Catch up.

Ohhh, I'm so behind.

I hate feeling behind.  I hate feeling out of the loop.  I hate the way I feel uneasy until I'm on track again.

Yesterday we returned from our week long trip to Canada.  "Amazing" really doesn't even begin to touch the surface of how much fun we had.... ay?

The week prior to that was pure chaos.  I needed a sitter for 3 days straight and couldn't find one, so I met my inlaws to exchange my boys.  I photographed a birth.  I packed & prepared for our trip.  I cleaned our house without little ones messing it up right afterwards.  I worked out - a lot!  I lead worship for our weekend women's retreat.  And even squeezed a date night in.

Naturally, I fell off the grid with a week like that.

But today I plan to knock this vacation-haze out of me (with the help of some more coffee), and then I'll be back to sum up our vacation with a few a lot of pictures... I know you're excited.

And lastly, just to toot my own horn, I still exercised (and actually ran more than I needed to) while I was on vacation.  I never thought I'd be that person at the hotel using their exercise room, but I totally was.

I just feel incredibly thankful to have the freedom and ability to travel with my family, and the privilege of having a home to come back to.

It's the little things I never want to take for granted.

A change: week 4

I'm a day behind, but trying to stay on top of it so I can look back and remember my journey someday.

Weight Gain/Loss:  -1.5... (-6.7 total)

Exercise this week:  I worked out every day this past week, except on Sunday!  I ran 3 times, did Jillian 30-day shred, BodyPump, and Zumba.  Such a fun (and motivating) workout week! 

Overall health: Feeling good.  It's weird, but I'm starting to notice on the days that I don't workout, my muscles (especially my knees) ache so bad!  A little ironic, but maybe it's from the rest. 

Hardest thing this week: Hmmm.  Probably trying to not get discouraged with the 1 pound loss... it's a LOSS, so that's great, but I really worked hard this week and hoped for more.  I was under my calories every day except one, and the day I went over, it was only by 9 calories.  Totally patting myself on the back right now.  :) 

Overall thoughts:  I had 3 people tell me I was looking great/skinny so that is such an ego boost!  I'm really starting to like exercise and LOVE the way I feel afterwards.  Also?  I think it's time for some workout clothes.  I'm getting tired of wearing pajama pants to the gym... ha! 

This coming week: Running, running, running.  I have a super busy next couple of days, and then we leave on Sunday for our week-long vacation to Canada...!!!... so I hope to still stay active throughout the week.

Anyone else have a loss/gain to report?  Thanks for following along with me on this journey! 

Do not worry.

Sometimes I get jealous of the people who have husbands who work 8am-5pm, no weekends, with a steady income... and most importantly, with a secure company.

My husband and I have never had that 8-5 no weekends job.  When he worked for the aviation world, he worked 10-12 hour shifts, 4-5 days a week.  And now, in the engineering world, his schedule is all over the place.  Sometimes he gets home after I'm in bed and leaves before the boys wake up.  He has also worked about 80% of the weekends since starting, over a year ago.  The very few Saturday mornings he has been off feel like Christmas morning sometimes.

Normally, I'm not one to complain.  His job is great.  He's doing something that he REALLY loves.  It is different each day, and he learns new things a lot.  He comes home happy, and doesn't mind going to work in the mornings.  To me, that is worth the odd & extra hours that his schedule is... because he's doing something that he really loves.

Unfortunately, life always has twists and turns, usually when we're not expecting it.

And that's the hardest part for me.
The unexpected.
The unknowns.
The fear that threatens to swallow me whole.

Which, of course, goes perfectly with my devotional that has been on repeat in my head from a couple days ago...

"Concentrate on keeping in step with me, instead of trying to anticipate my plans for you.  If you trust that my plans are to prosper and not harm you, you can relax and enjoy the present moment."  

{Jesus Calling}

More often than not, I find myself trying to plan, trying to predict, trying to figure it all out... and completely missing the present moment I'm in.  I'm way too caught up in trying to have it all together and planned according to MY wants for our future, that I completely miss the point. 

Our goal each day should be concentrating on HIS heart and HIS desire, and resting...RESTING!... knowing He already has it all worked out anyway. 

My hope, my future... they are rooted in Heaven. Not here.

And yes, I'm totally preaching to myself today.  :)

We can make our plans,
    but the Lord determines our steps.

Proverbs 16:9

A change: week 3

Ok - I'm discouraged.  This is going to be a total debbie-downer post.


Weight Gain/Loss:  -0, no gain, no loss. (-5.2 total)

Exercise this week:  I ran 3 times (couch to 5k program), weights once, and a little bit of Zumba.  I didn't do as much as I originally wanted to.

Overall health: Feeling pretty good.  Much more active and conscious about wanting to get up and do stuff instead of sitting on the sidelines. 

Hardest thing this week: Jaxon *hates* going to childcare at our gym.  This deserves a post of its own, but each day when I have to convince, beg, and eventually end up TELLING him we're going to the gym is such a struggle.  I already have this internal battle with myself to go, then I finally get myself all pumped up and get ready to leave... only to begin the fight over again with Jaxon.  I'm absolutely not blaming my lack of going "above and beyond" this week on him - but it does make it so much harder.

Overall thoughts:  I should have taken measurements when I first began.  I had 2 different people encourage me to do that this week, and I need to get a tape measure.  I am starting to feel different (and some clothes are beginning to fit differently), but this week the scale didn't reflect that so I am discouraged. Also, I went over on my calories 4 of the 7 days... so no wonder.  Ugh... I have such a love/hate relationship with food and my inability to say 'no' sometimes.  1200 calories is SO hard to do on the days you don't exercise... which of course, just means I need to be doing some kind of exercise each day. 

This coming week: Running, and I'm dreading it.  Yesterday's work-out was BY FAR the hardest one I've had, and by the time I was done I wanted to never step on a treadmill again.  I started getting these shooting pains up/down my back, which spread to my front, and turned into massive stomach cramps while I was running.  My brother also encouraged me to do more weights this week, to burn more calories... and I'm going to try and go to a couple classes.  Maybe even some Jillian at home. 


What about you - how was your week?  Gain?  Lose?  Hanging steady?  Share below!

A little bit random.

How was your weekend?

I traveled to my parents house for the day on Saturday to spend some QT with my Dad... if you know him, you can probably guess what we did!

Played volleyball in the front yard.
Went swimming.
And played games that night.

Sounds just like him, yes?  I love you SO much, Dad!

Sunday we had a low-key day.  Our boys slept until almost 5pm so Tyler and I were lazy in the afternoon and then closed out the night with a squirt gun fight in the backyard and a little Sonic ice cream.  Well, Tyler had ice cream.  I didn't, because the MINI size was almost 400 calories... crazy stupid yummy delicious not good for you ice cream.

My husband really is the best Dad I could ask for to Jaxon and Cohen.  He drops everything the minute he walks in the door and plays with them until they go to bed.  He is SO patient!  The man hardly ever raises his voice and loves to teach them how to do new things.  I am so so so thankful for him and the role he is playing in our boys' lives.

Still one of my favorite pictures of him...

On a completely unrelated note, today I checked out a preschool in our area for Jaxon.  Such a surreal experience... one you think is YEARS from happening, until you blink and it's time for you to start thinking about that.

We are trying to decide if we'll enroll him in the summer program or not, but I'm confident the fall program will be here before we know it and he'll be away from me 2 (half) days a week.  What will Cohen do without him?

But then, in the same minute, I'm thinking... he's only 3... 3-year old preschool is not a necessity... is it worth the money... is it worth being tied-down and not being able to leave town if I wanted to during the week... is this the right route to go?

So, what do you think?  Will you enroll your child in 3 year old preschool?  Will you wait till s/he's 4?  Or will you just skip right to kindergarten?

I'd love to hear your thoughts, and why.

Have a great Tuesday!  Tomorrow is weigh-in... yikes.

 

“I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.

    I will advise you and watch over you."

Psalm 32:8