Annual Leaf Jump

Every year, my in-laws have the girls over to do a leaf jump in their yard.

The girls LOVE it!

{Aren't they the BEST grandparents??}

Quote of the day: When I said that it sounded like their lucky day (because they had gotten the girls ice cream earlier in the day), Addy's reply was, "Every day is a lucky day when we're with Granny!"

It melted my heart to hear, in her own words, just how much she loves being with her....and I'm pretty sure she guaranteed herself ice cream for life with granny after that comment :)

This year, we also combined it with celebrating my (Wonderful) husband's birthday with dinner and an ice cream cake.

Here are some pics from the fun afternoon:

I WON!!!

I mentioned before that I was going to my friend's annual Halloween/Costume party and that I couldn't think of costumes for us.

The theme was 'A Night at The Movies'.

But last Monday, (kind of last minute since the party was Friday), I came up with an idea.

Thanks to Ebay and fast shipping, we were able to get what we needed.

And so, we went as The Grinch and Cindy Lou Who.

Braids by me :)

And guess what?

I WON the Best Costume prize for the girls!!!!

Now, if you had read my previous post, you would know that this is a big deal because Amy For Him ALWAYS wins this prize.

{And BTW, her husband won for the men this year, AGAIN, so we didn't completely take them over}

{And actually, their costumes were once again, AH-MAZ-ING!  So, they kind of deserve to win}

Frodo and Gandolph....see what I mean??  Crazy Good!!

It seriously was such a fun party!  A scavenger hunt (yes, we all went to Wal-greens in costume), games, snacks, and even movie themed prizes.

The hostess with the mostest! Love this girl...and her parties!!

I can't wait to see what next years theme will be!

What are you going as for Halloween this year??

Here's What I Have To Say

As you all know, I am on a journey towards a healthier, fitter, skinnier me.

And I am succeeding!!

It almost feels wrong to write that.

Why?

Because I have failed so many times in the past.

And because it sounds like bragging.

But it should be okay to brag about that.  Right?

I think, like lots of women, I have gotten use to putting myself last.

'The kids need things for school and activities, so I'll just put off buying those gym shoes I need.'

Or, 'I need to be home to help my family in the evening, so I don't have time to go walking.'

Or, 'I feel bad for making my family eat the way I need to to be healthy, so I'll just eat what they like.'

Basically, we find all the reasons in the world to put others in front of our own needs.

We may have even meant to get back to us one day, but that day just kept getting pushed further and further away.

And then finally, we forgot about our needs altogether.

But not anymore!

I have decided that I am just as important as everyone else.

My health matters.

Just as much as my kids cheer leading, or the Christmas gifts they want, or my husbands new CD's.

It matters just as much as the way they want to eat, or the way that they want to spend our time.

It matters.

And so, I'm not going to feel guilty about it.

Not about spending the money on myself, or about taking the time I need to focus on me, or choosing to cook the food that I think is best for me.

And it feels good!

I feels freeing.

And I think, it's why I finally feel like I'm succeeding.

Because I'm not trying to get healthy working around everyone else's schedule, or needs or on anyone else's terms.

This is about ME!

And I'm not just okay with that.

I'm GREAT with that!

Tell me, have you struggled with this?  Or DO you struggle with this?

A (Homemade) Cough Remedy That Actually Works!

So I mentioned yesterday that I have bronchitis along with a sinus infection.

Good times.

But since I HATE to take OTC meds for that kind of stuff, because they never seem to help anyway, I was just kind of dealing with it until I could get to the doctor.

But I came across this home remedy on Pinterest and I happened to have all the stuff already in the pantry.

So I gave it a try.

And By Golly IT WORKED!

Let me warn you that it's pretty nasty.

I just held my nose and drank it down.  (Remember to only take 1 TBSP at a time!)

And I wouldn't give it to my kids (because of the Cayenne Pepper.  But if your kids like hot stuff...go for it!)

But it totally did the job, and WAY better than those OTC meds.

Plus, no side effects like drowsiness or hyper activity.

So next time you feel a sore throat or cough coming on, give this a try first!



I'll be linking up with WFMW at We Are THAT Family, too!

What's On Your To-Do List?

My To-Do list is approximately 7 miles long right now.

I just keep adding and adding, but not much is getting done.

{Including Blog posts, which I am waaaaay behind on.  Sorry!}

At the top of my list right now are:

Get stuff for my daughter to make football signs tonight, (probably should get on that...)
Pick up and take my prescriptions (I have bronchitis..yay.)
Clean my house (who am I kidding?)
Purchase a camera and laptop (I have been procrastinating on this for months)
Fill out and mail in Red Tape paper work kind of stuff (HATE this!)
Decide what I'm making and then make something for a Football/Cheer Bonfire this weekend (which will probably end up being something pre-made and purchased at the grocery five minutes before we go)
Replace the light that went out in our bathroom a week ago (did someone say my make-up looks weird?)
Call and cancel the Netflix that we planned to only have for the free trial month that we have now paid for for  6 months (my bad...)
Figure out what my husband and I are going to be for the Halloween party we are going to next week (does it even matter??  We all know Amy For Him and her hubby are going to win the prize anyway!)
Take the junk that is left over from my garage sale, IN JULY, to Goodwill (so I can put more junk that is currently *inside* my house out there)
And a ton of other random things that will probably still be on the list in 2 months.

But while I haven't been doing those things, here are the things I have been doing:

Snuggling with my kiddo's while we all take turns getting sick (it's that time of year!)
Exercising (and I'm not even lying!!)
Spending time with friends and family who need it (because I have been so blessed by others when I have needed it!)
Having fun with my kids and all of their 101 activities (they will only want me around for so long...)
Making healthy meals and feeding my body the way it is meant to be fed (down 20 pounds so far!  Ask me how if you want to know!)
Enjoying all the new fall TV shows (if you know me, you know how excited I am about this!)


So while I know I have lots to get done, I think my list of things I have been doing is pretty awesome.  And the truth is, I'd much rather be doing all of that!

So tell me, what's on your To-Do list?  And what are you doing instead of doing it?

WFMW: Healthy Snacks

As I continue on this journey towards better health, I've had to start thinking a lot more about the stuff I am eating.

And part of that are snacks.

Here's what I used to snack on:

-Crackers with cream cheese and pepper jelly (one of my faves!)
-Movie theater butter popcorn
-Sugar cereal (pretty much any kind)
-Pizza rolls
-Brownies
-Cookies
-Slices of cheddar cheese
-Cheez-It's
-Candy
-Frito's
-Pringles
-Donuts
-Nacho's

Pretty healthy, huh?

Obviously, I had to do an overhaul here.

But I still have to have snacks that are tasty, satisfying and take little to no time to prepare.

Here are some things that I have been substituting the above list with now:

-Granny Smith Apples, (perfect blend of sweet and tart!)
-Hard Boiled Eggs (I keep them in the fridge all the time now!)
-Almonds
-Blueberries
-Raspberries
-Peaches
-Greek Yogurt (Chobani tends to be my favorite)
-Guacamole or hummus and sliced peppers or carrots
-Almond Butter...sometimes with apples or sometimes on whole grain toast

Ummmm, and that's about it.

So, as you can see I have a pretty good variety, but I think I need more choices.  After all, I'm eating snacks about 3 times per day, so I go through this list pretty often.

Does anyone have any good ideas for some?  I'm trying to keep them low carb, and low calorie if that gives you some direction.

Thanks!!

I will be linking up with We Are THAT Family for WFMW.

Update on Life Changes and Winner of Gift Card!

Hey friends! 

Soooo, since I posted about my food addiction I've been busy making some life changes.

The main thing is praying about changing the way I see food, and then actually putting that into action.

I signed up for a program called Advocare.  I knew a lot of people who were doing it, and most of them were having success.

Not just with weight loss, but with feeling their best.

So, I decided to give it a try.

They have this thing called a 24 day challenge, and so that's where I'm starting.

I like it because I am eating real food, but the kind of food I should be eating....whole foods, things that will help my body instead of hurting it.

It is helping to teach me about what makes my body feel better and run better.  And the best part is, I have never felt hungry, which is something I was afraid of.

I have finished the "cleanse" portion, and am now on to the "max" phase.  Basically, I'm on day 12 and so far, I've lost 16 pounds and 8 inches!!!!

Oh.  My.  Word.

BUT, even better than that, is that I feel great!!

My mind is clearer.

I am not tired all the time like I used to be.

I am not craving sugar or fried foods.

I am not having all the stomach issues I have struggled with for so long.

And I feel good about myself.

It has been a long time since I could say that.

But it's true.

Because, you see, I realized that for so long, I have not even been looking at myself.

I mean, of course I do my makeup and hair in the mirror, and I check my outfit before I leave the house.

But I never really look at myself.  Like, look into my own eyes and actually see me.

Why?

I don't know.  I think it's just because I was afraid I wouldn't like who I saw there.

But the other day, when I realized this, I just took a moment to really look at myself.  And you know what?

I like me.

I try to be kind and giving whenever I can.

I really care about other people and how they feel.

I am a loyal and true friend.

I have a pretty good sense of humor (if I do say so myself...and I do :)  )

I try to stay positive.

I am smart.

I am always trying to be a teachable person.

I am a good mommy.

I am a faithful and loving wife.

And I genuinely love Christ with every fiber of my being.

So maybe I don't exactly love the physical part of my looks, and I know I still have things that I need to change, (like this food addiction I'm working through), but overall, I can honestly say that I like me.  And that is a HUGE step.

Not afraid to really look in that mirror anymore.

And, if after all of this, if that's the only thing I get...I feel pretty great about that!

So there you have it.

My first "update".

I'd say it's a pretty good one. :)




And NOW, are you ready for the results of the $50 Visa Card Giveaway??

Congratulations to...

GRETCHEN!!!!

I hope you enjoy your $50 and spend it on something to spoil yourself!!!!

Please send me your address at thefamilyfunmom@yahoo.com and I will send it off to you!



And thanks again to all of you for continuing to read and for all the encouragement!