Heys Ya'll!

Okay, that title was weird. But I typed that before I really thought about typing that. Guess that makes me southern, even though it's been established that I don't have a southern accent.

Moving on..

Today was a break day. No activity. That was nice. Instead I lounged around the house in the morning and took a nap during the baby's first nap. When I woke I had a caffeine head ache. Must. Get. Starbucks. So I did. Then I went grocery shopping. I was determined to make hummus and make it well. I love the farmer's market hummus, but it's expensive and too far for me to drive to get. And I think I pulled it off! Very garlicky and very tahini-y. Loved it!

Here's my tracker for today:

Breakfast:
Spelt Flakes with skim

Snack:
Mocha

Lunch:
"Power Plate" from Starbucks (mini whole wheat bagel, peanut butter, hard boiled egg, two slices of cheese, grapes and apple slices)

Snack:
Oat bran muffin (homemade)
Grapes
Carrots and hummus

Dinner:
Avacado and tomato sandwich on toasted Ezekiel bread. (Very good)
Roasted asparagus with creamy balsamic dip (mayo, balsamic vinegar and pepper- thanks Jen!)

Snack:
Small square of dark chocolate

Maybe, just maybe I'll wake up early for Heat class. But I'm not promising anything....

One of my proudest moments as a woman

My sweet friend and doula sent me pictures of my birth. My hard drive crashed and I lost a lot of photos, including my birth pics. So once I stumbled upon these I realized how proud I was of myself in that moment. I worked so hard- both emotionally and physically to give birth to my son. It reminds me that I'm very capable of doing anything I set my mind to.

Real labor setting in...

All I wanted to do is lie in the bed. :)

Okay, now for the tub!

It all happened so fast- I remember this part was where I was trying to negotiate my way through it in my head.

Starting to surrender

Surrendering to the process my body is doing.

Trance like

New life!

Updated pics: 164 lbs!

My Garden!

Experimenting with these Topsy Turvy hanging bags this year. I planted 3- a cherry tomato, brandywine tomato and a cucumber vine. We'll see...

Two cumber vines- I made a trellis out of bamboo tiki torches (that were rotting in the garage) and some twine!
In the pots: bell pepper and jalepeno. In the garden: 3 tomato, 2 cucumber and 2 zucchini

2 cucumber and three zucchini. I'm caging one zucchini to see if I can train it to grow up. I hear sometimes you can, sometimes you can't. We'll see...

Herbs! This isn't all of them, but here there is sage, thyme and oregano.

I'm plain brain dead

My brain has nothing to offer lately. That's why I've not been writing a lot. Just have nothing to say. Have those days/weeks?

Anyway, I've been doing great on the food/fitness front. I'm noticing that I'm eating three meals a day and one snack. That's about what my days look like. My snacks are usually at night around 9pm. That groove seems to be going well with my body and what it needs. I'm trying to remember to drink enough water. My milk supply is being a little funny and my let downs are coming slower and Shepherd does NOT like that. I think it's a lack of water. So I'm trying to be conscience of that. Can't let the Michelin Baby goes without his necessary calories!!

I'm planning to go to my Heat class tomorrow. My goal is to be able to go to that class and not feel sore the next day. But I think that'll happen a couple weeks from now. That will signify that I've actually worked up some stamina. LOL

Here's what I chowed on today:

Breakfast:
Millet flakes (Some organic brand of corn flakes, but millet- it was on sale)
Skim milk
Banana sliced up in it

Lunch:
Bulgar stir fry- bulgar, shallot, garlic, green pepper, green onion, and an egg (like fried rice)
Collard greens
A piece of dark chocolate

Dinner: (our neighbors invited us over)
BBQ Pork
Cous Cous
Salad
Chips
Cookies

I over did it a little bit at dinner but I did work in the garden all day and haven't felt the need for a snack (It's 10pm)- so I think it's okay.

TGIF

Went to Heat again.

Ouch again.

I thought since the Friday Heat class is only 45 min that it would not be as bad as the hour long one. I was wrong. Suicides, jumping rope, push ups, pushing the bosu across the gym floor full circle. I was sweating so much that I was leaving drips everywhere I stood and had to wipe it up so no one would trip.

Man.

Feeling good though. Scale said 165 this morning. So I broke the 166 curse. :)

Today is busy so this won't be a long post, but wanted to let you all know I'm continuing my groove!

Turbo Ass Kicker

I went to the Turbo Kick class at the Y. Once again I proved that I used to be a super star- as that class was "great" when I last took it. Now the class has evolved to a resounding: "Holy mother of God I think I'm going to die!"

But I did it.

Getting back in the groove and LOVING being able to get back into my normal fitness routine!

Mother of Mercy I'm a glutton for punishment

Ouch.

Ouch.

Ouch.

So I finally got to the YMCA today and was determined to take my long lost Heat class. Last time I took it- I was about 4 months pregnant. I know...I was a super star.

Not today.

There was a wait in the infant childcare, so I just waited and waited and luckily missed a few sprints up the hill and was hoping the rest would take place in the fitness room. Not so much. An opening came up and off I went outside where the class was starting yet another round of sprints up hill. Then for our "break" we did lunges up hill. Then sprints. Then skipped (yes, skipped) up hill. Then lunges again. Then after I felt like I was going to cough up blood, we finally went inside for the ab routine.

*cough, hack, cough*

I have to say I'm so proud of myself for jumping in. Even though I was DEAD LAST up every hill sprint, I followed through. I'm going to go again. Depending on how my night goes tonight I may try to make the 6am class tomorrow. It's really an ideal time for me as Shepherd wakes for a feed around 4 or 5am and then sleep til 8am. I remember when I used to go all the time - up at 5:45am and back by 7:15am.

Wow. I was a super star.....

Still 166 lbs. Which is fine. I'm learning so much about my relationship with food. I tend to have a very passionately love affair with it. It makes me feel good, free, happy. But not really. Cause about 10 mins after I over eat I feel like shit. So learning about my body and it's hunger cues and how to respect that has been a very powerful thing for me. And after a month of eating whatever I want (mostly chocolate), I'm feel a bit of a nudge to start focusing on some more nutritious foods. I think it was good to get the chocolate out of my system. Make friends with it again, realized that it's not bad. But I'm wanting to start getting creative in the kitchen again and make some meals that involve more fresh choices.

Here's what's for dinner tonight at the Gordon house:

Zucchini Pizza Bake (Katherine's recipe)- bascially you slice zucchini, dust with some flour, lightly fry (mostly sautee with a little spray) and layer them in a baking dish. Then slice fresh tomatoes over top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then take am 8oz thing of sour cream and add some oregano. Spread that on top. Then sprink some shredded parmesean cheese. Bake at 350 until brown and bubbly.

Falafel (Jenny's recipe-she's made this for me twice and I'm in love) Falafel is just chickpeas with some extra love from garlic, shallots and seasoning. With a yummy yogurt dip. Very good!

Ed and I have signed up to get a CSA box this wednesday. We're very excited about it! Fresh produce! Ed also got a pasta maker. (I know- he's crazy) But he made the best whole wheat pasta the other night. It tasted so fresh and smooth. I love that he's into cooking. And he's into totally different things that I am, so it's nice.

Okay, I'm going to try to get a bath in before my older kids come home and my baby is napping!

Sometimes you just have to make time

So I haven't slept for about 4 months. Even as I type that my eyes feel dry and my head wants a pillow. I've felt like I've stretched my body and mind and effort about as far as I can before having some sort of break down. Well, not really. That was a bit dramatic.

All this to say- I decided I would pay a friend to watch my kids tomorrow so I can "get ready for Amelia's birthday." Well, that is true. But then about 20 mins after I confirmed she could come I called Natural Body Spa and booked a massaged. I felt like I was playing hookie. But my GOD I cannot tell you how badly I need a massage. I feel like I need some nurturing. When you're the primary "nurturer," it's easy to let months slip by before you realize you haven't felt taken care of in a while.

So...at 11:15 am tomorrow I'm going to slip out and be nurtured. I figure I'll bake my cake tomorrow morning, get the massage, then come back and ice it. (It's a high maintenance Barbie Doll cake). Then I'll get to see my sweet Millie's face when she blows out the candles Saturday. And I'll be a relaxed, happy mommy because I took some time to get a massage!

Food front is good. I'm going out to eat with a friend tonight. Uninterrupted conversations are the best!

Tracker so far:

Mocha

RF coffee cake from Starbuck's

Lunch:

Willy's Salad (ate about half)

Snack:

Chocolate

Dinner:

Gonna have a taco and a margarita!

I miss you!!

It's been determined that my computer is officially dead. Well, the hard drive anyway. That means all my pictures. I could cry. This is NOT good. But a lesson was learned. Back up, back up, back up.

I'm doing very well on the eating front. I believe I'm still around 166 lbs, which is fine with me. I'm realizing that this time my weight is coming off slowly. But I'm trying to focus on the fact that it is coming off. I attempting several times this week to go to the YMCA with the baby (for the first time). Both times the power was out from storms here. Go figure...

Today I'm going on a long walk. I haven't been in a while and it's going to be nice. The weather is a bit chilly, but beautiful! I've got a busy weekend ahead with birthday planning for my daughter. I'm making her a "pink cake with pink icing." Yes ma'am!

I'm going to try and "blog" via my phone. We'll see. My computer gets back to me in 10 days "fixed." Thankfully my warranty covers it. Right now I'm borrowing computers here and there to check things.

I'll post tracker later!

So sorry!

Sorry blogger friends. My computer is fried and I'm short on time with all the travel.

I'll post more later, but my trip to see my mom was good! I stuck to my hunger cues and did well.

ANd of course the baby is crying just as I type this......

166 lbs!

Gotta catch a plane, but wanted to share!

We're getting on a plane!

Tomorrow the kids and I are getting on a plane and flying to Raleigh to see my mom.  We usually go to the mountain house in Boone, but it's been a while since we've been to her "house" house.  She lives on a lot of land and the kids can literally run wild, which is nice.  We're going to lounge around and just "be."  My mom is still recovering from getting her lap band removed (which was eroding into her stomach).  So I'm there to keep her company and help out.  She informed me she bought the first two seasons of 30 Rock.  I informed her we will be watching it 24/7.  

I love that show...

My husband says I remind him of Liz Lemon.  1- with my food obsession.  2-with my one liners and weird words for things.  Liz's "curse word language" is right up my ally.  

Flerg.

Anyway- my obsession with food is slowly diminishing.  I'm not longer cravings things and trying to resist them.  Instead I'm uneventfully thinking of what I want to eat and then eating it.  Tonight I made homemade lasagna with ground beef, onions, marinara sauce and mushrooms. Topped with full fat mozzarella and parmesan.  I served it with a caesar salad with buttery, texas style croutons and a crusty roll.  It was so good.  I ended up leaving 1/4 of my slice of lasagna and most of the roll.  Salad was devoured!

Here's my tracker:

Breakfast:

Two slices toast with butter and jam

Two pieces bacon

Snack:

Mocha

Lunch:

Burrito Supreme from Taco Bell

Snack:

Some grapes

Some sweet tarts

A mini pie thing my grandma gave me

Dinner:

Lasagna

Salad

Roll

I'll be off and on line over the week.  I'll try to post!

Quick post....

My baby is down for a nap and my kids don't get back from school for 10 whole minutes!  

So I blog....

Today was good.   It was rainy but I was hell bent on getting a walk/run in.  I took the baby to the park and walked 2 miles and ran 2 miles.  4 total!   Running is getting easier and easier.  But I'm noticing that I do much better after walking at least a full mile before running.  Just warms me up.  

I came home famished.  I had a slice of leftover pizza, a salad and a mini almond joy.  Very satisfying.  

Okay- baby is up.  

More later..