's we are not going to make it at all this week! Which means for the rest of the pool season! :( We were planning on going Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night this week because we are heading to Costa Rica (!!!) on Thursday morning and the pool will be closed when we come back :(

Here are some pics from when we made it there last week...

So we are spending as much time with Charley these nights as we can, as she isn't coming with us to Costa Rica and we will miss her. We will enjoy time without her. But we will miss her...though I'd have to say when I am sleeping in EVERY DAY...I won't miss her much then :) Many people ask how much kids change your lives...my response is...not much, you can do everything you did before kids - after kids - except for SLEEP IN. :)

So we are heading to the State Fair tonight! I am very excited. I love me some zipper, round up and other rides!! And the State Fair has animals! Charley LOVES animals and rides too, so it should be a lot of fun!! I have never been to the State Fair (Delaware or otherwise) so I am very excited!

I have been an Etsy ordering fool this past week - I have a bunch of birthday presents to make and want to make something for Charley. So I hope I will finally have a little time to do that once we get back! And I can't wait to post the progress!!

Alright...not sure what to do with myself...Charley had her 18 month appointment this morning where she got 2 shots...and she has been asleep since 1030!! I guess I should get the laundry done, so we have clothes to pack for our trip!!

Oh and here are Charley's stats 33 1/4" long and 29lbs 13oz!! :) 95% in both!

***Don't forget to enter my contest for a new blog design by Jessica!! It ends tomorrow night!!***

An Award...

2009-08-31T09:10:00.004-05:00

Stephanie over at Eyeball Gir l - gave me an award!!

Thanks so much Stephanie!!

I am going to pass this on to Jeannie, Kim, Juice, Sarah, Midwest Mommy and Tiffany!
I love these girls blogs...though I am sorry I don't get around to commenting enough!

** Don't forget to enter my contest!!**

One Week...

2009-08-27T23:07:00.004-05:00

from today...Jimmy and I will be in Costa Rica!! We can't wait. We have so much planned, surf lessons, white water rafting, hiking, zip lining, relaxing and sleeping in!!

But there is SO MUCH to be done between now and then...

Birthday Party, Hair Cut, Phillies Game, Jewelry Party, Cookout, 10 mile training walk, Dentist Appt., Dr's Appt, Blood Drawn, Babysitting, and Visits to the Pool. and the gym, and shopping for a new car...

oh my, I think I could go on forever. And it is 12:09am...and I have to be at work by 7 tomorrow - so up at around 5:30...hmm, that is in a very few short hours.

So I am going to go off to bed...with visions of sun, sand, surf and cold beers in my head...

6 more days, 6 more days, 6 more days...

**Remember to enter my contest for a new blog redesign below!!**
***Thanks for all of the wonderful comments on my new blog design!! I LOVE IT TOO!!***

Welcome!!

2009-08-26T17:48:00.004-05:00

Welcome to my newly designed and renamed blog!! Don't you love it?!!?

I was so excited when I won Loni's giveaway at From Two to Three!! She gave away a free blog redesign by Jessica at This That and Your Blog. Jessica was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G to work with!!! We must have emailed 100 times and she was so helpful and so creative!!

Since I had the opportunity to win a blog design from Jessica I wanted to offer my readers the same opportunity!! So in order to celebrate my new blog design I am giving away one blog redesign by Jessica to one of my readers!!

All you have to do is leave a comment to enter! If you would like 2nd and 3rd entries you can become a follower (or let me know if you already are!) and you can also grab my NEW BUTTON!! :)

Thanks so much for reading and entering!! The contest will run until midnight Wednesday September 2nd.

Exciting Things...

2009-08-25T05:48:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone!! Some exciting changes and things are coming!!! :)

My blog officially now has its own personal url www.mom-wife-triathlete.com so please update your readers!

Please stay tuned... :)

Long Overdue Post!!

2009-08-18T19:45:00.002-05:00

Way back when...ok so maybe about a month ago...I won another contest!! I won some Peppermint (my favorite) Essential Oils!!

I won them from Annie at All-Abode, she has an awesome site - with tons of ideas for natural cleaners, recipes and tips! My friend Jeannie even does guest posts there too!

Ok - so I just want to tell you how in love I am with my Peppermint Essential Oil!! Ok - so I LOVE everything and ANYTHING peppermint and this is like Peppermint to the MAX! I could just sit and sniff it all day long...well ok, not really...but I do love the smell of it!!

So here are a few things I have done with my oil -

We have a diaper champ in Charley's room - we opted for that over the genie since it takes regular bags - and it was great, until Charley started eating real food and if you are parent you know what I am talking about - the smell is just unreal - ok sorry to get off topic - but I put a paper towel with a few drops of my Peppermint Oil on it and put it in the bottom of the diaper champ - so that now when we put a new diaper in and turn it - I get the wonderful smell of peppermint and not the other not so wonderful smell :)
I read the PDF file for the Peppermint Essential Oil on the Young Living site and it said to try on unbroken skin to help stop itching. DING DING DING!!! Mosquitos LOVE ME. I don't think I have mentioned this before - but I must be like their most favorite meal ever!! So since I have about 10 bites on me at any given time in the summer - I tested the oil out on my bites...well it works!! And smells a whole heck of a lot better then the bug bite stuff I usually use. Now to test and see if it will keep the bugs away - and then I won't get the bites. My only worry is people are going to start thinking I am trying to cover something up if I walk around smelling like peppermint all the time!!!
I love peppermint soap - I have never made soap before - but I might give it a shot!
I put it in the toilet paper and paper towel rolls in our house, and the nice scent you get when you unroll some paper is a nice surprise!
I am thinking about trying to buy plain hand (pump) soap and mixing in some of the oil.
Also it says it can be used in food - I make peppermint bark for Christmas presents - and usually use Peppermint extract - but this winter I think I will try the oil.

That is all so far - but there are so many other uses I am sure!! If you know of any others then please leave a comment!

And please head on over to All-Abode and check it out!! And if you want to get your own essential oils - Annie sells them and you can find the information on her site!

Thanks Annie!!

New Car...

2009-08-14T22:20:00.005-05:00

So today - my neck was hurting - still is - chiropractor helped a little bit and I have to go back there early tomorrow morning...anyways...

I decided to do a little car shopping - spur of the moment - I ended up picking up a sweet ride - it is used, but new to us.

Let me tell you a little about its specs -

It is an oldie but goodie - the date of creation is the year I was born
It is Red - with a sweet yellow top
It has huge windows
Only one door
An awesome sounding horn
Turn key ignition
Its head lights need a little work - but nothing I can't fix
You won't believe the gas mileage...it is UNREAL
It does take a little work to run however - and if you ride in it for a long time your legs might get tired
It drives amazingly well in reverse - actually I think that currently it ONLY drives in reverse

Take a look!!

Charley checking our her new ride...

Taking her for a test drive...

Testing out the door...

The horn works great!

Driving in reverse...it seems to be the only way she knows how to drive so far :)

Chillin in my ride

Flintstones anyone??

Good news is - if it breaks down - she can push it to the nearest service station herself!

Adios amigos!! I'm heading out for some ice cream!!

I am sure you all want to know how much this hot ride set me back...$16 at the consignment shop!! :)

In Pain...

2009-08-14T06:51:00.003-05:00

yes - me. in.pain. my neck. it hurts. i can't look left. i can't look up. it hurts when i lay down. it hurts when i get out of the car. it hurts all the way down and through my shoulder. what did i do? i have no clue. but damn does it hurt. chiropractor appointment at 245 unless someone cancels. please pray that someone cancels say in like 30 minutes. if you didn't know. my neck hurts. please give me sympathy :)

oh and we have a triathlon sunday. triathlons and hurt necks aren't good friends. i really hope the chiropractor will fix my neck. it hurts.

The Zoo...

2009-08-12T10:19:00.003-05:00

Jimmy had off last Friday after a long week at work so we decided to hit up the Baltimore Zoo!! We had a great time!! Here is proof :)

Charley was all ready to get to the zoo..

She got to sit in a big birds nest...

Charley LOVED going down the big tree slide with Daddy!

She got to crawl in a tortoise shell...

Who knew that tortoises stuck their tongues out!

There was a petting zoo - and Charley had a blast walking around and brushing all of the goats!

This goat was sleeping...Charley was telling everyone to be quiet...shhh!

After the petting zoo she got to ride some tractors. (I attempted to antique this photo a little bit :))

Daredevil!!

Meet Zoe - the giraffe...

Charley and I got to FEED HER!!

On the way out of the zoo there was a playground...did you know that sticking your tongue out helps you crawl through the tunnel??

Jimmy fit too!

Bye-Bye Zoo...we will see you again soon!

6:30 Freaking AM!!!

2009-08-06T14:54:00.002-05:00

Good News All!! She slept all night long!!! Yep from 4:30pm until 6:30am!!

Tonight I have a night off and am heading out to dinner with the girls. Can't wait.

Then tomorrow Jimmy has off!! And so do I! So we have a few things planned, a run and hopefully taking Charley some place fun :)

And of course I'll have my camera...

Keeping my fingers crossed...

2009-08-05T21:14:00.004-05:00

Charley has been asleep since 4:30pm - and it is now 10:18pm. oy...see she didn't get her 2nd nap in today at my friends house, so we put her down after we picked her up - and then the choice came in:

Option 1: wake her up and feed her dinner so I can get to my class at the gym and she will be VERY cranky

Option 2: let her sleep until she wakes up - probably around 6-6:30 and then just put her to bed later

I decided on option number two...

Never did the thought cross my mind she wouldn't wake herself up at all, until I woke up on the couch at 8:15pm wondering what the heck was going on!! (Jimmy is working at the bar tonight)

So I wake up and think...

a) How much did she eat today - so I call K and find out - Not much at all is the answer...not out of the ordinary for her, but not the answer I was hoping for...K's suggestion - wake her up.

b) Should I wake her up and feed her and then keep her up and try to put her to bed later?

c) Does she need to be changed? Sure she is still in her clothes and not her PJ's - no biggie - we all sleep in our clothes every once in a while...right? :) But will she wake up soaked through and not happy?

d) What should I do? So I call my Mom...and her advice - wake her up.

So I decide to fill a sippy cup up with milk, get her PJ's and then I go into her room - now if she is not in a deep sleep as soon as I open the door she wakes up - well I go in her room, turn her night light on, get a diaper ready and she doesn't budge. So I pick her up from her crib and she is majorly confused...says "mama" and then I put her on the changing table, give her her sippy cup and proceed to change her diaper and clothes...then I try to rock her in her chair and she points at her crib and says "gerge" who is her buddy, her Curious George stuffed animal that she sleeps with - I say "You want to go in there with George?" and she says "uh huh" which is her "yes" answer. So I put her in her crib - with the milk - I HATE doing that - but it was worth the try. And she hasn't made a sound since...2 hours and counting.

I really hope there is a growth spurt going on here - I know she is cutting another tooth - so maybe that is taking all of her energy. She did spend all day with other kids - and went to the pool for 3 hours...so maybe that is it. All I know is, I hope - really hope she sleeps all night...well either all night, or until Jimmy gets home from the bar...

Though if she doesn't make it all night tonight it is as best a night as any for her to wake up...as my boss is out of town so if I am late in the morning, no one is there to harass me :) But I'd rather not.

So if you read this...please keep your fingers crossed for me. I'd appreciate it.

I'll be back with an update tomorrow!! Well hopefully tomorrow and not like 4am...

Changes...

2009-08-05T09:46:00.003-05:00

Are coming your way...

As you can see I finally decided on a new title for my blog...(thanks Jeannie!!)

And I bought a URL since I didn't want to start a completely new blog and lose all of my posts and info here about Charley, my pregnancy, races, life, etc. So now you can reach my blog at

www.mom-wife-triathlete.com

my old URL will still bring you here, however - please update your readers :)

Jessica at This That and Your Blog is going to be making me a new awesome site - so please stay tuned!!

I got an email...

2009-07-31T08:49:00.019-05:00

Well I received an email comment yesterday from Tiff...asking where I have been and what I have been up to...are you ready!! :)

I've driven to Wisconsin with the fabulous Jeannie where I competed in my first triathlon for the summer...

...and kicked butt at it I might add!!
We've been riding bikes...

We've been taking the dogs to the park...

We've been on a vacation to the beach...

Where we've been playing in the sand...

Where we've been riding on rides...

Telling Daddy stories on the beach...

Throwing rocks in the water...

Taking pictures of the pig tail shadow...

Kissing on the boys...

Visiting the nature center...

Eating Ice Cream...

Falling asleep in the car on the way home...

We've been wearing pig tails...and Daddy's socks!!

We've been teething...

We've been celebrating 3 years of marriage...with cupcakes :)

We've been visiting the local 4h Fair to see the animals...

We've been hanging out on the dog bed...(Why?? I have no clue...I tried to get the dog onto her chair for the picture, thought it would be classic...but she'd have nothing to do with getting up, let alone getting into a way too small of a chair!)

We've been rock climbing...

We've been at the park with Grandma...

Where we went swinging...

We've been having a BLAST this summer and I never want it to end. There are more fun and exciting things coming up, a trail race, another Tri (which I convinced Jimmy to do with me!!), a Phillies Game, a trip to COSTA RICA!!, another trip back to the beach, a trip to the zoo and possibly a trip to Philly! I love summer!!

p.s. Please email or comment with any new blog name ideas, I am seriously drawing a blank!!

I won! Some help and a favor...

2009-07-30T08:53:00.004-05:00

Hello all...I know I have been MIA and I plan on fixing that and filling you in on all of the happenings around here, but first a little business to take care of.

I won a contest!! This is actually my 2nd win in a month or so...but I will post about the other one later. I won a blog redesign!! Loni at From Two to Three had a blogiversary give away and I won!! I can't wait to have my blog redone! I just need to come up with a more appropriate name for my blog, so please leave me some comment love with some ideas. I'd love for it to have to do with all aspects of my life, being a mommy, a wife, working out, being healthy and loving life!

Now on to the favor...the wonderful Jessica at This, That & My Blog who I won the redesign from lost her father last week. I can't imagine what she is going through right now. I have lost grandparents, aunts and uncles, but never someone as close as my parents. She needs strength and support and love at these times, so please stop by her blog and give just a few encouraging words and love.

Thanks all...I will be back tonight :)

Happy 4th of July…just a week or so late!!

2009-07-14T14:01:00.005-05:00

We had a great 4th of July – on top of having a 3 day weekend as a family which was wonderful to start with! We went to a local beach with Roni and her family – then home for a nice long nap and then off to see the fireworks with them too! And Charley LOVED the fireworks!! Here are 2 quick picks of her taken Jimmy’s phone as we all forgot our cameras.

The fireworks were great and Charley was a trooper staying up past her bedtime too. I love taking her new places and seeing the joy and amazement on her face! She loved walking around the little fair before the fireworks and checking everything out!

And here are a few more shots of Miss Charley and her first set of pig tails!! Her hair is finally starting to get a little longer so I thought I’d try some pigtails and she sat nice and still for me (I was shocked!) and let me put them in and didn’t fuss about them!! I love them!! (and I’d have to say I love these pictures too…they came out great!)

Our 4th of July weekend ended with us buying new couches for our living room. I love them. They are deep – so Jimmy and I can lay on them together – Perfect! So we finally got rid of the old ones about an hour before we had to pick up the new ones. We got the new ones in the house and after Jimmy was a trooper and put all of the feet on them, we got them in and in place right before bed last night. I can’t wait to get home with Jimmy and Charley and enjoy them…

Red White and Blue Swap!!

2009-07-14T12:59:00.005-05:00

My package arrived a little over a week ago – and it was amazing, however now is the first chance I have had to write up a post…on my 14 hour drive to Wisconsin with Jeannie. So you might get few catch up posts from me today and a few more on Monday on the drive back…so here we go!!

I loved my package!! It was filled with so many goodies!! Here is a photo story of what I got…

When I came home from work I found this cute box on our doorstep! I loved the cute packing tape…I definitely need to get some of that!!

Here are all of the goodies that were inside!!

First and foremost my MOST FAVORITE ITEM….This ADORABLE dress for Miss Charley!! How cute is this!! She wore it to the fireworks on the 4th of July

An awesome plastic party ware set!! Love the red!! With some Blue corn chips for dipping into…A jar of my favorite….Mango Salsa!!

There were two cute stars to make our house a little more festive.

A trio of some adorable tablets…Dianah just like me makes lots of lists so these are perfect!!

She sent me a Child ID kit…PERFECT…as we don’t have one of these yet! And it is good for up to 3 kids…now just to get Miss Charley’s fingerprints!!

Dianah made me this awesome red, white and blue insulated lunch bag!! I have used it a lot already!!

And last but not least a cute little tin…filled with flag wrapped tootsie rolls (MY FAV!!) and a tiny tin of Altoids

Thanks Dianah so much for all of the amazing stuff! I loved it all!! Oh…and what pattern did you use for the dress?? I would love to take my hand at making another one for Charley!! THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE LOVE YOU PUT INTO MY PACKAGE!! I hope you enjoyed what I sent you!

Here it is...

2009-06-26T08:02:00.003-05:00

Here is my announcement!! I am opening an Etsy store!! Check it out!! There is A LOT more to come - but I wanted to get it up and open this weekend before I left for my girls weekend, even though I didn't get to post all of my items. So keep checking back for more items!! :) You will always be able to get to my Etsy shop by clicking on the button on my sidebar! :)

Not the announcement some of you were expecting ;) Alright I'm off to Long Island for some much needed girl time!! I'll be back on Sunday!! Have a great weekend!!

Time for an update...

2009-06-24T07:39:00.003-05:00

Ok - I really really need to win this contest. My blog needs some UPDATING!! And I am entering a contest at From Two to Three to win a blog redesign by Jessica at This That and Your Blog!! I really hope I win - so I can change up my blog :)

Exhausted...

2009-06-23T21:58:00.005-05:00

Today was a great day...exhausting but great! I am off of work on Tuesday and I watch one of my really good friends daughter - who is 3 weeks older then Charley. They live right behind us - so it works out great! Plus she watches Charley on Wednesdays so it is a free childcare trade off! Couldn't be more perfect.

We all belong to the same pool and can take each others kids there. So today I decided to venture out today and take the girls. We didn't get there until about 1pm since Charley napped from 915 until 12!! But once we got there boy did I have my hands full!! In a good way most of the time, but boy oh boy are the days gone where I could just sit by the pool. My back got fried...because I was bent over the entire time!

The girls both love the pool but both want to do their own thing...which usually means going in different directions. And when they are so little and can't walk all that well and then there are other bigger kids running around, I have to be within an arms length of both of them at all times. Go go Gadget Arms! :)

So...when T dropped off S this afternoon I already had Charley dressed in her bathing suit and he had S dressed to. When he saw Charley he said..."for real?" I asked him "what?" and then I saw what he was talking about...

I did get a little breather when I sat them both in chairs and gave them drinks :)

Then the girls found some trucks...these are not doll baby girls...they are truck girls and I like it!

Now I am beat...and in bed. Good night :)

Food	Units
fiber one with skim	5
smoothie	3
watermelon	1
english muffin w/ pb & cheese	5
veggie pack	2
fiber 1 bar	2
cheese	1
cardio	-5.5
white chicken chili withsour cream	9
cookies and cream low fat ice cream	5
Total:	27.5

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

Monday Mish Mosh

2009-06-22T21:58:00.006-05:00

I know you all are waiting for my announcement (and it is not what you think it is!!) but it will have to hold off for a few more days. I want everything to be all set up before I post about it :)

This is going to be quite the mish mosh of posts...so here it goes...

Today at work seemed like I was there for 20 hours...the day drug on so long!! After work I headed to the park for a 4 mile run - I ended up running 4 miles and walking 1 - then I had a softball game. So I am beat!

I am back on track with WW and am .4 pounds away from my lowest weight! So the goal for this week is to lose .6 pounds to surpass that low weight :) 8.3 pounds to go - to hit my WW goal weight. Though I am not sure yet if that will be my final goal weight or not - I am just going to see how I feel once I get there. I have to weigh in at a Friday meeting this week instead of Saturday, since some girlfriends and I are heading up to Long Island for the weekend for a girls weekend.

I CAN'T WAIT! We have pool time, beach time, mani/pedi time and a cookout on the schedule...it will be heaven. I will miss Charley and Jimmy incredibly - but will enjoy my girl time too :)

Father's Day was great! I made Jimmy breakfast in bed - french toast & scrambled eggs. Then I told him we could do whatever he wanted all day. I had planned that we could make a picnic and go to a park - but it had POURED rain the night before and the ground was pretty soggy. So Jimmy wanted to go for a bike ride. So we headed to Annapolis to the B&A Trail for a ride. A friend of ours had given us a trailer to pull Charley - we weren't sure how she'd like it...SHE LOVED IT! We were so happy :) Though she wasn't a fan of having a helmet on. We biked 5 miles out to a little gelato shop where we shared some gelato and then we headed back 5 miles. The weather was wonderful and it was a lot of fun and nice to get some exercise.

Here are a few pics :)

Alright - I need to work on some stuff for my announcement :) and then get to bed. Talk to you all soon!!

Food	Units
smoothie w/ spinach	3
chobani w/ granola & honey	5
watermelon	1
chicken and rice	7
tootsie rolls	1
mcd ice cream cone	2
chocolate	1.5
4 mile run, 1 mile walk, softball game	-10
breyers free	2
kashi crackers	2
goldfish	3
Total:	17.5

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

Jimmy's Birthday Weekend!!

2009-06-16T11:54:00.007-05:00

Soo....the weekend before Jimmy's birthday I surprised him with a weekend away. Just him and I. I had been planning this for months!! And it all worked out perfectly. I had a house sitter set up for the dogs, a babysitter set up for Charley, our own private cabin with a hot tub all reserved, plans for a day full of rock climbing and I was so excited!! It was so hard to not tell him!!

So I took off the Friday we were scheduled to leave - see I usually work every other Friday...and he thought I was supposed to work that Friday, but I told him I switched weeks so I wouldn't have to take vacation when I go to Wisconsin in July...a little fib - but it was all for good!

Charley and I had planned to meet Jimmy for his 'birthday lunch' on Friday - since he would be in class for the next 3 weeks and I work on his actual birthday and wouldn't be able to meet him for lunch then. We were going to get some killer crab cakes from G&M's...mmm.

My plan for this birthday lunch was because it was on my way to meet my friend to drop off Charley for the weekend and since Jimmy didn't know we were going away he didn't know he wasn't going to see Charley when he got home or for the rest of the weekend. So this would be a nice chance for him to see her before we went away.

Well I packed her stuff up in the back of the car...which wasn't much due to her going to a house with 2 young kiddos for the weekend. So that helped, because I was afraid he'd see her stuff packed in the back of the car and wonder what was up...well even though we got our lunch to go and ate it in my car...he had no clue. Ms. Charley was VERY sleepy and fell asleep right before we got to the restaurant, so instead of waking her up and taking a cranky 15 month old into a packed restaurant, we let her sleep and enjoyed our lunch in the car! So Jimmy got to see her and have a little time with her...she woke up about 1/2 way through our crab cakes :)

So off I was to drop Charley off with my friend...an hour away from home. I dropped her off and headed home to pack everything and get the dogs set. I got everything done about 5 min before he walked in the door! I put a birthday card I found (which was about camping!) and wrote in it how we were going away for the weekend for his birthday and taped it to the front door. He came home and read it and walked in the door with this look on his face like he was so excited and shocked at the same time, it was great!!

I didn't tell him where we were going until we stopped for dinner about an hour and a half into the trip :) He kept guessing the entire way though!!

Well...we went to West Virginia...we had this amazing cabin....

With this deck and view across the little drive...
Which was right on the river!! (view from the deck across the street from our cabin!)
I had arranged a mounting climbing at Nelson Rocks Preserve of the Via Ferrata on Saturday at noon - I was SO EXCITED for this. You can go here to read about what a Via is.

Here we are on the hike to the start...

Here is the copperhead we saw on the hike to the start...well let me take that back...we walked right past it!! The last person in our group saw it and pointed it out to us...and at that point it was all curled up ready to get to business if we bothered it!!

Here I am hanging off the side of the mountain...

Here is the 'hardest part' of the climb...the blind corner...

And here is Jimmy peeking around the corner...

Here if you look very closely you can see a bridge that we are climbing to...we still had to go up and over to it...

Here we are getting a little closer to the bridge...you can see some of our fellow climbers here...

Here I am on the bridge looking down...we were about 150 feet up (or 1/2 way to our max height) here...

Here is Jimmy coming across the bridge...

And here is the view of the bridge once we crossed it and climbed up the other side of the mountain...we were about 250 feet up here...

Here is another look at the same bridge...we were now at the highest point...about 350 feet up...the views were amazing!!

Here I am at the top of the head wall...

Here is Jimmy after the climb at the top of the summit...(we could hike to this point)

Here are Jimmy and I at the summit...

We climbed for about 4-4 1/2 hours, it was unreal, so amazing and so much fun!!

When we got back to the cabin, we grilled out, I had made turkey burgers and brought them with us. And both mornings we were there we had scrambled eggs and french toast which we cooked as well.

I told Jimmy he could pick what he wanted to do the next day...and he chose to do nothing. And it was great!! We both very rarely get time to sleep in and just sit and relax, and it was wonderful, we walked around a little bit (our cabin was one of 18 in the little 'resort'), packed up the car and headed for a leisurely drive home.

We had an AMAZING weekend. We missed Charley and the dogs....but it was SO NICE to get away and spend time together. He said it was the best birthday weekend ever. And now I have done it...set a standard...and it wasn't even a big birthday! What am I going to do when he turns 30!? :)

Well that is one of the many things I have been up to...but you will be seeing a lot more of me around here :) hope that is ok!!

I will be back this weekend with an exciting announcement!!

Oh Where Oh Where...

2009-06-10T13:28:00.002-05:00

Have I been???

350 feet up on top of a mountain that is where!!

Celebrating Jimmy's birthday that is where!!

Relaxing in a hot tub, that is where!!

But now I am back...and if you want to hear all about the amazing SURPRISE weekend I planned for Jimmy for his birthday, you'll have to stay tuned!!

ooh!! And the pictures from Charley's photo shoot are here too!! :)

I'll be back soon I PROMISE!! :)

I loved it so much the first time...

2009-06-08T09:27:00.000-05:00

I'm doing it again!!

My AMAZING Swap Package!!

2009-06-02T20:44:00.007-05:00

Here is the long awaited Mamarazzi's Favorite Things Swap post!! My package arrived a little early since my swap partner Stephanie at Eyeball Girl left to go on vacation the Saturday they were supposed to be mailed...she went to ALASKA!! How lucky she is!!

Here are all of the goodies that came in my wonderful package!!

It all began with a cute little card...in ORANGE...my favorite :)

There was a little magnetic note pad to keep on our fridge for grocery lists etc...I love these!!

How cute are these!! Monogrammed note cards...with ORANGE envelopes!!! (and stickers too!!)

Kitchen Shears! We have a pair of these in our butcher block...but they were getting gross, it was great to finally replace them!! (Stephanie...I use them all the time too!!)

Cool little individual tea bags!! These are already on my desk at work! I love having tea at my freezing desk!

No Pudge Brownie Mix! You can make individual servings...can you say brownie sundae!!

Pomegranate Fruit Strips!! The reason these are no longer in the box is that Charley and I dug into them as soon as they came!! We both love them!

Awesome ORANGE coasters...that Stephanie made herself!! I can't wait to hear how she does it...if she will share!! :)

A yummy smelling candle!! My house is filled with these...and I can always add more!!

2 shower puffs!! I was so glad to get these...as Miss Charley has claimed my other one as a bath toy...

I loved everything I received!! I loved doing this swap...I loved going shopping for Stephanie's things as well as getting a wonderful package in the mail!! I will definitely do one of these again!!

Stephanie, thank you so much for all of my wonderful things!! I hope you like yours as much as I liked mine!!! Can't wait to hear!!

15 Months

2009-05-28T22:20:00.005-05:00

Charley is 15 months old today...and our poor baby is sick. I am sitting in her room right now writing this post, because I had to do something tonight that I never wanted to do, said I wouldn't do and have done. Put her back to sleep with her milk, yep her sippy cup is in her crib. So I am sitting here typing this waiting for her to be in a deep enough sleep so that I can grab the cup and get it in the fridge without her waking up.

The past 3 days have been tough - Charley has a double ear infection and a bacterial infection. Poor little girl. She has been consistently running a fever around 102-103 in between Motrin doses. So there is about 2 hours out of every 6 where she just wants to be held and to lay on you. Don't get me wrong, there is a part of me that loves every second of that time, since it is now incredibly hard to get her to sit still. But then when she wakes up at 1:45am and won't go back asleep unless her entire body is touching yours at all times, makes for some rough nights. Especially when we have been blessed with a baby that has slept through the night consistently since she was 12 weeks old.

She goes to the Dr tomorrow for her 15 week check up - I am glad for that, because I am not sure if the antibiotics are working, so hopefully the Dr can give me some incite on that. Also I am excited to hear about how she is growing. I also want to talk to the Dr about the things that will be coming up, potty training (I have been talking with Midwest Mommy about this and she has me very hopeful about the ease of potty training, I hope Charley agrees!) and I also want to find out if the Dr thinks the ear infection was caused by the swimming pool (I really hope not or this is going to be a VERY long summer!)

There hasn't been much going on here this week other then taking care of Miss Charley, which is our A number one top priority. I have only been to work one day this week and I think I am more exhausted then ever. Having a sick baby is HARD WORK.

Our long weekend was amazing! It consisted of the 1st day of the pool being open, Charley's photo shoot!! (more to come on this later!), my cousins son's tball game, a 5 mile run with Kath, Matt, Roni, Abbie and Alyssa around the Harbor, , another trip back to the pool on Memorial Day aka free guest day, where Roni, the Toddler and the Husband came along with my best friend/Charley's best Aunt and a trip to the park/creek with Roni and the Toddler. It was a fun filled weekend that I didn't want to end. Though we have many a weekend coming up with exciting and fun things planned...so on to the next one :)

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the weekend...

Charley at the t-ball game...

Charley's 1st day at the pool for the summer...and she LOVES IT!! We think she is addicted to the water slide!! :) (Though there are no pictures of that since one of us has to make sure she gets up the stairs and one of us has to catch her at the bottom!! One day I'll get someone to take a pic!)

My new favorite picture of my 2 favorite people at the park...

Roni and the Toddler at the park...

Charley thinks the Toddler is hilarious!!! And he loves making her laugh!

She was so excited she could walk across this bridge!

Another Favorite...

Here is the picture from our run on Sunday - Jimmy and Charley came along and they along with Matt lead the run while us girls chatted behind them :)

Roni, Charley and I went for a nice short 3 mile run today in sauna like heat - it was a great run (well until Miss Charley had enough of the jogger with about 1/4 of a mile left) I haven't looked at my Nike+ yet, but I am sure we ran the fastest mile last, as there is nothing more motivating then a screaming kid to get you to run fast to the finish! We ran past Roni's new house - well what is of it since they have broken ground, which is a fenced off lot with some gravel :) So excited that she will be living closer, more runs, more play time for Charley and the Toddler and hopefully more adult dinner dates!

Go visit Roni's site and wish her luck on her first ever 1/2 marathon this weekend!! She is going to kick some serious butt in the Zooma 1/2 in Annapolis on Sunday!!

Alright, I think Charley is knocked out enough that I can steal the bottle and make a run for our bed...please, please, please don't wake up little girl...you and Mommy both need some sleep!!

I'll be back tomorrow (naps pending) to post my Mamarazzi's Swap Photos!!

Night all...

I want these shoes for Charley!!

2009-05-28T12:03:00.002-05:00

Amy over at Swag Studio is having a contest for a pair of handmade adorable shoes from Ivory and Moss!! I want to win these for Charley's feet!!

Catch up...

2009-05-22T08:02:00.003-05:00

Well where to begin...how about some bullets!!

The weather here has been GORGEOUS all week!! I am in heaven. I went for a run on Tuesday outside a nice 4.5 miles - it was great. Not speedy, but wonderful. I am going to go for another one today! I can't wait!! Then on Sunday I am meeting up with Kath and Roni and some other Baltimore area bloggers for a 4-5 mile run around the Harbor - it should be great
It's a 3 day weekend!! Yeah!! Then next week I only work 2 days! :) Now I just hope the weather keeps up...because
THE POOL OPENS TOMORROW!! My parents gifted us with a membership to the local pool this summer! I can't wait! Not only is it a pool, but they have a water slide, baby pool, huge sand pit/playground, a water mat spray thingy, lily pad walk, tennis courts and new for this year...a FOUR SQUARE COURT!! We used to play Four Square in the parking lot of our townhouses in college...it is so much fun!! I can't wait to take Charley there on my days off and to go there as a family on the weekends! Oh...and train for my up coming triathlons!! :)
Weigh in tomorrow IS.NOT.GOING.TO.BE.PRETTY. I had 3 nights of eating out this week and though I made good choices my body hasn't been liking it. I have also been lifting weights a lot more to tone up too - so that hasn't been helping. Though today I am wearing size TEN Gap jeans :) So I am still feeling good and liking what I am seeing - though I wish I liked the numbers better...oh well can't have everything I guess!
Speaking of lifting weights - I finally got Jimmy to go to a class with me at the gym and he loved it!! We went to body pump - a class where it is geared toward lifting weights. We have been twice now and plan on doing it 2 days a week from here on out. :)
Ms. Charley had a fall on Tuesday morning - she is a-ok though. She is one tough cookie!! Hopefully her 2 little bruises won't show up in...
Her photo shoot pictures tomorrow!! I am SO EXCITED!! One of my best friends from home gave Charley a photo shoot with a professional photographer at home in DE for her 1st birthday!! We were supposed to go last weekend (pre-bruises) but it rained...so we are on for tomorrow morning at 10am!! I can't wait, because now Charley is walking and moving around, so he should get some great pics! Plus I want a new family picture too! I got Charley this uber-cute dress to wear and flip flops!! (with straps...don't want to challenge her new walking legs too much!) Hopefully he will give me some pics that I can post on here!! So stay tuned!
Tomorrow before the photo shoot we are going to one of my favorite little boy's t-ball games! I went last year and took some pictures of him and my cousin (his mom) has requested some more pictures...I love taking pictures!! I wish I could do that as a living...hmmm... I can't wait to see him play - he is pretty awesome for a 6 year old!!
So Saturday is pretty packed for us...then we have no plans on Sunday or Monday :) We have tons we'd like to get done around the house...but we might just spend those days relaxing at the pool!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!! Be safe and enjoy your family and friends!!

Mother's Day

2009-05-16T07:38:00.005-05:00

Mother's Day this year was GREAT!

Just like last year we spent it at the beach (except last year we stayed there all weekend - this year we had too much going on the day before). It was a surprise that we were going there - Jimmy told me he had plans but wouldn't tell me what they were until that morning.

He was too cute - he woke me up REALLY EARLY to tell me that there was a card on my nightstand - it was from Charley and was SO CUTE. It told me we would be going to the beach!! So excited...I LOVE THE BEACH! Then after that surprise - Jimmy gave me a card from him with $$ in it to buy me some new skinny clothes (as he called them) :) Could it get any better!!

Though he did put a stipulation on me getting rid of all my too big clothes that I have been holding on to for post pregnancy next time. He said for me to get rid of them for good - that if I needed bigger clothes after we have our next baby - we can get them then. Though he said since I will be so much smaller before we have our 2nd baby that I shouldn't need bigger clothes after...I hope he is right!!

Here is my little monkey on the beach - she didn't mind the sand on her feet...

But when it came to getting it on her hands...that was a completely different story!!

This is one of my favorite pictures from the day...Jimmy loves to (carefully) toss Charley up in the air and she LOVES it...and just look at the blue skies!! Oh and the tongue...this girl always has her tongue out of her mouth...as you can see here and in these older pics at the bottom of the post :) (and there are more tongue pics to follow in an upcoming post!)

Another one of my favorite pictures!! She really is a monkey...she tries to climb on, up and over everything!! She was loving that she was big enough to climb on this bench on the boardwalk and that I'd let her stand on it!! Jimmy was just to the right there...so don't worry!

And she was LOVING the boardwalk...she loves to see birds...and where are there more birds (seagulls) then on the boardwalk...she was in HEAVEN!! :) (Margie...I have a feeling in a few years Charley will be following Nature Girl around picking up wounded birds!!)

Another highlight of the day was taking Charley on her 1st rides!! I wasn't sure how she'd react, but as usual...no emotion! :) She took it all in, looked around and just chilled! I'd have loved to have seen some excitement or emotion - but not like the little boy in the one next to us, who was about Charley's age and screaming!! So I'll take what I can get!! Here we are in the little hot air balloons...

And here she is with Jimmy on the merry-go-round. It is tough to get good pictures of a moving merry-go-round! She held on and even a few times reached forward and patted the horsey :) I love her!! I can't wait to take her on her first real horse/pony!! I am scoping that out for this summer!!

And last but not least...my two most favorite people in the whole world...who made my 2nd Mother's Day just as memorable as my first!! I love them and love this picture!! I hope that spending Mother's Day at the beach is a tradition!! Because that would be great!!

Oh yea...I got lots of great deals at the outlets too!! A bunch of size 10 pants :) and a few shirts!! Now the mission for the weekend...the closet clean out!! I have to say, it will be very nice to be able to look through my closet and have everything fit and be brand new!!

Since this post is delayed from last weekend...and I am writing it at the Honda Dealer while my oil is being changed and tires are getting rotated...I did have my WW meeting this morning and am down 1.6 pounds!! So after a gain of .6 3 weeks ago, and 2 weeks of staying exactly the same...I lost the .6 and another whole pound!! WOO HOO!! Have a great weekend everyone!!

And I hope all my Mommy friends out there had as great of a Mother's Day as I did!!

Some things I have been loving recently…

2009-05-14T13:44:00.015-05:00

3 Recipes

White Bean Hummus delish!! No oil required – simple to make – low in points and YUMMY!

Ingredients

1/4 cup chopped green onions** – I left these out in hopes jimmy would try it since he hates green onions!
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame-seed paste)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 (19-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, peeled** I used about a ½ - ¼ tsp of the pre chop ped stuff

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor, and process until the mixture is smooth.

CALORIES 108 (30 percent from fat); FAT 3.6g (sat 0.4g, mono 1.2g, poly 1.6g); PROTEIN 5g; CARB 15g; FIBER 2.2g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 144mg; CALC 48mg

Turkey, Salsa, Rice and Beans!

Our go to lunch…TSRB. So easy to make – makes 6 servings – good for us for 3 lunches each. YUMMY! And has all of things you need in a lunch, protein, whole grains and a little salsa

It is as easy as it sounds to make!!

Ingredients:

-1 package of ground turkey meat (I use lean)

-1 jar of your favorite salsa

-1 package of brown rice (I use the Birds-eye Steam Fresh Brown Rice that takes 4 minutes in the microwave)

-1 can of great northern beans or any kind of beans you would like to use - rinsed and drained

Directions

Brown the Turkey in the skillet until cooked. Mix in the beans, rice and salsa!! :)

KALE CHIPS!!

ok Jeannie over at Points and Pounds talked about these…and I have read about them on KathEats.com too – and I was like YEAH RIGHT – then my WW leader talked about them in our meeting last Saturday – AND we got a bunch of them in our delivery box (more about this later) this week – so since all the signs were pointing toward me trying them AND we had the Kale in the house – I did…AND OH MY!! Just like thin crispy chips!!

And SO EASY TO MAKE! I have had them twice already and want to go to the store to buy some more! I used the directions on Kath's site above - but just sprinkled mine with a little seasoned salt...as I heart seasoned salt :)

Door to Door Organics!

So Jimmy and I were thinking about joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Co-op this summer to get some fresh fruits and veggies. Well I looked into it and it was going to cost us a lot more then we thought (all in one big payment) and they were full for this season, so I wrote it off. Then I read about this company on another blog (sorry right now I can’t remember which one), and looked into it. And we have now been getting our ‘Bitty Box’ for 2 weeks AND I LOVE IT! We get GREAT, GORGEOUS, delicious fresh fruits and veggies every Wednesday and we even get new things to try!

Another reason I liked them, is you pay by the week and can cancel for any weeks you don’t want them, you can get it every other week if you want! Once a month or whatever!! Also – you can put on the list things you don’t want and things you’d like them replaced with!! So since we don’t eat onions, we put on the list NO ONIONS and we get something in place of them every week!

You didn’t have any of these options with the CSA. It is great!! You also get a list of what is going to be in your box on Friday and you have until Monday morning to go online and change or substitute anything in the box! So as of right now I have 2 eggplants in my fridge, because I have no clue what to make with them and we got one each week so far, so if there is an eggplant on the list for next week, I am going to switch it out for something else! If any of you have a good eggplant recipe please pass it on!! (as you can see I added a new 'email me' button to my sidebar...as a wonderful reader pointed out I didn't have my email on here!! Thanks!! Midwest Mommy!) **I just checked my button...and it doesn't work!! If anyone knows how I can fix it please let me know!!**

A New Favorite Cup

My friend turned me on to this cup when we were at her house before we did the Muddy Buddy race. She sells Tupperware and had these cups – she too has lost some weight on WW and tries to get her water in – and I had been slacking in this department, and once she filled me up a cup I have been hooked!!

It keeps your water COLD, has a straw – so I drink more, faster – it doesn’t spill, it fits in my cup holder in my car and Charley LOVES to drink out of it! I had her order me 2 – since they are a little pricey, and a set of small ones for Charley to use.

But…the one that she let me use at her house, was in our car when we went to the Muddy Buddy race, and actually I used the water I had put in there the morning before we left for the race…after the race to clean off the mud!! Then I put the empty cup back in the car…only to find it 2 days after we got home under the front seat! YEAH! So when I get mine from her in a few weeks, I’ll return hers, but until then it is getting A LOT of use!!

1 New Toy

Jimmy bought me a Magic Bullet!! I had been complaining about the clutter on our counters, how we don’t have a lot of space and how I’d like to make smoothies in the mornings – but don’t feel like digging out the whole huge blender and how nice it’d be if we had a small one. Well my wonderful husband went to CostCo the next day on his lunch break and bought me this! The Magic Bullet Deluxe! I LOVE IT! I made my hummus with it – I pureed our salsa with it for the TSRB lunches (since we don't like chunky salsa) and I made smoothies with it!! And have more plans for it in the future…and it takes up like 5 square inches on the back of my counter – or I can put it in its nifty storage bag and pull it out when I need it!

Smoothie Mixes by Yoplait

This must be really new – because I can’t even find a picture of it on Yoplait’s website! I will take a picture of the packet when I get home and post it – though we took the packets out of the big bag and threw that away, but you’ll still get the idea!! We bought them at CostCo – I think it was like $9. And each packet makes 2 smoothies (70 cal per serving) and you just add 1 cup of milk! So it is a piece of cake, is a little sweet (which is how I like my smoothies, I’d usually add a smidge of honey, but you don’t need to with these!!) And yea, it is a little more expensive then buying a bag of frozen fruit – but it is so easy and convenient – that is why I love it!

My Wonderful Friends and Family

For donating to my Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure! I am over $500 now and still counting (and still have a long way to go!). Thank you to all who have donated! And please click on the bar at the top if you would like to make a donation!

Also my team for the walk has had a bake sale for 2 weeks now at my old job to raise money (I used to be an instructor at a school) and we have made over $300 in donations!! The first week I made 2 dozen cupcakes…and we made $100!! Then the next week we made a bunch of stuff and made a killing! So tonight I am making chocolate covered pretzel rods for the sale tomorrow! Hopefully we will have just as much success!!

I'll be back with a 'normal' post soon!! Coming soon...Muddy Buddy Race Recap, Trapeze Lessons and Mother's Day post :) With pictures!!

Hello World are you still there???

2009-05-05T09:20:00.005-05:00

Hi It's me Carrie...I used to post here a lot...and the last month or two I have been slacking. Well not slacking in life, but in the blog department. This is not going to be an apology for my lack of posting since life, Charley, Jimmy, the dogs and me come before this blog...and that's that.

So what's new...here I go with the bullets to catch you all up! There won't be any pictures in this post, though I do have a lot to share...but I am at work and don't have my pictures here....so hold on...here we go!!

Charley is now a walking machine. People kept telling me when I was saying "she isn't walking yet" that one day we'd turn around and she'd be walking all over...well it is true. It used to be, she'd walk from one piece of furniture to the next, only if they were 3 ft apart or less. And it used to be, that if we put her down, standing up, she'd go to the floor and crawl. No more! Now we put her down and she walks to where she wants to go! Yes she still loses her balance quite a bit, but boy oh boy is it scary now...she used to crawl up to me in the kitchen and then pull herself up on my leg, so it would give me a few more seconds to get ready to pick her up...well now she walks right over and wants to be picked up!
Charley is becoming a talking machine too! I have said this from the very beginning when she used to babble up a storm, that I was afraid for when she could talk because I would never get a word in between her and Jimmy - well here we go. She can say a lot of words now, some more clearer then others. But we have, bye-bye, ba-ba, woof-woof, doggies, please, balloon (which sounds like baboon), roar!!, e-e-e (like what does a monkey say), mama, dada and there are more I am sure, but I can't remember them all now.
Charley loves to wear little clippies in her hair...and for those of you who know me pretty well, I am NOT a girly girl. My Mom used to always tease me that when we had a baby, it would be a girl and she'd be the girlyest girl ever. Just because I never wore dresses when I was little, I was always playing with trucks, in the dirt and with the boys. I wanted nothing to do with girly stuff - and I still don't. Charley is far from girly, but boy does she love it when you put a clip in her hair. I'll try and get a video of it, but she giggles, it is really cute...and she does look quite cute with the clips in her hair. So much so that I am making her a bunch of them :) I do love my arts and crafts! I am actually making her and some of her little friends some stuff this week, so I'll take pictures and get another post up about that soon.
I am taking a day off and heading out of town tonight. My good friend from college had a baby girl (on my birthday!!) and Charley and I are heading up to Connecticut to meet her!! I can't wait!! I missed her baby shower and haven't seen her since her wedding a little under 2 years ago. But here is the part I am worrying about...it is just Charley and I (no biggie there) but it is a 3 1/2 hour drive from my parents (which are an hour away, but we are staying there tonight) and we have to go through NYC to get there!! Eh. So the plan is to leave around 4am and **hopefully** miss the NYC traffic and get to CT by 730-8am. And hope that Charley sleeps most of the way. I can't wait to meet little A and take lots of pictures!!
I have been sucking in the working out department. Yes I had a race last weekend - the Port to Fort 6k in Baltimore and I kicked butt at that 3.72 miles in 32m 42s (the last time I did it - the year before Charley was born I ran the same race in 35m 15s. And we had the Muddy Buddy race this weekend - which was so much fun!! But it earns an entire post with pictures later. But other then that...the gym...what is that??! We went from going every day and hating if we missed a day, to not going AT ALL in 2 weeks!! AH! And my weight though it has stayed within the same 1lb...is not going DOWN - the way it should be, so after going away these 3 days...it is back on track hard core! Because I have a triathlon to prepare for!! We are also thinking of doing a 7 mile race, I might do another 1/2 and another tri this summer, so I need to get my butt back in gear!!
Our house - is causing me much stress these days. We have TOO MUCH CRAP. That is what it is, it doesn't have a place and it all needs to go. So once again, after I get back from my trip, it is in FULL FORCE Spring Cleaning mode. Room by room with daily trips to Goodwill and multiple posts on Craigslist, to make our crap someone elses! I'd love to be able to post 'after' photos on here as I have BIG plans for our master bedroom...but I need to convince Jimmy to comply with those - as it requires our handy man and some $$ :)
Rain...usually rain doesn't bother me, but when it should be nice and warm and sunny out and it has been raining for what seems like weeks...I am done with it. I want spring weather, I want family walks with the dogs after work, I want trips to the park on the weekend and some evenings, I want to eat Rita's outside and not in the car!! Just a little sun please!!
Vacations...are coming up, but not soon enough!! Once plans are made and concrete, I'll fill you all in!!

I think that is all, well that is all that my brain can muster up right now, with the lists of stuff running through it that I need to pack when I get home and need to get done before I leave!! I will be in touch, I am taking my computer with me when I go away and should have time to relax and post some **hopefully** after Charley goes to bed. So here is to 2 posts this week!!

Have a great week!!

Life as we know it...

2009-04-21T22:23:00.002-05:00

Is changed forever...

I totally wanted to post a long post about the weekend tonight...but time has escaped me. I am commuting an hour and a half today and for the next 2 days to a conference in VA. So I have.to.go.to.bed.NOW.

I'll be back I promise...

Favorite Things Swap!!

2009-04-17T23:08:00.003-05:00

I am going to join Mamarazzi's Favorite Things Swap and am so excited!! I love getting mail and this is not going to be just any ordinary mail...it will be a package of someones FAVORITE THINGS!!

Fridge Front Friday...trying something new

2009-04-17T08:51:00.002-05:00

Fridge Front Friday

Posting your a list of goals and motivations on the front of your fridge is the perfect way to remind yourself to stay on track.

Jessica over at Pudget: Losing Weight on a Budget (aka the winner of my first giveaway!!) does this thing called Fridge Front Friday - so I decided to try something new and join in!! Sorry Jessica - but since it is my first week and your post from this morning really hit home to me - a lot of mine are the same as yours with little tweaks...I hope you don't mind!!

Oh and as a disclaimer - this list won't go on my Fridge as it is stainless steel and not magnetic. We didn't know this until after we bought it!! Some stainless steel ones are magnetic...just not ours....in a side note...it makes our dishwasher full of letter, number and animal magnets for Charley!

So here it goes...if you'd like to join in - leave a link back to Jessica's blog or leave a comment for me or both of us!

I will start us off with my Fridge Front Friday List for the week. I plan to print my list and put it on my fridge and read a few of these if not all of them each time I look at the fridge.

Carrie's Fridge Front Friday List

Motivation
1. Size 10 here I come.
2. You have to wear a bathing suit in a little more than a month!!
3. You are so close to the 170's!! And to weighing less then Jimmy!!!
4. Goal is so close...less then 10 pounds away to your first goal weight!!

Reminders:
1. Don't give up. You can do it!
2. Track, Track, Track
3. Exercise, Exercise, Exercise
4. Limit your sweets!!
5. Drink your water!!
6. Eat fruits and veggies for snacks!

READ ME!!!
1. Are you really hungry?
2. Drink your water

Goals for the week:
1. Exercise at least 5 days this week.
2. Eat lots of veggie's.
3. Track my points every day.
4. Don't go over my points.
5. Drink lots of water.

See Kai Run AGAIN!!

2009-04-15T09:13:00.003-05:00

Ok - so here is the 2nd See Kai Run contest and I want to win this one!! Ok I wanted to win the last one...but I want to win this one, because I didn't win the last one.

oh and because at the consignment sale I worked a few weeks ago - one of the ladies I worked with, her son was there and he just started walking and had on these adorable shoes! I asked her about them and she said they were See Kai Run shoes! She said she loves them for him as a new walker...and since Miss Charley just took her first steps the other day - ok only 2 steps and hasn't taken any since...but since she should be walking soon - I'd love to have a pair of these for her!!

So check out the contest on The Life and Times of the Perry Family Blog - and don't enter because I want to win though!! just kidding...well not really... ;)

Easter

2009-04-14T08:15:00.003-05:00

We had a great long Easter weekend. Jimmy ended up taking off on Friday so he could come to Brunch with the Easter Bunny with Charley and I. So we went and met my brother and sister in law at the brunch, where Charley had her first Easter Bunny experience...

As you can see, it didn't go over too well!! She was fine from a distance, smiling, waving and keeping her eyes on him the entire time. I could even stand by him and hold her and she was fine, but as soon as we put her on his lap she lost it!! Then as soon as we picked her up, she was fine again :)

Saturday we had a great family day together -- we did have a little furniture rearranging party that was unexpected though. It seems that Charley isn't a fan of her morning nap anymore, which makes me sad (because I need it too!!) but we tried to put her down Saturday morning and she was up there talking and making noises and we were going about our business listening in on the monitor...then we heard a lot of giggling...So we headed upstairs and found her dumping all of the water from her humidifier into her crib and onto the floor...and laughing up a storm!!

So we needed to move her crib to the other side of the room. I knew we were going to have to do this soon since she has a shelf above her crib with frames on it, and we would have to move her before she could reach them...but this was a little sooner then we thought. It isn't the optimal arrangement for her room, but it is the safest and it will do until we switch her into a toddler bed. So her room got a thorough cleaning on Saturday and we ran a bunch of errands.

Sunday we headed to VA for lunch with Jimmy's family, then back to our house, where my family all came over for dinner. It was a nice, tiring, food filled weekend :)

All of the food wasn't exactly what I was looking for after hitting my 10% goal on Saturday morning, but I hit the gym hard last night and ate totally on plan yesterday and will for the rest of the week, and today I was back down to where I was on Saturday morning, so hopefully the weekend didn't do too much damage...but only time will tell when I go back to my meeting on Saturday.

Happy Tuesday!! only 4 more days until the weekend :)

I DID IT!!!

2009-04-11T08:41:00.004-05:00

I HIT MY 10% TODAY!!! Yep...I only needed to lose .6 pounds...and that is what I lost...exactly .6!! :) I am so excited...it is only up...well down from here. Now I am striving to be like Janna...go and check out her site and give her some CONGRATS because she just hit GOAL!!

I set my tentative goal today with my leader - the reason I say tentative is because I am not sure if I will want that number to be my goal once I get there. So once I get there I will see how I feel and then make the final determination. So here I go...9.4 more pounds until I hit my first Goal! :)

Have a great weekend...and Happy Easter!!

Oh...we went to visit the Easter Bunny yesterday...lets just say, she wasn't a fan...

The Weekend Recap

2009-04-08T21:16:00.007-05:00

Well here I am finally...and though it is past the time I'd like to go to bed...I still haven't even eaten dinner!! Long story - but it all starts with a 4:30-7pm nap that Ms. Charley took tonight...pushed everything back a bit!

So on Saturday 2 of my good friends came over to help us tile the shower in our basement. If you have been reading my blog for a while, you'll remember that we got our basement finished right before Charley was born - well all but the bathroom. Since there is just the 3 of us and we already have one full bath, the bathroom was on hold (that and the wet bar) well we slowly did some things in the bathroom, we painted (well my Dad did), I put down the floor, we had the toilet put in, the sink put in, the mirror and fixtures up. All that was left was the tiling of the shower - well that and the floor molding.

So I was talking to one of my girlfriends one night at dinner about how she and her husband had refinished - completely tore down and re-did - the 3 bathrooms in their house and how we needed to tile the shower in our basement. Well long story short, she said that she and her husband would come one day and help us. Well that day was Saturday.

We got all of the supplies...well all of the supplies we thought we needed - two trips to Home Depot later - we finally had everything we needed. We got rolling - as you can see, we didn't finish, but we got far and Jimmy and I feel confident enough that we can finish it ourselves...now when we will have the time to do that...who knows!!

Saturday night was spent relaxing with Charley - since 2 of my wonderful friends kept her occupied all day so we could work, we missed her and wanted to spend time with her.

Then we went to bed super early because the next day we had to be up at 4 am to get to DC in time for the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler. See we had to pick up one of our friends, drop Charley off at Jimmy's sisters house and then get to the metro and into the city. So we were up and ready to go by 4:45am!!

We got to the metro in plenty of time...along with what seemed like the entire state of Virginia. It was PACKED...INSANELY PACKED. Jimmy and I were both wondering if they were going to stop letting people on, or if there was a weight limit for the train...if there was, we were well over it we were sure!!

Here we are before the race

Once our stop came - us and everyone else, headed off the train out onto the National Mall. It was cold...but we both agreed, not as cold as it was for our 1/2 marathon. We headed to the bag drop...all the while I was calling Roni - since I had her race packet and we needed to meet up before the run. We got our bags checked and about 15 min or so before we had to go and get in our corrals Roni got there and got all set up and we were off to our respective corrals.

We were all a little off on our corrals...see I was in charge of registering us all - since it is almost impossible to register online and we missed it - so we got in by mail. Anyway, you had to put your estimated finishing time...keep in mind this was back in about October of last year - before all of our training. They close the course to anyone who is not under the 14 min mile mark by mile 5. So you have to finish in under 2h 30m or you get picked up. So as everyone who knows me, knows that I have TERRIBLE math skills. Yes, I graduated college and grad school with honors and all...but I had a calculator :) So I screwed up our finishing times.

Roni and Jimmy started together in the green group and my friend and I started in the purple group. And in the end, Roni, my friend and I should have been in the Orange group probably and Jimmy in the red...but oh well.

Jimmy finished in 1h 19m!! I wanted to finish in under 1h 45m and finished in 1h 42m :) So I was happy.

Here we are after the race :)

Now see this race was INSANE. There was over 15,000 people running in this race...and the race route was very narrow. So usually when you run any race, you are dodging people in the beginning of the race until it thins out a little. Well this race NEVER THINNED OUT. NEVER. There was 10 miles of dodging and running around people, it was crazy. And so crazy that Jimmy and I think we wouldn't run it again. As sad as that is to say, I don't think we would. It just isn't worth it to us. Yes the scenery was gorgeous and you are running in the Nation's Capital and all, but we didn't really get to enjoy the scenery at all, since we were too worried about who was in front, beside and behind us the entire time.

The line for the metro to get back to Virginia...it was packed once again...but we made it back and stopped by an awesome bakery on the way home.

I felt pretty good after the race - yes my legs were a little stiff, but it didn't really feel like I ran 10 miles. I like that it didn't feel like 10 miles...that means I am getting in better shape. I even noticed one thing while I was running...I like my running shadow now :) Have you ever looked at your shadow and realized that you like or don't like the way it looks? Well I like mine now...it looks like a fit runners shadow :)

Oh and on the weight loss front...I was down 2 pounds on Saturday!! I was a little shocked, but am pumped. I am only .6 pounds from my 10%...so we'll see what this weekend brings!!

Alright...got.to.get.in.BED!!

I know, I know...

2009-04-08T09:07:00.002-05:00

I know I promised you a post with the race recap from the weekend...it is coming...I swear!! :)

And the winner is....

2009-04-06T20:34:00.004-05:00

I put all of your names in a bag and drew one out and it was Jessica!! From Pudget on a Budget!! Congrats Jessica!! Jessica said she would have her daughters names put on the necklace, I can't wait to see it!!

Here I am with a picture of the name I drew...but I don't know how to reverse the image on my new Mac yet, so you'll just have to suffer with the reverse look until I figure it out!

Thank you all for your comments and thank you also to those of you who made donations to me for the 3 Day Walk for breast cancer. For those of you who didn't donate or would still like to, please just click on the banner at the top of this site. Thank you so much!!

I'll be back tomorrow with a weekend recap post!! Until then...

Stay Tuned...

2009-04-06T13:12:00.001-05:00

The winner of the amazingly awesome necklace by Georgia Jewels will be announced tonight...I apologize for the delay...I mean it isn't like I tiled a bathroom shower or ran 10 miles this weekend or something... :)

Roar!!

2009-04-03T20:23:00.003-05:00

Just a little something to make you smile...well it really makes me smile :)

I got 3 of the 4 cute things Charley does in one video...she was in the bath, since that is when she'll pay the most attention to what I am saying because she can't go anywhere...same with the high chair in the last video :)

Enjoy...

Woah...

2009-04-02T21:39:00.002-05:00

Sorry to be MIA...I am here I am doing good - not running as much as I was before the 1/2 marathon, but still working out and counting points.

Thanks for everyone who has participated in my first giveaway - if you haven't yet - you still have until tomorrow night (Friday the 3rd) at midnight eastern time. So please enter!

Life has been busy - but right now I am drawing a blank as to what we have been doing!! I did volunteer for a consignment sale so that I could get a leg up ans shop early. I got Charley quite a few cute outfits and some new fun toys. Now we just have to put some of her old toys away.

Charley is just getting smarter and cuter by the day. She is really using the few words that she knows all the time now...of course they aren't at the correct times...but they are still cute and it is so neat to hear her voice :) I will try and get some video of her soon.

Alright it is late and I need to get to bed...hopefully I will have a longer/better post tomorrow!!

Please post about my contest on your blog!! And enter if you haven't yet!! Good Luck!!

My First Giveaway...

2009-03-25T21:02:00.006-05:00

Here it goes...this giveaway is two fold. I am trying this as a fundraiser for my Susan G. Komen 3 day walk and to give away something I recently had gotten for myself and love.

So after Charley was born I wanted to get a piece of jewelery to wear, to keep her with me at all times. Well I looked and looked and didn't find anything I liked. See I am not a big jewelry wearer. I wear my wedding/engagement rings, my diamond studs Jimmy gave me for our 1st Valentine's day and a watch. So I wanted something not too fancy or expensive - but unique and personal. Well that is when I was searching on Etsy for something...and came across Georgia Jewels.

Joanna at Georgia Jewels makes these awesome silver stamped necklaces.

I knew it was perfect. I could get Charley's name on it and get her birthsone, mine and Jimmy's. PERFECT! So I contacted Joanna and she made a custom order for me and within a week I had my awesome necklace and I have worn it every day since! :)

So for my very first giveaway - I am going to give the winner their very own Georgia Jewels stamped necklace...stamped with whatever your heart desires. You can have a word put on it, a name, pet's name, date or anything you want! You can also pick up to 4 bead colors.

Here is how you can enter...there are many ways to get more entries...so stick with me on this one :)

You can get one entry for each of the following:

Posting about this contest on your blog and linking back to it and leaving me a comment telling me you did so with a link to your blog so I can take a look
Subscribing or following my blog and leaving me a comment letting me know (if you already subscribe or follow just leave a comment saying that too!)
Leave a comment with what you would have stamped on your charm if you won and what color beads you'd get :)

Now for the tricky part :)

Since I am walking in the Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure and I have to raise $2300 I am going to give you one extra entry for every $5 you donate to the Walk for the Cure through my website link at the top of this page. I am not a fan of asking for money from people, but just think you'll get more chances to win an awesome necklace and in turn donate to a very good cause!!

If you donate please come back here and leave your name or email address so I can look up how much you donated and give you your proper number of entries. Also I will need a way to contact you if you win.

For those of you who already donated - please leave a comment reminding me, if you would like to be entered in the giveaway for your donation.

The contest will end at midnight on the 3rd of April - next Friday night. Depending on the number of entries I will either use the random number generator to pick the individual or I will put them in a hat and attempt to have Charley pick one :)

Alright...I am off to play with my Mac!

My Husband is amazing...

2009-03-25T13:21:00.003-05:00

I have the most amazing husband in the world...want to know why?? Well there are a whole bunch of reasons...but a few of them are - I got to go and have a facial, massage and haircut on my birthday, he took me out to an amazing dinner to a restaurant that I have been wanting to go to - Roy's - and he bought me FRUIT for my birthday...not just any fruit...an APPLE!! Well to be precise...a Apple Mac Book!!! :)

Yes...I have myself one of these beauties!!

I LOVE IT!! I am so excited to try all of the photo stuff, movie stuff, and just the neat FUN stuff it comes with!! It is taking a little getting used to, but I am sure I'll be a pro in no time!!

Also...totally not birthday related...I am getting a iPhone too :) My Verizon contract is up and I am switching to AT&T so that we can be on the same plan - plus my new job gives me a 20% plan discount! I got the refurbished iPhone to save us some cash. It comes today...so I will be on Apple overload tonight when Jimmy is working at the bar...oh boy do I have tons of stuff to get done...but all I want to do is play! It is my birthday week after all!!

Ok - so since I have my new laptop and it has iWeb software to make a website...I want to make a family website like I have been talking about since Charley has been born. Well here is my issue...I have NO CLUE what to name it? We are going to have more kids, so I don't want to put Charley's name in it - I'd rather not have it be the Dallhoff Family Blog or something generic like that. I want a cool, funky artsy name. So please leave a comment with any suggestions you have! I am going to post stuff about our entire family including the dogs...don't know if that helps.

This is where the 'vote' is going to come in...if I get a few ideas that I can't decide between I will need your help to vote! I will put up a poll if/when this does happen...so keep your eyes out for it!

Now as for the giveaway...I will post about that tonight - I need to take some pictures and get my ideas in order...so come back tonight and check out MY VERY FIRST giveaway!!

Until then...

Amazing Day...

2009-03-24T21:34:00.002-05:00

First off, thanks for all of the birthday wishes and comments about the race!!

Today was an amazing day...but you all will have to wait until tomorrow to hear about it...I am SO EXHAUSTED! I am going to bed...but be prepared for some excitement, a vote and a giveaway tomorrow!! :) Not to keep you in suspense or anything!!

Until tomorrow...

Shamrock 1/2 Marathon Race Recap...and...

2009-03-23T21:39:00.008-05:00

We did it!! We kicked some butt at the Shamrock Half Marathon on Sunday!! Here are some pictures with the race recap...

WE DID IT!!

My Finishers Medal and Number Bib

We left Maryland around 8:30pm on Friday night headed for VA Beach - which is about a 4.5 hour drive on a good day. Charley was in bed, my parents were all set for the weekend, the dogs were walked, we were packed so off we went!

Um...I did what I usually do when we are on long (well short ones too, ok...) car rides...was sleep :) We stopped for some grub, then continued on...I slept some more...then we arrived at my friends condo at about 1am. We made it inside and turned on the heat, sat down to watch some TV before getting in bed...we didn't care what time we went to bed, since we GOT TO SLEEP IN on Saturday.

Those of you with kids know what a luxury it is to sleep in...I don't think we have slept in since Charley was born...well Jimmy being the wonderful husband he is lets me sleep in on some weekend days as I do for him too...but it isn't the same.

Anyways...long story short...THE HEAT DOES NOT WORK!! I am FREEZING and shivering and Jimmy is trying to figure out why it isn't working and getting very frustrated...well we get it working again - then get to bed around 4am!! We sleep until about 12 - get up, go get some yummy breakfast and head to the Race Expo.

The Expo was great! We both got new pairs of running shoes 20% off! I didn't run in mine the next day, but my brave husband did. We got some glide to use before the race, some new socks, new stickers for our cars and a bunch of samples. We also bit the bullet and signed up for the Muddy Buddy race in Richmond. We are so excited to do this race! It looks like so much fun. We had to come up with a team name...and I let Jimmy have his way...are you ready for this...keep in mind he is really 12 years old I think...Team Skidz. Gross huh? He is so excited I actually wrote it on the form!!

Check out my new stickers!! I didn't put them on until we finished the race...don't worry!!

After the expo we drove around for a little bit, hit up a few stores, walked on the boardwalk, though it was a bit windy and I don't think my body had ever gotten completely warm from the night before, so we didn't walk for long. Then we went to get dinner, we had a beer and headed back to the condo. To only find the heat was not working again!! So Jimmy being the most amazing husband in the world went on a mission at 8:30pm the night before the race to find a space heater. 5 stores and 2 hours later he came back with one! I LOVE HIM! So we got all of our stuff ready and went to bed.

We had to be up by 5am to make it down town by 6am to park - the race didn't start until 7 and since we had picked up our packets the day before we were all set, except for our dry bag drop off. So we found a spot and stayed warm in the car for a few minutes and headed for the bag drop and starting line around 6:40. IT WAS COLD! Though it did warm up and was BEAUTIFUL by the time the sun came up! I was prepared with capri running pants, a long sleeve tech shirt and a St. Patty's Day T-shirt that I got on clearance at Old Navy for $1.99! Jimmy on the other hand...was wearing running shorts and a SLEEVELESS running shirt! oh and not to mention a freshly shaved head!! CRAZY!! I also wore my running headband to keep my ears warm.

We gave each other a good luck kiss and headed for our respective corrals - he was in the 2nd and I was in the 4th. Then we were off! I didn't officially cross the starting line until about 8 minutes in, but it was chip timing so it didn't matter.

It was CROWDED!! I spent the first mile or so weaving in and out of people, it was neat though to see all of the people in costumes, with wigs on, kilts on, all kinds of neat costumes! There were tons of people cheering too. It was an amazing environment! Just like when we did the Baltimore Marathon Team Relay last year...the environment made the run so much easier and so much more fun!

At about mile 3 - there was a tent set up in the median where there was a group of people handing out dixie cups of BEER!! That was awesome! They were just spectators trying to be in the spirit!! I didn't have any - though I DID think about it!!

I had been having problems with my knee when I ran on my long runs, so I decided going in that I would walk while having water or Gatorade at every OTHER water stop - in order to attempt to keep away the knee pain. So I was going to walk for 2 minutes at mile 3, mile 8 and mile 11. Well I walked at mile 3, no problems, no pain. I made it to mile 6-6 1/2 and my knee was KILLING ME. So bad that I thought I might not be able to finish. Well I walked some, tried to run a little more, then it hurt again, I walked some more. Then I really had to pee!! I refused to stop and wait in the 10 person deep port-a-potty line and add at least 5 minutes on to my time. So as luck would have it...there were woods. I made a pit stop and came out and ran...and NO PAIN!! I remember thinking, "keep running until it hurts, if it doesn't hurt don't stop" so that is what I did. I ran from about mile 7 until the water stop at 11 and I just walked while I drank my water then took off - so only for about 30 seconds.

The end was in sight!! I was back on the straight away where we began and I knew where the end was!! I took off and kicked it in gear. My goal was to run the 1/2 in under 2h 30m. Well when I made it to the finish line the clock read 2h 32m 39s...but I wasn't worried about that since I knew I didn't cross the start until a few minutes after the official start. My chip time was 2h 26m 47s!!! I DID IT!! I was so excited!! I felt good. I FELT GREAT!!

Jimmy was at the finish line waiting for me :) He did AWESOME!! He wanted to run it under 2h...well his chip time was 1h 43m 36s!!! He kicked some serious butt!!

I know I could have done better if my knee didn't hurt and I didn't have to stop and pee. But I am NOT making excuses. I did great! I feel great today too! Yesterday was a little tough because about 2 hours after running the 13.1 miles...we got in the car to head home (we missed Charley!!) and it took us 7 HOURS to get home!! And sitting and not being able to stretch was not good for either of us...but today we are doing great.

I am even thinking of signing up for another 1/2 in May!! I know there is NO WAY I am ever going to run a full marathon - I have NO desire...but I am liking the 1/2's! They give me something to work for and I am starting to find the running therapeutic...oh and the fact that it helps make my clothes fit better is a plus!!

Thank you all for your good luck wishes for the race!! You are all AWESOME and your support means so much!!

Here are some pictures from our race weekend!

The Virginia Beach Convention Center where the race expo was held

Jimmy and I at the race expo

The Irish Dancers at the expo - they were AMAZING!

Jimmy and I in the car before the race :)

Me just after I crossed the finish line

The Finishers Festival

Ahh...BEER!

Beer and a Banana anyone?

Jimmy and his beer...

Now as for tomorrow...I TURN 30!!! So I might not be posting...we'll see though. This is what the plan is as of now...I am heading to Delaware after breakfast where my Mom and Dad will watch Charley for me while I do the following...
12pm Lunch with one of my BF's we are going for SUSHI!!!
1pm Facial
2pm 30 min. MASSAGE!!
2:30pm Hair cut
3:30pm a much needed eyebrow wax!!

Then I head back to my parents and pick up Ms. Charley and head back to Baltimore where Jimmy has the night planned!! I can't think of a better way to spend my birthday!! Then we are having an official party with dinner and bowling at one of my favorite places Mustang Alley's on Saturday!! I can't wait!!

Have a great Tuesday everyone!!

In Virginia Beach!!!

2009-03-21T10:32:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! Just a short post to let you know we made of to VA Beach for our 1/2 marathon weekend! The weather is sunny and gorgeous!! We are on our way to the runners expo. By this time tomorrow we will be done!! I'll be back with a race recap on Sunday night or Monday. Have a great weekend!

Where does time go...

2009-03-18T20:43:00.005-05:00

and how can I get more of it? I need a weekend to do nothing - go no where and get things done at home - home has not been a place of relaxation and solace since it has taken a back seat from training, getting things done, raising Charley and living our crazy life.

Sorry I have been MIA but between training, my Dad getting out of the hospital, wondering if my parents would still be able to come and watch Charley and the dogs while we go to VA Beach to run our 1/2 marathon, attempting to clean the house, keep the fish alive (their tank is terrible!), do laundry, eat healthy and just keep up with everything. So needless to say sitting on the computer is one of those things that goes to the wayside when life takes over.

Hopefully after our 1/2 marathon on Sunday I will have a little more time. I am going to keep running and training, since 2 weeks later we have the Cherry Blossom 10 miler...but maybe life will slow down a little.

Charley gets more and more amazing every day...she has some new talents and I have one of them on video, and am going to get the other 2 as well and hopefully will make a post of Charley's cute talents soon :)

Last Sunday we ran the Shamrock 8K in Washington, DC. It was a great run...CROWDED but fun and flat :) my kind of run. I had a great time for the race too...9m 17s miles. I was pumped. Jimmy did great too - kicked my butt as usual. Here is a pic of us at my girlfriends apartment where we dropped off Charley for the morning before the race, then we metroed downtown.

**Disclaimer...you might see this same shirt this weekend for the 1/2 marathon...unless I can get a better green running shirt at the expo on Saturday :)**

Alright...off to switch and fold another load of laundry...then to bed.

Here is today's menu:

Food	Units
fiber 1 bar	2
banana	2
2 waffles w/ pb2 and honey	3
cheese square	1
fiber crackers w/ lc cheese wedge	2
carrots	0
pudding	1
latte	2
sweet potato	1
2 mile run - last training run before the 1/2!	-4
turkey burger w/ veggies	8
turkey, salsa & beans lunch	4
skinny cow	2
Total:	24

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

I NEED THIS!!!

2009-03-17T12:58:00.002-05:00

The other night when Jimmy, Charley and I went out to eat Charley kept tossing her sippy cup on the floor - so I had to crawl under the table and all over the place to get it and I had to keep cleaning it off...well not any more!!

Over at The Life and Times of the Perry Family she is giving away toy wranglers!! They won't only attach to the sippy cup and the highchair, shopping cart etc...you can attach them to toys too! Go to Toy Wrangler and check them out!

I want to win this for Charley!!

2009-03-17T12:48:00.001-05:00

Krystyn over at "Really are you Serious?" is having another great contest! See I love her contests because she has 2 adorable little girls and they are usually for something for little girls!! I love finding new things for Charley that I didn't know about and this is for one of them!!

Dana over at Cuddlebug Babies makes these adorable Caplets - little fleece hoodies! And I want to win it!!

My Newest Challenge...The Breast Cancer 3 Day

2009-03-14T20:57:00.004-05:00

I've done it. I have signed up to walk 60 miles in 3 days for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3 Day and I am so pumped! I attended the getting started meeting today and it was awesome. The ladies there were awesome, the feeling I got sitting in that room among those women was indescribable. There was laughing and there were (and don't tell my husband this) tears. I am so excited to be a part of something so immense and profound and LIFE CHANGING.

WHY DO WE WALK?

Without a cure, 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will continue to be diagnosed with breast cancer — a devastating disease with physical, emotional, psychological and financial pain that can last a lifetime.

Without a cure, an estimated 5 million Americans will be diagnosed with breast cancer — and more than 1 million could die —over the next 25 years.

WHY DO I WALK?

I walk for my friends who are survivors or living with breast cancer. I walk so that when my daughter grows up she could live in world free of breast cancer - a world where there is a CURE.

I walk because I believe that I can make a difference to someone. I probably won't cure cancer myself, but perhaps the money I help raise will help fund a scientist who discovers a major breakthrough.

IT STARTS WITH ONE PERSON AND ONE STEP!

Every advancement in breast cancer research, treatment, education and prevention in the last 25 years has been touched by a Komen for the Cure grant. They are working hard to build a future without breast cancer, and I plan on raising at least $2,300 to help bring us closer to that goal.

Please support me as I take this amazing journey in the fight against breast cancer BECAUSE EVERYONE DESERVES A LIFETIME!

Please click on the icon button above or the one below and donate - every little bit helps!! Thank you in advance for all of your support!!!

Thanks...

2009-03-12T21:15:00.003-05:00

so much for all of you who voted for the picture of Charley - though I came home to post it and the contest said that your picture had to be in today at NOON! I am so upset I missed it! I emailed the picture we chose #6 to a lady at the radio station to see if I could get it in - but my guess is no - but we'll see. I am so mad at myself!!

Other then that not much is going on. We both overslept today and were late to work and getting Charley to the babysitter.

My Dad gets to come home tomorrow!! He has to be on a low fat diet for his gall bladder so I am going to make him some low fat blueberry muffins and some snacks. So I need to get going.

Here is my menu...

Food	Units
chobani w/ granola (i finally made some more!) honey & strawberries	5
chocolate	1
cheese square	1
chips	3
fiber 1 bar	2
sushi	7
chocolate	1
apple	1
bbq chicken pizza	14
breyers free	2
45 min of cardio	-7
Total:	30

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

Help Me...

2009-03-12T07:50:00.002-05:00

There is a cutest kid contest that our local radio station is running where you can win a trip for 4 to Orlando, FL. Well I want to enter Charley - but I can't decide what picture to enter - if you go online and look at the entries that are already posted most of them look staged. I am so not into staged photos...so here are my candidates...

If you could please leave a comment with the number or description of the picture you think I should use that would be great!!

Thanks in advance for your help!!

Remember that...

2009-03-11T21:13:00.005-05:00

whole post a day or so ago about how I love daylight savings time? Well there is one thing I do not like about it. How it messes up Charley's sleep schedule. It seems once we get her all set and in a perfect routine...here comes good ol' day light savings time. I know it will pass, but for now it is tough.

I try to let her cry, but she got hysterical tonight so I had to go and get her and she was up for about 20 more minutes then she went back to bed.

The thing is, she is sleeping until we wake her up in the morning to take her to the babysitters...this would be wonderful if it was a weekend, because then we could sleep in...but not on a work day. Eh...hopefully it will all be back to normal in a day or two.

Thanks for all of the well wishes for my Dad - good news is they think he will be coming home tomorrow. He looked great last night when I saw him and seemed 100 times better. I think he will get even better when he gets home, so I am crossing my fingers that all of the scans and xrays come back good so that he can head home tomorrow.

Today I ran at the park again with Charley - 5 miles down - one more 5 mile run this week, 10 miles this weekend and then our final week of training before the 1/2 marathon! I can't believe it is already here!

Here is my Nike+

Jimmy worked at the bar tonight and my good friend came over and ate dinner with me and helped me with Charley. We had a great time sitting and chatting. She is off to Rome with her husband on Saturday...I am so jealous!

There was a little overreacting in my last nights post. See I twittered all of my food the past few days and was just calculating in my head how much I had gone over for the week. Well when I sat down and wrote everything in my journal - and balanced my food checkbook per se - I came out with 6 weekly points left!! And I know I won't need them, since I had a 5 mile run tonight and still have some AP's left to carry over - I have cross training tomorrow night and another 5 mile run Friday night where I will earn more AP's. So I should be set for the week...here comes another loss! :)

Here is today's menu:

Food	Units
chobani w/ strawberries and fiber 1	5
fiber 1 bar	2
ww bagel w/ pizza sauce	2
cheese square	1
carrots	0
fluff	1
apple	1
turkey burger w/ english muffin, sweet potato & veggies	9
key lime yogurt pie	3
5 mile run pushing charley	-8
breyers free	2
Total:	18

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

Still here...

2009-03-10T22:17:00.002-05:00

Just bear with me. I am still counting and tracking...though I have killed and gone over my weekly points for the first time in the last 10 weeks already and it is only Tuesday. Eh. I am not going to make excuses. I have eaten out the last 2 nights - once with the girls and once with my Mom since she has been eating alone for the last 8 days since my Dad has been in the hospital.

Here is my menu from today. I should be back tomorrow with a good post...

Food	Units
key lime yogurt pie	3
oh's with skim	6
turkey bacon	1
jelly beans & m&m's	4
ww bagel w/ pizza sauce & sprinkle of cheese	3
fluff	1
chocolate	1
apple	1
35 min cardio	-5
fish tacos w/ rice	17
Total:	32

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

VOTE!!

2009-03-09T14:32:00.000-05:00

Please go and vote for my friend Michelle!! She needs your votes EVERY DAY to win!!

I love...

2009-03-08T21:53:00.003-05:00

Daylight savings time!! Well let me elaborate...I love daylight savings time in the SPRING!! I love when it is light out for longer!! Oh and I LOVE THIS WEATHER!! Though I am told it isn't going to last. But when we got to run our 9 miles today down by the Inner Harbor in shorts and a t-shirt...I was in HEAVEN!!

So 9 miles down...10 to go next week...then the 1/2 Marathon!! UNREAL!!

Here is what I saw when I logged into my Nike+ account tonight!!

And here is my Nike+ from my run...

Today after our run I headed down to Virginia to meet my friends new twin girls. They are gorgeous. SO TINY - and so adorable! I couldn't remember Charley ever being that little...well she was never THAT little - they are each about 7lbs now (3 wks old) and Charley came out at 8lbs 15oz...but still!!

Yesterday was a very busy day...so no post. But weigh in went ok...I lost .4 pounds. It is still a loss, so that is good. But I need to be more diligent this week with eating fruits and veggies and drinking my water. I am 3 pounds from my 10%...and 13 pounds from my first goal. It is so close! I want to hit my 10% before my birthday, it is doable.

Here is my menu from today...I have 7 AP's left over which I will probably use tomorrow as we are going to my most favorite restaurant in Virginia - Whitlows - for girls dinner. And I will be getting a turkey burger...with fries :) I can't wait!

Food	Units
jelly bellies & lolly pop -last night	3
fiber 1 w/ skim	4
ww cookies and cream bar	2
cheesecake bites	2
mini cakes	1
baked lays	3
lean pocket	6
cosi flatbread sandwich	9
carrots	0
tomato soup	3
9 mile run	-15
Total:	18

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

95 Percent and Sunny!!

2009-03-06T21:11:00.005-05:00

Charley had her 12 month Dr's appointment today and she is still in the 95th percentile for height and weight. Coming in at 31.5" and 24lbs 11oz :)

The weather here today was gorgeous!! I had a 5 mile run scheduled and wanted to run outside. So Charley and I headed to the park. We went swinging and playing on the playground first and then for the run and then swinging some more :)

She was wonderful the entire time and we were outside for almost 2 hours! I was worried about how she'd be on the run since I didn't have the wind cover (it was in Jimmy's car) so I decided to stay in the park and run the track in case she got cold or unhappy I wouldn't be a mile from the car. So I did SEVEN laps to get to my 5 miles and she chilled with her bottle the entire time. It was warm enough out that I had a blanket on her, but she kicked it off so I took it off of her and she was fine - I did a mid run check and her cheeks and legs were warm and she was happy so I continued on.

Pushing her in the stroller though puts a whole new dimension on running 5 miles. It was killer and the track at the park is hilly - so my legs got a workout too! Here is my running buddy :)

Here are some of my favorite pics from the park today...

My favorite swinging picture :)

Jimmy wants to photoshop this one and remove the swing so it looks like she is flying!

Her first time on the teeter totter - not as exciting as the swing...

Another one of my faves :)

#1 in what I like to call "The Tongue Series" She has this new thing where she likes to stick her tongue out all the time :)

#2 in "The Tongue Series"

#3 in "The Tongue Series"

And last but not least...Charley with her new Minnie Mouse from Sarah and Max :) She was chilling in her chair before we left for the Dr's this morning and kept holding up Minnie Mouse...like "Mom look at Minnie!!" :)

Here is my menu for today...weigh in tomorrow!! I ate a lot of my points this week, but I tracked every day - so the results should be good I hope!!

Food	Units
fiber 1 w/ skim	5
macaroon	1
soft pretzel w/cheese	6
sandwich	6
jelly bellies	2
tilapia, sweet potato, veggies	6
breyers free	2
5 mile run outside - pushing charley	-8
jelly bellies	1
Total:	21

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

See Kai Run

2009-03-05T15:12:00.000-05:00

There are so many different kinds of baby shoes out there and Krystyn at Really are you Serious? has introduced me to a new kind!! See Kai Run shoes are adorable!! And Krystyn is giving away a pair...and I want to win them for Charley!!!

Go to her site and check out the contest...but don't really enter...because I WANT TO WIN!! :)

I'm Beat

2009-03-04T22:45:00.003-05:00

And need to get to bed. So here is my day -

-Up to shower at 5am before getting ready for work and getting Charley up and ready to go to my girl friends
-Drop Charley off at 6:30am
-At work by 7am
-At work until 3:30pm
-Home from work at 4pm
-Feed Charley dinner and change to go to the gym 4:30pm
-Leave to run errands before the gym 5pm
-Run to Target to pick up prescriptions 515pm
-Run to Michaels to get yarn to finish the twins blankets by Sunday 6pm
-Go to the gym and run 5 miles (I kicked butt on my run...yes it was on the treadmill...but still!!) 630pm

-Go to PetSmart and buy dog food 8pm
-Come home and put Charley to bed 845pm (too late!!)
-Clean the kitchen and make dinner 9pm
-Check email and blogs 915pm-1030pm
-Write blog post 1050pm
-GO TO BED! 11pm

Good night all!!

Until tomorrow...

Here is my menu...

Food	Units
chocolate	2
fiber 1 bar	2
crisps	1.5
turkey beans and rice	6
carrots	0
left over turkey burger	3
apple	1
jelly bellies	1
teddy grahams	1
sweet potato	2
chicken breast	4
chobani w/ blackberries, fiber 1 and honey	5
key lime pie	3
5 mile run	-7
Total:	24.5

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

Happy Birthday Charley!!!

2009-03-03T17:10:00.008-05:00

My baby is officially ONE!

Here is the Birthday Girl...

Charley's party was a blast!! There were a few mishaps...well one big one on my part, but other then that the party was a great success!!

Here are a few of my fav pics from the day...

My Family...Parents and Brother and Sister-in-law

As usual, the most interesting thing out of all of the gifts...the bows. And then later we spent a good hour playing with tissue paper :)

Jimmy and I gave her this pink polka dot chair from Pottery Barn Kids for her birthday (her only gift from us), it is embroidered with her name and she LOVES it. I am so glad she likes it, it was a pretty penny, but we hope to use it for multiple kids - we'd just have to buy a new cover - and we are sure we'd have to replace the cover after a year of use anyway. So I sat next to her helping her open her presents - she got disinterested quick and decided to stand up and jump in the chair.

Here is her one attempt at opening a present. That was enough present opening for her :)

The personal birthday cake I made for Charley...here is where the mishap comes into play. We brought Charley's high chair into the living room, lit the candle, sang and let her have at her cake. Well lets just say it would have helped if I would have made sure to snap the high chair tray on. Yep...she took 2 little bites of icing off the top of the cake then the whole high chair tray flipped off onto the floor flipping the cake and all of its glorious hot pink frosting onto the - vacuumed this morning, but still has dog hair on it - carpet. Yes, the whole cake hit the floor and was covered in dog hair...and yes there are still pink icing stains in the carpet. And yes, Jimmy got it on video. Way to go Mom.

On a side note - I took the cake into the kitchen after scraping it up off the carpet and cut out the middle of it and gave it to her on her LOCKED in high chair tray. She ate some of it and seemed to like it - though she was a little taken aback by everyone staring at her and oohing and ahhing and then someone said 'good girl' and she started clapping for herself :) So yes Jeannie - you can clap for yourself after eating a cookie...and cake too :)

Here is the birthday girl enjoying her favorite gift from my brother Uncle Chris and his wife Aunt Melissa. Let me tell you - she can play for a long time with this kitchen. Just watch out - I thought I lost my cell phone...but it was in the microwave :)

Here is the birthday girl with her Grandpa (my Dad) and her cupcake pop. She saw me making these that morning and kept pointing at them because she wanted one. And she finally got to enjoy hers, though she probably only ate about 1/3 of it :) **More to come on these in a later post...I made them for her party and the baby shower the weekend before...and they were a hit!!**

Here is one my my most favorite pictures from the day...Charley and my best friend/roommate from college. They love each other - it is so funny and wonderful.

All in all, the party was a success, everyone seemed to have a good time - Charley was over her fever and she seemed to love the attention. (Thanks to everyone for the well wishes for Charley when I wrote about her fever!) She was exhausted after the party, as were we!! She got a lot of great clothes, shoes and a few toys. She is set for bathing suits for the pool for this summer too and even got her first pair of flip flops!!

Also - the wonderful Sarah and Max sent Charley a birthday package from California!! It arrived on her birthday 10 minutes before her party - talk about perfect timing!! It was so cute!! A Happy Birthday Minnie Mouse and an onesie from Disneyland with a pair of jeans to match!! It is too cute and I will have a picture of Charley to post in the outfit soon!! I just have to wash it and then we will do our photo shoot!! Thanks Sarah and Max!!

Alright - I am off to bed...it is late and the kiddos wore me out today. I have a bunch of other things to post about, so hopefully I will have time this week to get them up!!

Have a great week everyone!!

And last but not least...my menu (I thought it would be overkill to post all of my menus since last Thursday :))

Food	Units
fiber 1 w/ skim	5
chocolate	1
turkey, salsa, beans, tortilla chips w/ cheese	9
pudding cup	1
leftover turkey burger	3
chocolate	1
chick fil a salad	7
1/2 chick sandwich	4
jelly bellies	1
28 min on elliptical	-4
body pump class	-8
chocolate	1
breyers free	2
Total:	23

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

Still here!!

2009-03-02T21:00:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone...sorry about the lack of posts - but I am still here alive and doing well!! Charley's birthday party was a SUCCESS! We had a great time and I will have a full post about it once my wonderful sister-in-law sends me all of the amazing pictures she took.

I weighed in on Saturday and lost another 1.2 pounds :)

I am still tracking my food. I am still working out like a mad woman. And I am still trying to do the other 10,000 things I need to do!!

I will hopefully be back with a big post with pics tomorrow - as long as the kiddos nap at the same time!! :)

Have a great week!!

103.5 - Update!

2009-02-27T07:16:00.002-05:00

Degrees - is why there was no post from me last night. Charley had a fever - it was a long night. Her first fever yet. My poor baby. She is waking up now...so hopefully it has gone away. I should be back later...

**UPDATE** Charley woke up this morning with NO FEVER!!! Yeah!! She was completely back to her normal fun smiley self! She is is now off with a really good friend of mine for a day of fun :) So I can bake my butt off - I have already made one batch of strawberry cupcakes for the party, Charley's cake and am on to batch number 2!! I'll be back tonight with a 'real' post!! Have a great day and thanks for all of the well wishes for Charley!!

Here is last nights menu:

Food	Units
chobani w/ granola, honey & strawberries	5
cheese square	1
carrots	0
sushi	7
miso soup	1
skim vanilla roobis latte	2
apple	1
crackers w/ dip	3
orange chicken w/ brown rice & veggies	11
5 mile run outside	-8
breyers free	2
Total:	25

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

Keeping my Promise...

2009-02-25T21:17:00.009-05:00

To present you with a video of Charley -- though it is in no way the video I wanted. Miss Charley woke up from her afternoon nap all rosy cheeked, flushed and not a very happy girl. All she wanted was me to hold her :( I did manage to get a little video of her cute antics - though broken up by a few cries. You can see her at the end of the video reaching across her high chair tray for me, so that was the end. I might try again tomorrow if this whole video posting thing works. Because when she does it...over and over...it is just so cute!!

Ok so here is a brief synopsis - Charley now likes to shake her head "no no no" as her babysitter calls it. Well now at dinner time when you offer her anything she does it, over and over and over - even though she really does want what you are offering. The funny thing is how she goes from acting all funny - to straight serious when she shakes her head.

You will have to watch quick at the beginning because that is where she does the 'no no no' then she does a few other of her little traits like clapping for herself :)

Enjoy :)

And here is my menu for today...nothing big - about right on track with my weekly points and AP's as I was last week...so hopefully I will see the same results come Saturday!!

Food	Units
chobani w/ granola, honey and strawberries	5
chocolate	1
white chicken chili w/ sour cream & chips	9
string cheese	1
mini crisps	2
apple	1
crackers w/ spinach dip	4
pizza pocket	6
sweet potato	1
breyers free	2
kickboxing class	-7
veggies	2
Total:	27

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

Terrific Tuesday

2009-02-24T22:29:00.006-05:00

Today was a great day...I had all day off to spend with Charley and I enjoyed every minute of it. She is such a wonderful little girl and cracks me up!!

I know I have said it before about posting a video of her doing the cute things she does...well tomorrow I am on a mission!! Once again - to keep you all in suspense I am going to take a video of Charley when she is eating dinner and then will get it posted! No if's ands or butts about it :)

We went shopping and ran some errands - shared a grilled cheese for lunch and some frozen yogurt for a snack at the mall. All in all it was a PERFECT day - minus that we both would have loved for Jimmy to be with us...but some one has got to work to pay the bills that Charley and I make while shopping :) heehee

I got some cute clothes - pants a size smaller :) and some MEDIUM shirts :) Yes the girls have shrunk big time - so I can now buy some smaller shirts. Makes me happy - Jimmy not so much!!

Then we came home and Charley had a nice long nap so I could catch up on a few things --- like 3 more loads of laundry! I thought I caught up on this on Friday!! And now it is ALL BACK!

Jimmy came home and we headed to the gym...we had to do 5 miles today and we really wanted to run outside, but it was a little too cold and too late to go out with Charley. So we decided to treadmill it. I loaded some new tunes on my iPod (Margie - I am planning on stopping by and commenting when I have a little more time to tell you my Fav tunes!!) and decided to bust my butt on the treadmill. And I DID!! 5 miles in 45 minutes and 11 seconds! Tiger came on to tell me I had my fastest mile again, I like hearing Tiger's voice :)

Good news is it is supposed to warm up for our run on Thursday - so hopefully that will be outside.

Here is my Nike+...a 9m 1s average mile pace!!

And here is today's menu...

Food	Units
strawberry yogurt pie	3
crisps	1
1/2 grilled cheese	4
chocolate	1
mini cakes	1
ice cream shared with charley	2
strawberries	1
fiber crackers w/ brie	3
carrots	0
turkey, rice & veggies	10
breyers free	2
5 mile run	-7
Total:	21

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

Monday, Monday, Monday...

2009-02-23T08:21:00.004-05:00

Another Monday - another week that is going to fly by because I have so much to do.

There are 33 adults and a few kids coming to Charley's birthday party on Sunday - and I don't think my house holds that many people. And I have food to prepare - make - buy- store and a ton of other things to do before 11 am Saturday morning! It will all be worth it though. At least I don't have to clean the house as much since it is already semi-clean from the shower this past weekend.

We hit up spin class tonight and had the great instructor again. I was 15 minutes late for class because I was making Charley and a friend of ours daughters 1st birthday presents - I'll take a picture of them when I pick them up on Friday :) Until then you will have to be in suspense.

I still got in a great sweaty workout which was perfect. We came home and had a yummy veggie filled dinner of chicken stir fry. We had a bunch of veggies left over from the veggie tray from the shower - so we had fresh broccoli, snap peas, carrots, sweet peppers and cherry tomatoes. It was delicious and filling!

I made another Weight Watchers pie tonight - ok I am not so sure it is WW as the back of the Keebler Reduced Fat Pie Crust had the same recipe. Anyways here it is - it is so good and 3 points for 1/8 of it - which is a big piece!! The first one I made was key lime which was to die for, tonight I made strawberry and my Mom is experimenting with peach tonight. Really the options are limitless since all you have to go by is the flavors of sugar free Jello and FF yogurts you can find!

5 minute 3 point pie :)

1/4 cup boiling water
small packet of sugar free lime jello
2 fat free key lime yogurts
1 tub of ff cool whip
1 reduced fat graham cracker crust

-whisk the water and jello until the jello is dissolved
-whisk the jello mix with the yogurt
-fold in the cool whip (I just whisk it all in together and it still works)
-fill the pie crust with the mixture and put in the fridge for at least 4 hours
-cut into 8 pieces and enjoy!

if you want to make a different flavor just change the jello and yogurt flavors!

Alright I am off to bed...I have off tomorrow - to spend with Charley and I need my rest! :)

Here is today's menu:

Food	Units

chobani w/ granola, honey & strawberries	5
carrots	0
chocolate	1
soy crisps	2
fiber 1 bar	2
light english muffin with pizza sauce	1
cheese square	1
pudding cup	1
fiber wheat thins w/ spinach dip	3
stir fry	8
fudge pop	1
breyers free	2
45 minute spin class	-7
chocolate	2
Total:	22

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

And here is yesterdays menu:

Food	Units
egg beaters, turkey sausage & turkey bacon	5
chocolate	2
fudge pop	1
fiber 1 pastries	5
noodles & company	12
apple	1
fish sticks	6
sweet potato	1
basketball game	-5
breyers free	2
Total:	30

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

8 miles

2009-02-21T22:04:00.006-05:00

Today was an exhausting day - the shower was a hit! We had a good time - the house is clean too :) which is nice. Now if it can just stay that way until next weekend for Charley's party!

I did my 8 mile run after the shower - I SO DID NOT want to go - I was B E A T. But I looked at the weather forecast and it was calling for snow/rain/ice mix from 4am tonight on - and the motivation to not have to run 8 miles on the treadmill tomorrow was motivation enough! I planned my route and headed out.

It was just as enjoyable as last weeks 7 mile run - though I learned a few things this run.

-Don't eat cake at the baby shower before your run - it makes for some uncomfortable stomach cramps while running 8 miles
-OVER DRESS - it is cold outside and if you have too many layers on you can always take clothes off if you are warm - but if you don't have enough you'll be COLD - woah that sounded like my Mom talking
-if your nose is sore from blowing it all week - put some Vaseline on it before you go running in the cold - sore nose + cold wind = very sore nose (picture the little kid on the Puffs Plus commercial - or Ruldoph - you choose)
-watch out for sidewalk cracks - they could (were almost) my demise - and I am sure I gave a few people driving by in cars a laugh as I tripped and then caught myself!
-when you are running on a road without sidewalks and the cars blow by they make a very COLD gust of wind in your face!

Here is my Nike+

Here is my menu...I WAY over ate today - but I have the weekly points for it - and have about 1/2 of them left for the week. That is about what I did last week too - I usually eat a lot of my weekly points on one weekend day - no biggie.

Food	Units
lean pocket	6
oh's cereal w/ skim	6
cake ball	2
baby shower cake	6
baby shower food	10
pizza	9
wings	12
8 mile run	-13
breyers free	4
Total:	42

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

Hello...

2009-02-21T09:59:00.001-05:00

180's!!! I lost another 2.6 pounds this week!! That puts me into the 180's!! I had wanted to be in the 180's by Charley's birthday...and I am a week early!!

Got to run...just wanted to share my exciting news!! I have 17 people coming here for a shower in 2 hours...need to get moving!!

Have a great weekend!!

Houston we have a problem...

2009-02-19T21:40:00.003-05:00

My pants are too BIG! Ok I know there could be worse problems :) I'll take this one any day!! So I think this weekend I will have to go through the closet and weed out some more clothes!! I might even be asking for some clothes for my birthday too!!

Last night was rough - there was a run in with our electric can opener at 1245am - long story - there was a really high pitched noise coming from it and I almost took a sledge hammer to it. Then Miss Charley woke up and wouldn't go back to sleep until 330am!! I was up at 515 to shower and leave for work.

So my parents were wonderful enough to keep her up until 330 for her afternoon nap so when Jimmy and I got home at 4 we could nap too. It was great. We got a good hour and half nap then headed to the gym where we were on for our last 4.5 mile run. No running outside tonight - it was way too cold and windy for us! Hopefully the weather will get better before our 8 mile run this weekend!

So here is my Nike+ from my last 4.5 mile run of our 1/2 marathon training. Next week and for the next 3 weeks our short runs are 5 miles. Then on our race week taper we will run one 4 miler.

And here is my menu for today - a little over - but I have tons of points left...so I am not worried!

Food	Units
mini muffins - to keep away the nausea	1
chobani w/ honey & granola	4.5
cheese square	1
sushi	7
carrots	0
fiber 1 bar	2
kids chocolate frosty	3.5
turkey, salsa, brown rice & beans	6.5
tomato pie	3
1/2 cookie w/ skim	4.5
breyers free	2
4.5 mile run	-7
Total:	28

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

Just a Menu...

2009-02-18T20:50:00.005-05:00

My parents are here tonight and I have a lot to do in order to get ready for this weekend - so this is going to be short and sweet.

I took a 60 minute kick boxing class tonight - just to mix up the cardio...and it kicked my butt. It is so weird how I can run and run and then you get me in a kickboxing class and I feel like I am going to die :) It was great though - a little cheesy for my workout taste - but a good kick in the rear.

I still need to eat something else in order to hit my minimum points...woah this has never happened before! And if I just eat 1 point - I have my 9 AP's to carry over!! I should be really good for the rest of the week then!! Even with taking Friday off from working out...is it really supposed to be this easy!?

So here is my menu...

Food	Units
1/2 an oikos - i forgot my granola - so i didn't really want the yogurt then :(	1.5
fiber 1 bar	2
mini muffins	1
cheese square	1
turkey, rice, salsa & beans	6.5
carrots	0
tootsie rolls	1
chick-fil-a southwest salad	7
ww key lime pic	3
munchies	1
hour of kickboxing class	-9
Total:	15

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.