High-Fructose Corn Syrup

This recently came to my attention by Mandi on a note she posted on facebook. I am pretty naive when it comes to processed foods and such that I eat and that I feed Alex, so this is scary to me! New studies have found that "almost half of tested samples of commercial high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contained mercury, which was also found in nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products where HFCS is the first- or second-highest labeled ingredient". (full article here )

Alex eats pancakes with a little bit of syrup every monrning for breakfast, and he has his favorite PB & J just about every day for lunch...both the syrup and jelly have HFCS. So I decided that I am going to be a little more selective on what I give him and read labels carefully. I even made home-made pancake syrup yesterday right after I read the article, and bought some simply fruit spread for his PB&J. Maybe I'll start making my own jam too...it's probably cheaper anyway!

Does anyone have any good syrup and jam recipes? Please share them with me!

Getting Fit in '09 update #3

I lost 3.5 pounds this week! Current weight is 163lbs, I even feel lighter this morning!
The frustrating thing is that I only got 1 work out in this week. So what the heck does that mean? Do I need to eat more on the days I work out? Do I need to eat less? I don't want to stop working out, as I need to get tone and in shape as well as lose the weight (obviously!). So I will try to squeeze more excersize in this week and eat more on those days. I really want one of those cool watches that track your heart rate and calories burned...it would make it so much easier!

Things I did: Stayed within my points, wohoo!! Worked out once

Things to do: Keep on track with points. Get more than one workout in, and make sure I eat those points!

Getting Fit in '09 update #2

Week 2 weight: 166.5

So that is a gain of .5! A little disappointing, but 5lbs in two weeks is still a great number. It's my fault though, I know exactly what I did wrong. No more parties with pepperoni calzones, margaritas, and beer! It was only one night and I didn't think it would do any harm. It never did when I was doing WW in 2007, but apparently your body isn't as forgiving after a second child!

Things I did this week: Had one bad night, weighed in every day (bad I know, but if I hadn't I wouldn't have worked so hard to get rid of it), worked out 3 times (elliptical 45 minutes, 45 minutes pilates, and 45 minutes of spin)

Things to do this week: only eat a few of my weekly flex points a day (not all of them and then some!), continue to be a rock star in workouts, and only weigh myself on Thursdays :)

Alex's new silly phrase

Last week Alex started answering every request with "Yes, Sir!" and that includes saying it to me. I try to correct him to say 'yes mommy' or 'yes, ma'am', but it doesn't really work.

Jason and I were trying to figure out where in the world he learned such polite manners...and then it clicked one night when we were reading one of his favorite books:

"Please, sir. I don't like this trick, sir.
My tongue isn't quick or slick, sir.
I get all those ticks and clocks, sir,
mixed up with the chicks and tocks, sir.
I can't do it, Mr. Fox, sir. I'm so sorry, Mr. Knox, sir."

It doesn't say 'yes, sir' anywhere in Fox in Socks...but this has to be where he learned it. So, thank you, Dr. Seuss, for helping teach my boy manners ;)

Getting Fit in '09 update #1

Hello! Thank you to all who commented on This is it! What great motivation...I can't and I refuse to let any of you down now!

My first weigh-in was awesome! I am down 5.5 pounds in one week, making me 166lbs. That is too much for a nursing mom, but since it is the first week, I think I can let it slide. They say not to lose more than a pound while nursing, but I safely lost 2lbs per week while nursing Alex and never noticed a drop in my supply.

Things I did this week: Stayed within my points range all but 2 days...darn pizza and desserts will get me every time; worked out 3 days

Things to do this week: Keep within my points; give it my all in every workout (I want to be sore the next day...yup, I am that crazy)

Carter-pillar

I know many have asked to see a video of Carter doing his inch-worm crawl...so I finally did it, and it only took 6 tries! haha...not bad, eh?

And another one just because Alex is so cute in it, and Carter much prefers him over me:

Amazing Family

This family is one that both Jason and I hope to be some day. They are amazing and motivating in their faith and love in God. I just wanted to share a song they sang in our church (Altus Christian Fellowship) on Sunday morning. I just love seeing how they devote every single aspect of their life to serving Christ. So thank you for being an ispiration!

Here's the link to the video...you will not be disappointed!

God Is

This is it!

There is no going back now. I went on a diet (weight watchers) and an excersize plan ( You've Gotta Start Somewhere!! ) last Thursday and I am determined to get down to my goal weight by my birthday. I am laying it all out here to keep myself accountable. I figure, if y'all know, then y'all will keep bugging me about it, right?
So I started at 171.5 (yikes!) and I hope to be at 135 by May 28th so that Memorial Day weekend we can spend the night down in Grapevine Mills shopping for my new wardrobe :) Oh, and Jason will get to go golfing too...it's part of the bargain LOL I'll weigh in on Thursday's or Friday's depending on my mood and post updates for you.

Now here's the really embarrassing part...before pictures:

ugh...can't believe I just made those public!

It's less than 2 pounds a week, so it can be done. I WILL accomplish my goal!

On a lighter note

Carter turned 7 months on Friday! He is getting more daring, and I am starting to put him in some of Alex's 12 month clothing already..yikes! He has begun pulling himself up on stuff...he's not very good yet and falls a lot, but it's still pretty entertaining :)

(Please excuse the mess of toys surrounding him)

In case you were wondering...

I figured out how to get desitin cream out of fabric...would you care to know?

1. Leave the desitin cream in your toddlers room overnight (good job, daddy!).

2. Find your toddler cowering in the closet at 7:30am covered, once again, head to toe in desitin.

3. Make daddy wash the whiney toddler while you get all the sheets, blankets, and pillowcases off the bed

4. Put each into the sink (or bathtub in my case) and get wet. Squirt dishwashing soap directly to affected areas and scrub away.

Finally, spray the affected areas with Shout and wash in the washing machine...Hot/Cold, Heavy Duty, Heavily Soiled, Pre-Soak, and Extra Rinse.

You can still see some spots, but at least it no longer smells like Desitin.

Lesson Learned? Probably not...I am really beginning to despise Desitin...

Can't complain!

I think January is the only month around here that I don't complain about the weather. Maybe because my family in Grand Forks has to warm up their cars for at least 30 mintues before driving (a good 45 if you want it to be luke warm inside) while we get to go to the park today and take our jackets off! Carter, Alex, and their friend Madison had a blast at the new park we tried out this afternoon...I think it's going to become our new hangout. Carter loves the swing...giggled practically the entire time!

We're home!

We are back from our trip to Portland to visit family over the holiday. It was everything we had hoped it would be and more! It's sad that we only get to see some of them every couple of years, but I suppose it makes these get togethers even more special and important. I am busy uploading pictures to our picture website , I will not post any here, just because it will take way way too long! Thank you to Kate and Steve for opening your home to us and the rest of the family, we miss you guys already!