A Mommy Project

I accomplished my goal of losing 5 pounds during the month of July. I began the month weighing 163 and I now weigh between 157-158, the scale can't decide which one it will be. Although I must say that I really wasn't consistent with working out this month. Most of the weight loss was attributed to the reduction of carbs in my diet. It has helped a lot that I have cut down on juice, sweets, and starches. I have been doing Jillian Michael's 30 day Shred which has three levels. I am still on level 1, however as I have been losing weight, I am able to do all the fitness routines as they should be done, therefore getting a much better workout. When I began this program it was really hard for me to lift my 170 pound body to do any jumping exercise, but now I can jump without any strain or pain. By continuously workout and eating well, I hope to lose up to 10 pounds this month. It is really rewarding and satisfying when you see results and know that you are closer and closer

We just began a new month and I am happy to announce that I have lost 3 pounds in 3 weeks, I missed one week because of other obligations. I began the month if June weighing in at 165 lbs. After much thought, I decided that the ideal weight for me is 135 lbs instead of 130. Prior to getting married and having kids I weigh 125 lbs, but based on my height, I should have been somewhere around 133-144lbs. Though I know that realistically I cannot and will not ever be a size 4 again, I will be extremely happy in a 6 or an 8, preferably a 6. This past week my husband went to the doctor and was told he needs to reduce his carb intake in order to lose weight. So, I too have begun counting my carb intake and reduced that amount of breads, pastas, and flour products I consume. My goal for the month of July is to lose 5 pounds or more.

As I look back on my life, I would have never guessed that one day I would love to cook! I learned to cook as a newlywed because I had to. As time passed I perfected the dishes I tried and really began to enjoy cooking. It wasn't just a chore or an obligation, it became a form of expressing my creative talent. I really enjoy everything that goes into cooking, from planning and preparation, to creating the final product. And the best part, consuming the delicious fruits of labor. Last summer I decided to get some gourmet recipes and indulge in a week of fine gourmet foods. One of the meals I prepared was a French cuisine complete with appetizers, flavorful main course, and dessert. It took me a good three hours to make and in just 20 minutes it was gone. But like I said, part of the fun for me is the preparation of the meal. Another major and important part of cooking is the presentation. It's important that the food not only taste good but look good. One day I made my

I began my fitness routine once again at the beginning of the month. This is pretty much a do over as I had to stop working out. I started the month of June weighing 165 lbs. My ideal weight goal is 130 lbs. but I will very happy at 135 lbs. One of the things that I took from my friend's fitness routine was consistency and number of workout days. She works out 7 days a week, but I will be working out 5 days, Monday through Friday. I found the trick for me to be consistent, I've been working out early in the morning right after my husband leaves for work and before my kids get up. By doing this I get my exercise in early and I have more energy throughout the day. I found that when I would put off exercising for later in the day, I would find some excuse to not do it and in turn didn't exercise for that day. Originally at the beginning of the year I began working out with a goal to lose 35lbs by July 18th, however the summer wedding I was going to be attending was moved

When I was single I was thin, fashionable, and diluted enough to think that the day that I became a mom I would look the same way. From my own mom to other stay at home moms that I knew, they all seemed to not care about their appearance. With all the time they spent at home, why couldn't they take the time to look good and care about themselves. "When I become a mom I am not going to let my self look like that." Well, I have become that stay at home mom that I criticized. I look at myself now and think why should I bother getting dressed up, doing in my hair and putting on makeup? I'm over weight and my clothes don't fit. Now this is not a pity party for me, I've allowed myself to get like this and I have to do something about it. But I think I now understand why stay at home moms don't look their best, it's hard. It's hard to get up in the morning and have the motivation to get yourself all dolled up, for who and why? You are around your kids all

I have hit a bump on the road to fitness. In March I began to get discouraged about the fact that I had not lost any weight. Is the video not working, am I doing something wrong? I reduced my food portions and cut down on sweets, so what was the problem? The video does work, my friend Diana started working out just a couple days after me and when I last talked to her back at the beginning of April she had already lost 21 pounds. Both Diana and my husband helped me realize that it's about consistency and working out more days. I was not going to see results working out 3-4 days a week, especially with all the weight I have on. The week after Valentine's Day I got sick and I wasn't working out on a regular basis. It took me almost a month to get better as I was diagnosed with bronchitis and it took about a week after that for the antibiotics to make me better. I was going to begin working out 5-6 days a week after Easter weekend. Then after my husband's birthday party, th

This year my husband celebrates his 30th year of life. On April 18th I threw him an 80's themed party, fit for a man born and raised in the 80's. The hall was decorated in neon colors and balloons. I made posters that represented the 80's, Movies, Songs, Iconic Things, and a Pac Man Happy Birthday sign. The hall was sectioned into 4 areas. The first was a mini movie theater where you could catch the classic film Back to the Future . The second was the arcade, I had two old televisions set up with Pac Man and Atari. Third was the gaming area, where you could challenge a player to a game of Ping Pong or Foosball. Last was the food court, serving nachos, cheese puffs and of course fruit punch Kool-Aid. At the center on each table was a boom box and 80's candy such as fun dips, pixie stix, and blow pops. I had an 80's cake made with my husband's picture on it of when he was 5 years old. Around the cake table I had 80's toys that my husband and I still ha

April came and went much quicker than March did. I lost track of time and didn't even post a single blog, so much for writing more in a April. There were things that kept me busy this month that are worth blogging about and the first is the family drama from my husband's extended family. Every family has their issues, but I must say my family's issues pale in comparison to the drama that my husband's extended family has put in the works. It's extremely sad and terrible when family chooses to create conflict instead of helping one another out. My mother in law passed away in September of 2009. She had nothing when she passed away, leaving my husband and I responsible for her funeral expenses. That wasn't something that we had ability or funds to take on. Everyone in her family put in their two cents about how to put her to rest, but when it came down to what really mattered, how to pay for all those expenses, no one stepped up to the plate. They were ask

Writing is one of my passions, but like most writers, I sometimes get writer's block. The month of March has been long and uneventful and has left me in a writing slump. I began this blog as a way to get back into writing. Since I am a stay at home mom and I don't write professionally, I figured that creating a blog would be a great way to put my thoughts on paper. Writing gives me the ability me to express my feeling, be creative, and record memories. When I was in college I was a writer for the school newspaper, I was the associate sports editor. Writing became one of the most important things in my life. The experiences, memories, and people I met are ones that I will forever cherish. There was nothing like the excitement I had as I prepared for an interview. To get a story from an athlete and put into writing for everyone to read made me feel important and accomplished. For the most part I am a huge procrastinator, but when it came to my writing, getting my article

I begin the month of March with an update of the last few weeks of February. This Valentine's Day weekend we went to Tennessee to visit my family. My husband and I attended a really nice banquet at the Tennessee Aquarium. Though I wasn't feeling my best, as I chose to wear a dress that did not flatter my body at all, I thought it was special to spend Valentine's Day alone with my husband. I also received the most thoughtful gift ever, a beautiful pink journal and a pink pen with a diamond heart and engraved on it were my name and website. I was so excited, no one supports me more than my husband and this gift not only showed his support but his belief in me and my passion for writing. After returning home, later that week, my husband and I went on a date, something we do not get to do much of, to the Louisville Orchestra. Being a musician, I really enjoy classical music and it was so great to share that with my husband. The next weekend I got sick, my body ached all ov

I can use just about any excuse to throw a party. Not everyone is cut out for planning events, but I think it's a gift I have, and I really enjoy it. It is exciting for me to start off with a blank slate and go through the creative process until the final product is reached. I've been fortunate that my church's social committee has asked me to be in charge of organizing showers for those getting married or having babies. I always have a theme for my parties, whether it's birthdays or showers. I think having a theme makes them unique, gives them individuality and creates a lasting memory of the event. Our kids have always had themed parties, our youngest son's 1st birthday was a Hawaiian Luau and last year for our 4 year old, the theme was a Star Wars. Prior to this year, I have done three baby showers with really neat themes, Coffee Shop, Royal Indian Luncheon, and Autumn Tea Party. On Saturday night, January 30th, I organized a baby shower event for a friend.

I just completed my second week of the 30 Day Shred. And though I really haven't seen any physical results, I have faith that my body will change. I have to be realistic, after 5 years of not doing any form of physical exercise, I cannot expect my body to change in two weeks. Also, this week I changed my way of eating. I don't believe in diets, but I do believe in eating in moderation. I am going to continue eating what I always have, because for the most part I eat pretty healthy, I just need to cut down on my portions. It's been hard because after I'm done eating I still feel hungry, but I have to keep focused and in time my stomach will get used to it. I also need to cut down on my consumption of sweets, I never had a sweet tooth, but after I had my first child I really craved it. So, I do attribute sweets to my weight gain, with that being said, I think it's okay to have sweets once in a while and in moderation. Another good thing about getting up and e

Another aspect of my project is taking time for myself. I believe it is important for moms to take time each day to do something for themselves. I personally enjoy sitting down and watching a good chick flick . My kids have been going to bed earlier than normal, which is good because this gives me time for myself. It's a great way to end the day, relax and unwind. All I need is a cup of hot tea and a movie. When I was single, "me time" was something I really looked forward to. Whether I was in school or at work, I could not wait to head home, grab some take out and rent a chick flick . There's something about relaxing and escaping into a good movie. Hence the operative word being good. This week I rented a couple of movies that I thought would be good, however I was sadly mistaken. Last night I watched a poor excuse of a so called " chick flick", the movie was 500 days of Summer. I can summarize it in one word, Awful! The whole point of watching

Fitness. The mere thought of the word makes me tired. Unless you are a fitness buff, odds are you don't enjoy working out. Remember that thing I said I didn't want to do but desperately needed? Yeah, it's called working out. I'm not big on New Year Resolutions, but I was determined this year to begin an exercise program. I'm tired of being over weight and feeling uncomfortable in everything I wear. With that being said, I was headed towards the end of January without an ounce of motavation to exercise. It's so easy to find an excuse to not start, but this week my 5 year old son told me we had to exercise. He thinks exercising is fun, well only because he jumps around, takes a water break, comes back, then takes a bathroom break, and then comes back again. On Tuesday, I began Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. It is tough, let me tell you, it's a 20 minute routine that has you working every muscle in your body. It's hard to get an out of shap

What does being a mom mean to you? For me, being a mom means the world, but sometimes I feel like I lose myself in it. I decided to begin a mommy project as a journey of self discovery. It's about discovering talents that I did not know I had. It's about trying new things. About doing things I never had that chance to do. Things that I love and even those that I don't care for, but know that I desperately need. After becoming a mom, I felt that I had giving up so much to stay home with my children, even though it was a decision I felt strongly about. It's been five years and I've realized that instead of dwelling on the negatives or the what ifs, I need to accept my life just as it is. This is another chapter of my life and it's up to me to discover what's in store. This is a project of becoming a new and better me.