Jonny's 6 month photos~ sneak peak

Go here to see a sneak peak of Jonny's 6-month photos. She is an amazing photographer! Be sure to comment on her blog!

http://www.cyndifarrareimages.com/blog/?p=124

As soon as the other proofs are posted, I'll be sure to blog the link!

When I'm 16...

 

     Last night in the car I was drinking a coffee. Lydia asked if she could have some. I told her when she's older she can have coffee. She said, "When I'm 16, I can have coffee?" I said, "Sure, when you're 16, I'll make you a big pot for your birthday and you can drink it with all your friends. She said, "But they won't be old enough." "Sure they will," I said, "They will be 16, just like you." She said, "Oh, well that's a long time from now. When I'm 16, I can use a knife myself to open up my Tinkerbell present." "You sure can," I said. (My sister sent a gift in the mail and we opened it earlier that afternoon.) Then she hollered, "And when I'm 16, I can help you drive, right Mom?!"

And you may be wondering why Lydia is hung up with the age 16...

"I'm 16 years old! I'm not a child anymore!" 

 (Ariel, The Little Mermaid)

The busyness returns

    I've been able to stick closely to the food end of the Self Challenge, but the gym time is escaping me. I didn't allow myself enough time to get to the gym on Saturday and Sunday a cold caught up with me. Jonny has a mild case of bronchitis and I decided I had better get him into the doctor, Sunday morning. This morning, I got to the gym but only managed 25 minutes before the cold medication and vitamin decided they didn't like to be combined together on an empty stomach. Dummy Carrie. Tomorrow, I'll be smarter and eat something before doing that again.

   We had a fun weekend.  It was a nice way to end the relaxing school break. Saturday we headed to The Children's Play Museum in Utica. Lyds had a blast. She took a long nap on the way home, even though she'll tell you she just "rested her eyes." That evening we went to a sledding party thrown by one of my girlfriends. Lydia was very perplexed that we were going to be sledding in the dark.  Daddy took her out on the hill while Mommy stayed inside with Jonny. She lasted about 30 minutes and lost her glove and came inside to eat the yummy party food. I made a nice fruit parfait. I wanted to make something healthy and on plan. The parfait was yummy and Lyds liked eating it as much as she liked making it with me.

     Tonight Lydia has dance class and tomorrow we're having a play date at the house. The regular busy schedule is back in full force!

Self Challenge 2010, Week 1

     Let the challenge begin!!

     Well I didn't make it to the gym this morning. Nice start to the challenge, huh? I didn't get a ton of sleep on Tuesday night so I think it caught up to me and I needed the extra rest. I went to bed at 8:30 last night and woke at 7am this morning. It was nice. The exercise portion of my challenge starts tomorrow.

     I probably won't follow the exercise portion to a T because I like my running. I do work out with a heart rate monitor and tend to work out at the high end of my HR. It does look like 300 total cardio minutes for the week so that would break down to an hour of cardio, 5-days a week. That part I will commit to. I'll check out the strength slides. That should be easy enough to do since I do about 15 minutes of strength after most of my workouts. The hour of cardio will demand that I actually get to the gym by 5am. That will be my biggest challenge and requires me to have my act together in the evenings--all bags packed for the kids and myself, clothes pressed and put out for myself and the kids. Lunch packed. As you can see, the husband is all on his own. :) 

     The food portion of the plan looks good and I'll just continue to follow my WW version of it. I have my own WW recipes that I like, but I imagine I'll find a new recipe from that challenge that I will try. I'll stay within my WW point (calorie) range.

     If I'm diligent and actually stick with the challenge consistently, I will rid myself of the final 15. 

Carrie's Challenge Tip: If you're out and about and can't immediately log your food in your challenge log, use your cell phone to take a photo of it!! That way, when it's time to log your food, you won't forget anything!

The 2010 Self Challenge

 
   I'm participating in the 2010 Self Challenge. Go sign up and send me an email to be your friend at Self.com. I think this will give me the boost that I need to lose those last 15 pounds and get back to where I was. I'll be updating here with my progress.
     Look at those arms. I want those back! (Photos: May 2008)

Another running skirt giveaway!

Go here to win this!

http://enduranceisntonlyphysical.blogspot.com/2010/02/running-skirts-saturday-giveaway-3.html

Undiscovered Talents

  
     It was a great weekend! It started at 6am on Saturday when on a whim decided to try on a pair of size 6 Levi's from the "skinny clothes" bins being stored in the basement. I honestly didn't expect them to fit comfortably but they did! 

     From there, wearing the skinny jeans, I got on the road to head to PA to visit some friends. Outside of being run off the road by a crazy driver in a Coca Cola van, the drive was uneventful and boring. I spent the day with friends visiting Hershey's Chocolate World and the Chocolate Lab where I became a master truffle maker. We went to dinner and oddly enough, it was my salad that took the longest to make. Who knew? Everyone was just about finished with their dinner before my salad even made it to the table. An evening of chatting and Wii games ensued. I found out that I am not only master truffle maker, but I am also the champion at the Wii beanbag toss game. I had no idea that I had so many undiscovered talents.

     After breakfast on Sunday, I headed home for a family Valentine's Day. We had our traditional Valentine pizza dinner. Lydia was born a week before Valentine's Day so that year we just stayed home, ordered pizza, and rented a movie. That has since become our annual tradition and I think it will continue until the kids are old enough to start complaining about it because they would rather be on their own dates.

     This week is February break, so we're home. Pete is working, but I'm home with the kids. Lydia is going for just the preschool hours this week. We have to pay for it regardless, she enjoys it, and it gives me a couple of hours each morning with Jonny. I don't get much alone time with him, so this is nice. We have no big plans this week, other than an afternoon play date at the house tomorrow. It should be a relaxing week.

Baby Denim

   The alfredo sauce was pretty good. I added some peas and prosciutto to my sauce. I think the next time I'll try it with some shrimp. 

     I didn't make it to the gym this morning. I had boatloads of laundry to put away so I worked on some of that instead. I have my usual good intent of getting my workout in this evening on the treadmill at home, but we know that typically does not happen for me because I'm easily distracted by other things in the evening. 

   Lyds, Jon, and I are headed to a play date at one of the local bouncy places. Lydia LOVES going, but really, did you expect anything different from this girl?? Last night she told me that her Valentine's Day party (at preschool) was at 10:00. She asked me if I were going. With a breaking heart, I told her that mommy had to work. Just to check in with her this morning, I asked her what time her party was again, and she said 10:00. I was certain she just threw an arbitrary time out there, but I guess I was wrong! One of these days, I'll have to take a half day and go to one of her pre-k parties. 

     Jon is stinkin' cute as ever. I am in the process of switching out his clothes from 3-6 months to 6-9 months, hence, the boatloads of clothes to put away. This morning he had on the cutest pair of denim overalls. I wish I had taken a photo. If you know me well, you know that I love to put my babies in denim as much as I possibly can. I actually saved Lydia's first pair of denim overalls. Baby Gap lined with pink and white check soft cotton. (photo above) She wore that outfit to her first doctor's appointment. 

     It's almost time to go pick up the kids. I can't wait to hear how the party at pre-k was.

 
  

Low-Fat Alfredo Sauce

Low Fat Alfredo Sauce

 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup light cream cheese
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan Romano cheese
• White pepper to taste (optional)
• 1 clove minced garlic
• dash of nutmeg 

Preparation:

• Combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup milk, and flour in a small mixing bowl. Beat until well blended. Slowly pour in remaining 1 cup milk and beat until smooth.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large, nonstick sauce pan over medium heat.
• Add garlic, nutmeg, and white pepper.
• Add the milk mixture and continue to heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened (about 4 minutes).
• Stir in grated Parmesan Romano cheese.

Serves 6. This recipe makes 2 cups of sauce.

Weight Tracker

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

	27.5  LBS

 Last Recorded Weight: 144.5 lbs on 2/9/2010
 Weight tracking day: Tuesday

Poundage left to go: 14.5 

 

I thought that made for a pretty picture. : )

Now I'm off to the store to pick up some fresh parmesan for a low fat alfredo sauce I want to try. That just doesn't sound right, does it? If it turns out well, I'll post the recipe.

                                                                                                                          

Healthy Attitudes

     My newest loves: my scale, today's run, and the stepmill at the gym. I had a great run this morning. It was the first one that I felt really good about since I was sick with that cold. I felt strong. I also love the powerful workout of the stepmill. Apparently the stepmill is doing its job because I was able to go up and maintain a more difficult level and the scale is continuing to move down. Whoopee! Now I just have to work on getting my arms more toned.  Even though it's only 17 degrees today, summer really isn't that far away. I think it's time to do another sweep of the closet to get rid of the clothes that are too big. These are clothes I won't be sad about letting go.

     Jonny continues to get his workout groove in the jumperoo and with floor time. His favorite times to jump are early morning and late afternoon. During floor time, he rolls over and then gets mad when I put him back on his belly. This will last a few times before he gets quite angry with me. He likes his fruits better than his veggies. He eventually will eat the veggies after a few choice expressions and he realizes that there is not going to be any fruit in that next spoonful.

    Lyds is funny about seeing me exercise. Often times when I return from the gym, she'll ask, "How was your run mommy?" She tells me she goes to the gym(nasium) at preschool and runs. Lyds is pretty good about food. I have taught her about healthy and unhealthy food. I want her to have a balanced approach to what she chooses to eat. She does know that she does have to eat something healthy (dinner) before she even has a remote chance at a snack after dinner. Sometimes she'll even ask me if a particular food is "healthy" or "unhealthy."

     I do hope that I am instilling good habits in my children. I hope that exercise becomes the norm for them and never becomes something that they have to do to control their weight. Hmmmm, I wonder if I'll be running when I'm 60, and I wonder if my kids will be running with me. I hope they are.

Running Skirt Giveaway!

Go here to win this!

http://enduranceisntonlyphysical.blogspot.com/2010/02/running-skirt-saturday-giveaway-2.html

Party like a princess!

     Lydia partied like a princess today. It was crowded and crazy but Lydia loved every second of it. When I asked her what her favorite thing was about her party, she replied, "Eating the cake."  Her favorite present was the Barbie Ariel. Anyone who asked her what she wanted for her birthday this year would hear the answer, "Barbie Ariel. The one that glows in the water and then she unglows when you take her out of the water."

 

Happy Birthday girlfriend!

 

  

  

  

  

 
 

  

  

  

The only two adults gutsy enough to be a princess were mommy and grandma! 

 

Grandma forgot her tiara at home.

 

  

  

  

  

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

  

The man behind the camera.

Mommy and daddy hope you had a wonderful 4th birthday Princess Lydia!

Who is Your Body-Confidence Role Model?

Who’s Your Body-Confidence Role Model?

        I saw this on a blog I like to read and there is my Jessica Biel. I had that picture, or one from that photo shoot, on my refrigerator a couple of years ago. I remember it in the corner of the freezer door in the old town house, so I'm thinking I had it there during my initial Weight Watchers days. Perhaps I should print this photo and hang it back on the fridge as I lose these last few pounds. The last pounds are always the most difficult to lose, so maybe it's time to give myself that little extra push and motivation.

Lydia Loren turns FOUR!

     It's the big weekend for Lydia Loren Bojlevski. She's turning 4 tomorrow!! I told her she could tell her friends at preschool that she was 4 since her birthday is tomorrow, but as usual, the girl has a mind of her own. When she saw the director of the center she said, "It's my birthday. I'm almost 4. My real birthday is tomorrow." She is very excited for her party at school today. It broke my heart a little when she asked me if I were coming and I told her I couldn't. I reminded her that she gets to be line leader all day. She told me that she will share being the line leader with her friends. How sweet is that? I love this kid.

  

Jonny's First Tooth

     Jonny has sprouted his first tooth! Lydia told daddy about it yesterday but daddy thought she was pulling his leg. Mommy felt Jonny's tooth tonight and told daddy. Daddy told mommy Lydia's story. Lydia called Baba and Dedo and wins the prize money! (Macedonian tradition: the first tooth finder gets money! I think it's something like a "finder's fee." Tee hee.)

Dance Monday and Sick Days

     Phew. I finally got that weight loss ticker moving again. I have lost the few 'holiday' pounds I gained and finally moved a bit below the 147 mark that I was holding steady for a while. I am trying to kick my workouts up a notch but this month has been difficult since we've had some sickness to deal with.  Late nights with sick kids and my own bought of sickness had me missing a few wee hour gym sessions this month.

     Jonny had a double ear infection and Lydia had a cold. That following week, I had a cold, which knocked me down for a few days. The week after that, Lyds developed a glorious staph (mrsa) infection. She refused her medication so we had to take her back to the doctors the following day for two antibiotic shots and to drain the sore. They changed her prescription, which she readily takes, and is now just almost completely healed. Those were a dramatic few days. Yesterday, I came down with a 24-hour stomach bug. I woke with it around 2am Sunday morning and proceeded to sleep the day away with a fever and upset stomach. I think I was awake for a total of 4-hours yesterday. This morning I woke up feeling just fine. Amazing. 

     This month has been flying by. Life seems to be going faster than I can keep up with these days. February break can't come soon enough. We missed a few play dates because of everyone being sick. That breaks Lydie's heart because you know how she loves her social activity. She is looking forward to her birthday this Saturday. We're having a family party and invited a couple of her friends to it. We're keeping it simple this year.

     She loves her dance class. Typically, it takes Lydia forever to leave pre-k because she likes to dawdle, and show me everything she did, everything she played with, hugging EVERY teacher in the preschool, goodbye. On "Dance Monday," she leaves pre-k in record time because she knows she has to go home and get ready for her dance class. I wish everyday could be "Dance Monday," otherwise I can count on a good 20 minute routine of leaving preschool. 

     This week, barring all sickness, Lydia has dance, a play date at Shades of Orange Art Studio, and her birthday on Saturday. Jon is finally getting his 6-month shots since he had to miss them due to his ear infection. I have Bunko on Friday with some friends, and a birthday party to prepare for. I am hoping to make it to the gym for the next 5-days, since I didn't make it on Sunday or Monday this week. I am thinking I deserve a break from any sickness this week. My fingers are crossed.