My weight loss story

A little bit ago a friend asked me for my weight loss story. Even though I felt less than qualified I sent her the following:

My weight loss story:
I've always had a skewed perception of my body. In high school, as a size 4, I thought I was fat and after my first son at a size 16 I didn't think I was "that big". I always compared myself to others thinking "I'm the smallest one here" or "I don't look as big as them" which I quickly noticed was not correct. My lowest point was the night I was watching biggest loser and one of the contestants mid season weighed in at 173. I was 170. I thought gosh she looks way bigger than me and then I realized that she was even like 5 inches taller than me. Obviously I was way off. I started eating healthy and exercising. Counting every calorie in and every calorie out. I got down to 142 but went on fertility medication that made me crazy and was 148 when I got pregnant a year later. During my pregnancy I felt a lot better than during my first. I ended up at 165 after my second baby and decided to start working on my weight when he was about 2 months old. This time my husband was doing it with me which made it so much easier. We never had bad food in the house, ate healthy good tasting meals and snacks and made a low calorie dessert once a week. At that point the only exercise I was doing was nursing my son. I dropped weight fast! So much so that I had to quit nursing my son after 5 months because my milk had lost most of it's fat content. I started exercising at least once a day on my lunch break and occasionally after the boys would go to bed. I would lift weights for 10 minutes on my morning break, use a stationary bike for 40 minutes on my lunch and do a 10 minute ab workout on my afternoon break. I started feeling good about myself for the first time ever and everyone seemed to notice the transformation. A year later I had lost 50 lbs and was 115 and a size 2. Smaller than I had ever been. I wish I could say I kept it off. Unfortunately I have gained 10 lbs back and have struggled to maintain. It's not easy. I'm back on the wagon now and am happy to report that I lost a pound this week. All I can say is that there is no real secret to weight loss. No fad diet or new fangled exercise will take the place of healthy eating and hard work. It takes dedication and support from everyone around you and is completely possible no matter who you are or what size you are starting out. Just start now! If you eat something you shouldn't have don't chalk it up as a ruined day, eat as healthy as you can and burn more calories! Don't completely deprive yourself just set limits. If you want a donut cut it in 4ths and eat 1 piece. 100 extra calories is far better than 400. Just educate yourself on what you are putting into your body and keep going. I will always struggle but the only difference between me and someone else that hasn't started this journey yet is that I know I can do it because I have done it before. All you have to do is start. Start now. Don't wait for some other day or for one last meal. Start now.

Today we had our assessments for our company wellness program and it made me think about this. Everyone was sure I would pass with flying colors but I was worried. I have never had so many people come up to me and call me a stick! It made me realize that I do really have this skewed sense of self. If only I could see what everyone else sees. It's been a great few weeks for me and I am really enjoying exercising and eating right. It seems that the switch in my brain finally flipped and I am back on track and happy about it! I thought I should share my story and you can take it or leave it.

Letters to Hailey 2

Hey Hermana Amiga,

                First off, Jude LOVED the stamp so thanks! Carter kept saying your card was his computer which was pretty funny. I hope you liked your surprise and also your Valentine from Carter. He was so excited to send it to you. So now let me think back to the events of this week…

Ah yes, lots of kiddo cuteness. We had a good Valentines and the boys loved their presents. Jude of course got a talking Woody doll and Carter got some Lego guys and “The Brick Bible” which is the Old Testament done in Legos. It is super awesome but quite graphic. There’s a lot of violence and prostituting in the Bible… What can I say? We let Jude take Woody to his cousins’ house that day and he broke so that night we had to return him and get a new one. He was so sad when his leg broke off but the look on his face when we replaced it was worth the trouble. That night after putting the kids to bed Dave and I built card houses and watched TV. Low key, but nice. I actually hate going out on Valentine’s because it’s always so busy and I’m not good in big groups of people. Plus finding a babysitter is a nightmare on Valentine’s day.

                In other news, you will be happy to know that Carter says he now loves me more that Dave. That is quite a leap forward for me since he is always very vocal about our rankings. I hate to admit that it may have a lot to do with the fact that I brought home Star Wars underwear for him from Costco but I do what I have to. Still no word from the school but we should hear this week. I found out last week that they had over 800 applications for only 350 spots!!! Luckily I know we are about 250 in line so hopefully all the other kinder moms are slackers. Carter has been doing a really good job of reading and reads a book every night with little to no help. He wants to start Matilda after seeing the movie so we will have to take a trip to the library. We have gotten in a really good rhythm with our bedtime routine with Carter. We’ve been reading from the Brick Bible and reading a BOM scripture mastery each night and explaining it. I figure reading important scriptures and understanding them is better than trying to get through the whole BOM word for word with my 4 year old and not have him understand it at all. He seems to really be getting it. Joy sent his picture to the friend with his certificate for memorizing all 13 articles of faith so we are hoping he will be in the magazine. That would be so cool. I signed Carter up for T-ball which starts in April after soccer is over. He is getting a lot better at soccer each week and definitely isn’t afraid to get in there which is the most surprising part.

                Jude is in a monkey see monkey do phase and likes to copy faces that people make at him. He is still in his hat phase and loves to play with Dave’s hats. He is now really into boxes and likes to sit in them with his toys. What a boy. One of his favorite things to do is act like a doggy and crawl around the house barking. It’s really cute and Carter likes to join him so I end up with the 2 cutest doggies ever. Jude has been randomly signing the song Hey Jude which is funny. The na na’s are probably my favorite part that he sings. I really think he will be the musical one in the family. Fingers crossed!!! He is growing up quick and is starting to say more phrases like “This way” or “that one” and uses words like thirsty and hungry which is super helpful. Too bad all he ever wants is pirate booty and fruit snacks and goes into hulk mode if we refuse him. He loves to say Amen super loud even at church which I don’t really mind because it’s cute. Luckily both boys have been pretty healthy lately and that makes me a happy mommy!!

                I’m feeling a lot better and am actually able to exercise and lift Jude now which makes life so much easier for everyone. I offered to make the costumes for my friend’s theater class’ production of Suessical which I am excited about. I’ve already started working on bird tutus and I have to make monkey vests and kangaroo ears and all that. Should be fun! I can’t remember if I already told you this but Dave is going to Chicago in April to go to a National planning convention which he is super excited about. I invited Nancy to come keep me company while he is gone so I am hoping she can. That would be super fun.

                I am sorry to hear that your investigators have gone away but you planted the seed and there will be many more opportunities. Everything you do out there could help someone. You just never know. Be diligent and keep your spirits up. The Lord loves you and will give you opportunities to reach people that are currently being prepared. You are being prepared to teach them. Know that we pray for you constantly and know you are making a difference. Even on the days you feel like no one out there cares, you are making a difference. Carter is excited about missionaries and cannot wait until he can go out and teach people like Auntie Nanny Hailey does. If nothing else you are a great example of faith. Keep it up and you will be blessed. I love you and miss you lots! Thanks for being awesome.

Letters to Hailey

So it's been a while since I blogged and there has been so much that has happened! I have decided that since I write to Hermana Pierce so frequently I will use edited versions of my letters as blog posts! Here goes:

                Sorry it has been so long since I wrote last but the past few weeks have been crazy! First off, how are you? So, a week ago this past Sunday I had emergency gall bladder surgery. I ended up having the worst pain ever right below my sternum and at about 1am we went to the ER. They hooked me up on all sorts of drugs and Dave had to leave but got back before the surgery the next day which went well. We left the hospital at about 9pm Sunday night but when we got to the middle of that hill near our house we realized there had been an accident at the bottom and we couldn’t get by without sliding into them. Dave drifted our car into a snow bank in the middle of the hill and got out to see what our options were. As he was out there a suburban came down the hill and I started honking like crazy to get everyone’s attention before they hit me. Luckily the suburban was able to slide into a nearby driveway and out pops my neighbor and his 3 boys. The 4 of them pushed all of the cars out of the way and pretty much pushed us home! Then he took Dave to pick up my pain meds. It was definitely a divine intervention moment. So I have been in pain recovering from that and coming back to work has been insane! SO MUCH TO DO!!! 

                So in happier news: Carter started soccer and oh my gosh… he is so stinking cute!! He is like the worst on the team but he gallops around the field and chases the ball everywhere! He was smiling and laughing and TALKING TO OTHER KIDS!!! Who is this child!? I am so glad we put him in soccer!! We are still waiting to hear back from the smarty pants school but we should hopefully find out if he got in this month. Fingers crossed. Apparently there is a bully at Carter’s preschool that called him a “doo doo head” and he told me it made him angry. I told him if someone calls him a mean name to say “Nah, Actually I’m pretty awesome.” He was practicing and so excited about it but Monday the bully ended up picking on his friend instead. Carter told me that he leaned over and whispered in Henry’s ear to tell him the phrase that he had practiced but Henry didn’t understand why Carter was whispering in his ear and told him to stop. So I told Carter if someone is calling someone else names he should say that person is awesome and stand up for him/her. I think he really got it and it was a good lesson. I almost can’t wait for this kid to call Carter a name and see how it goes!

                Jude has been struggling with the fact that I can’t lift him and I am not able to be the mom I was before (who am I kidding… I am struggling with it even more!!) I literally am not able to watch him by myself! I feel like such a cruddy mom but I am grateful that I have people to help me and I will get better soon. Right now Jude is obsessed with Toy Story. It was cute until he started getting super OCD about Woody’s hat! Now if it falls off, no matter where we are or what we are doing, we stop everything and put it back on. It’s actually pretty funny though. He has also been trying to show everyone Mommy’s “owies” by lifting my shirt in public. Gotta love that kid. He has been really obsessed with hats lately which is cute. The gluten free diet seems to really be helping him so that is great. He has started praying with our help but he is still not much of a talker so it is pretty basic. Cute though.

                Dave has been working on school and his internship and it looks like he might get to continue his internship with the city of Taylorsville into the summer and train the other interns. He might even get paid! Either way it will look great on his resume and can only help him to make contacts in his field.

Sometimes you just need Mommy

My boys were both upset when I got home and needed a mommy snuggle.

Hey, Ho!

A quick date

Carter and I went out to get balloons for Jude's party and we decided to stop for frozen yogurt. I love the places where you pay by the ounce because the 2 of us never spend more than $3 together! Love this silly kid!

Party time!

We had Jude's birthday party with the family last weekend and he loved it!



Here's my happy birthday boy!



Dave made him his own Sesame Street sign!




Grammy made him an awesome Cookie Monster Cake (with a little help from Mommy)




He loved it!



He used his hair as his napkin.

A good time was had by all!