Saturday Evening Blogpost - 12

It is time for the Saturday Evening Blog Post, hosted by Elizabeth Esther. 

This is a great time to share your favorite post from the previous month. If you click through, just add the link from that post to the link up. It's a great way to meet other bloggers!

This month, I shared:

How's That Discernment Feel Now?

Please go visit Elizabeth Esther to meet some other fabulous bloggers!

7 Quick Takes - 69

Thank you to Jennifer Fulwiler for hosting!

--- 1 ---

I'm sure I am not the first to say this: I'm so glad I was busy with our kids' Christmas program last night so I had no good reason to turn on the TV and perhaps catch any of The Sound of Music with Carrie Underwood attempting to pull off Maria Von Trapp. Hey, The Sound of Music, with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer is my all-time fave movie. I just couldn't taint images in my brain with anything less.

--- 2 ---

The Christmas program was really good! It was Dominic's first and he was awesome. He remembered all the words and all the hand gestures. Even as they were being walked off the stage, he pulled up to the microphone and put his mouth all over it pretending he was using it...it was priceless. (okay, his mouth wasn't all over it really...it was just funny)

Watching him sing the songs made me tear up a bit, not going to lie. What is it about your preschooler singing Christmas songs in a group of other preschoolers? I tear up every time. Love it.

--- 3 ---

Cool part about having a responsible 12-year-old? You can leave your Destructo-Tot 2-year-old with her and go enjoy your other kids in the Christmas program.

I knew I'd find reasons to enjoy my kids growing up.
 

--- 4 ---

Sarah's class is reading C.S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew. I love watching her write out her answers to the questions. So much stuff to pack into an answer. I said, "Why are you writing so much? Did you copy the book?" Sarah replied, "No mom...Sister grades so hard that you want to put all the details in that you can think of so she's happy." Oh. Okay.

--- 5 ---

Well, my workout days streak ended. Yesterday, work kept me from getting home at 5:15 with enough time to get some kind of workout in. So 10 days in a row. I think I'll just start another one and try to beat that this time!

--- 6 ---

Brrr. It got awful Antarctica around here pretty quick! We were in the 60's earlier this week and the high today was only something like 25. This is not. okay. with. me. I have found that turning 40 has made me decide it's not worth it to run in really cold weather. I just don't care to do it and I'll figure something else out. I just can't hack the cold like that!

--- 7 ---

Happy St. Nicholas Day! I felt bad...due to the Christmas program and the chaos that surrounds that, I totally didn't get the kids in gear for it this year. No shoes hanging out waiting for some candy. Sigh. Oh well, maybe next year.

Enjoy your weekend!

Be sure to go check out Conversion Diary for more 7 Quick Takes Posts!

 

Weight Watchers Wednesday (5)

Welcome to Weight Watchers Wednesday, the 5th round. I DID make it to a meeting last week...it was on Saturday. I have had it driven home how important it is to have the at-work meetings because I honestly don't have time to go any other time! I got up early on Saturday to make sure I made it in and I was rewarded by finding out I lost 1.4 pounds! I am 0.2 pounds away from getting my 5% this go-round, so I am happy about that.

I have a string of 5 straight weeks of weight loss that I am really hoping I can keep up! I also have a string of days worked out going, too. At this point it is at 9 days in a row...I have been finding ways to fit in something even if it's not crossfit. I think that has definitely helped the weight loss through Thanksgiving.

So...how did Thanksgiving go anyway? Well, I planned ahead by keeping in mind the "great plate" meeting from the week before. I stuck to my resolve to only put on my plate those things I knew I would enjoy and I watched portion size. I also ate slowly, consciously putting my fork down between bites. I realized that I ate one plate of food in the time I probably ate 2 plates last year. And...even with pumpkin pie (with 2 tbsp whipped cream) for 14 points, I only went over my daily points by about 10! I did have 9 oz of wine which also was included in my point total for that day.

The best part was I got to the 8:00 a.m. crossfit workout that morning, so I felt good all day about the fact that I still got a workout in and that I had gotten workouts four days in a row at that point.

Friday I was back at work and I avoided the leftovers from the Wednesday "snack" day. I brought 6 oz of leftover turkey breast and a green bean/tomato dish that is only 2 points/serving to eat for lunch. When I got home that evening, before we went out shopping as a family, I did a workout to match what my husband had done at Crossfit that morning (total of 100 burpees and a 1.25 mile run thrown in there). So, again, I felt good about another day with a workout and staying within my points for the day!

Saturday, I took Sarah and a friend to see Catching Fire (2nd time for Sarah and me, 1st time for the friend) so I had popcorn at the movies again. I wasn't sure I'd get a workout in, but after Mass, Craig informed me he wouldn't have to leave for work until 7:00 p.m. and I realized I had 90 minutes before that so I headed out for a 3 mile run. I felt really good that I got a workout in for a 6th day in a row and that's when I thought I'd try to do something again on Sunday and try to keep this string going.

Sunday went well, too. I got up and got all the kids banana bread and opted for just the banana for myself. At lunch, I made Turkey, Apple, and Blue Cheese Wrap. It was the recipe in the Weight Watchers Weekly. Craig couldn't find fat free cream cheese, so I used regular which bumped the point total to 8 instead of 7. But these are so easy...and very good. I got the Fit & Active Multigrain wraps from Aldi (instead of whole wheat tortillas, as prescribed in the recipe), mixed together 1 tbsp blue cheese crumbles and 1 tbsp cream cheese and the fresh ground pepper. Spread that mixture on the wrap, then put in 1/2 cup fresh spinach (recipe called for arugula, but Craig just grabbed the spinach, which was fine), added the 1/2 apple, diced and 2 oz turkey breast. I rolled it up and ate it. Very good. Try it! 

Sunday also was my 7th day of exercise in a row! I got in another 3 mi run in the afternoon. For dinner, I had a 1 cup serving of the mac and cheese Craig made for the kids and one of my Smart Ones meals that was 8 points. I drank all my water and then in the evening, I had a little craving for something more so I had a 2-point mini-bar (my favorite=Chocolate Pretzel Blast).

Monday's food was all good. I ate breakfast (I'm in a routine of a banana, a Special K protein bar and a diet coke -- it's easy and fast and it ensures I eat breakfast), I made my lunch (BTW -- the featured recipe in the weekly that I mentioned above? So yummy and easy to make at work for my lunch all week) and I got another straight day of exercise in with Crossfit.

Tuesday, more of the same. My workout was 6000m on the erg for a good rowing workout. My dinner was leftovers.

All in all, I had a great week. I hope it translates to some more downward success on the scale, but I have to be happy with the fact that I tracked every single day AND I exercised every single day. I worked hard on putting my fork down between bites all week to slow the pace of my eating and...I daresay, I do notice that some of my pants are less snug around the waist. :)

Guess you'll find out next week if there was any more weight loss!

Monday Mumbles - 63

Here we are...another Monday. Let's do some mumbling.

1. Pretty excited that I got the cousin Christmas gifts for my side that needed to be shipped done this weekend. I have NEVER been that much on the ball before. It feels good!!

2. I actually have Christmas cards ready to be put in envelopes and mailed off. I just haven't done it. I was hoping to do it so they'd go in the mail today, but I think it will have to be sometime this week. I still need to get stamps, too.

3. My Chiefs. Ugh. They have lost 3 in a row. They should have won yesterday, but they didn't. and I agree with a Facebook status I saw from my friend Jamie (writes Roman Catholic Cop):

"Well crap---on one hand---#Chiefs should have won. On other hand----they didn't deserve a win."

 So...yeah.

4. I got a 3-mi run in on Saturday and Sunday this weekend! I had kind of gotten out of my habit of running while I've been boosting up other workouts, like Crossfit and such. But I am glad I can pull a 3-miler whenever I feel like it. :)

5. Friday, there was only one Crossfit workout for the day and it was while I had to work. But Craig told me about the burpees and the running. So, when I got home Friday night, I did the 100 Burpees and the 1.25mi run in the middle. I was kinda proud of myself for choosing to do Burpees even when I wasn't at Crossfit. :)

6. I DID make a Weight Watchers meeting -- it was Saturday. Tune in Wednesday to see how Thanksgiving went, as it pertains to my weight loss. 

7.  The children put up the Christmas tree while I was at work on Friday! They did a fabulous job!

8. I saw Catching Fire over the weekend for the second time. I think I need to write about it at some point, but I worry about presenting spoilers and such. The movie is so very well done. I think I saw why this weekend -- because Suzanne Collins is one of the executive producers -- that is why. 

9. There was a preview for a movie called Divergent. Looks interesting. Will be getting the book.

10. I finally ended Netflix and we joined Amazon Prime. It's cheaper overall. Netflix streaming was $8/month and Amazon Prime is $79/year. And you get free 2-day shipping. And on Sarah's kindle we can borrow books all year long for free. I already used the 2-day shipping thing on a Christmas present we got for Helen. I think I'm gonna like this...

Have a great Monday! Happy Advent! Happy December! 23 days until Christmas!!

 

Giving Thanks

This post is far too long in coming, but as I take stock of my 2013 today, I realize it's just the right time. There are so many people that enrich and bless my life.

I'm thankful, first and foremost, to God for all of my blessings and my sorrows. I have struggled throughout this year to see the blessings to be reaped from losing a child. It hasn't always been easy, but I feel grateful that anger has not been one of the emotions I had to face. I'm amazed that I haven't been angry...it would be so easy to be. Is it because it was my 6th child? I don't know. I am grateful to have the knowledge and acceptance of my faith's teaching that death is not of God. Of course, He allows it, but He doesn't cause it. I am blessed to have a saint in Heaven interceding for me. It comforts me, sometimes, to talk to Gregory in my prayers. Sometimes I just tell him what everyone is doing...how I can see what a fun time he would have had chasing Vincent around and never catching him, stuff like that. Sometimes, I just ask him to keep praying for me because I'm still struggling to do things right down here. I'm thankful that God has provided me with knowledge, ambition, persistence and faith. I know I have nothing -- no blessings and no sorrows -- without God.

I am thankful for my family. All of them. My parents, my siblings, my husband, his parents, his siblings, our children...this year has shown me so much love through my family. I was touched by the sweet and caring way all of our siblings (both Craig's and mine) reacted to our tragedy this year. I guess they all loved us like no one else can. I pray that my children will love and care for each other half as much as I see Craig's siblings and my siblings all love and care for us and each other -- they will be very blessed!

I am thankful for so many friends. The woman who runs the home daycare where Vincent spends his days was a God-send during our time of sorrow this spring. She kept Vincent overnight and through the weekend, and I know he was loved and well cared for. She sent me messages of hope and support throughout the weeks following Gregory's death and even when we were marking the due date. She cares for Vincent as closely as a person could to how she cares for her own children. He loves her and she loves and cares for him. We've been so blessed that once we found the need for daycare, we had her as an option. 

Mothers of children in my older children's classes have been a huge support to me through this year. We had places to send the children the weekend we needed to grieve our baby. I just remember thinking how grateful I was that no children were in the house that first night we went to bed after delivering Gregory. It was hard enough over the following weeks for my children to see me cry so much, but I am forever grateful that none of them had to hear their mother crying out so loudly and uncontrollably in the night as the sorrow of losing my baby broke my heart. And even after that weekend, the outpouring of support -- meals brought by friends, the attendance at Gregory's funeral, the Masses said for Gregory -- it was beyond anything I could have ever anticipated.

I am grateful for the friends I have made in the #cathsorority group on Twitter/Facebook. So many of them have been a huge support to me -- through blogs, through online discussions, and through personal relationships, too.

And bloggy-friends. I recently went and re-read Rebecca's post about Gregory from a few months ago. I re-read it every now and again. It helps tell such a good story about Rebecca's and my friendship. I often marvel at how similar our life experiences have been, but also how different our paths are as adults. The fact that our paths converged when they did can be nothing short of Divine Intervention to bring us together. I've kept up on other bloggers who have gone through similar trials, too, and it's one of those things where you wish you were alone (so no one else had to suffer) but if someone else had to suffer a similar sorrow...I was happy to be there to support and pray for them through their suffering.

My mother-in-law made Christmas ornaments for her grandkids -- a total of 5. So Dominic didn't have 5 yet and of course, neither did Vincent, so she spent time this year making their ornaments to hang on the tree this year. She gave them to the boys after Thanksgiving dinner today. First she brought out Vincent's and he looked at it and then put it back in the envelope. Then Dominic looked at this. All of a sudden a third envelope appeared and my mother-in-law gave it to me to open. I flipped it open and it had Gregory on the back, I opened it and she had made a Christmas ornament for Gregory. I startled and stunned me and brought tears to my eyes...but not really of sadness. I was so happy that she thought to remember Gregory for us in this way. Of course, Gregory won't have 5...but he'll always have this one, she put the date on the front (it's a picture of an angel). I am so grateful for this.

That's one of the things about losing Gregory the way we did. I will always remember Gregory. But I don't feel like I can expect others to remember him. And it really touched me that my mother-in-law did this because it's not like I can go around to people saying, "You know...I do have six children, I just have my baby up in Heaven." That's not how it works. So I'm grateful when other people remember that he was my baby and that he really did exist and I miss him and still love him very much.

So, I just realized this is a very rambl-ey post. (Sorry about that!) I was thinking about being thankful and grateful and everything today...and I realize that the biggest event of my life that happened this year -- well, I'm thankful that I was pregnant with my sixth child and that God saw fit to give Craig and me one more baby. And, I remind myself constantly that there are blessings to be found in my suffering and I look for them because Gregory is a blessing in many ways...not just if he made it here to Earth to live with us.

Some pictures from Thanksgiving day today

He never cooperated for a good photo!!!

I think this one shows how much Helen and I favor each other :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Weight Watchers Wednesday (4)

It's another Weight Watchers Wednesday!

This week I decided to try and journal the week on my blog post to keep me more accountable. First of all, the weigh-in and meeting went well. I weighed in and lost 1.0 pounds. After a week where tracking had been spotty and I worried I hadn't exercised like I should, I was very pleased.

The meeting was "The Great Plate" meeting where they go over how many points certain things are at Thanksgiving. My beloved slice of pumpkin pie with 2 Tbsp whipped topping is 14 points. So...I'm going to plan around that because I really want that pie!! The tip I took away from the meeting was that I shouldn't take a bite of something just to try everything. And if I don't really like it, don't eat it. Spend my points eating things I will enjoy and I won't get needless points from dishes that aren't really my favorite. I'm hoping for a weight loss the week after Thanksgiving -- I know I can do it!! 

This woman...

Photo Found Here

...inspires me


Thursday's food choices were good. I had a banana for breakfast and brought a big container of lettuce and cucumber for lunch. I added from the cafeteria salad bar -- green olives, a few cherry tomatoes, a boiled egg, some feta cheese and dressing. I also drank a Diet Coke with lunch. My snack was 15 of the Baked! Lays crisps (3 points!). I also got some exercise in while Dani was at swim practice -- I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and then rowed 1000 m on the erg (that's a rowing machine). After that, I ate some plain greek yogurt with raspberries, a couple slices of pizza (total 8 points on that) and a Smart Ones Breakfast sandwich. I was kind of throwing it together since it was late.

Friday wasn't too bad, either. I got 30 minutes on a stationary bike over lunch and Subway for lunch (after a Smart Ones breakfast entree). I took Dani to swim practice and had a late supper. Saturday was a bad bad day food-wise. Craig made me a breakfast sandwich, then I had lots of movie popcorn when I took Sarah to see Catching Fire. and Saturday night....oh my! When I tracked it finally on Monday night, I was floored at the number of points. yikes! Sunday wasn't as bad, but it wasn't really great either.

Monday, I was back on track...both with food choices and tracking! I also got to Crossfit that eveing. On Tuesday, I also tracked all my food and stayed within my daily PointsPlus target AND got exercise (5000m on the rower).

I will not be able to weigh in this week. Since Thanksgiving is a Thursday, there is no meeting at work. And I just can't seem to figure out a time I can go to another meeting. This may change if I think I can make a Saturday meeting, but as of right now, I'm hoping to keep plugging away and see what the weigh-in next week will be.

So, Wednesday next week, you can find out if I weighed in or not. :)

UPDATE: I just realized this is week four, so it's been a month that I've been following weight watchers plan and I am down a total of 7.4 pounds (as of last week's weigh-in).

Have a great week!!

Monday Mumbles - 62

It's another Monday! After today, I have to work only 4 more Mondays of 2013. Of course, then I just start working a whole slew of Mondays in 2014, but oh well.

1. The Chiefs have lost 2 weeks in a row. Yesterday's was especially painful. It stinks to lose a couple of your key defensive players to injury in the first half. Holy moly. No team has scored that many points on the Chiefs this year. About made me sick.

2. Remember 2+ years ago when Dominic broke his leg? Well, his little brother decided to pull a similar stunt. Poor little Vincent was running around the house with his big brother and fell. Of course, no one saw him fall, so no one knows exactly where he is most likely hurt, but he won't put any weight on his right foot. Much like his brother, he got a boot to wear for a bit and we are to follow up with his doctor this week.

Got a picture of it before we left the hospital

3.  Can you believe Advent starts next week? I don't know how I will do with Advent and Christmas and New Year's this year. I'd like to think I'll hold it together, but you never know, I guess.

4. My dad's birthday was yesterday. Do you all buy gifts for your parents on their birthdays? I kind of feel bad because I really don't. But I know my dad would rather I not spend money on him...he knows what it's like raising a large family. And then there's the fact that he's hard to buy for because he doesn't really care for luxurious things and he's a fairly practical kind of person that watches his own consumption -- of goods and services...and money. 

So, I called him and am going to call that good. It's always nice to talk to my dad and wish him a happy birthday. It makes me happy that he's still around so I can do that. The older I get, the more keenly I feel it when I realize the days of wishing him happy birthday will end at some point.
5. Catching Fire did NOT disappoint! I loved it. I plan to see it again, because...well, I want to and I know some other people who haven't seen it yet and might want to go with a buddy. :)

6. The movie was true to the book in all the right ways. I love that.

7. As a side note...I really love movie theater popcorn. I know it's terrible for me...but it tastes so good.

8. Vincent only has one pair of pajamas right now. I keep thinking I ought to get him more, but then I think...he only sleeps in them, why not let him just have the one pair? Well, I was in Wal-mart last night and saw the footie pajamas that are fleece and almost bought him some. The Gerber package was 2 pair for 9.64. Good price, but of course, then I saw a pair hanging that had Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates all over it and thought..."Oh, I will just get those." Well, then I check the price and those are $7.64 and that's just ONE pair of pajamas. And of course, the more non-descript pajamas hanging on the same aisle were $6.65 and so then it just ticked me off that to get the Jake and the Neverland Pirates pair was more expensive JUST BECAUSE it was Disney! 

So...I didn't buy any. Screw it.

9. I had a lovely evening Saturday night visiting with some other moms I know. I asked everyone to get together, it was for my birthday, but I didn't want presents, I just wanted to hang out with people. I ended up talking with a couple of them until Midnight! I am too old to stay up that late. 

Sunday afternoon, after the trip to the hospital and watching the Chiefs lose, I fell asleep for a bit. I gotta have my ZZZzzzzz's. 

10. I am trying to figure out what we are going to pledge to our Diocese's Capital Campaign. I haven't given a large amount to our Bishop's Annual Appeal the last couple of years because I really amped up our parish giving. Our parish had been in financial trouble, so I wanted all of my charitable giving basically to go to my parish. But now, I can't really pull back from that (they kinda frown on it when you have kids in the school) but I don't really have a lot of extra to commit to a 3-year pledge. So, I'm gonna keep praying about it and hope that an answer pops up clear as day. (Yeah, like that ever happens...)

Well, that's a variety of Mumbles if there ever was one! Have a great Monday!