With Just 13 lbs to go...

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...I thought I'd post what I'm going to do when I loose the rest of it.





I'm going on a shopping spree!! I asked hubby and he said sure! Now, guess where I am going?



To Good Will!! I love our Good Will. Every other weekend they have a 50% off EVERYTHING in the store sale. Oh yeah! I'm taking $50 and buying as much as I want for a new wardrobe on one of those weekends. I am so stoked!

So that is my reward. Maybe it's not to someone else, but I can't wait!

Oh and I get to do it sans kids. Woohoo!! Now I really want to get it off!

Mad Scientist Mama

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I must be a glutton for punishment, or at least work. Oy. I decided to go a bit crunchier and cheaper and make my own laundry detergent. First I did the whole grating a bar of soap, add some borax and washing soda. It worked great, but not on cloth diapers. See most laundry detergents don't have oils or fats in them. Soap does, and it deposited itself all over my nice absorbent diapers. When they came out I was like 'ooooo, soft diapers!' Then I figured out it was the wax from the soap and Eeek, my diapers didn't have as much absorbency. Crap. So then I found a 'cloth diaper safe' recipe. It consisted of oxyclean, borax and washing soda. Weeeellll, it didn't wax them, but it didn't get them totally clean. I'm sure my neighbors had a hoot watching me hold slightly stained and dingy diapers up to my nose doing the sniff test. They smelled clean, and so I thought they were. But, but, BUT! When I washed them after being used with an actual laundry detergent those previous 'stains' came out. So I guess they weren't really clean? Ew. Poor Rhys. So I have ditched that idea of making my own laundry detergent and going back to Shaklee's. Sure it's a pretty penny, but it's eco-friendly and it is super concentrated. It does last me a long time and it gets my clothes clean. I can use it in cold water too. It's actually what I grew up with. That box lasts me about half a year with our front loader. And I can use the borax, washing soda and the oxyclean to boost my wash.

So if you make your own laundry detergent and it works for cloth diapers I'd like to know your recipe. Until then I'll use the Shaklee laundry detergent.

Run, Kathryn, Run

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Did you know June 3 is the first ever National Running Day? Will you run with me? I'll be running, making my rounds in our small town in Central PA. Let me know if you will be running, I'm curious to know. I'll see you out there!!

National Running Day

My Secret Addiction

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I have a confession to make, maybe if I confess it, it won't have such a hold on me. I do not have a good relationship with food. It doesn't matter that I've lost 120 lbs. I've only gotten there through being rigid. It's all or nothing with me. If I am at a party and I eat one sweet pastry I figure that the day is ruined and I might as well just eat whatever I want. I hardly allow myself a sweet and if I do I feel guilty all day long. I feel guilty for eating something unless it's very low in calories and fat. I feel happy, elated when I am under my caloric needs for the day. I rejoice when I see that I haven't even met my fat gram needs for the day. That's not good. I am still nursing a baby and I don't want to sabotage him. So I make myself eat. But I only justify eating if it's something like lentils or carrots. Granted those are good for me and my son, but I think there has to be a better way. I am always thinking of food. I think of when I can eat next and what I will eat next. If I am putting food away from dinner I will want to eat just a bite here or there even if it's cold! I will want to put food in my mouth even if I am not feeling physical hunger. I see my husband eat and I've told him about this. He does not have the same problem. It's frustrating! He said 'that would be exhausting'. It is. From the time I wake up till I go to bed the one thought on my brain is food. I hate it. I don't like it. But I don't know what to do to change it. If anyone deals with this, I would welcome your comments. If someone has dealt with it and successfully overcome it, I really welcome your comments. More than loosing weight I want to have a healthy relationship with food.

Pictures of, well, me.

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Hey it's my blog, I can put pictures up of me. They do serve a purpose, not just to be totally vain. I did promise weight loss pics and here they are. Forgive me, I took them myself. So they are a bit, um, shoddy I guess.
These are also great no-poo shots. I washed my hair with baking soda, rinsed with apple cider vinegar, air dried and then used a tad of jojoba oil on the ends. Oh and I brushed it. That's it! I think it looks pretty darn good.

Here are some before shots.

Just 13lbs to go. Just 13.....

I think I can, I think I can....

Rhys' Dedication

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This past sunday we had just about all the family up for Rhys' dedication. We don't believe in infant baptism, so this ceremony was really for the parents and family of the child. We basically promised to raise this boy, who is a gift, on loan, from the Lord, in the fear and admonition of the Lord. We intend to do just that. My dad did the dedication, which was wonderful. Rhys' Godparents were there and all the other grandparents too. I could see nothing but smiles out in the congregation. I guess it's a good thing for people to see. Here is a few shots from the ceremony and the rest of the day. Rhys, by the way, was the first baby not to cry for Dad. All the other Navajo babies cry for him. I'm glad for that.

Question...

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Am I a bad mother? My son is playing with a cardboard box. And enjoying it. And I'm ok with that.

Guess I won't be getting the Mother of the Year award this sunday. Heh heh. That's ok. Once you get it, you have to live up to it. ;)

FYI...

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Some serious updates ahead. Lots of reading. Don't say you weren't warned....

Life Ordination

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Andrew recieved his life ordination a week or so ago. I am so proud of him. This is a long awaited celebration. Praise the Lord! Here are a few pics of that ceremony. Standing, waiting, listening...

Vowing...

More vowing...

Conferring blessing...


Official Declaration of Lifetime Ordination

Way to go honey!!

Short No-Poo Update

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I've read people saying that when they no-poo it is a constant discovery process of your scalp and hair. No kidding. I thought my regimen a month or so ago would be it for the rest of my life. Not so. I've also read of people only 'washing' their hair like once or twice a week. Ew, I thought, they must not work out. Well, again, I am wrong.

Currently my hair stays nice, I mean, non-oily, bouncy, shiny and soft for at least 3 days between washings. Now I do rinse my hair and massage my scalp on the in between days, because I do exercise and sweat most days of the week. But I just let that air dry and it looks great. Before I was washing every other day, but when my hair didn't look that bad and I didn't feel like washing it I decided to let it go an extra day and it looks wonderful! I'm also using about half the amount of baking soda I was using before and about twice as much apple cider vinegar. My hair was too dry (too much bs) and too frizzy (not enough acv). That has solved the problem. I really don't need to use much oil, now, just on the ends. I'm still sold and love that there are less bottles in the shower. Less to buy, less to spend, less time in the shower. I'm sold.

I do add just a bit of lavender to my oil, that's my 'treat'. Heh heh. Every mama has to have something!

Weight Loss Update

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I keep saying that I've lost weight and I have, but I haven't given an update, so here you go.

On March 14, I got to my pre pregnancy weight, I have no idea what my measurements were, but since then I've dropped 7 more pounds and can now fit into my jeans I wore right before I got pregnant. Yes, folks, that's a size 10. Wooohooo!! As far as measurements are concerned, this is how I've fared (from Dec 8, when I started measuring):

• -.25 inch off neck
• -1.75 inch off upper chest (right under the arms)
• -1.5 under bust
  
• -5 inches off waist
• -2 inches of thighs
• -4.5 inches off hips
• biceps are the same
• forearms are the same
• wrist is the same
• -.75 off calves

Measurements and weight are both below pre-pregnancy status, except waist, which I need to loose two more inches before I get there. I'm pretty happy with what I've done so far. I can't believe how close I am to a 'healthy' weight. I'm aiming for 145. I just want to get there. If I get there and don't feel good or think I don't look good, I'll gain 5lbs or so. But I've never been thin as an adult so I don't know what I good weight for me is. This weight now is old weight, I mean I can't remember the last time I was in the 150's. I can't believe I'm in the 150's. I can't believe I've lost over 100lbs! This is awesome! My parents are still getting over how much I've lost. And I think I've inspired my mother to loose. She's like two sizes behind me, which is cool, because I have someone to give my clothes to. It's expensive to loose weight, that is if you buy all new clothes everytime you reach a new size. I just go to goodwill or yardsales. It doesn't make sense to pay out the nose for something you are only going to be in for a few months. So I think it's cool. I'm glad I'm getting it off and I'm happy for mom that she is too. This is good healthwise too. I gave blood this week and they take your blood pressure. Mine was 104/60. Wow! With my grandfather dying of a massive heart attack and my grandmother having massive strokes, a low bp is a good thing.

This is exciting and I can't wait to get there.

Now I need your help, what should I do to celebrate? No eating, it wouldn't feel like a celebration. Hubby says no to a tattoo and I don't want to get anything peirced. Those are the rules. Help me figure out something that will really let me celebrate/reward myself.

SparkPeople

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When I was pregnant with Nadia and Rhys I came across a website devoted to pregnant and nursing mothers. Well, more specifically, the diet of pregnant and nursing mothers. It helped you to know just how much of whatever you needed to be eating. I never knew how many calories I should eat and most people would say 'just eat when you are hungry'. Well for some reason I have a hard time knowing exactly when I'm hungry and when I'm just hormonal or emotional. I need to have a guideline or I go seriously over. BabyFit is one of the many websites of Sparkpeople.com. I found them again when I got tired of my old calorie counting website, which has worked really well. I thought I'd let you in on the best kept secret out there.

Sparkpeople.com is free, which is a plus these days and it's extensive. It keeps record of all the usuals, calories, weight, exercise, measurements for you. And it also figures out how much you should be eating. But it's so much more than that. They have teams you can be a part of. Currently I am on a BootCamp team that inspires you to exercise or tone something everyday. I am also on a breastfeeding team. Sparkpeople has certified coaches that record free videos and demonstrations of exercises and toning. So far I've done kickboxing, lower body and upper body toning, pilates and stretching. What has really sold me on this website, aside from the free aspect, is the free videos. I can't believe it! It does have a store and a few sponsor adds, but I've never felt annoyed by them. In fact, I'd say you have to look for them.

It does have options to 'accesorize' as I'd call it. You can make you own page and connect with people in your area. It has a really nice feature that you can map out your walking/running route and tell it how long it takes you and it will tell you how many calories you are burning and how far you've gone. I really like that.

All in all, I'd give it two thumbs up. It's a very nicely done website with lots and I mean lots of resources. You gotta check it out.

My New Toy

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I've got another toy. I guess you could say mother's day came a bit early for me. That's ok. I realize that most of my 'toys' are working items. I like that though and actually would rather have it that way. I really can't think of other things I'd like to have. I'm not really a jewlery girl and I like shoes, but I don't go out much so what's that point? And my hair is so natural I don't get it dyed or permed, so if I am wanting something it's probably got to do with the house.

Anyway. I've been making my family's bread for years now, using the countertop (which is grouted tile, which is really hard to clean and is basically stained now from doing so) or the table (that's really low and Nadia gets into the flour) so I requested a bread board. I knew what I wanted. Something big enough to roll out bread to form, heavy enough not to move and thick enough not to warp. I ended up getting this.
It actually has two working sides. The other side has markings for pie, tart and quiche crusts. It has ruler measurements along the sides. It's nice, but I really don't need that for bread, so I just use the plain side. That way it stays cleaner longer. I really like it. It has lips on both ends, which both keep the board from shifting and keep the flour from moving off the board. The only problem is, it's really big. It does not fit in any of our cupboards, so it is stored hanging off the edge of our fridge. It's out of the way, though, so I'm not going to complain. It is pretty heavy, but I figure if I'm throwing bread around I can lift that up a couple of times a week. It does work well and I'm enjoying not having to scrape up bits of dough from the counter. Thank you hubby!

Quickie...

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We've had a hectic week, filled with travel, visiting, visitors, dedication, illness, cooking, cooking, cooking! And so much else. I will update more with pics later. Just wanted to let you know I am still here, still in one piece and in much need of some relaxation.