It's That Time of Year

It's that time of year when we reflect on the past year and look forward to the next year. I have to say 2010 was not one of my best years, in more ways than one. It was a stressful year for many reasons. Of course, baby Ava has made this a busy year. She is such a blessing but she has definitely added a lot to my workload. She has not been a good sleeper, actually she is 16 months old now and is just starting to sleep through the night. Abby was such a good sleeper as a baby and it's been a struggle with the sleep deprivation. I think that's one of the main reason I've gained weight this past year. I could never quite figure out how to keep the house as clean and organized as I'd like so that was a source of stress as well. I wasn't even into Christmas this year. The girls had a great Christmas, but I had the tree down by the end of the day. It's like I can't wait for 2010 to be over.

2011 is gonna be a great year! I've already made the decision. My biggest goal for the year is to be able to say at the end of the year that it's been a great one.

Here are my goals:

• Lose at least 75 pounds. I've already started planning for this. I've joined up with the ladies at Mamavation and have been posting my progress every Monday. The ladies are also very active on twitter with #mamavation. I've been working with a health coach and figuring out my diet. I tend to not eat because I'm busy and then I eat whatever I can stuff into my mouth because I'm starving. I've started eating breakfast everyday. I ordered a Vitamix and plan to start incorporating green smoothies into my diet, usually at lunch. I also hope it will help me to get more vegetables into my girls. I want to focus not on fad diets, points, or calories. I know I need to pay attention to calories, but I really want to focus on getting more whole, nutritious foods into my body. I eat too much sugar and I really need to cut that back in a big way. The good thing is that I love fruits and vegetables. I have to start planning weekly menus and shopping so that I have what I need.

• I want to make and stay on a family budget and start saving more. I'm going to start using You Need a Budget. I've heard great things about it and hope to use it to start finding out where the money is going and where we need to cut back and save. My husband is on board and also serious about budgeting, and this makes it much more likely to be a successful goal.

• Home organization. I'm developing a cleaning schedule customized to my family and schedule. Everyone has to participate in keeping a clean, organized home. Again, my husband is on board with this. My 7 year old is going to be participating a lot more. I've started a chore list for her. What I'm going to do is make a daily list for her that is expected from her as part of the family. I'm also going to make a list of extra things she can do to earn some extra money. I haven't decided on those yet but have some ideas floating around in my head. I also realize that I'm at a point in my life when keeping a sparkling home is not an option. I have two young children and a busy schedule. There will be toys scattered about the house. There will be cheerios and other various food items dropped on the floor, though the dog is quite helpful at taking care of those messes. It's life.

• HAVE FUN!! My girls are growing so fast. I don't want to look back and regret that I didn't enjoy them because I was stressed about the pile of laundry on the kitchen counter. I'm gonna have some fun this year!!

Mamavation Monday

I didn't stress too much about the weight loss stuff this past week. I was just trying to get through the week. I was so happy to get Christmas over that I had the tree down that same afternoon. I just wasn't into it this year. The kids had a great day and I made sure my own issues didn't affect them. Weight stayed the same.

My favorite gift this year was one I bought for myself. It's a yoga dvd. I've never done yoga before, but I'm hoping it will be a good stress reliever for me. The trick is going to be finding the time to do it...just like exercise in general.

I've been researching a raw diet. I don't think I could ever go completely raw but I feel like I need to focus on more of those types of foods instead of the processed junk. Just thinking about it right now, but I sure would love to get a vitamix to help me. I'm watching for it to be available on payments on the QVC website. My husband thinks it's ridiculous to pay that price for a "blender".

This week is going to be about planning. I'm working with my health coach and I'm going to come up with several lunch, snack, and dinner ideas. My hope is that I can make a weekly plan every week. If I have a list of options composed it should make it a lot easier...I hope. I also need to think about when I can consistently work in the exercise.

Mamavation Monday....on Tuesday

Well, I'm a day late on my post. I guess it doesn't really matter because this past week really sucked. I don't know how else to describe it. My 7 year old got some type of stomach bug and then the baby developed a snotty cold. To top it all off, these past few days are my PMS days. It seems like the past year my PMS has gotten a lot worse. So I didn't eat much and what I did eat was not healthy and I only exercised one day. I gained one pound.

Quite honestly this week isn't looking too good either. I'm just so busy with Christmas and getting things ready. I just don't have much motivation.

Mamavation Monday

So I've decided I want to pledge into the Mamavation Sistahood. I really think I need some support. Who else to support me as a busy mom trying to lost weight than other mom's trying to lose weight? These are women who can relate to me and my struggles.

I'm just getting started with trying to lose weight again so I'm gonna say my "official" starting weight is 272, which is about 35 pounds more than my weight after I gave birth 15 months ago. This really sucks! I can't believe I let it happen, and I've been quite depressed about it.

I signed up for a health coach, which is a benefit through my employer. She's working with me to establish a healthy nutritional program. As far as the exercise, well I have plenty of options. We have a wii with plenty of healthy games, including wii fit and the ea sports active. We also have a treadmill, an exercise bike, and a gym membership that includes in indoor pool. Seriously, why am I not more active? It's pretty ridiculous.

Goals for this week:
Lots of water
Lots of fruits and veggies
Exercise most days for at least 30 minutes

Johnson's Baby Oil Is Not Just For Babies

There are many reasons I hate winter. One of them is what it does to my skin. It gets sooooo dry, and I'm constantly looking for new lotions and creams that will do the trick. That's why I jumped at the chance when Mom Central gave me the opportunity to be part of the Johnson's Baby Oil Blog Tour. They sent me three products in their Shea and Cocoa Butter line to try.



I really love this stuff! Of course I've used baby oil in the past and have found it to be very useful, especially right out of the shower or bath. The baby oil gel was awesome because it's a thicker product so you're much less likely to pour too much into your hand or have a spill. The oil and the gel do leave some product on the skin, so my favorite product to use when I need something during the day is the creamy oil. It's more of a lotion and smells awesome. It also absorbs great and leave no greasy feeling on your skin. I've almost used the entire tube and plan to purchase more!

If you're dealing with dry skin this winter, I encourage you to try out Johnson's Baby Oil.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Johnson’s and received the products necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Making Plans

So I'm trying to come up with a game plan. I can't believe this year is almost gone! Where did it go?? I'm doing better at focusing on my needs. I was sick with a nasty cold this past weekend and it's still not completely gone. I let myself to lie on the couch with dirty dishes in the kitchen sink and toys all over the floor. The girls played hide and seek (as much as any 7 year old and 15 month old can) and I allowed myself time to relax. I did get upset with hubby because I thought he needed to step up and offer to watch the kids while I napped in bed. It's not that he was being selfish, I honestly don't think the thought even crossed his mind. On the other hand, if he gets so much as a hang nail the man is in the bed all day being served like he's a king. Oh well, it's my lot in life I guess...=).

So, on to the big focus for me right now. I HAVE GOT TO LOSE WEIGHT!!!! I need to do this in a way that works with my life. I'm just really busy, but I use that as an excuse. My biggest issue is food. I don't plan and so I eat whatever is convenient and then keep eating because I just feel like a failure. Exercise is hard to fit in, but I'm able to do it. The problem is that I'll be good on the exercise but not in eating and then I give up on the exercising because I feel like there's no point if I'm eating crap. I think I need to change my mindset. I mean when has exercise ever been pointless? It helps with stress, helps with sleep, gives me energy, etc. We get free health coaching through my job, and so I signed up for it and they have hooked me up with a dietician that is going to help me with a plan. I'm really excited that I remembered about that benefit. It would be silly for me not to take advantage of it. I really want to be healthier.