FTF "Quest for Greatness"

For the first time in a long time, I feel good about my workouts. I added 5lb. dumbbells to all of my elliptical workouts this week and it seems like the results are instant! I can hold the dumbbells for 14 minutes, which is about half of my workout. My new goal is to be able to hold them the entire workout, which is 28-35 minutes long. By adding the weights to my workout I am toning the areas that need toned!!! Not only are the weights toning my arms, they are helping me get ride of my baby pouch!!!

Here's my workout summary for the week:

Saturday: OFF
Sunday: 30 min. Pilates workout.
Monday: 28 minutes on the elliptical (14 min. with 5lb. dumbbells), 1 mile walk.
Tuesday: 33 minutes on the elliptical (14 min. with 5lb. dumbbells), 1 mile walk.
Wednesday: 30 min. Pilates workout.
Thursday: 28 minutes on the elliptical (14 min. with 5lb. dumbbells), 1 mile walk.
Friday: 30 min. Pilates workout.

Side Note: MY BABY TURNED 9 MONTHS OLD YESTERDAY!!!! HOW COULD I FORGET TO TELL YOU? HE'S GETTING SO BIG! MOMMY LOVES YOU BABY!!!

High School Snow Shovelers and Time Home with my Baby-----PRICELESS

Yep! We had a snow day today! And once again, I took full advantage of the time home with my baby. We did our usual..... practiced crawling, kissed each other to death, laughed, ate fruit puffs, played with all our toys, and snuggled to stay warm on this cold and snowy day. While we were eating our cheerios (yes, we've graduated to cheerios but only two at a time), when some high school boys knocked on our front door and asked if they could shovel my driveway. I asked how much and when they said $20 bucks, I thought that it was worth the time it would be saving my husband and told them to go for it!

You go boys!They did such a good job, they even got up our leaves from fall (oops, double thanks!!!).

Thank god mommy had the high school boys shovel because when daddy got home, we got to play!!!! I LOVE MY DADDY!!!!
And he even sang me a goodnight song!!! I love when he sings to me! And did you notice, that I am totally ROCKING the Rock-a-Billy look?

Wordless Wednesday (Sleep over with Grandpa Mueller)

FTF "Quest for Greatness"

The "Quest for Greatness" is not going all that great. I have completely changed my workout routine, from which I am seeing great results, to more muscle toning. However, I am nowhere near reaching my goal of being able to stay on the elliptical for an hour three days a week. In fact, I'm not so sure that I have even begun trying to reach it. I have decided that I really like the results I am seeing with my new workout routine and therefore will continue this venture as a means of staying motivated to be healthy!!!!

Here is what I did this week:

Saturday: 30 min. Pilates workout, played with my son the rest of the day.

Sunday: 25 min. walk on treadmill with son in tow.

Monday: OFF

Tuesday: 45 min. Pilates workout.

Wednesday: 22 min. on elliptical with 5lb. dumbbell weights in each hand.

Thursday: 5 min. on bike at level 6 for 1 mile, 22 minutes on elliptical for 2 miles.

Friday: OFF

And now I am OFF for a ladies night!!! It has been a while since I have had a night out with the ladies! I will let you know how much fun I had tomorrow (hopefully).

Wordless Wednesday (Riding big boy style at the grocery store!)

FTF "Snow Day Edition"

What have you been doing on this bitter cold day? We have been playing!!! I have been taking full advantage of this extra day home with my son. We have sung songs, practiced crawling (this is work in progress), and have eaten some fruit puffs (me too!! He will eat one if I do!).

SEE: Me and my handsome son!

As for my workouts this week, again I feel like they weren't all that great. I am having a really hard time with this no running thing. My doctor said that I could try to run, I guess technically he cleared me, but I have to look to the future. Do I want to have a total knee replacement like my mom at the age of 53? Um, no thanks. So, I have been doing the Pilates/elliptical/strap the son to me walking thing. The good thing about doing these types of activities are: I have not gained any weight! The bad thing is, I haven't lost any! I am okay with not losing any weight but at the same time I am not okay with feeling like I did not get a good workout. I am one of those people that like to break a really good sweat and I haven't done that in some time now. Anyway, here is what I did this week.

Saturday: 30 minute Pilates workout.

Sunday: 25 minute walk with son in tow, 30 minute Pilates workout.

Monday:OFF

Tuesday: 9.5 miles on the bike. All the ellipticals were taken (me frowning).

Wednesday: 45 minute Pilates workout.

Thursday: 27 minute walk with son in tow.

Friday: 30 minute walk with son in tow.

Do you see something wrong here? I do. I am never going to reach my goal if I don't get my butt back on that elliptical!!!!!

Happy Fat Ticker Friday and (for all you teachers out there) Snow Day too!!!!

Did you say MAMA?

I didn't want to jump the gun by telling you that my son said, "MAMA" over the weekend until I was absolutely positive that is what he said!!! And guess what? He did say it and I have plenty of back up so don't go and rain on my MAMA parade! He said it again when he was at grandma and grandpa Alberts on Monday and then again Tuesday evening. I am so EXCITED!!! He's been saying dada, goo goo, and gee gee. In addition to saying MAMA ( I love that I can say that!!!), he also said ba ba. He isn't directly linking dada to daddy and mama to mommy yet but I just know it will happen soon. It's been a while since I have given you a full update on his developments and I'm not quit sure what I have told you and what I haven't so here is the list again:

He can sit up, drink from a sippy cup (he loves water), eat little puffed foods (this is new), he is starting to pull on things (which I am hoping means that he will be able to pull himself up to his sitting position, not there yet?), and he attempts to get his knees underneath him to move. He is not crawling yet because that would require using his hands and most time his hands are in his mouth (STILL). I think he is starting to recognize that if he didn't have his hands in his mouth he'd be able to maneuver around a bit better but he's just not ready to give that up (he loves sucking on his thumb). He claps his hands we when say Yeah and he claps he hands when we don't but that's okay, he clapping and loves to do it! He will wave hi and bye but does not do it consistently at this point in time. He now has sixth teeth and for his sake I hope he gets a break in the teething area. He has developed somewhat of a temper when he doesn't want something or does want to play with a specific toy. And he pushes us away when he wants to do his own thing (who would have thought wanting to do your own thing starts at such a young age?).

Other than that, he is a happy little camper and the love of my life!!!! It's hard to believe that in a little over three months he will be a year old. Time is going by way to fast around here!

Winter Wonderland

Honey, are you out there? Oh, there you are!
I don't know what the weather is like by you but if your somewhere warm enjoy it because take a look at what we are dealing with this weekend. I think it is safe to say that the hubby will be out there for a good part of the day. We have about 6" of snow so far and the weather station is predicting 4-8 more inches by tonight. I was supposed to catch up with some college friends this weekend in Michigan, needless to say, I will not be going. Part of me (okay most of me) is happy to be home with my baby and hubby this weekend even though for about a month I have been anxiously awaiting my trip. This will be a great weekend just spending time with the two people I love the most. We will probably just loaf around, watch movies, practice crawling and sitting, and just enjoy each others company. I might even curl up with a good book under some warm blankets and make some hot chocolate with marshmallows and whip cream of course! Have a great weekend!

FTF "The Quest for Greatness" & More!

This week was a bit hectic trying to get back into the swing of things after having off for two weeks. I did, however, manage to squeeze in some work outs. My work outs weren't great this week and if I continue on this path, I will never reach my goal of being able to stay on the elliptical for an hour at least three days a week.

Here is what I did this week:

Saturday: 40 minute Pilates work out, 25 minute walk on tread mill with son in tow.
Sunday: OFF
Monday: 45 minute Pilates work out.
Tuesday: 30 minutes on the elliptical, one mile walk.
Wednesday: 45 minute Pilates work out.
Thursday: 33 minutes on the elliptical.
Friday: OFF

Since this challenge is not about loosing weight, I did not weigh in this week. I am feeling a bit bloated anyway and probably won't like what I see.

On another note:
What was your child eating at the age of 8 and 1/2 months? I am asking this question because my son is just not progress with his foods like he should. I know all babies are different and I understand that, but it is very frustrating when we haven't even moved past 1st foods. My son is just getting slammed with teeth left and right. He has his two bottom teeth, his two eye teeth, and now he is getting his two front teeth. I also know that he has been in pain and probably could careless about food at this point in time. I guess I just wanted to know what other moms have done with the whole eating/ teething issue, how they got their children to eat, and what types of food their children were eating at this age? Don't get me wrong, my son is healthy and gaining weight like he should. I just feel like he should be working on skills to develop physically such as his pincher reflex etc....and I know eating table foods help to develop some of those types of skills. Any advice?

Wordless Wednesday (Chilling Froggy Style!!!)

The New Year has been very restful so far

Although our little guy has four teeth coming in at once, we have had a restful New Year so far. Besides playing with all the Christmas toys and eating, we've been resting!!! I think our little one just needs the extra rest right now. I'm not quite sure how the hole teething thing works since this is my first time going through it. But it seems that babies just need extra rest during this time! And that's what he (we) has been doing.

Today is my last day of winter vacation and I plan on RESTING. Have I said that word enough yet?? Anyway, I have enjoyed pretending to be a stay at home mom for the past 17 days. Although part of me kept thinking.... How do these stay at home moms do it? I mean nothing against being a stay at home mom but don't you need to get out of the house for adult time to keep your sanity?? My husband and I were able to go to dinner one evening during my time off and it was nice and at the same time it was enough. I'm not saying that if I was a stay at home mom I would need to go out all the time, once or twice a month is good with me!!! I am a very social person and need to socialize every once in a while!

Anyway, back to work tomorrow. I will miss all the time I had to get the millions of things done around the house (AND WITH MY BABY) that need done on a daily basis. I will go from having tons of time to having no time for anything but yet still manage to take care of everything. I'm still trying to figure out how that works? I hope your New Year has been as restful as ours!!!