We have some big news we want to share in a couple of days that prompted us to take the following pictures... I'm sure you can probably figure out what we're about to do... but either way, I'm saving that announcement for the official day that it happens. ; )
In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to share some pictures of what our house looks like now... minus some of our pictures that have been taken off the wall and mantel because they needed to go in some boxes. {I know, I know... I'm so good at keeping secrets. This upcoming announcement? Yea, you'll never figure out whats going on.}
We've been in this house about 4 years now and we've done a lot of updating. I'm really proud of all that we've done and as I look at these pictures I get all the feels thinking about the memories we've made and the life we've enjoyed here! The outside is a bit sparse right now because, well, its winter and grass and flowers don't really like to come out and play when its cold outside. So don't spend too much time on those pictures. Instead, feast your eyes on the kitchen, the nursery, and the family room and linger a bit there. I
Enjoy this little tour and a peak inside our home!
In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to share some pictures of what our house looks like now... minus some of our pictures that have been taken off the wall and mantel because they needed to go in some boxes. {I know, I know... I'm so good at keeping secrets. This upcoming announcement? Yea, you'll never figure out whats going on.}
We've been in this house about 4 years now and we've done a lot of updating. I'm really proud of all that we've done and as I look at these pictures I get all the feels thinking about the memories we've made and the life we've enjoyed here! The outside is a bit sparse right now because, well, its winter and grass and flowers don't really like to come out and play when its cold outside. So don't spend too much time on those pictures. Instead, feast your eyes on the kitchen, the nursery, and the family room and linger a bit there. I
Enjoy this little tour and a peak inside our home!
We enter this weekend with Piper being minus 1 front tooth and 1 tumor on her gums and our bank account minus around $900 for the surgery she had yesterday. Oy. Hopefully her post op follow ups at the vet tomorrow {and in 2 weeks} are included in the surgery cost...?! *fingers crossed*
We are waiting for the biopsy results to see if she has cancer or not.
Reaghan was very concerned when we brought her home from the vet. She wasn't too sure why her "daww" was wearing a cone on her head and why she was so sleepy and not her usual playful self. She kept sticking her face in the cone with Piper to try and figure out was going on.
We eat way too much pasta in this house, but I can't help it. Its just that A.) its a meal that I can make with 99% confidence that it's going to come out tasting pretty yummy and B.) I just really love pasta.
These spinach lasagna roll ups are one of my favorite pasta meals to make, but its one that only makes it on our table once every couple of months. I always seem to forget about it! But it just makes it that much more yummy when I remember to make it. ; )
These spinach lasagna roll ups are one of my favorite pasta meals to make, but its one that only makes it on our table once every couple of months. I always seem to forget about it! But it just makes it that much more yummy when I remember to make it. ; )
Reaghan and I have had a fun week doing Valentines Day crafts to share with family and friends and buying some special treats for the main man in our life to tell him how much we love him! Reaghan especially loved helping me pick up some goodies in the candy aisle at Target. I looked down and she had her own little stash of sweets in the bottom of the cart!
We love Handprint and Footprint art around here! In fact, every time we get crayons or paints out to do something fun, Reaghan will put her hand down on the paper and ask me to trace it! This year was soooo so so much easier getting a good print compared to last year! She can actually follow directions now and keep her hand/foot still while mommy puts it on the paper.
My older sister Erin is turning the big 3-0 next month so we wanted to do something fun and special to celebrate with her. She always loved Cinderella growing up and when she heard that Broadways Rodgers + Hammersteins Cinderella was coming to our area she really wanted to go!
We {my sisters, mom and I} decided to gather a group of her favorite ladies together to surprise her with tickets to the show and a nice dinner. We struggled at first to find a way to actually pull off the surprise part. We thought about just picking her up and taking her to dinner and having everyone there waiting, but it was a Broadway show so she'd have to get dressed up nice! Which meant, sure we could tell her to get dressed nice and be ready to be picked up, but sometimes {especially for Erin} part of the fun of going to something like this is getting to purchase a new outfit! We also thought it would be fun for all of us to ride together in a friends large 12 passenger van - my first idea was to get a limo, but I just couldn't afford it, so a 12 passenger homeschool van worked perfectly! And of course, anticipation of an event can be just as fun as being surprised, right? So we decided to let her in on the plans a week before the show!
I found this idea for a surprise box on Pinterest {where else?!} so mom, Mal, Sara and I put it all together for her one day. We found all of our supplies at Michael's Craft store - because they have 50% off coupons so we each buy something for 50% off ;). We had to be careful not to post any pictures on social media of our shopping outing because we didn't want to let Erin know we were out shopping and having a crafting day without her!
Here's how the box turned out:
We {my sisters, mom and I} decided to gather a group of her favorite ladies together to surprise her with tickets to the show and a nice dinner. We struggled at first to find a way to actually pull off the surprise part. We thought about just picking her up and taking her to dinner and having everyone there waiting, but it was a Broadway show so she'd have to get dressed up nice! Which meant, sure we could tell her to get dressed nice and be ready to be picked up, but sometimes {especially for Erin} part of the fun of going to something like this is getting to purchase a new outfit! We also thought it would be fun for all of us to ride together in a friends large 12 passenger van - my first idea was to get a limo, but I just couldn't afford it, so a 12 passenger homeschool van worked perfectly! And of course, anticipation of an event can be just as fun as being surprised, right? So we decided to let her in on the plans a week before the show!
I found this idea for a surprise box on Pinterest {where else?!} so mom, Mal, Sara and I put it all together for her one day. We found all of our supplies at Michael's Craft store - because they have 50% off coupons so we each buy something for 50% off ;). We had to be careful not to post any pictures on social media of our shopping outing because we didn't want to let Erin know we were out shopping and having a crafting day without her!
Here's how the box turned out:
Have you ever heard of The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman? It's a great book that provides insight in to how everyone feels love and tries to show love a little differently. It gives 5 general categories that you can fall in to and has a little quiz you can take to help you discover what your love language is.
1.) Words of Affirmation
2.) Acts of Service
3.) Quality Time
4.) Physical Touch
5.) Receiving Gifts
We enjoyed a beautiful 70 degree day today. On February 3rd! It was amazing and felt like spring time. In fact, I think my garden thinks that it is spring time because all of my daffodil bulbs have sprouted and a couple of them have flowered. Its funny but also sad, because now I won't have any daffodils when its actually spring time.
We were up and moving early this morning to take Piper to the vet. It was my first time taking both Piper and Reaghan to the vet, I was a little apprehensive because Piper gets anxious at the vet and needs my full attention to make sure she behaves. So Reaghan and I got some more use out of our ergo carrier that we haven't used in a LONG time. Everything went great until we saw the vet...
We were up and moving early this morning to take Piper to the vet. It was my first time taking both Piper and Reaghan to the vet, I was a little apprehensive because Piper gets anxious at the vet and needs my full attention to make sure she behaves. So Reaghan and I got some more use out of our ergo carrier that we haven't used in a LONG time. Everything went great until we saw the vet...
Our poor pup has a mass on her gums thats caused her to lose one of her front teeth and it needs to be removed to make sure its not cancerous and also to make sure it doesn't keep growing and push all the rest of her teeth out.
This is the bill that we're looking at for the procedure...
Ouch.
Bye, Bye tax refund money.
Enough of that. Back to the warm, sunny day in February!
When we got home we still had lots of morning left so we went on a 3 mile run. Reaghan fell asleep on the run so when we got back I left her sleeping in the stroller while I mowed our side yard. The grass there is different than our front yard so it's been growing like crazy with these mild temperatures. It needed cut! Mark's been wanting to cut it, but won't be able to this weekend because I'll be gone on Saturday and he'll be watching Reaghan, so I decided to do it for him as part of my 14 Random Acts of Kindness I'm doing for him for Valentines. (More on that later!)
Reaghan woke up right as I finished mowing and wanted to play outside. This girl will spend hours playing in the backyard. I love that about her! We went in to the kitchen real quick, gathered up some food for lunch, grabbed a blanket and headed back outside.
It was her first "big girl" picnic and it was so much fun!
She loved sitting on the blanket and sharing food with mommy (and Piper!).
I couldn't get them both to look at the same time.
After our picnic we laid on the blanket and counted acorns in the grass, sang songs, played in her sandbox, climbed the fort and slid down the slide. She was worn out by the time we went inside and took great afternoon nap. : )
I wish I could repeat this day over and over every day.
It was pure delight.
(minus the vet appointment)
Thanks February for the warmth and sunshine!
We can't wait until you're here to stay!
Soooo....
I got back on the Whole30 train after my cheat day the Sunday that ended my 3rd week.
And I stayed on it for 5 days.
And then I decided that I was done. We had a lot planned for this weekend including a baby shower lunch with my coworkers to celebrate a baby-to-be, a girls night shopping trip to cheer up my sis and a birthday party for Mark's little cousin who was our flower girl in our wedding. Could I have gone to all of those things and stayed compliant? Yea, probably. But I thought it over and in the end decided I was okay with being done just 4 days short of the goal.
I completed 26 days of the Whole30 and I lost 5 pounds throughout the process.
I'm sort of disappointed that I only lost 5 pounds. Granted, I had a cheat day, but for the other 25 days I was hardcore not eating sugar or any processed foods. AND working out 5 days a week. So yea, I was hoping to drop more than 5 pounds. Especially since most of that was lost the first week and was probably water/bloat weight. BUT weight loss wasn't the only goal (albeit a big one), it was really about restarting my eating habits to continue working towards a fit and healthy life and help me reach my goal of finishing the upcoming 1/2 Marathon with a new personal record.
Here's what I learned while Whole30ing it up in the Month of January...
Self denial is a good thing. We all have innate selfishness that makes us want what we want when we want it. Self denial is the cure. Or maybe more like a step in the right direction. Being aware of what you want, having the ability to have it, but still saying no is hard. But hard is not the same thing as bad.
Eating healthy is expensive - I spent $600 dollars in groceries alone this past month!!! YIKES! I did cut waaaaayyy back on our eating out expenses as I didn't have fast food at all (until my cheat day) and even going to a restaurant wasn't appealing since I knew I'd be restricted so we always opted to come home and make a meal. So while $600 was truly way too much for groceries, it was rewarding to know we were eating at home more.
Read labels - even things that say natural and organic can be total frauds. There are better options and sometimes they aren't even the more or most expensive options. You just have to watch out for those crazy ingredients.
I need more food education - having limited options made me want to take the time to find out what foods were considered healthy fats, what food would fuel my long runs and how much protein I should eat to stay full. Nutrition is an interesting thing and its amazing the way our body needs different types of foods for optimal energy and performance.
Planning ahead is crucial! You know those snack attack urges where you just want to grab some chips out of the pantry? Or those busy days where you've been running around so you just throw a frozen pizza in the oven for dinner? Not an option on the Whole30! I had to sit and plan out each meal for the week, thaw out the meat needed for dinner the night before and pre-package fruits and veggies for quick snacks during the day. I'm not the best at that, but I got better. Having something already planned cuts back on those urges to order take out on busy nights as well. Mark and I love Chinese food. ;)
I use food as comfort - as previously disclosed I did have a cheat day when the stress got overwhelming, but it was an eye opener. I craved something to make me feel happy and content. The other 25 days I had to find it in other things besides food like my husband, my sweet girl, journaling, and reading.
I eat as a habit - every time I walk in to the kitchen I want to grab something to eat, even if I'm not hungry! Just because it's there, doesn't mean I need to eat it. Especially at night before bed!
Trying new recipes is fun! Mark and I found this baked chicken thigh recipe that gets the skin deliciously crispy and the meat so moist. I definitely had a few fails, but failing is learning, yea?
Food affects your skin - I've been lamenting over the last year or so that the dark circles and bags under my eyes are worsening. I can get very upset about this if I'm in a particularly vain mood and I picture myself in ten years with sagging, drooping skin pockets under my eyeballs. But I actually noticed a big difference in the way they looked this month! I wasn't even thinking about the benefits my skin could see! I don't know if its the sugar or the dairy or what, but it definitely motivates me to be more conscious of what I'm eating.
Sugar is an addiction - on a spiritual note, I realized I am way too judge-mental towards those who can't break a serious addiction like smoking or alcohol. I struggled to give up sugar for 26 days - just SUGAR, and the day after I decided the fast was over, I had ice cream. Just like an addict who is sober for a few weeks but goes right back to whatever his vice is even though he was doing so well without it. This whole experience has changed the way I look at people that I see smoking. (I'm just using that as an example because I admit, I hate smelling the cigarette smoke). Whenever I go out for a run early in the morning, there is always a lady who sits out on her front porch and smoke a cigarette. On Saturday it was 39 degrees out while I was running and sure enough, there she was all bundled up and sitting on her little bench with a cigarette. I'm a little ashamed to admit, but after 2-3 years of seeing this lady off an on when I go running, I prayed for her for the first time. A prayer that she would allow God to loose the chains of her addiction. Not that I know now what its like to be addicted, I'm not trying to make that claim, but I think a log has been removed from my eye.
So there you have it. 10 main things I learned. My overallWhole30 Whole26 experience was challenging, expensive and despite only losing 5 pounds, it really was rewarding.
I do feel motivated to eat healthy through out the week, I'm still staying away from soda at least until after my 1/2 marathon, and I'm settling into a nice pattern of working out during the week. After 4 weeks of consistent exercising I am starting to see more definition in my legs and arms and that is motivating me to continue!
I think doing a cleanse or restricting yourself to a "clean" diet for a specific amount of time is beneficial as it helps refocus your mind and body. You have to be careful not to binge after coming off of something like this and look at it as kickstart to healthier eating overall. There's no way I could stick to the Whole30 every day of my life - but it's helped me take a step back, shake out some of the junk that my body was craving and say going forward we're going to allow some not so good stuff back in but only in moderation. Eventually I would like to get to the point where we're eating clean 75-80% of the time and allowing the other 20-25% to be room for convenience and treats. Healthy living is a lifelong process and I think you need to give yourself grace but also give yourself goals. I don't want to look back at my life and remember how I was always on a dieting/binging cycle trying to achieve unrealistic goals, but I also want to look back and know that I didn't waste a perfectly healthy body by feeding it junk and not taking care of it.
What about you? Have you stuck to your New Years goals of getting healthier? What have you learned along the way?
I got back on the Whole30 train after my cheat day the Sunday that ended my 3rd week.
And I stayed on it for 5 days.
And then I decided that I was done. We had a lot planned for this weekend including a baby shower lunch with my coworkers to celebrate a baby-to-be, a girls night shopping trip to cheer up my sis and a birthday party for Mark's little cousin who was our flower girl in our wedding. Could I have gone to all of those things and stayed compliant? Yea, probably. But I thought it over and in the end decided I was okay with being done just 4 days short of the goal.
I completed 26 days of the Whole30 and I lost 5 pounds throughout the process.
I'm sort of disappointed that I only lost 5 pounds. Granted, I had a cheat day, but for the other 25 days I was hardcore not eating sugar or any processed foods. AND working out 5 days a week. So yea, I was hoping to drop more than 5 pounds. Especially since most of that was lost the first week and was probably water/bloat weight. BUT weight loss wasn't the only goal (albeit a big one), it was really about restarting my eating habits to continue working towards a fit and healthy life and help me reach my goal of finishing the upcoming 1/2 Marathon with a new personal record.
Here's what I learned while Whole30ing it up in the Month of January...
Self denial is a good thing. We all have innate selfishness that makes us want what we want when we want it. Self denial is the cure. Or maybe more like a step in the right direction. Being aware of what you want, having the ability to have it, but still saying no is hard. But hard is not the same thing as bad.
Eating healthy is expensive - I spent $600 dollars in groceries alone this past month!!! YIKES! I did cut waaaaayyy back on our eating out expenses as I didn't have fast food at all (until my cheat day) and even going to a restaurant wasn't appealing since I knew I'd be restricted so we always opted to come home and make a meal. So while $600 was truly way too much for groceries, it was rewarding to know we were eating at home more.
Read labels - even things that say natural and organic can be total frauds. There are better options and sometimes they aren't even the more or most expensive options. You just have to watch out for those crazy ingredients.
I need more food education - having limited options made me want to take the time to find out what foods were considered healthy fats, what food would fuel my long runs and how much protein I should eat to stay full. Nutrition is an interesting thing and its amazing the way our body needs different types of foods for optimal energy and performance.
Planning ahead is crucial! You know those snack attack urges where you just want to grab some chips out of the pantry? Or those busy days where you've been running around so you just throw a frozen pizza in the oven for dinner? Not an option on the Whole30! I had to sit and plan out each meal for the week, thaw out the meat needed for dinner the night before and pre-package fruits and veggies for quick snacks during the day. I'm not the best at that, but I got better. Having something already planned cuts back on those urges to order take out on busy nights as well. Mark and I love Chinese food. ;)
I use food as comfort - as previously disclosed I did have a cheat day when the stress got overwhelming, but it was an eye opener. I craved something to make me feel happy and content. The other 25 days I had to find it in other things besides food like my husband, my sweet girl, journaling, and reading.
I eat as a habit - every time I walk in to the kitchen I want to grab something to eat, even if I'm not hungry! Just because it's there, doesn't mean I need to eat it. Especially at night before bed!
Trying new recipes is fun! Mark and I found this baked chicken thigh recipe that gets the skin deliciously crispy and the meat so moist. I definitely had a few fails, but failing is learning, yea?
Food affects your skin - I've been lamenting over the last year or so that the dark circles and bags under my eyes are worsening. I can get very upset about this if I'm in a particularly vain mood and I picture myself in ten years with sagging, drooping skin pockets under my eyeballs. But I actually noticed a big difference in the way they looked this month! I wasn't even thinking about the benefits my skin could see! I don't know if its the sugar or the dairy or what, but it definitely motivates me to be more conscious of what I'm eating.
Sugar is an addiction - on a spiritual note, I realized I am way too judge-mental towards those who can't break a serious addiction like smoking or alcohol. I struggled to give up sugar for 26 days - just SUGAR, and the day after I decided the fast was over, I had ice cream. Just like an addict who is sober for a few weeks but goes right back to whatever his vice is even though he was doing so well without it. This whole experience has changed the way I look at people that I see smoking. (I'm just using that as an example because I admit, I hate smelling the cigarette smoke). Whenever I go out for a run early in the morning, there is always a lady who sits out on her front porch and smoke a cigarette. On Saturday it was 39 degrees out while I was running and sure enough, there she was all bundled up and sitting on her little bench with a cigarette. I'm a little ashamed to admit, but after 2-3 years of seeing this lady off an on when I go running, I prayed for her for the first time. A prayer that she would allow God to loose the chains of her addiction. Not that I know now what its like to be addicted, I'm not trying to make that claim, but I think a log has been removed from my eye.
So there you have it. 10 main things I learned. My overall
I do feel motivated to eat healthy through out the week, I'm still staying away from soda at least until after my 1/2 marathon, and I'm settling into a nice pattern of working out during the week. After 4 weeks of consistent exercising I am starting to see more definition in my legs and arms and that is motivating me to continue!
I think doing a cleanse or restricting yourself to a "clean" diet for a specific amount of time is beneficial as it helps refocus your mind and body. You have to be careful not to binge after coming off of something like this and look at it as kickstart to healthier eating overall. There's no way I could stick to the Whole30 every day of my life - but it's helped me take a step back, shake out some of the junk that my body was craving and say going forward we're going to allow some not so good stuff back in but only in moderation. Eventually I would like to get to the point where we're eating clean 75-80% of the time and allowing the other 20-25% to be room for convenience and treats. Healthy living is a lifelong process and I think you need to give yourself grace but also give yourself goals. I don't want to look back at my life and remember how I was always on a dieting/binging cycle trying to achieve unrealistic goals, but I also want to look back and know that I didn't waste a perfectly healthy body by feeding it junk and not taking care of it.
What about you? Have you stuck to your New Years goals of getting healthier? What have you learned along the way?
I'm going to come right out and say it. I cheated this week. Actually, I cheated a lot. I had a chic fil a grilled chicken sandwich on Friday and then today we were invited to lunch with my family and dinner with Mark's family so I had spaghetti for lunch and a hot dog for dinner. And cookie dough. And also a brownie. Ha. Soooo.... What now?
Well first, I'm going to give reasons excuses for my cheats.
We've had a very depressing, stressful week. Reaghan had a fever and an ear infection that is still on going which means I'm getting next to no sleep and she is not the happiest tiny person to be around during the day. Mark and I also caught her cold so that has been adding to the general crankiness in the house right now. We spent $$$ at the vet on our dog who has a "suspicious" lump on her leg so she was put on medicine that is making her have to pee every 15 minutes and have accidents if left alone too long and has to go back to the vet in 2 weeks for a re-check. And worst of all my sister received the worstt news possible for her right now - that her baby had stopped growing and they couldn't find a heartbeat.
Why am I sharing? Honestly... it makes me feel better about cheating. I'm not really proud of my decision but when I think back on my week... well, I'm not holding myself to too high of a standard. I was stressed and sad and exhausted and didn't want to think about new recipes or cooking.
Soooo... What now?
I learned that I absolutely use food as a comforter; a way to check out of reality for a second or too and make me feel better for the few minutes that I consume delicious food. One of the things Whole30 is supposed to do is break you of these unhealthy relationships we have with food, so by giving in to the cravings for comfort food, I sort of defeated the purpose of the whole process.
I guess I have 2 options - just end the Whole30 now and be happy with the 20 days that I did complete, or jump back in and finish my LAST week strong. I'm going to go with the latter. I honestly just want to quit, but I don't want to let lousy decisions send me on a downward spiral.
Okay - with that out of the way - I did make it 5/7 days this week without cheating so here were some of my favorite meals of the week:
We've had a very depressing, stressful week. Reaghan had a fever and an ear infection that is still on going which means I'm getting next to no sleep and she is not the happiest tiny person to be around during the day. Mark and I also caught her cold so that has been adding to the general crankiness in the house right now. We spent $$$ at the vet on our dog who has a "suspicious" lump on her leg so she was put on medicine that is making her have to pee every 15 minutes and have accidents if left alone too long and has to go back to the vet in 2 weeks for a re-check. And worst of all my sister received the worstt news possible for her right now - that her baby had stopped growing and they couldn't find a heartbeat.
Why am I sharing? Honestly... it makes me feel better about cheating. I'm not really proud of my decision but when I think back on my week... well, I'm not holding myself to too high of a standard. I was stressed and sad and exhausted and didn't want to think about new recipes or cooking.
Soooo... What now?
I learned that I absolutely use food as a comforter; a way to check out of reality for a second or too and make me feel better for the few minutes that I consume delicious food. One of the things Whole30 is supposed to do is break you of these unhealthy relationships we have with food, so by giving in to the cravings for comfort food, I sort of defeated the purpose of the whole process.
I guess I have 2 options - just end the Whole30 now and be happy with the 20 days that I did complete, or jump back in and finish my LAST week strong. I'm going to go with the latter. I honestly just want to quit, but I don't want to let lousy decisions send me on a downward spiral.
Okay - with that out of the way - I did make it 5/7 days this week without cheating so here were some of my favorite meals of the week:
Banana Pancakes
(Again!)
These turned out a little prettier this time - again its 2 eggs, 1 banana, a dash of baking soda and 1/4 cup almond meal. The flipping part of the cooking is tricky, but doable. So yummy with a slice of banana with each bite.
Carne Asada:
Check out the recipe here. It was supposed to be paired with an Avocado/Tomatillo sauce and I bought the tomatillos only to find out that I had eaten all my avocados when I went to make the sauce. It tasted great just with the marinade and a side of steamed veggies.
Eggs, Apples with Almond Butter and Blueberries:
This has been a breakfast and a dinner for me!
Chicken with Stir Fry Veggies:
Nothing about this is really "stir fry" except that the frozen bag of mixed veggies are supposed to be perfect for using in a stir fry. It had snap peas, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, red peppers and carrots. The chicken was pre-cooked so I just heated it up in coconut oil in a skillet and mixed with the veggies. This was a quick dinner because I was headed out to watch my lil bro and sis play basketball. Mark stayed home with the sickness.
Taco Salad:
Ignore the cracker on my plate, that was gift from Reaghan. She loves to share her food with mommy. This was pre-cheat so I didn't eat it, it just hid on my plate. ; )
If you want to make your own taco seasoning, check out my post here.
Banana "Bread":
One guideline of the Whole30 is that you're not supposed to try and find substitutes for your favorite things and just wholethirtyfy them because this just continues to feed your sweet cravings and doesn't help with re-wiring your brain. At this point in the week I was desperately looking for comfort food while trying to stay compliant so I found this recipe and went for it. It actually looks a lot better than it tasted. The recipe calls for coconut flour and I'm just not a big fan of the taste. However, with that being said, I consumed the entire loaf in 2 days. (I did not put butter on it.)
And I had some fun finds at TJMaxx...
All of these were Whole30 Compliant and a nice change of pace as far as snacking goes.
I'm a huge snacker.
And that was week 3. Praying for motivation to finish strong and to keep my eyes on Him as a source of comfort and not food. : ) Also praying for a healthy family and a healthy dog and more sleep for everyone!
(Also - weigh in - still at 148. I was 147.5 Saturday morning before my big Sunday cheat meals. I was only able to workout 3 times this week and didn't get a long run in.)
In my New Years post I shared that my sister Erin and her husband Adam were finally pregnant after 4 years of infertility struggles.
It was the very best news to start of the New Year and we were so excited to dream of all this year would bring - growing belly, gender reveals, baby showers, and a fresh new squishy baby to cuddle at the end of the summer.
I had been giving her progesterone shots every other day since they found out to help sustain the pregnancy. My poor sisters hips were tender and bruised from the multiple injections. But it was all going to be more than worth it. We just knew it.
It's with a severely broken heart that I share that they were unable to hear a heart beat at her last appointment and the ultrasound didn't show any growth of the gestational sack. They've instructed her to stop all medicine and return for another appointment on Thursday, as well as to prepare for her body to realize there is no longer a baby there.
It was the very best news to start of the New Year and we were so excited to dream of all this year would bring - growing belly, gender reveals, baby showers, and a fresh new squishy baby to cuddle at the end of the summer.
I had been giving her progesterone shots every other day since they found out to help sustain the pregnancy. My poor sisters hips were tender and bruised from the multiple injections. But it was all going to be more than worth it. We just knew it.
It's with a severely broken heart that I share that they were unable to hear a heart beat at her last appointment and the ultrasound didn't show any growth of the gestational sack. They've instructed her to stop all medicine and return for another appointment on Thursday, as well as to prepare for her body to realize there is no longer a baby there.
I can't imagine the pain that Erin and Adam are experiencing right now. I could barely handle the news when she told me so I'm unable to comprehend how crushed they felt. How devastated they feel. What can you say to someone in that moment? There is nothing to say. I went and sat with her and cried with her and told her how beautiful and strong she was and how much we were going to miss baby Honeycutt.
Of course in my own heart I cried out to God wanting to know why. Why would He allow them to experience this hope just to allow it to be taken away in a matter of weeks? There are few other things in my life that I've prayed so earnestly for - for my sister to carry this pregnancy to full term and deliver a healthy baby. Why did this prayer go unanswered? I'm sure you know... there often aren't answers for these sort of things. In my head I know that God is sovereign, that He owes no explanation, and that He does love us deeply and in ways we could never imagine. I know He never promises we wouldn't have troubles in this world, and only promises that He has overcome the world. I know He brings beauty from ashes. But in times of hurt, its hard to translate that head knowledge to my heart. My sweet sister loves the Lord so much. She doesn't understand but she clings to the Lord. Do you know why? As a follower of Christ, in the midst of grief, there is always hope.
Heaven.
Where there will be no more pain or sadness.
Life hurts. Its hard. And it makes us long for heaven even more.
Heaven.
Where we will hold baby Honeycutt one day.
Would you please keep my sister and her husband and the rest of our family in your prayers over the next few weeks? This will be a hard season.
And would you also consider following Christ? So that you also may have the hope of heaven.
Week 2 came and went and I'm still pressing on. There were a few days this week where I was extremely aware of all of the things I'm choosing not to eat right now... Like on Friday night when my grandma was in town and we all went shopping and out to dinner. *sigh* I ended up having a salad at Panera with just some lemon juice squeezed on it. Surprisingly, it didn't taste bad with just the lemon juice so I'm tucking that little trick in the back of my mind. But I may have been drooling a bit watching everyone else eat their baguettes and scrumptious soups and sandwiches! I will always love bread. The end.
I only lost 1/2 a pound this week too! I weighed in at the end of the second week at 148. That was a bit discouraging. But they say on their website that the second week you might feel some bloating and other intestinal discomforts due to your gut healing... so if your jeans are feeling tighter not to be discouraged! Here's hoping Week 3 I start seeing a bit more magic.
I worked out 5 of 7 days this week too! Yay me! I did P90x workouts 3 days and then went on 2 runs, including a 7 miler at the end of the week. I ate a Lara Bar before my run and I felt much better this week than last. I'll test it out again this weekend for another long run.
Here are some of my favorite meals from the week:
So that was week 2! I'm already 2 days into a week 3 and doing okay. Pretty excited that after this week I can start a count down to the finish line!!
I only lost 1/2 a pound this week too! I weighed in at the end of the second week at 148. That was a bit discouraging. But they say on their website that the second week you might feel some bloating and other intestinal discomforts due to your gut healing... so if your jeans are feeling tighter not to be discouraged! Here's hoping Week 3 I start seeing a bit more magic.
I worked out 5 of 7 days this week too! Yay me! I did P90x workouts 3 days and then went on 2 runs, including a 7 miler at the end of the week. I ate a Lara Bar before my run and I felt much better this week than last. I'll test it out again this weekend for another long run.
Here are some of my favorite meals from the week:
Mango Chicken and Cauliflower Rice:
This was good but also it was sort of a disaster. My kitchen looked like a tornado had gone through it by the time I was done! I didn't have a few of the ingredients (Coconut aminos, habenero peppers and sesame seeds) so it didn't turn out exactly like the recipe and it could have used a bit more flavor but over all it was good and I really liked the cauliflower rice! My chicken isn't as orange and pretty as the original picture because I couldn't find 100% pure mango juice so I tried to make my own by just buying mangoes and juicing them with a food processor... aaaaaannnndd it didn't really work too well. But if I were you, I'd give this recipe a try because the potential was there! I just didn't execute it all that well!
Crispy Italian Chicken Thighs:
Favorite of the week! We actually had this on Monday and then again on Sunday! You just pat the chicken really dry so the skin gets nice and crispy, rub it down with a mix of seasoning (1tbs garlic powder, 1tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp of seas salt) and bake at 425 degrees on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. We have a convection oven so 20 minutes later, out popped crispy skin and juicy meat. I paired it with sweet potato chips but they weren't quite ready when I took the picture. I've been eating double meat portions on this Whole30 since I usually rely on some sort of carb to fill me up, like pasta or dinner rolls.
Sweet Potato Chips:
Thinly sliced sweet potatoes, soaked in water first for about 30 min to get rid of the starchiness, tossed with olive oil and then baked at 425. I can't get the timing just right, I always end up scorching some and they never turn out crispy all the way through, but I still like them. I read somewhere to salt afterwards to increase the crispiness but it doesn't seem to make a difference.
Vegetable Soup:
Pretty self explanatory. I just made sure to use organic crushed tomatoes and veggie broth for the base and added in organic ground beef with whatever frozen veggies I had in my freezer. I made a huge pot of this and had leftovers for lunch for the next several days!
Pulled Pork Sliders with Sweet Potatoes:
Cooked a seasoned pork roast in the crockpot while I was at work and then made the sweet potato buns sort of like the chips when I got home and then topped with shredded lettuce. It was incredibly easy and delicious. The original recipe explains the process much better than I would.
Snacks:
Carrot Sticks and Apple Sauce
Okay, so not necessarily together all of the time, but I had a lot of each this week. I dipped the carrot sticks in guac (Wholly Guacamole that we picked up at Costco) and its sooo good! A lot healthier than dipping it in ranch, so this is something else I'll carry over into my post Whole30 life. And the apple sauce is of course unsweetened and organic.
Also, this picture is severely unappetizing. I get it. A lot of my pictures aren't pretty. But this is real life people. I don't always have time to fancy up my plates for a picture, I just throw it on there and eat! :)
Banana Pancakes:
I'll be honest, these sounded a lot better than they actually tasted. Its 2 eggs, 1 banana, 1/4 cup of almond flour and a pinch of baking soda mixed together. I had a really hard time flipping them without them falling apart and they didn't have the same texture as regular pancakes at all. Which I guess I shouldn't have been expecting but was sort of hoping for. I topped with almond butter for some bites and tried dipping others in my Whole30 compliant apple butter that I got last fall. (I knew I was planning a Whole30 so I picked it up at an apple orchard!) I liked it better with the almond butter for sure.
So that was week 2! I'm already 2 days into a week 3 and doing okay. Pretty excited that after this week I can start a count down to the finish line!!
I made it through my first week of this Whole30 thing! It wasn't too bad, but then, I've done a week of clean eating before so I was never too worried about the first week, its the 3 weeks thereafter that concerns me. Haha But I'm feeling good and committed to finishing this so I'm just taking it one week at a time and not thinking about how many more days I have left. (*cough*23*cough*)
My family even came over to watch the Redskins lose the playoff game and Mark made everyone homemade pizza and I even whipped up some brownies for them and didn't have a bite of any of it! I just ate a sweet potato. Talk about self control.
At the close of the first week I weighed 148.5 - 4 pounds down! I can already tell a difference in the way my jeans are fitting and my stomach feels a bit flatter. Technically I'm not supposed to be weighing myself because this Whole30 thing isn't about weight loss as much as it is changing your eating habits, but lets me honest...Weight loss is good motivation! So I'm keeping track! I've also been being super consistent with a workout routine. I did 3 p90x workouts and ended the week with a 6 mile run on Saturday. Which is also the official kick off of my 2016 Shamrock 1/2 Marathon training.
The first couple of days I got a bad headache in the evenings, not sure if I just wasn't drinking enough water or if it was a side affect of not having any caffeine, but those have faded away now! I've had pretty good energy over all, my only other issue has been feeling a little blah during my run. I've got to find some good whole foods to fuel my body for long runs because I'm totally used to having a few slices of pizza the night before a run to "Carb load."
Here were some of my favorite meals of the week:
We also had taco salad, spaghetti squash and baked chicken for dinner that I forgot to take pictures of.
I already have my menu planned for this week and did my grocery shopping this morning to replenish the produce drawers in my fridge. Hoping for another solid week!
My family even came over to watch the Redskins lose the playoff game and Mark made everyone homemade pizza and I even whipped up some brownies for them and didn't have a bite of any of it! I just ate a sweet potato. Talk about self control.
At the close of the first week I weighed 148.5 - 4 pounds down! I can already tell a difference in the way my jeans are fitting and my stomach feels a bit flatter. Technically I'm not supposed to be weighing myself because this Whole30 thing isn't about weight loss as much as it is changing your eating habits, but lets me honest...Weight loss is good motivation! So I'm keeping track! I've also been being super consistent with a workout routine. I did 3 p90x workouts and ended the week with a 6 mile run on Saturday. Which is also the official kick off of my 2016 Shamrock 1/2 Marathon training.
The first couple of days I got a bad headache in the evenings, not sure if I just wasn't drinking enough water or if it was a side affect of not having any caffeine, but those have faded away now! I've had pretty good energy over all, my only other issue has been feeling a little blah during my run. I've got to find some good whole foods to fuel my body for long runs because I'm totally used to having a few slices of pizza the night before a run to "Carb load."
Here were some of my favorite meals of the week:
Shrimp Avocado Salad:
This once I kind of made up from a few different recipe inspirations. I just sauteed the shrimp in coconut oil and garlic which made them taste almost buttery, and then I mixed in some fresh salsa (chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro, peppers, salt) and a mix of mashed and chunked avocados and it was soooo gooood! I couldn't finish it all.
Scrambled Eggs:
My breakfast staple - eggs. I usually had fruit and salsa or avocado to go along with it and alternated between scrambled and fried eggs.
Sweet Potatoes:
I've had a ton of sweet potatoes this last week! I had it once for dinner and then a couple of times for lunch in the "baked" sweet potato form. I always bake my sweet potatoes in the microwave. I just wash them, poke holes in the skin with a fork and then wrap them in a moist paper towel. Usually takes 7-8 minutes depending on the size of the potato. When its done I drizzle it with a little bit of olive oil and then sprinkle some salt and garlic powder on top. It's not butter and brown sugar but its good. I'm learning to love appreciate savory more than sweet.
I also made sweet potato fries twice and plan to do some more this week!
Tuna Salad:
Can of Tuna, boiled egg, fresh salsa, organic pickles, and avocado mixed together and then a little bit of lemon juice squeezed on top. I'm a mayo lovin' girl, so tuna without mayo is sad, but this is pretty good with the avocado to smooth it out.
Sweet Potato Hash Browns and Fried Egg:
I grated a sweet potato mid way through the week and had enough to use the "hash" it made to make this dish for 1 dinner and a couple of lunches. It was nice to have something "quick" to pull out of the fridge and whip up. I'm definitely going to be shredding some more this week to have on hand just in case.
I just put the shredded potatoes in a skillet with coconut oil over low heat and fried for a few minutes. I add some salt and garlic and mix it around and then let it cook for another minute, then I cracked the egg on top, cover until the egg was cooked and then used a spatula to lift the creation out of the pan and on to my plate. Yummy!
Banana Ice Cream:
1 1/2 Frozen bananas, half a can of coconut milk cream, and a few strawberries. Blended together in the ninja and then put in the freezer to firm up. I made this once before and it was better the first time. I'm going to have to work on my banana ice cream skills a bit.
"Faux"t meal:
Hands down my FAVORITE breakfast so far.
1 banana mashed until almost liquid, add 1 egg and mix together, add a pinch of baking soda and you're ready to go.
Heat 1 teaspoon of coconut oil in frying pan and pour mixture in, let it cook for about 1 minute and then take a fork and gently scramble it up as it cooks like you would scramble eggs.
Top with fruit and oh man is this heavenly. Its fluffy, sweet, and filling.
I've even made it for night time snack a couple of times!
We also had taco salad, spaghetti squash and baked chicken for dinner that I forgot to take pictures of.
I already have my menu planned for this week and did my grocery shopping this morning to replenish the produce drawers in my fridge. Hoping for another solid week!
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We spent this New Years Eve at my parents house having a family and friends game night that involved a new game called "Things..." and a dance off with the Wii Just Dance 2016. And of course when midnight hit I was right where I always want to be getting a kiss from this handsome guy.
...But sharing this picture isn't really why I'm writing a late blog post about New Years...
Some blog post themes I don't really care if I ever get back around to, but then there are some posts that I really do want to keep up on - like annual new year posts! In the midst of busy schedules and life I'm always like "ehhh... I don't really need to write one this year" but then when I actually do have a chance to sit and blog and I look back on last years post I'm all "Ahh! I need to write one. Why didn't I sit and do it sooner?!" Because its fun to document things and be able to go back and remember!!!
So without any more procrastination, and fingers crossed I finish this quickly as we're nearing the end of the afternoon nap time, here's a look back at our 2015!
Travels - We did a lot this past year, actually it was really just over the summer! We went to the OBX in May with Mark's family, flew to Texas in June for my cousins wedding, drove to Ohio in July with my family for a family reunion, drove to Blacksburg, VA in August for my best friends wedding in which Reaghan was a flower girl, and finished off the summer with quick trip to Charlottesville for a Labor Day canoe trip. :) This fall we also went to Massanutten with Mark's family for a long weekend and apple picking.
New Accomplishments - Keeping a tiny human alive for a full year! *high fives all around*. Also losing my baby weight and getting back in to semi regular running and workouts was a big deal for me! But its always a work in progress. ; )
Milestones Reached - We celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary! I got a special plaque for being at my job for 5 years this past July!
New House Updates - Mark tore down our old shed and built a new one. He re-stained our back deck and built a small arbor for our hammock swing and baby swing. We also finally tore out the overgrown bushes in our front flower bed!
New Things Tried - Mark is taking college classes again! He already holds a B.S. in business with an IT specialty but will have more opportunity for growth where he works if he obtains a certain number of credits in accounting classes. His work is actually partnering with the community college here to offer these classes so its been a great opportunity! He's finished one class and has a few more to go to reach the right hours and may have enough to get him an Associates Degree in accounting.
Races Run - Shamrock 1/2 marathon in March - my first big post baby race! The Step Up for the Up Center event where I climbed the tallest building in VA 3x, a doggy dash 5k, and a Surfin Santa 5 miler. Its harder to find time/money to run races these days.
New Scary Moments - One evening while I was on my way home from work, Mark called and said Reaghan was in such a crying fit that she was gasping for air and wouldn't settle down. When I got home I couldn't console her for a while either and when trying to feed her she couldn't catch her breath. She was only about 4 months old. I called my mom and then because of the way she was gasping I called the pediatrician... turns out she really had just worked herself up over something that we'll never know... Looking back I can definitely see a small over reaction on my part haha but I'll always remember it being the first moment that I was truly scared as a new mom that something might not be right. Another scary parenthood moment? Reaghan fell backwards on a patio at 10 months when trying to cruise along a table and hit the back of her head on the concrete. My stomach turns at the thought of hearing that "thud" sound. She was fine, but you guys... being a parent is hard in all sorts of little ways that you don't even realize. Like hurting when your baby hurts. So for new scary moments??? Yea, being a parent in and of itself is pretty scary.
Prayers Answered - Aside from the minor incidents above, Reaghan has had a healthy year! Only minor colds and rashes and no emergency situations! Thank you Lord! We are praying the same for 2016!
Also... *drum roll* My sister and her husband announced their pregnancy just shortly before the New Year! After 4 years of struggling through infertility God has answered their prayers! We are ecstatic!! I can't wait to watch her belly grow and I'm so excited about all of the goodness this year will bring because of this new life!
We are ready for you 2016!!!
...But sharing this picture isn't really why I'm writing a late blog post about New Years...
Some blog post themes I don't really care if I ever get back around to, but then there are some posts that I really do want to keep up on - like annual new year posts! In the midst of busy schedules and life I'm always like "ehhh... I don't really need to write one this year" but then when I actually do have a chance to sit and blog and I look back on last years post I'm all "Ahh! I need to write one. Why didn't I sit and do it sooner?!" Because its fun to document things and be able to go back and remember!!!
So without any more procrastination, and fingers crossed I finish this quickly as we're nearing the end of the afternoon nap time, here's a look back at our 2015!
Travels - We did a lot this past year, actually it was really just over the summer! We went to the OBX in May with Mark's family, flew to Texas in June for my cousins wedding, drove to Ohio in July with my family for a family reunion, drove to Blacksburg, VA in August for my best friends wedding in which Reaghan was a flower girl, and finished off the summer with quick trip to Charlottesville for a Labor Day canoe trip. :) This fall we also went to Massanutten with Mark's family for a long weekend and apple picking.
New Accomplishments - Keeping a tiny human alive for a full year! *high fives all around*. Also losing my baby weight and getting back in to semi regular running and workouts was a big deal for me! But its always a work in progress. ; )
Milestones Reached - We celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary! I got a special plaque for being at my job for 5 years this past July!
New House Updates - Mark tore down our old shed and built a new one. He re-stained our back deck and built a small arbor for our hammock swing and baby swing. We also finally tore out the overgrown bushes in our front flower bed!
New Things Tried - Mark is taking college classes again! He already holds a B.S. in business with an IT specialty but will have more opportunity for growth where he works if he obtains a certain number of credits in accounting classes. His work is actually partnering with the community college here to offer these classes so its been a great opportunity! He's finished one class and has a few more to go to reach the right hours and may have enough to get him an Associates Degree in accounting.
Races Run - Shamrock 1/2 marathon in March - my first big post baby race! The Step Up for the Up Center event where I climbed the tallest building in VA 3x, a doggy dash 5k, and a Surfin Santa 5 miler. Its harder to find time/money to run races these days.
New Scary Moments - One evening while I was on my way home from work, Mark called and said Reaghan was in such a crying fit that she was gasping for air and wouldn't settle down. When I got home I couldn't console her for a while either and when trying to feed her she couldn't catch her breath. She was only about 4 months old. I called my mom and then because of the way she was gasping I called the pediatrician... turns out she really had just worked herself up over something that we'll never know... Looking back I can definitely see a small over reaction on my part haha but I'll always remember it being the first moment that I was truly scared as a new mom that something might not be right. Another scary parenthood moment? Reaghan fell backwards on a patio at 10 months when trying to cruise along a table and hit the back of her head on the concrete. My stomach turns at the thought of hearing that "thud" sound. She was fine, but you guys... being a parent is hard in all sorts of little ways that you don't even realize. Like hurting when your baby hurts. So for new scary moments??? Yea, being a parent in and of itself is pretty scary.
Prayers Answered - Aside from the minor incidents above, Reaghan has had a healthy year! Only minor colds and rashes and no emergency situations! Thank you Lord! We are praying the same for 2016!
Also... *drum roll* My sister and her husband announced their pregnancy just shortly before the New Year! After 4 years of struggling through infertility God has answered their prayers! We are ecstatic!! I can't wait to watch her belly grow and I'm so excited about all of the goodness this year will bring because of this new life!
We are ready for you 2016!!!
I started a Whole30 today! Yikes! It was my New Years Resolution. I'm a little nervous about it. Remember when we did the 14 Day Clean Eating Challenge? I decided after that was over that I would do a full 30 days after New Years. I was totally on board and ready to go in the few months leading up to New Years, but now that it's here I'm not as excited about it.
Nevertheless I had committed to myself to do it, I want to lose some weight and I'm training for a 1/2 marathon in March so I know cleaning up my diet will help me get stronger and faster.
So I went grocery shopping today and spent about $200 in organic meats, produce, coconut oil, ghee, etc. Eating clean is expensive. But worth it...I'm guessing.
I had eggs for breakfast, a salad with chicken and tomatoes and no dressing for lunch, Larabars and apples for snacks, an a tuna salad for dinner.
It was good, but you guys, honestly I'm still hungry. I want something filling like pasta or bread. And I started to get a headache afterwards which is either a caffeine headache from all the soda I had over the holidays or a sugar headache from again, the soda and cookies etc, etc, from the holidays. Either way, I'm feeling not that stellar as I close out my first day.
I'm not sure how much I'll blog about this process. Probably quite a bit if I have the time, but not daily.
My starting weight today is 152.5.
We'll see how this goes!
