February, and so we begin.

You know the itch I was talking about the other day? The 25 is filling it on a very small scale. As I already start to cross off 1/12^th of a few of these numbers as well as entire numbers themselves I look forward to how I am going to cross off the rest. I am already thinking of making Davy swim out to the other lounging dock with the camera in 4 zip lock baggies so he can snap a picture of my big #22 jump. But then again he is known for not taking the best pictures so maybe he’ll be my moral support at the jumping point and I’ll get someone else to snap the picture. #22 is only happening once in my adulthood so I want that picture to turn out!

  

#9 Bake something new and challenging each month.

I successfully made cake pops. I am considering them new because I have tried once before and failed miserably. They were jumbo, they were pink, and they were Moses’ most favorite Valentine.

  

#12 Entertain friends/ family at least once a month at our house.

Earlier this month my parents were out of town so we took advantage and used their house for a get together one Sunday afternoon. We invited four friends over for a cook out and game of volleyball. There were some laughs, friendly competition, and bruised bodies when the day was over.

 

#18 Volunteer long term at church.

You are looking at the newest baby whisperer for the church nursery. This round the church was having a lack of volunteers for the Children’s Ministry as a whole and seeing as babies are good for the soul and my ever growing baby rabies I thought it would be a perfect place to serve. I’ll update in a couple months if this helped take some of my yearning away or made it worse (warning: I’m calling it now I’ll having raging baby rabies by mid summer).

#3 Loose 20 pounds.

The pounds are coming off. I’m keeping this under wraps until my Weight Watchers update next week!

The itch.

The itch. It’s when out of nowhere you start get all sorts of ideas about how your life should be. All the sudden you’re selling your car and moving your family to Europe to live off the cobbled streets and eat cheese every single day. One of you works as an English tutor while the other one teachers the toddler French phases and strolls the market. You live in a house the size of your bedroom but you don’t care because you’re happy and adventurous and exploring and LIVING. Or your spending your days staying home with your babies managing the house and play dates and the budget and teaching the color Red and what you can cook with apples. Your Husband comes home and dinner is coming out of the oven and the lamps are actually dusted and your house is a home and life is good. The itch takes over every practical thought until you’ve traveled past the glorified version of this scenario into the realistic questions like what about health insurance in Europe and where will be store all our pointless things while were away and how can we secure financial security when we return and how can we hug Grammy over Skype. Or how can we pay all our debt and save enough money and afford life on one income when we are patiently waiting for our next paycheck to arrive to pay off these months bills.

And then the itch is slowly subdued by life’s reality and you come back down to exactly where you were ten minutes earlier while you consciously file away that itch with all the others on the top shelf of your brain.

my ode {to single moms}

I have kept this bottled up all week because I’m a firm believer in not yelling to the internets I’M ALONE COME ATTACK ME but Davy has been gone all week and he gets back tonight and I’m so happy! Not that I can’t do it myself, not that I don’t enjoy time alone with Moses, but it’s so much easier having someone to help you! This is where I start bowing down to all you single mom’s out there; it’s hard work! Getting home from work at 6pm then starting dinner while entertaining the little guy then eating then a bath and then I’m exhausted and then he’s exhausted and then it’s bedtime and then there is still a house to clean and preparations for the next day and then you can forget exercise or additional cleaning or really enjoying TV because you’re just so tired! And then you have to get up the next day and do it all again! Wow, you mommas are amazing. It really makes me appreciate my own mother because at one point during our childhood we were broke; my mom was raising an 11 and 9 year old AND had a newborn. I’m pretty convinced she cried every night after we went to bed but I never remember her yelling or crying or freaking out because we were fighting. She did, every single day, until her Jewish PrinceCharming (or Meany Head who made us clean the house as I liked to call him) came along. I have such respect for the dedication it takes to raise a child alone and a new found appreciation for my husband who lovingly disciplines our child and does the dishes without me asking.

Go home tonight and kiss someone you love!

{xoxo}

Happy Valentines Day! 

{bits}

We moved into a new office last week and my main goal this weekend is to finish up my projects and decorate the place! I have the ideas, some of the materials, but the execution is lacking therefore making me stare at black walls all day. Similar to my poor living room I don’t want to bring in half finished pieces only for them to sit that way indefinitely.

Moses has been extra adorable lately with his new enjoyment of toting around special things. He likes them to ride in the car or be by his side at all times for no reason.

Moses has been extra defiant lately. His newest thing is melting down at the dinner table for no reason. “There isn’t something on this side of the plate” “I don’t want my straw in my milk cup” “I don’t want this” blah blah blah they all have started major meltdowns. Even things he likes eating he has refused to eat simply before he’s overwhelmed with emotions. I have no idea why this would affect anything but the same week Davy has started his new job Moses has started pushing limits at school. I hope this is a short lived phase.

Davy started his new job! My Mr. 8-5pm employee has even got himself a uniform and co workers! So far he is loving it and exceeding others expectations which can only be a good thing! It makes me feel really happy as a wife to see him so happy and proud of his job.

I think my body and mind have found themselves in “withdraw” mode ever since starting Weight Watchers and today has been the hardest. When I’m slumpy I want sweets/ food/ Starbucks to cheer me up but instead fruit and almonds are my options. Today I was screaming from the inside to eat something fatty but on the outside I’m just working away pretending everything is fine. I’m making good decisions even if it means taking it one hour at a time.

Our new office has situated us in a perfect area to go enjoy the outdoors. There could be a slight chance I may turn into the lady dressed head to legs in work attire with sweet tennis shoes on walking during lunch.

Happy Friday!

me + sweets

One big thing on my {25} list was to lose 20 pounds. I picked 20 because I’m pretty sure that was post baby/married weight but regardless of the number I am sick of being heavy. It’s funny because in my mind I thought after Moses was born I could shrink back down but instead my body settled into a new form of itself and then slowly grew larger and larger. I blame those dang $2 incredibly delicious and buttery and savory and glorious greasy state office cafeteria breakfasts and basically sitting on my butt all day at work. I also shouldn’t belittle the fact that I am in love with food. I would eat because I was bored or it was an office treat that day or I was having a bad day or I was having a good day or I was emotional or I was ___ (fill in the blank). 

It also doesn’t help that I am head over heels addicted to sugar. People laugh and say oh me too….but I don’t think on the level I am. I crave, sneak, savor, and indulge in sweets every chance I get. I whine and cry until I get some and since I’m an adult and can do whatever I want that means I’m eating sugar every day. 

Welp, enough is enough.

Seriously, enough has to be enough.

I joined the gym mid 2011 and lost about 5 pounds only to see it creep back on then off again.

So enough is enough.

I…..needed more.

I…..

Joined Weight Watchers.

Why Weight Watchers? Because I can still eat whatever I want, in moderation. Because I can still cook a meal for my family. Because the choices are limitless. Because it works.

I really didn’t want to share on here until I was 10 pounds lighter and running miles daily and yadda yadda BUT I need the accountability. That’s another reason for Weight Watchers, those weekly motivational meetings and weigh ins. Since this has become such a big part of my daily life it only felt right to share my struggles and victories. Get ready for a bumpy but rewarding ride!

Hi, my name is Caroline; I’m addictive to food and ready to get help.

Wordless Wednesday {fulfilled}

Fulfilled. 

twentyfive {25}

Each item has its own special reasoning; each one knocking down a wall I’ve built up for numerous reasons. Like I mentioned yesterday I get so bogged down with staying busy so this year, I’m making it happen. I’ve carefully selected 25 things (in no particular order) that will be both challenging and rewarding and with a 1 year deadline I’m determined to make it happen. January 27^th 2013 is my deadline. This blog is my accountability. Here is the challenge.

1.      Print out wedding photos for an old fashion album
2.      See two movies in the theater in one day
3.      Lose 20 pounds
4.      Start and finish five different sewing projects
5.      Take family photos
6.      Write a friend a letter at least once a month (12)
7.      Stick to a cash budget for an entire month
8.      Take a 7 day fast from all forms of social media
9.      Bake something new and challenging each month (12)
10.  Fill most frames in the house with fresh pictures
11.  Join a women’s bible study
12.  Entertain friends/ family at least once a month at our house (12)
13.  Run a 5k (I’m too scared to say 10k)
14.  Wear a bikini in public
15.  Compile a memory verse book for Moses
16.  Backup all our photos on an external hard drive
17.  Vacation somewhere I’ve never been
18.  Volunteer long-term at church
19.  Eliminate meat from my diet for 1 month
20.  Brush up on my French ( a class, a workbook, a tutor, ect)
21.  Take a 7 day fast from TV
22.  Jump off the high dive at Wakulla Springs
23.  Spend time with my Grandma outside of the holidays
24.  Color some part of my hair a non-natural color (I’m thinking purple)
25.  Get pregnant