Drama

I'm sure my family is not the only one that has drama but might I just say (and maybe it is because I wasn't aware of it) but there was a lot less drama when I was younger!!

With that said I shall move on... I watch the biggest loser ( not one of my favorite shows but I do enjoy it) and had quite a wake up call when one of the contestants on the show weighed LESS then I did! I knew I was over weight and maybe border line obese but not big enough to be on the biggest loser! So decided better lose some weight... So in November 2009 my journey began I weighed 240lbs. I thought I was doing really well 2 weeks in and I lost 5lbs ( pretty good seeing how those 2 weeks included thanksgiving) another 2 weeks went by and I lost nothing and I started to feel sick... S I took a test and there it was I was pregnant (so much for trying to lose weight or so I thought) I ended my pregnancy weighing 230lbs. After recovering I began to exercise and watch what and how much I ate( easier said then done while half a sleep) but I made progress and lost another 5 lbs. That's is when I set my first weight lose goal.. (that's right I did not start off with thinking I would like to lose X amour of weight I started of thinking I would like to be a healthy 150 - 170 lbs.) so my first goal was to get back to the weight I was before having babies ( 115 lbs.) I meet this goal back in February 2011. S I set up my next goal which is to be under 200 lbs. By September 2011. Today I weigh 209 lbs. I have lost a total of 31 lbs. So far. I know I still have a ways to go and I am no longer losing 5 lbs every 2 weeks but I have started my journey and am determined to make it back to a healthier me...
In trying to get healthier our family has made a few changes. We used to eat a lot of red meat fatty red meat at that (as it was cheaper) now we only eat 1 lb. Of lean red meat every 2 weeks. And to fill in for all those other times when we used to have the red meat we now eat lean ground turkey or fish or chicken. Another change we have made is we now have a salad every night with dinner. Our countertop has gone from boxes of cracked and junk to dried berries and nuts and other yummy things to use as toping for our salad. Candy is little to none and has been replaced with fresh fruits. I have found a love for smoothies and love knowing that I have started my day off with 2 servings of fruit! We have started to also cut out HFCS... Thankfully I have a supportive family helping me out. One of my favorite things is to hear SaraH (3) beg me to exercise just so she can do it with me... I am glade to see that my good habits are rubbing off on her... She is also the one who will stand next to me while I cook and snack on the vegetables ( it is hard to tell her no when they are good for her and I enjoy seeing her enjoy them)

Do you have any weight loss tips that might help me out? What do you do to keep you and your family healthy?

This was typed up on my iPad that auto corrected some things and now I can't figure out how to go and fix them... Oh well...

Its been a while....

Although it has been longer than I would like I do have a good excuse... (Matt has been taking the lap top to work with him :) which means I don't have it to blog on)

So where to start... since the last time I blogged we have went from a family of 3 to a family of 4. Matthew Paul Elkins Jr. joined us here on earth on Aug. 18, 2010 he started off weighing only 7.5 lb he is now 4 months old and weighs about 12lb. and we LOVE every bit of him.

Picture from Matthew Jr. Blessing day.

what else has changed? SaraH has begun potty training. (so if you have any suggestions I am very open to them.) she has done well so far. we still do have the occasional days that she doesn't want to use the potty but she also doesn't want to wear a diaper. we do keep a sticker chat (more for me than her... so when she has an accident and I get frustrated I can open the chart and see how many times she has made it ) I am very proud of the  progress she has made.

After my sewing machine overheated while in the middle of a project we decided it be best that I get a new sewing machine :) and so we did some research and found one that I love!!! It is a brother embroidery and sewing SE-400.  I have made more things in the last 2 months than I have in the last 2 years. :) I happily blame the sewing machine :) I also have about 6 more things on my list of things to make before Christmas :)

My new sewing Machine

Here are some things I have made in the last month...

a dress for SaraH

a sleeper for Matthew

a back pack for Lila

a blanket and pillow for Lila

A back pack for Talmadge

Stockings for the Family

did I mention I really like to work on my new sewing machine :)

This year SaraH has gotten into looking forward to things like camping in June, or going to see friends in Augusta. currently she is looking forward to aunt Susan coming on sat. along with other family members who are coming later on in the week. although she is excited to see family she is most looking forward to her birthday and turning 3 :)

End of summer...

The end of summer is almost here which is means the end of my pregnancy is almost here too. All along the way we have been explaining to SaraH how there is a baby in my belly and now that we are close to the end we have been explaining how the baby will soon be coming out. :) the other day we were going through the steps of how mommy and daddy are going to go to the hospital and then the baby will come out then you will get to come see and hold him... SaraH went on to say that she was going to give him a big hug and then we can put him back in my belly. :) We then went on to explain that once he comes out he will then be to big to go back. :)

We are all really excited for our family to grow (and ready for him to come) SaraH has made sure that his diapers are out and ready and has even tried out his bouncy/rocking chair. (we purposely got one she can sit in without breaking as we expected she would want to sit and do things that the baby will do) We are all hoping that the baby will come in a timely manner :) some more than others :)

A Change...

We have made a slight change in our home. (For the better in my opinion)

Cloth Diapers!! That's right cloth diapers. We made the change about a week ago and we are LOVING the change. Before we made the big switch we were able to go down to Augusta, GA for the weekend and have a trial period in cloth diapers for SaraH and  a teaching period for me. It was also a great way to be able to try out all of the different kinds of cloth diapers...just to name a few there are about 3 different brands of  china diapers, then there are Fuzzi bunz, Bumkins, Flips, Tweedlebugs, Thirsties and lots more. Not only that but you then have to decided what KIND of diaper fits your family best. Weather it be an all in one diaper or a pocket diaper or a pre-folded diaper. you then have to decide if you want a one -size diaper or if you want sized diapers.  For us we found that the  one -size, pocket diapers fit us best. So we decided to go with the Fuzzi bunz one-size pocket diapers.

So far we have been very pleased with our choice.

As expected our first 24 hours were a learning period.We discovered some new things like you can snap the diapers after they have been used to look like a rolled up used disposable diaper.(we now do this for both the dirty and clean diapers)  It is easier to place the insert inside rather than pre-stuff the diaper and then try to remember which one was double stuffed for nap time/bedtime. We also had the chance to use one as a swim diaper which worked well.  I was surprised to find out how well a wet bag keeps in the stink of stinky diapers.  I also discovered that the wet bags I made can hold up to 6 dirty diapers and a wet swimming suit. 

SaraH has enjoyed being able to pick out what color diaper she wants. She has enjoyed her new diapers so much she will sometimes even do her diaper dance....(look on facebook for the video as I can't seem to get it to upload here)

Overall our first week of cloth diapering has been Great both at home and at work. We are likeing the change and looking forward to cloth diapering baby #2.

Happy Mothers Day!!!

I am so thankful for this day and the opportunity it gives us to remember that motherhood is one of those special gifts that make life fun...  So HaPPy MoTherS DaY!!!

Mommy Brain----

If you’ve left the crayons to melt in the car,

And forgotten just where the car keys are,

There’s a perfectly good way to explain:

You see, you’ve come down with “Mommy Brain”.

When you’re not sure where the past eight hours went,

Or whether the phone bill check’s been sent,

If you’ve left the laundry drying in the rain,

It’s just — you guessed it — Mommy Brain.

If you find yourself chatting for hours on end

About diaper prices with your cyber friends,

You’ve just caught a particularly virulent strain

Of that affliction known as Mommy Brain.

If you’ve left your bags at the grocery store,

Or completely forgot what you went there for,

If you called the cat by your baby’s name,

You can bet that Mommy Brain’s to blame.

If you know the words to “Goodnight Moon” by heart,

If you study your sleeping babe like a work of art,

If you’re always surprised by how time is flying,

And the thought of that first birthday starts you crying...

It’s unavoidable girls, and I feel your pain.

For I, too, suffer from Mommy Brain.

And yet, my Mommy Heart is sure:

I hope they never find a cure!

By Carlotta Eike Stankiewicz

Copyright © 1998

Energy, Belly, Garden

I am so thankful to be getting my energy back. it is nice to be able to come home after work and still have the energy to cook and clean and keep up with SaraH. It also helps me sleep better at night knowing that the dishes are done and floors are clean. SaraH has even taken notice and loves to help. She now will take out her little trash of diapers and her bathroom trash. (YAY!! 2 Trash cans that i don't have to bend over to empty!!) She also enjoys helping me vacuum...

I think her favorite is bumping into me and saying "Hey! I'm working here." and I don't mind at all. I'm just happy she as an interest in and enjoys helping out.

As I am coming up on soon to be 6 months pregnant...

(In the photo with me is Sarah Gardner. There is a 3 month difference between us.)

...my belly is starting to get more in the way. Such as bending over is becoming harder to do. (thankful SaraH has been very helpful in picking things up for me.) And now a days when giving hugs you will more than likely run into and or bump my un-squish able belly. ( don't get me wrong i find it a little funny. especially when the one being hugged gives me a funny look... as if to say hey your belly didn't squish like i was expecting it to.) we are looking forward to May 7th in hopes of finding out if we will blessed with another girl or if  we are entering unknown waters with a boy. I am also expecting my weight to level out to maybe gain a little. With SaraH I lost 15lb in the first 5 mo and at 6 mo was little to no change 7 mo GAINED a little over 7 lb. With this one I have lost a little over 30 lb. (: (Look i lost the baby weight from SaraH) :)

Seeing how SaraHs first response to having a baby was "no thank you, I'm fine." we have been working on trying to explain that there is a baby in my belly and what will happen when the baby comes out and where the baby will sleep and such. So after all our efforts SaraH has changed her mind. She now will tell me/ remind me of 2 things- first the baby is hers and  second she had it first. (we have since cleared up the matter of who has it first but also letting her know that mommy will share) :) the other day she was asking if the baby can eat different foods so i explained to her that mommy will feed the baby for a while first. she then took the baby out of my belly button and held it up for it to eat when i asked her what she was doing she looked at me like i was crazy and said "baby hungry" after the baby finished she put it back in my belly. she then too something out of her belly and held it up to herself so i asked what she was doing and she told me she had puppies in her belly and that they were hungry. :) Toddlers are a good source of humor!

I enjoy working in my Garden it is a great stress reliever. with that said there are some things that i don't like so much about my garden... like the fire ants, centipede grass, and poisonous spiders those would be the 3 top things. I don't mind weeding but hate to weed while red ants are attacking.  ugh! so the 7 dust has been laid and it has done its job so hopefully they will not be back... Just yesterday we planted things in the garden and are now waiting for our hard work to pay off or at least we are hoping it will anyway.  

oh how time flys

Let’s see since my last post in dec. SaraH has turned 2! She has been Very good at being a 2 yr old too. :)


Joe and Anna’s family has come down for a visit and Sarah Loved playing with her cousins Jerome and Evan and helping with baby Sophia. She now thinks that every baby she sees is baby Sophia. :)


It seems as if it were yesterday I took the test and found out I was pregnant and am now realizing that I am half way done with my pregnancy. Most days I don't even feel pregnant so to say the least I am still in shock that baby number 2 is on its way.... When we first asked SaraH if she wanted a little brother or sister she responded " No thank you, I'm fine." she has now come around to telling me just about every time she hugs or kisses the baby that "MY baby, I had it first" :) I just smile and let her know mommy gets the baby for the first 9 months THEN mommy will share the baby" :) we are looking forward to Friday when we hope to find out what we are having....


Easter was fun this year Sarah enjoyed Easter egg hunting (or Easter egg hide n seek) so much that she started to hide and find the eggs on her ... she also got the soccer ball that she has been talking about and wanting for some time now.


We are now looking forward to June when we take our family camping trip...