Ragamuffintoppin'

This was a good week for me. I ate fairly decent. Not great, but not as bad as I had been. Two days I was up and had a walk or a bike ride before anyone (Tim included!!) was up. One day was a 2 mile walk. One day was a 3 1/2 mile bike ride. Last night I got a 3 mile walk. Auntie was here this week, so I was able to keep that in check, too.

Weight last week: 184
This week: -1.......183

It's alright that the scale doesn't reflect how well I think I did. I've been able to increase my water intake....not to where it should be, yet but it's getting better. I found some Crystal Light packets that I really like, so that's helped to up the water so I can have one of those in it. They are Cherry Pomegranate Immunity and they taste SO GOOD! I put a few in the diaper bag to have on hand when we're out and about and they are so easy and nice to have on hand. Anyway, check them out if you need a boost to your water intake.

So, how did you do this week, Muffintoppers?

WFMW: No more "I'm BORED!"

Years ago, when my oldest were little (like 1 & 2) I found an idea and ran with it, knowing that the day would come that I would need it. They didn't yet know the words, "I'm BORED!" but I knew that the day would come and I'd need to be prepared. I created the "I can't think of anything to do" book. The idea is simple, banish the word BORED from their vocabulary. (Actually, that was easier than I thought it would be!), then replace it with "I can't think of anything to do." I hand them the book and they find something that we can both agree on and VOILA! We're good to go.

Here's how I did it: I picked up a cheap photo album, with the full pages so that I could slide ideas in them that weren't full page ideas. Then I got the plastic page protectors and put a bunch of them in there. They work great for 8 1/2 x 11 pages. Then, I went online and found great ideas to add to it. At first, I printed a bunch from Mommysavers.com. (If you haven't been there and you have babies to toddlers, it's a GREAT resource! There are some ideas for older kids, but it's mostly for the littler ones.) There was a list on there "200 things to do on summer vacation" or something like that and I printed it. It was simple things like:

• mow the lawn
• bake something
• fold laundry
• hold a tea party
• play flashlight tag

There were more involved ideas on it, too like:

• teach yourself to play harmonica, guitar or recorder
• make picture frames from twigs and cardboard
• sew buttons on old shirts in cool designs

So, you can see there was some major variety. The list is still available if you follow this link to Mommysavers.

I also found some worksheet printables and put copies of them in there. When they started bringing ideas home from school I added them to the book. The most recent entry is how to make Flubber with borax, water and glue. Really cool stuff!

So, the "I can't think of anything to do" book WORKS FOR ME!

Yay me!

Yesterday I walked 2 miles before everyone got up. This morning I took a 3.5 mile bike ride before anyone was up. YAY ME!

Hodge Podge

This post is going to be a catch up post. We've been busy. Tim finished the living room floor and the tile entry. He did get the trim and door back on, but I took the picture before that part was done. I also stained and poly-d the transition piece that is on now, too. You'll have to come visit to see!
See my new rug....even Tucker likes it. (I don't know if he laid down or fell down to sleep like that, but he HAD to have been tired to lay like that!)
Yesterday he did our bedroom. Even got the trim back on! I know! I was shocked, too. It's so nice, though. Since the carpet has been out of the living room, TJ's perpetual runny nose has gone which is SO NICE!! I can't begin to tell you how sick of hauling around kleenex everywhere I was.

Tim has taken the boys fishing quite a bit lately. Last night Riley caught a 10" bluegill and a 9" one, too. He had a great night. He also caught a 14" bass last week.

And they caught their limit on Glen Lake last weekend, too.

Rugby has less patience for the fishing. He's got lots of "What if" questions....like "What if I caught 200 fish?" And he spends so much time asking questions that he doesn't have his line in the water so he doesn't catch as many as Riley and Tim which leads to MORE questions. It's a vicious circle for him. Last night he was running in the sand and having way more fun doing that. He put my worms on for me and I did the rest. I caught a 7" sunfish. Not big, but only Riley was catching monsters last night. :)

Here's some other random pix from the last few days:

Why lay ON the hammock when you can lay UNDER it?

Muffintop Challenge

This week was better. I ate smaller portions to make up for not always eating "good" things.

There was some walking and biking that happened, but I can't remember how much. With 4 kids, I'm not sure how I remember anything!


Weight last week: 186
THis week: 184 (-2!!!)

So, goal this week is to be more active. The weather is no longer working against me, so I need to get up and GO! I walked 2.3 miles this morning (and it's only 6:20!). I know that I'll be biking at least 1 1/2 miles later today. So that's that.

Sorry this is late! Visit Ragamuffin Soul for more participants!

Floor pictures

It's not done yet, but this will give you an idea of how it's going!

Tile entryTimmy working

Tim and his great helper, Adam

Dining room area done!

Muffintop

This week was a terrible one for exercising. The weather was terrible and I refuse to walk or ride bike when I'm going to get nothing but wet and cold. Soooooo, I didn't. I did walk to school a few times to get the kiddies, but other than that not a whole lot. And to compensate did I eat better? Nope. If anything it was worse. What is it about crappy weather that makes me want to eat? I have a Gazelle that I should use, but haven't. I did just get a Biggest Loser workout DVD from the library so I'll have to try that out. Just no ambition for working out lately. Anyway, that's that.

Weight last week: 185
Exercise this week: less than 2 miles walking
Weight this week: +1...........186

Hopefully the other Muffintoppers did better.

Busy boy!

That's my Timmy! He had an interview at a nearby school Wednesday that went well. We're waiting to hear back on that. Today he got a call for another interview at a different school further north and east of here (in fishing and hunting country!). That will be on Monday. Cross you fingers this goes well!

Then, since he was done with Student Teaching last Thursday, I set him to work on replacing the living/dining room floor with the hardwood that we bought back in MARCH. It's looking so great!! I can't wait to have it done, but that will come soon. We bought a pretty area rug for in front of the couch and that looks really nice in there. I can't wait to show you the finished pictures! We also put down some porcelain tile in the entry. We're almost done, so I'll wait to post pictures then.

:)

Muffintop Weigh-In

Alrighty, I've weighed in this morning. Let me tell you about the week, first.

I've managed to walk 2 miles 3 days. (Yea me!) And BIKE a total of 3 miles. (2 miles once and 1/2 mile twice..kids school...) So, that's four days of exercise this week. WAY over goal, WOOHOO!

For eating, I was conscious of portion size, but what I was eating wasn't so great. I've planned meals and am shopping today for next week so hopefully that goes better.

Weight: Holding steady at 185.

How are all you other Ragamuffin Toppers doing?

Cafe Jessica

New rhubarb recipe is posted over on Cafe Jessica....Check it out!

Need rhubarb? Meet your neighbors!

And that's PRECISELY what we did!

Last week, there was a graduation party down the road so Tim took the kids for a walk the next day to pick up the cans the kids left littered all over the street. While they were there, Tim noticed a LARGE rhubarb patch that was left pretty much untouched. The man who lived there happened to come outside about then and Tim struck up a conversation with him.

DH: "That looks like waaayyy too much rhubarb for one family."

Neighbor: "We were JUST talking about that. My wife was gonna bag some up and try to give it away."

DH: "No need for that. We'll be back later today."

So, that's pretty much how it went. We went back the next day (instead) and got our wagon loaded full. It was enough for some sauce, some ice cream topping and 3 bags for the freezer.

Then, last night we went back for more. We loaded up our wagon again. And Tim thought it wasn't enough. He said to me, "I think we need to find another patch." On each of my walks the last couple days I had noticed a gigantic rhubarb patch. I had even told him about that but got no response. It didn't look touched at all....so I said, "Why don't you come along on my walk tonight and you can talk to the people that live there. I'm not going to do it." So, we rode our bikes over there. We LOADED THE BIKE TRAILER FULL. Seriously. There was lots that we left there, too just because we didn't have room for it. I had TJ and Tucker in the front and there's storage space in the back. Rugby and Riley had packed it so nice it was up over the top of the storage area and nearly to the top of the trailer. I strapped the cover over it and Rugby rode behind me on "rhubarb patrol" to make sure none fell out on the way home. We got there, opened the cover and rhubarb came SPILLING out all over. There was SO much rhubarb!

Plus, the night before, the boy I babysit for brought us a Menards bag full of rhubarb.

So, Tim offered to help cut it all up. We were at it for the better part of an hour. Maybe longer. Rugby and Riley helped cut up some and Rugby and I took turns bagging it. By the time we were done, we had 19 bags (4 cups each) and a large tupperware bowl FULL!

I see rhubarb in my future. He'd like me to make some jam and sauce and more ice cream topping.

And then he says, "I think we need some more..."

Music, music everywhere!!

Shannon over at Rocks In My Dryer is giving away some major tunes! There's enough music to get me through many a walk....Here's hoping!

This is the list (from her site):

WOW Hits 1 is a new compilation CD, full of hits from some of my favorite Christian recording artists, including Steven Curtis Chapman, Casting Crowns and Chris Tomlin. You can see more details (at her site). The nice folks behind WOW Hits 1 are offering TWENTY winners each a boxed set of 17 CDs, one CD for each of the artists represented on WOW Hits 1.

Did you follow that?

TWENTY of you will each win the following boxed set:

1. Barlow Girl - How Can We Be Silent
2. Aaron Shust - Whispered and Shouted
3. Cadia - Cadia
4. Point of Grace - How You Live
5. Skillet - Comatose
6. Brandon Heath - Don’t Get Comfortable
7. Michael W. Smith - Stand
8. Third Day - Wherever You Are
9. Relient K - Five Score and Seven Years Ago
10. Casting Crowns - The Altar and the Door
11. Steven Curtis Chapman - This Moment
12. Chris Tomlin - See the Morning
13. Matthew West - Something To Say
14. David Crowder Band - Remedy
15. Jeremy Camp - Beyond Measure
16. Newsboys - Go
17. Toby Mac - Portable Sounds

::AND:: You will also win a copy of the WOW Hits 1 CD.

THAT'S 18 CD's! I'd be set all summer (or maybe just a week). Jump over there if you want to try and win, too. You must be a blogger to enter, though!

15 down....

So back in March (I think) I joined Sparkpeople.com looking not to loose weight, but just to make better choices and basically be healthier. The weight loss to me is just an added bonus. I topped in at 200 pounds then. That's about where I hover. Anyway, since then I've been doing a lot of reading on weight reduction and healthy living and have made small, easy changes in our daily lives that have added huge benefits. I'm down 15 pounds since then.

I started by writing down EVERYTHING that went into my mouth in a day. I tried writing all the calories and carbs, fiber, protien, etc content, too but it was too much to keep up with so I just wrote the amount of food and what it was. (1/2 c milk with 1 c cereal, kind of thing...) Actually getting out the measuring cups to measure portion sizes has helped, too.

Then, I made an effort to eat less more often. This was and continues to be the trickiest thing for me. I tend to eat A LOT at one time, then not eat for a long while and I know that's not good for me, so this eating less more often is a challenge.

Something I also struggle with is consuming enough water. I just don't drink enough. Maybe a glass with each meal and then nothing again thru the day. I'm working on it, but it's not coming easy.

For exercise, I've been chasing 4 BOYS around. That sounds like it should be enough, but obviously it hasn't been. If the weather would ever get nice again, we could be riding bikes more often, but it's been pretty crappy. Each of the last two nights, though, I've been able to take a brisk 2 mile walk with either one or both of the babies and being able to leave the bigger boys home (so I do get to walk MUCH faster!) I've really enjoyed that and if I remember to bring my iPod, it should be even better (and maybe even longer!) I don't sit much during the day, so I'm getting in my 10,000 steps, I'm sure.

Then, there are the food choices. I've tried to make them better. Our meals are more chicken and lean beef....less cream cheese and sour cream. Seems like most of my recipes call for one of those and it's been tricky to cut them out. I'm still on the look out for yummy, healthy recipes so if you have some, PLEASE let me know! I'm so glad my kids like veggies, though. That really does make things easier!

Anyway, that's what I've been doing....stay tuned for the weigh in on Friday morning!!

Do I or don't I?!

Ok, so the past month or so I've been thinking seriously about losing weight. I have a muffintop and I'm not loving that. I've always had a little pooch, but it's gotten out of control. I have four wonderful boys that account for part of it, but I've let things go for far too long. So anyway.....I read an amazing blog: Ragamuffin Soul. Carlos is a worship leader in Atlanta and is an amazing and inspiring man. He's started up a RAGAMUFFIN TOP CHALLENGE to lose weight. We need to have a measurable goal, post a picture, and link back to his page. Well, here's mine:

1) Measurable goal: I weighed 195 a month ago when I started watching what I was eating. I'm down to 185 now. To get to a healthy BMI, I think that I need to be at 170-175, so 175 will be my goal. I'd also like to workout 3 times a week, but I'm going to start with just squeezing in one workout for now....since I currently do nothing but chase my kids. I'm thinking I'll post updates on Friday's since that is my normal weigh-in day.

2) A Picture: Well, this is where I hesitate. I've always been camera shy. Especially now that we're focusing on weight. (Check back for this later)

3) Link back: Well who doesn't love a little linky love? Here's the main page for Ragamuffin Soul and here's the link to the Challenge. I'm around the 28th to sign up. Wanna join?! Feel free!! The more the merrier!!