September 5, 2008 by jennifer
I am coming to a close on week one of my food diary at everydayhealth.com. I have lost 1lb and have actually been enjoying being aware of what goes into my body. I am the type of person that tends to believe a bite of something yummy here or there won’t hurt anything. And for the most part, that is true. However, I was living by a different philosophy. I was taking about 20 bites here or there, which really add up. Now, anytime I am tempted just to pop something in my mouth without thinking, I remind myself that I will have to write it down and that just seems like too much hassle. So I have probably cut 200-300 calories out of my day just by not doing that. What is even better is that I have had a good friend join me in this endeavor. Now, we can hold each other accountable from 250 miles away. It is very similiar to MySpace, except maybe a bit more revealing. She can read everything I do and eat because I tagged her as my friend. Crazy. She can read over my daily intake and wonder why I can’t seem to stop eating brownies (they call out to me, I swear!) and I can read over hers and wonder why she hasn’t worked out all week (Get those running shoes on and go for it sister! You can do it!). 
We even have the same end weight goal, which is awesome! It will be really fun to see one another’s progress. So, I am really enjoying my food diary.
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September 4, 2008 by jennifer
Last night Jeremiah and I had the privilege of experiencing something unique. Our children were playing quietly in the toy room and actually being nice to one another. We decided to have a seat on the couch and enjoy the experience. As we watched them heat pretend food up in their pretend microwave and then pretend to eat it, we had the following exchange.
Jer: So, do our kids ever wear pants?
Me: No, not really.
For some reason, our children are happiest without pants. We come home, they instantly strip down and start playing.
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September 3, 2008 by jennifer
It has been a little less than a month since Breckin had his tonsils and adenoids removed. That day the doctor told me that Breckin would now definitely begin to thrive. I have to admit, I wasn’t 100% convinced. We have been struggling with his weight and eating for so long, I just assumed it would never truly end. So, now we are 4 weeks post-op and I am thrilled. Breckin has gained 3lbs in 4 weeks. Insane! My son who had not gained a single ounce in 1 year has gained 3lbs in 4 weeks! I am completely relieved. He is also a completely different child. Instead of being generally cranky and whiny, he is pleasant and has tons of energy because he is actually getting the proper amount of sleep at night. What a great answer to prayer!
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September 3, 2008 by jennifer
I love fall and I am so excited that it is quickly approaching. I know many people love the relief that spring can bring after a long cold winter, but it rains way too much for me in the spring. I am a complete sucker for fall though. So many great things happen that time of year. First, there are the colors. When we lived in Arkansas, I loved driving home for Thanksgiving through the Ozark Mountains. The colors were absolutely astounding, the air smelled crisp and fresh, and I could hear the sound of a banjo off in the distance. Yes, it was heaven. Jeremiah and I used to take walks around Wheaten (Chicagoland), our old stomping ground, during the fall and I would just take the scenery in. We are lucky enough to have a tree in our backyard that turns bright red in the fall. It looks like a big ball of fire from a distance and I love it! Then there are the holidays. I know that as a Christian, I am supposed to write Halloween off as this horrible holiday, and I have tried, but I love Halloween. I loved dressing up as a kid and I find myself dressing my children up as well. Then, there is Arwyn’s birthday, my birthday, and Thanksgiving. Who doesn’t love birthdays and a huge feast?! I love giving presents and making my kids adorable cakes. Plus, I found out I was pregnant with Breckin the day after my birthday, and that is a moment I will remember forever. And perhaps one of my favorite things about fall is the pumpkin picking. I have always really enjoyed going to pumpkin patches, even before kids. Jeremiah and I went to a pumpkin patch in college and spent a cold rainy hour out in a field picking out the perfect pumpkin. Then, we went into the country store and bought a fall staple, apple butter. YUM! Right before we had Arwyn, we took Breckin to a pumpkin patch and plan to visit another one this fall for sure. I think both of the kids will have a blast. Today it is about 58 degrees here, thanks to a storm front that moved in. And while I know the weather won’t last, I can’t help but feel excited knowing that fall is right around the corner. The smell of apple pie baking, the sound of kids knocking on the door on Halloween, picking pumpkins with the kids….the anticipation is killing me, so I am posting a few pictures to hold me over.
The tree of fire
Breckin as Dwight Schrute last Halloween
The kids enjoying the pile of leaves.
Breckin as a giraffe at Dillards HQ on Halloween.
Breckin at the pumpkin patch in 2006.
And last but not least, the birth of our baby girl.
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September 2, 2008 by jennifer
When I was filling out Breckin’s paperwork for preschool, it asked for a family photo. It was then I realized that we had not taken our picture together since last year. So, we decided to take a few moments on Sunday morning to take one. Note this was taken after 1 temper tantrum (Arwyn did not like having to wear clothes, so she threw a fit on the floor for 5 minutes), 3 attempts, and we still ended up with a nerf gun in the shot.
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September 2, 2008 by jennifer
We were in our hometown a few weeks ago and staying at Jeremiah’s parents’ house. We were sitting around talking while Breckin ran around shooting a nerf gun at people and things. I am used to this because I am his mom. I go throughout each day getting hit with random flying objects, being present for screaming contests, and being “wallered” all over. I am used to this, but people without children probably aren’t. It was during this moment that Breckin shot a gun at his aunt Meredith and hit her in a more sensitive area. Understandably, she asked him not to shoot in her direction anymore. In an attempt to distract him from her, I told him to shoot me instead. It was then Meredith asked me if I had an extra layer of toughness. My response was, “No, probably just an extra layer of tolerance.” It was then that I realized the more kids you have, the closer you get to the chaos end of the calm/chaos spectrum and the better you get at ignoring otherwise annoying behavior.
When I didn’t have kids, I had no tolerance whatsoever for being hit with nerf bullets or anything else for that matter. I can honestly say, I didn’t care for kids in general. I found them sticky, smelly, loud and annoying. I was the type of person that wasn’t too crazy about any child that had not come from my womb. The chaos was just too much for me and I found it overwhelming. So, when Meredith no longer wanted to be Breckin’s victim, I totally understood. When you don’t have kids you spend a lot more time on the calm end of the spectrum, so when chaos occurs it is a lot harder to ignore.
Then, along came Breckin. I fell in love immediately and began to ease up a bit. I still wasn’t crazy about other people’s kids, but had a lot more tolerance for the chaos that comes along with having kids and being around kids. But, still, I only had one child, so I still didn’t spend a ton of time on the chaos side. I still didn’t understand the perspective of the woman I would see in the store with several kids running around about to pull her hair out. There was a pretty good balance between the calm and the chaos with one child.
Then, along came Arwyn. 2 children. These days I spend 75% (atleast) of my day in the chaos category. I have been a referee, maid, personal chef, crazy lady who screams unintelligible things at the sky, etc. But, I have learned to thrive in the chaos and love it. I love my life and the chaos that comes with it, because it is mostly fun chaos. I welcome other kids into my home now too. My friends’ kids’ behavior doesn’t even make me flinch. It is so normal to me now. I have found a new balance in all of this.
I think about this progression of my life as Jeremiah and I are thinking of adding another baby to the mix. I used to swear that I only wanted to 2 children, but since Arwyn was six months old, Jeremiah and I have been fairly certain we would like to have another. The plan has been to start taking action in that area when Arwyn turned 2. Her birthday is next month, so the time is approaching rapidly. Looking on this, I am excited, yet fearful. What will 3 children be like? What will it do to the calm/chaos equilibrium? Will I find balance again? I have a friend with three kids that has a laid back approach to life that I admire. I have noticed that with each child, I relax a bit more. So, it is a good thing. She also has said to me that going from 2 to 3 was hard for her because now she and her husband are always outnumbered. So, I suppose we will definitely have to find a new balance when the times comes. Something tells me that balance will be even closer to the chaos end of the spectrum.
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August 30, 2008 by jennifer
After posting about fitness, I felt motivated to get myself signed up with an online food diary. And, I found a great free food diary online. You have to register, but once you are registered, there is a ton of info. You can type in your food, it searches and calculates your calories for you. It also calculates what you burn during exercise and also will help you figure out the amount of calories you should be eating to lose/maintain/gain weight. It has some really great articles too. Very cool, incase anyone is interested.
Online Food Diary at Everyday Health
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August 30, 2008 by jennifer
I have always tried to stay in shape. I am not a huge exercise junkie, but I make sure I get enough exercise so I can remain healthy. For me, this means going to the gym or running outside at least 3-4 times per week and on my “off” days, I walk about 1-2 miles. I also do strength training at the gym or pilates at home. This is a big deal to me, so I find it very easy to exercise. I am also constantly reading about how to make good food choices. This is harder for me. I eat pretty healthy, but I do have a bit of a sweet tooth. For this reason, I am always looking for ways to resist the sugar craving. Don’t get me wrong, I think everyone should allow themselves some sweets in moderation. But, sometimes, moderation doesn’t work for me. I love desserts! Anyway, to my point. Tonight, I was reading a list of ways to control what I eat, and there were some new suggestions on this list I am going to try. I thought I would share.
1. Keep a journal - I have kept a food diary before, which really works well for me. I would much rather write down that I ate 5 strawberries than 3 cookies. But, this list suggested also writing down what you are craving and how it makes you feel when you indulge yourself. What it tastes like, what you like about it, etc. Apparently, that helps tame the craving. I am going to give this a shot.
2. Drink more water - This list suggests that sometimes, initial hunger pains are your body screaming for water and you are actually thirsty. You should drink a glass of water and wait a few minutes to see if you are still hungry. If you are, then go ahead and have a small snack.
And, here are a few things off of the list that I already do to stay fit and find really helpful.
1. As I mentioned above, I exercise regularly. Jeremiah and I both exercise, which keeps us both motivated. We go on walks together, to the gym together, go on family bike rides and jog.
2. I have kept a food diary. This was great, but I get lazy and forget to do it. I should start up again.
3. I obey the rule, a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. I think my least favorite diet fad is the Adkins diet. I have met hundreds of people (okay, maybe 50 or so) on this diet who are shocked that I eat bread with my pasta! Then, I will see them eat a pound of meat with veggies soaked in butter and cheese. Amazing. I am madly in love with carbs and will never let them go. But, everything in moderation. A calorie is a calorie, no matter its form. If you are going to do a “diet” plan, Weight Watchers is the way to go. It promotes overall healthy eating.
4. I fill my fridge with fruit. This helps a lot with the whole sugar craving I was talking about. It is just really expensive to do. Bananas, apples, and grapes are usually pretty affordable though.
And, a few things I do to my nutritional detriment.
1. I drink Diet Coke. Usually 1-2 per day. It is no good, but I find it very difficult to stop!
2. I am a baker. When trying to resist sugar, it isn’t always the best idea to be working on a sugar filled cake for 6 straight hours. I am bound to sneak a spoonful or ten of icing. And, I swear, brownies will be the death of me. Oh, brownies, how I hate to love you!
3. Evening snack. I almost always have an evening snack. I am not necessarily hungry, but feel I need a snack while watching Psych. I need to stop doing that.
4. Brownies! Oh, did I mention those already. Yum.
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August 24, 2008 by jennifer
Scene - Jeremiah, Arwyn and I were all eating steak. Breckin was having a PB&J sandwich because he didn’t want steak.
Jer - Everyone has some (steak), except Breckin.
Breckin - I don’t want any except Breckin.
Breckin was thinking that the steak was called “except Breckin.”
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