when whole wheat toast becomes a treat!

Whole wheat toast....a treat?

Huh?

Yeah. That was me four weeks ago too.

But lets go back further...to 8 years ago. That was when I was getting ready to get married and was trying to lose that last stubborn two pounds. It didn't happen...DESPITE my running early in the morning. I was okay with that though, because I was still pretty slim.

Then I got married. And the pounds started to pack on.

Then I had my first baby girl. And the pounds REALLY started to pack on.

Then I had baby girl #2. Yup. More pounds.

And then, the doozy. TWINS! Yeah. Ahem.

And now enter two months ago. I decided I really needed to get serious about losing weight. I was 52 pounds heavier than when we got married. Ugh.

So...I started my weight loss journey. Let me just mention that this was right before Thanksgiving, which is right before Christmas. I'm pretty sure that's a BAD time to start a diet plan! I did lose some weight...but then gained about four pounds back over Christmas.

Now enter my good friend, Sonia. Before Thanksgiving she started a challenge. A, um, NO SUGAR challenge. As I saw all of her status' on Facebook I thought she was, cuh-razy! No sugar? Are you KIDDING me?! Sugar is my favorite food group!!

Then after Thanksgiving she mentioned that she was going to be adding flour to her list of "No's." Ha! No sugar AND no flour? I was pretty sure she was going to starve. But then...BUT THEN, I started getting messages from her about dropping a pound over night or three pounds since her last weigh in...stuff like that. And I thought, "I WANT THAT!"

So after a couple weeks of contemplating, of building up enough nerve to do it...I jumped in with both feet. No sugar. No flour. Sorta. I told Sonia as I was starting, that I wasn't going to be super SUPER strict about it. I was going to be a modest no flour, no sugar-er.

I'm now four weeks into it and I've lost 7 lbs. Total I'm down 11.4 lbs. It's amazing! And I feel great! I have 29 lbs left to get to my first goal and then another 12 to be where I was when we got married.

The best thing about it is that I don't feel deprived...at all! I have built in treats at set times of the week. I have snacks that are healthy that keep me going! I love it! I've never felt this way on a "diet" before.

In fact, this morning I decided to splurge for my breakfast. Four weeks ago that would've meant having a bunch of donuts! Yum! But today, that meant a piece of whole wheat toast with peanut butter and 100% fruit jelly and a banana. That was my treat of a breakfast! That just tells me how far I've come! And I'm so happy!

do you love jesus?

Today I had an eye opening experience. I was making lunch and I started asking the big girls some fun, crazy questions:

"Who's crazy?!" "I AM!" we all responded!

"Who's happy?!" "I AM!" we all responded!

And then an innocent question posed by me, brought a response that both gladdens and saddens my heart.

"Who loves Jesus?" "I DO!" I said. "I DO!" Julia said. "I DON'T!" Katey said. I looked at her and said, "You don't, Katey?" "Umm, I mean, I DO!"

I did a double take. I'm thinking in my head, "Kate just said she doesn't love Jesus. Holy smokes. What've I done wrong?! She doesn't love Jesus! I'm a failure of a mom."

But then I got to thinking. Katey hasn't trusted in Jesus as her Savior yet. So she DOESN'T love Jesus. It was a brutally honest answer. We talk to her almost every day about Jesus coming to die on the cross, about WHY He came to die, about her need to trust Him too. I don't want her to just SAY that she loves Jesus because that's the right answer. I don't want her to be deceived.

I called her over to me and picked her up. I asked her why she doesn't love Jesus but I didn't really let her answer. I'm not sure that she would be ABLE to answer. Instead I told her I appreciated her honesty. I told her that because she doesn't trust in Jesus yet and believe that He died on the cross for her sins, she DOESN'T love Jesus! I told her that I pray for her that God will soften her heart and that she'll love Jesus someday real soon!

I'm glad I asked that question...it really let me see her heart. I love my sweet girl and can't wait for her to really love Jesus too!

sleepers!

This is what I went in and found the other morning:

Ashley: passed out sleeping, omitting the cutest little snores:


Ainsley: happy as can be!

and we have a kindergartener!

Today we embarked on a brand new, completely exciting, journey!

Katey, precious girl, started Kindergarten today! And who's her teacher?

Mwa!!!

We put a lot of thought into how to educate our girls...and actually, this decision came really easy to us! We live in Las Vegas right now...and Las Vegas is not known for its exemplary schools! So.

Homeschooling! Something I never thought I'd do! But God has really changed my heart toward teaching our girls at home. I WANT to now!!

Today, Katey's first day of Kindergarten, went so well! She did great!


You like her half legging? Yeah. She fell yesterday and scraped her knee. She has an amazing memory and so this morning when she got dressed, the legging went up again!



Here she is coloring in her "Day 2" of Creation!


And let's not forget Julia! What did she do during school? She did Preschool! We have some fun color and shape block thingys that we'll be doing! Oh and please notice her wonderful pajamas and bed head. Getting dressed for school and getting your hair done doesn't happen until KINDERGARTEN! So, in two years baby girl, two years!

shadow

Kate has a shadow.

It's her little sister, Julia!

It never fails, whenever Katey goes somewhere, Julia follows. When I'm getting ready in the bathroom, Katey will usually come find me. And I know that within seconds Julia will come traipsing in too!

It makes my little heart so happy to see how much they love each other! Katey even says that Julia is her best friend!

My mama heart is so happy! It's a dream, a prayer come true!

29!

I tuned 29 a few days ago! Woo woo! Last year in the 20s!

For my birthday, we went to Chuck E. Cheese, ate yummy pizza, then went home, ate yummy chocolate cheesecake mousse stuff, opened presents and took pictures! It was amazing! I love my little family! They're the best!


Family pic!


What's that mama?



Me and the twins! They're so happy!



Me and the hubby!