Yummy!

Tomorrow we have our Thanksgiving Feast at Travis Ave Christian Early Learning Center. My two year olds are dressing up as Indians and the 3 and 4 year olds are dressing up as pilgrims. Mary Kate is so excited! I am too. All of the parents are coming and then everyone is bringing food. So, tonight I finished up some crafts that my classroom made that I needed to assemble. Then, I made my dish for the Feast. I decided to take advantage of this opportunity to do a practice run of one of the new Thanksgiving dishes. So, I made the Cauliflower Puree. It smelled sooooo good. I can't wait. The recipe I have is for just one serving, so I had to multiply it alot and as a result there was a little too much liquid, but it is not so much that it ruins it. I tried a bite and It was so yummy. If you look at the recipe I made some changes that I am happy with...First, I used roasted garlic instead of raw garlic; Second, I used vegetable broth instead of Chicken broth (I think the veggie broth has A LOT more flavor!); and third, I left out the cream in order to make it healthier. All in all, I think it is great and I am excited to make it for my family! On another note, I am doing great with eating healthier. I have lost 10 pounds now. 10 Lbs!!! In a week and a half! I am really excited. Not just about the weight loss, but also because I really am developing a completely new outlook on food and eating. I find myself mindlessly gravitating to healthy foods, being not only satisfied, but full on only a little over half the calories I once ate in a day, and overall uninterested in greasy foods, fast foods, and generally unhealthy foods. I don't miss them. At all! I appreciate all the prayers and support! Keep it up, I know it is helping.

Thanksgiving Dinner

We are very excited for Thanksgiving this year because unlike last year, I am not 39 weeks pregnant, and unlike the year before, we will not be all alone. My parents are coming down for the week of Thanksgiving and my sisters will be here as well. It will be nice to all be together. Since Mike and I are working hard at eating right, I decided to to a Non-Traditional Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner. I am going to make Traditional Thanksgiving flavors in Non-Traditional (and Healthier) ways. So, I thought I would share my menu with you:

Herb Rubbed Turkey with Roasted Garlic Gravy
Acorn Squash with Wild Mushroom and Cranberry Stuffing
Roasted Green and White Asparagus
Cauliflower Puree
Mixed Greens Salad with Pecans and Craisins
Sweet Potato Rolls

I linked them all so you could check them out yourself. They sound DELICIOUS!!! We aren't making as many dishes, but they will be good...and who really needs 4 variations off potatoes anyways. Happy planning on all of your Thanksgiving dishes and love to hear your ideas as well!

Finallly Focused

I have always struggled with my weight. My mom struggled with hers and pretty much every woman on both sides of my family have struggled as well. I say this not as an excuse, but as a little background information. I have known that I needed to lose weight for a while now and have tried in the past to no avail. Not because I couldn't, but because I was never actually focused on it. I knew what I needed to do, but never had the willpower to do it. I would always fail and give in at some point. It was never a lifestyle change, It was never an act of Faith...It was always very prideful and self-confident, although for the life of me, I don't know why since I never succeeded. After I had Bria I lost 30 lbs. It was easy. It just melted away after she was born. It was great, and I was confident. And where I haven't gained any of it back, I haven't lost anymore either. I keep saying, "I need to get more focused on my diet" or "I need to watch what I eat" or other things, but I never actually committed to do anything. To be honest, I really had NO idea what the nutritional value of most of the foods I ate were. Last Saturday It hit me and I knew I had to change. In our cell groups at church we are doing a study on "Life's Healing Choices: Freedom from your hurts, habits, and hangups" and last week (or was it two weeks ago) in the study the Rick Warren made a statement that willpower should be called won'tpower...cheesy I know, but his point was that we CANNOT change our own lives. We need to relinquish control of our lives and count on God for strength to get over what we are struggling with. Wow, I tell Mary Kate all the time that she is a "can-do kid," that she CAN DO all things through Christ who gives her strength and if she is struggling with something, she should ask him for help and trust that he will help her. I obviously will help her too, but I want her to receive her confidence from Him! So why don't I listen to my own advice. I need to trust him to give me the strength to change my lifestyle and set a positive example for my children. So, I signed up for Sparkpeople, It is a website that helps you reach your weightloss goals by encouraging healthy living and helping you track your food consumption and activities. I started this on Sunday and I have been overwhelmed by the change that has occurred in my mind already. It is like all of a sudden I don't even want to eat the things I used to eat or drink. I have been eating a 1200-1500 calorie diet balanced 30-30-40 for carbs-fat-protein since Sunday morning. I have lost 4 pounds. I am hesitant to get excited about this, but I am excited. I have never been focused like this before. I know it is because I am depending on Christ to change not only my physical appearance, but my heart and mind towards food. I am trusting him to help me change my lifestyle and make me and my family more healthy. Pray for me to stay focused and trust God during this time as I seek freedom from this habit/hangup/unhealthy lifestyle. I will try to keep posting about my progress!

My baby is growing up!

I feel old. Mary Kate learned how to tie a shoe this week. Here's a video of it.

I hate Thursdays!

So, as great as Wednesdays are for me, that's how bad Thursdays are. I work on Thursday which is pretty enjoyable except for the getting up and getting out the door with the kids. However, It is a busy day. On top of a busy day, add in the fact that I see Mike for about 15 minutes in the morning while we are both scrambling around getting ourselves and the kids ready for the day. After that, I go to work and he goes to school. I get off of work at 2:30 and guess what time Mike goes to work. You guessed it! 2:30! He doesn't get home until 3:30 AM! So, MK doesn't see Mike at all on Thursdays except to say hi through a sleepy haze in the morning and I don't see Mike all day. And We are all cranky! :( I can deal with my own crankiness, but MK is a daddy's girl through and through and typically has a meltdown every Thursday night. It is no fun. I hate it. Anyways, tonight was actually fun. A friend came over for a haircut and stayed for a while. She is MK's cubbies teacher and it was really nice to get to know her a bit better. MK loved it because she is a ham! Ok, goodnight all!

I heart Wednesdays!

I think Wednesdays have become my favorite day of the week. With my job at Travis Avenue, and watching Julianna, and with Mike's classes and work schedule life is crazy. Either I am watching kids or keeping kids from waking Mike up or working. Most days Mike sleeps in because he doesn't get home from work until 3:30 AM. There is only one day during the week where I could possibly sleep in: Wednesday. For the past couple of weeks, Mike has been getting up with the girls and letting me sleep as long as I want. It has been so nice. It actually feels like I sort of have a day off. I mean, Mike goes to work in the afternoon, so Its not the whole day off, but even so it is great! And, On Wednesday night Mary Kate has AWANAS and Brianna hangs out in the nursery, so I get another hour and a half to myself. It is nice. Once a month I go to the business meeting, but the other weeks I do my grocery shopping or get coffee or just sit in the blessed silence. I love Wednesdays. Everyone should have at least one day during the week that is this restful. On another note, I love my job. I realized on Tuesday that even when the kids in my class are all having horrible days, I still enjoy being there. I never hate it, I never wish I didn't have to go. I truly love it!

Something in the Air Lately...

I swear there is something in the air! Lately, Brianna has been waking up multiple times a night. Usually, she will wake up, sit up, and start playing in her crib, sometimes silently, sometimes babbling. Problem is when we walk by, she freaks out, and when she gets tired of playing but doesn't want to go back to sleep she freaks out. Makes us getting sleep kind of difficult. Also, today was a crazy day at work. 9 of our 10 kids were there and the one that was out was one of our 3 girls. The boys don't usually miss school ever. They were all either really really abnormally sensitive, or really really abnormally aggressive. I don't know for sure, but I am betting, something in the air, allergens, a weather front, a whole lot of crazy, opposite molecules, a full moon, something. Hoping to get some sleep tonight finally and get rid of this headache. Thursday's are always hard with the girls because I am at work all day with Mary Kate in her preschool class and Mike is home with Brianna and when we get home at 230ish, Mike goes to work in Dallas. So, we don't see him hardly at all on Thursday. This is particularly hard on MK who is a devoted Daddy's girl. Here's to a peaceful rest of the day!