quick pregnancy weight loss | In This House

quick pregnancy weight loss

Shortly after Jack was born, I was perusing Pinterest and got the idea for developing a family motto to hang on our wall. You have probably seen the concept: "In This House We..."

Daniel and I took this idea a step further and came up with a list of things that were specific to our family; then I put my graphic design experience to use and created a sign that hangs in our foyer where we can see it every.single.day.

Our motto incorporates our hobbies [we hike, camp and bike together], our core family expectations [we say Im sorry, we forgive] and our faith [we love the Lord Our God, and we love others like ourselves].

As our boys grow, we are trying to make sure that we are raising them with this motto in mind, making the effort to follow through with the things we have clearly stated are important to us.

Lately we have been thinking a lot about our neighbors. We try to practice hospitality as much as possible – which can be hard with our busy schedule. In conjunction with this core belief, the church where we worship is encouraging us to meet our neighbors. Most recently this took the shape in the form of throwing a neighborhood block party, of sorts.

Yesterday was National Neighbor Day and we felt like it would be a good opportunity to get out and meet our neighbors – its kind of hard to love your neighbors when you dont know them.

We invited those living around the perimeter of our neighborhood park to join us at the park for coffee and cookies. We were encouraged to meet four families we hadnt met before. We were surprised that they came out and stuck with us, even though it rained. 

We want to continue to get to know our neighbors. We want our boys to know our neighbors. We want them to feel safe in our neighborhood and we want to contribute to the safety of other families as well. I hope we continue to get to know our neighbors and have opportunities to show that we care.

I hope you had a Happy Neighbor Day and get the chance to know your neighbors as well... and if you didnt get to celebrate neighbor day, today is National COFFEE Day, so you could always invite your neighbor over for coffee ;)

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself." Luke 10:27


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baby weight loss plan | Hiking with Kids Prentice Cooper

baby weight loss plan

The last few days have been perfect examples of how I expect autumn to be. The air is crisp, the sky is blue, the leaves are falling, and the sun is warm. Its my favorite time of the year.

With such a gorgeous day on our hands, we felt like we couldnt waste it inside, so we gathered our brood and headed to Prentice Cooper State Park for a little walk in the woods.

Initially we planned to do a short hike from Shackleford Ridge Park to Mushroom Rock.

Unfortunately, we took a wrong turn somewhere and didnt make it to Mushroom Rock. Jack was disappointed, but since we live here, it will be easy to go back again.

This was Jacks longest hike to date – completing just under 2 miles round trip.

Almost as soon as we got in the woods he started complaining about being tired. We have discovered that he just needs a little motivation and encouragement to keep moving. And maybe a game.

I suggested he pick up the brightest red leaves he could find. It was a good distraction to keep him from whining, but it morphed into him wanting to try to pick up every leaf on the trail.

Its fall, there are a million leaves on the trail...

He also likes to throw rocks. Since that is bad trail etiquette, and he could hurt someone, we are trying to stop this before it turns into a bad habit.

So we helped him find a walking stick. The stick also doubles as a sword, amongst other things while walk.

When he says that he is low on energy, we stop for a water or snack break and then say, "Power up and Energize" like the transformers say in the TV show RescueBots.

As soon as he says it, he always starts sprinting down the trail. So much for not having any energy.

Hiking with a 3-year-old is challenging because it takes forever and requires a lot of patience and imagination to keep your kid motivated.

As for hiking with a baby, I carry Isaac on these walks (for now) and he sleeps for half the hike. When he is awake, he enjoys looking at the sunlight filtering through the trees.

Daniel wears our bigger backpack carrier in case Jack refuses to continue walking, but he is starting to build up stamina and seems to enjoy our outings in the woods.

We wrapped up our day by driving out to Cracker Barrel for supper. Jack passed out in the car and slept right up until our food arrived.

After supper, Daniel taught him how to play checkers. It was a perfect day. Power up and Energize!

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baby losing weight reflux | 2015 Vacation The Beach with Kids

baby losing weight reflux

Several people have asked me about our beach experience with a baby and toddler. Was it worth it? How did we manage? That kind of thing. So I thought I would share a bit about how we made it work and whether we would do it again.

 

When it was just Daniel and I, we would occasionally vacation at the beach but we rarely got in the water. We were content to bike and take long walks on the beach. And we typically went to the beach in the winter to avoid crowds (you wont see us at Disney World any time soon).

With kids, we have discovered that vacations are easier if we actually embrace the beach and take advantage of the water and sand (though we still try to go right after peak season –late summer/early fall– to avoid crowds). Most kids are content to splash in the water and dig all day. Jack (age 3.5) is no exception and would spend every day digging if he could. The beach offers endless sand for this purpose.

Here are some ways we have found that make vacations to the beach with children a little easier:
Our best tip for planning vacations is to decide on a budget before you get started. We have learned that this saves us a lot of frustration (this is a good idea whether or not you have kids). When Daniel and I start on the same page regarding how much we are willing to spend, we dont spend valuable vacation time fighting over the cost of restaurants or outings. Plus with a cap, I dont think we have ever spent the entire amount we have allocated. With kids we spend less money because we spend the majority of our time on the actual beach playing.

One thing we have relied on (for the last 10+ years) is the website vrbo.com (Vacation Rental By Owner). We always book last minute to get the best deals. Daniel is great at calling potential rentals and negotiating a cheaper rate. We have discovered that you have more negotiation power when 1) you are not set on a specific location, and 2) you are willing to go last minute. With kids we think that being right on the beach, with quick access to the water, is ideal (more on that below).

Besides negotiating price, we also ask about the flexibility of check-in and check-out times. On vrbo.com you can see the booking calendar and if you know that no one is checking out the day you are checking in, you can generally ask to arrive early. Its the same with leaving. If you can ask to check out a little later, it makes a world of difference. This year we had a noon check-out instead of 10am. With kids, the extra two hours made a big difference. We had time to go down to the beach one last time. Time to walk Sophie. Time for everyone to get cleaned up without having to rush out the door.

Another way we take advantage of the beach is to book lodging right on the water. On our first trip to Destin with Jack, we were in a condo that was across the street from the beach. This meant lugging all of our gear down to the water, and having to lug it back. We had to plan more and pack more items (like lunch and lots of snacks) so we could take full advantage of the beach. The last two years we stayed right on the beach and it made a world of difference. We could run in and out of our house or condo at our leisure. We could easily take Isaac back inside if he was getting fussy while the other parent stayed with Jack. We found that we were in and out at the beach all day long instead of making one big, arduous trip to and from the beach each day.

For gear we used a small float with sunshade for Isaac and a puddle jumper for Jack. Jack really just needed shovels and buckets to be happy. Having a mat to sit on was nice and we figured with the outdoor shower at our condo, we didnt have to drag towels down to the water with us. 

We do wish we had a large pop-up tent (or umbrella) and chairs. My sister had these things in her arsenal last summer when we went to Mexico Beach and it made sitting on the beach more enjoyable (we are learning!).

With Isaac being 4 months old, there were definitely some challenges – Isaac would get hot and we were always trying to keep him shaded so he wouldnt burn. But overall, we are glad we went. The beach is a great place for young kids and worth the challenge of a baby.

Our days went like this: 
Sleep in. Eat breakfast. Go to the beach for a couple of hours. Get cleaned up. Go somewhere for lunch. Go back to the beach (Daniel and I took turns taking Isaac back inside and playing with Jack). Get cleaned up for dinner. Take a walk on the beach as a family after dark. Go to bed. Repeat. 

Besides having a laid-back schedule that didnt wear everyone out, breaking up our day like this meant that we had lots of built-in potty breaks for Jack.

The biggest things we have embraced are 1) you need a budget, 2) lodging on the beach is ideal, 3) you dont need a lot of stuff (swimsuits and sunblock, check) and you dont have to do a lot of activities to have happy kids, and 4) we need to invest in some beach specific gear like a tent and chairs.

I think my best advice would just be to keep it simple, and if you forget anything, Im sure you can find a Walmart or Target (we did!).

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cholestasis of pregnancy weight loss | Thirty Five

cholestasis of pregnancy weight loss

Entering my 30s was rough for me. The summer before my 30th birthday I quit a good job, sold a house in another state and was living in a 30-ft camper in a campground. Life was feeling bleak and very much on hold. I felt like there were so many things I had failed to accomplish as I stared 30 in the face, and I was really lonely. 

Five years later, so much has changed. I am in a very different place – literally. We have moved twice in the last five years [Hollywood and Signal Mountain] and we now have two precious boys [Jack and Isaac].

My lower cupboards are full of kids plates and cups. I find toy cars, swords and dinosaurs in the oddest places. I have an ever-growing pile of kids artwork that I havent quite figured out how to deal with. I change poopy diapers on a daily basis, havent had a good nights sleep in a while, and answer a never-ending string of "why" questions. But I wouldnt change my life for anything.

I didnt cross many new items off of my List of 100 Things to do in my lifetime, but that doesnt bother me. My life is full and, even with the hard moments, my 30s have been my favorite decade. Each passing year is better than the last.

I dont know if the changes in me are because of motherhood, or if it stems from the wisdom you can only gain with age. Perhaps difficult life experiences have helped me embrace where I am today instead of longing for what I dont have. I dont know. At 35 I am no longer looking for the adult in the room, and I dont feel like I have to prove myself to gain validation from others. I dont have regrets, even though there are some things I wish I could do. I am embracing the season of life that I am in.

There are elements of my life that I would change if I could – namely Daniels long hours and commute time, but we have learned to make the most of a challenging circumstance, and I know that life as it is right now wont stay this way forever. There will be more hardships, but I believe that there are also wonderful days ahead.

Here are Five Things I hope to do before 40 (though, hopefully I will have many more adventures and projects):
1) Participate in a Triathalon
2) Remodel our master suite
3) Take an epic road trip to visit various National Parks
4) Hike 100 miles on the Tour de Mt Blanc in France
5) Take a multi-day paddling trip in the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area

I can say without a doubt that I am looking forward to being 35 and all that the coming year holds.

 

Things Lists From Previous Years:

2007 Things // 2009 Things // 2010 Things // 2011 Things // 2012 Things // 2013 Things

// 2014 Things

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timeline of pregnancy weight loss | Happy 4th Birthday Jack!

timeline of pregnancy weight loss

We had several celebrations with Jack over the course of the last week. We had a friend party on Saturday, followed by a family dinner to celebrate at El Metate (the Mexican place where you wear a blue hat), and then a preschool party on Jacks actual birthday.

We are about partied out around here.

I have so much to say about my sweet boy, though not all of the blogs in the world would adequately describe him or what he means to our family. Hopefully these few words will suffice.

At four, Jack is incredibly curious. As with most parents of 3 and 4 year olds, we continue to be in a never-ending why phase. As a parent I have a love-hate relationship with these questions. I love that he is learning and wants so badly to know things, but sometimes the questions never seem to cease. These questions stretch me to help him understand the world around us and in turn I learn more as well.

Right now Jack havs a deep love for people and helping others. He has never met a stranger. His standard pick-up line at the park is "Hi, Im Jack. Im three [now four]. Do you want to play with me?" I hope he is always this outgoing and that his sweet spirit never gets crushed. His confidence amazes me. He doesnt care how old or young you are, he wants to be your friend. It makes him sad when older kids are not interested in playing with him. In turn that makes me sad, but I try to let him experience these harder moments without interference, along with the sweet moments.

 

At preschool and church, Jack wants to hold the door for every single person coming in and out. We are typically running late anyways, so I really have to check my patience at the door. Instead of being exasperated that we are behind (mostly my fault anyways), I allow him to hold doors and talk to everyone. I hope he always desires to put others first.

We spend a decent amount of time in the car and I try to use those moments to teach him things like our address and how to count to 100 and how to do basic addition and subtraction using his fingers. He is a little sponge and soaks up all of these lessons. He is starting to consistently recognize a handful of letters and can spell his name. One of his favorite games is to play teacher and I know that his time spent in preschool aids in his love for all things school and learning related. He has quite a few books memorized (his favorite right now is Madeline) and I cant wait until he learns to actually read and all of the doors that reading will open for him.

This year Jack requested his very own kayak so that he could take his friends paddling with him. This was a big change from last year when all he wanted was an electric toothbrush! Since it was November, we werent ready to commit to a kayak, but we are still mulling it over – maybe Christmas little buddy! His back up request was an Optimus Prime robot (which his Great Grandmother lovingly bought for him!). I think he had a good birthday.

Most days the days are long, but the years really are short. Im still kind of in shock that we have a four-year-old. Jack loves being four, but doesnt get why he doesnt get to move up to the 4s class at preschool and church. I am working to convince him that he is one of the first to turn four and he gets the privilege of teaching the other kids how to get ready to be four. I am really looking forward to the coming year and all that it holds for Jack.

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baby weight loss 6 months | Snow Day

baby weight loss 6 months

This morning schools in the greater Chattanooga area were on a 2-hour delay. Up on Signal Mountain everyone is scratching their heads because it has been snowing all morning, and this is the south. 

Meaning schools almost always close for snow. Or the threat of snow. Or because is it is just too cold.

For a brief time in elementary school I lived in southern Ontario, Canada. For those three years, I walked to school (uphill both ways) in the snow. According to my mom, when she was growing up, the schools never closed unless it was 40 below (or something like that).

It was always a big joke when we moved to Arkansas and the towns would shut down for the threat of cold weather. I have lived in the south for 20+ years now and I get it. The south isnt equipped like they are in the north. There is no point in having machinery to clear the snow when it rarely snows.

Anyway, I have been watching the snow fall all morning. Our wood stove has been steadily burning for the last two days to ward off the chill in our house. This morning, as the snow fell and the sun peeked through the clouds, it looked like glitter was falling from the sky. Beautiful.

Jack loves the snow. This time the snow hasnt been enough to sled on, but it has accumulated nicely on our decks. Perfect for snowball fights with daddy.

Isaac is thrilled to press his face up against the back door to watch his big brother play. I wonder what he thinks about the snow.

Maybe one year we will make a winter trek to Canada to show our boys what I real snow can look like. For now, I am sitting inside enjoying a hot drink, thankful that while it is pretty, it will go away in a day or two and that spring is just around the corner.

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