Monday, May 21, 2012
Week one done!
Week one start of my salad plate diet. My goal was to loose 2 pounds. I lost 6! Go me. Only got hungry two times. The first time was 30 minutes before lunch the first day, understandable. The second time was yesterday when I was late getting supper on the table. So all in all, this has been pretty easy. I was even able to resist a cheesecake that stared me in the face all week. I finally allowed myself one piece on Sweet Saturday. The rest of the weeks I had NO sweets. Another huge accomplishment for me. I can tell my stomach is shrinking due to my smaller portions. I am getting full quicker than I used too. Good deal! Can't wait to see how I do this week. Hopefully another 2 pound loss. I don't expect that I will continue to loose 6 pounds in one week. The first week is usually the most rewarding. After that the loss slows down. I like it that way though. It is so encouraging to see such a big difference in one week and motivates me to keep going.
Graduation Weekend
I forgot to post this last week. A week ago we traveled to Pittsburg Kansas to see Jeff's brother, Jason, graduate from Pitt State. He isn't technically done as he still has 2 classes left to take this summer, but apparently, students who take summer courses are asked to walk in graduation in May anyways. It was a nice relaxing trip. We stayed in a casino hotel 20 minutes outside of Pitt just for extra fun. The girls got to swim, the boys got to play in the casino, and I got to relax in a really nice hotel room. It was a momentous occasion because not only was Uncle Jas graduating, but it also happened to be Mother's Day weekend and Jeff's birthday. I feel bad that Jeff has to share is birthday with Mother's Day every so often, but he took it like a champ.
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| When people get bored at graduation they check facebook and... |
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| ....play with the program |
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| The new graduate |
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| Bama checking out the menu at Cracker Barrel |
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| Happy Mother's Day to me! |
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| When asked what she was working the door for she replied, "for compliments!" She must have done this for at least 30 minutes. |
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| Nice smile uncle Jason |
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| A short game of checkers while we waited. |
A weekend with Papa 2
On Sunday we decided to explore some local trails that we had not yet been on. We went on two trails and walked 2.5 miles by the end of our experience. The girls did a lot better than I expected. Kadyn never pootered out and Brennan did a little only towards the end.
The first trail was paved and it had a huge lookout tower half way through which was really neat. I was surprised that neither of the girls were freaked out about the height of the tower or the fact that it was kind of shaky going up. The second trail was dirt with a lot of rugged rocks so it was a little more challenging, but the girls were really champs about it all. There were two more lookout points on this trail and some pretty views. The weather was just perfect for this. We even got sprinkled on a bit, but no one minded. These trails were, by far, the best ones I've been on yet in our area. The paths were nice and wide so didn't have to worry about poison ivy and there were so many flowers and views to look at.
Sorry the pics are awful. I had to use my phone as I forgot my camera....again! If I blew them up they looked pix-elated.
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| Rickety old viewing tower |
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| Taking in the views |
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| Love this! |
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| Man of the day |
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| A piggy back ride towards the end. |
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| A flowery view! |
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| My two cuty pies! |
The first trail was paved and it had a huge lookout tower half way through which was really neat. I was surprised that neither of the girls were freaked out about the height of the tower or the fact that it was kind of shaky going up. The second trail was dirt with a lot of rugged rocks so it was a little more challenging, but the girls were really champs about it all. There were two more lookout points on this trail and some pretty views. The weather was just perfect for this. We even got sprinkled on a bit, but no one minded. These trails were, by far, the best ones I've been on yet in our area. The paths were nice and wide so didn't have to worry about poison ivy and there were so many flowers and views to look at.
Sorry the pics are awful. I had to use my phone as I forgot my camera....again! If I blew them up they looked pix-elated.
A weekend with Papa Part 1
Jeff left for Minneapolis on Wednesday for a conference and didn't return until late Sunday night. As it turned out, I only had to man the girls for two days by myself as my Dad was going to be in the KC area on business and thought he'd stop by for the weekend. It was AWESOME! We had so much fun. At the end of the weekend I literally felt like we had been on vacation just because our weekend was chalked full of lots activities that we hadn't experienced yet.
Saturday morning we all got to go see K's last soccer game. It was the first game that her team actually won and they got their participation trophy at the end so it was extra special. My Dad never got to see either I or my sister do any kind of sports growing up and this was the first athletic event he got to see any of his grandkids do as well, so that made it even more neat. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera so no pics.
Later that afternoon we headed to Highlandville which is about 30 minutes north of Branson. There is a couple that has a fishing farm there. They provide the fishing equipment and you can fish as long as you want. At the end you have pay $5.50 per pound of fish that you catch. There were three different ponds. One had 3/4-1 pound fish. Another had 1-2 pound fish, and the biggest pond had 2 pounds and up. We opted for the little guys. K and B had fished in a little pool at a carnival once, but this was much closer to real fishing. The ponds were VERY shallow and you could see all the fish in them. The fish were conditioned to being fed so every time you threw your pool in the water it was a feeding frenzy trying to get to the bait. Catching a fish was a sure deal and it was pretty neat for the kids to be able to see the fish bite at the bait in the water.
Unfortunately, because catching the fish was so easy and because you had to pay for each fish you caught, we didn't fish long. Once we caught 4 fish (our supper's worth) we called it good and decided to leave. One of the best parts of this experience was that the fish farmers cleaned the fish for you. The kids got to watch this process. They even deboned the fish and then packed it on ice and sent us on our way. The four fish we caught ended up costing us $17.00 and our experience lasted half an hour. When we grilled the fish that night we all had our fill and still had 1/2 a fish left over.
For the more experienced fishermen, they offer a catch and release experience. The cost of that experience is 20 dollars per hour. We saw another couple fishing that caught a seven pounder while we were there. I'd say that's the way to go if you want to experience catching a big fish. Taking home a seven pounder would've costed close to 40 bucks, if you decided to keep it!
Here are some pics of our experience. Kadyn enjoyed it the most and wanted to fish more. Almost wish the fish were just a little harder to catch so it would prolong our experience. Another time I guess.
This really is the way to go if you have small children and want to go fishing. There is no waiting for action so the kids don't get bored and impatient. Fun, fun, fun!!!!
Saturday morning we all got to go see K's last soccer game. It was the first game that her team actually won and they got their participation trophy at the end so it was extra special. My Dad never got to see either I or my sister do any kind of sports growing up and this was the first athletic event he got to see any of his grandkids do as well, so that made it even more neat. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera so no pics.
Later that afternoon we headed to Highlandville which is about 30 minutes north of Branson. There is a couple that has a fishing farm there. They provide the fishing equipment and you can fish as long as you want. At the end you have pay $5.50 per pound of fish that you catch. There were three different ponds. One had 3/4-1 pound fish. Another had 1-2 pound fish, and the biggest pond had 2 pounds and up. We opted for the little guys. K and B had fished in a little pool at a carnival once, but this was much closer to real fishing. The ponds were VERY shallow and you could see all the fish in them. The fish were conditioned to being fed so every time you threw your pool in the water it was a feeding frenzy trying to get to the bait. Catching a fish was a sure deal and it was pretty neat for the kids to be able to see the fish bite at the bait in the water.
Unfortunately, because catching the fish was so easy and because you had to pay for each fish you caught, we didn't fish long. Once we caught 4 fish (our supper's worth) we called it good and decided to leave. One of the best parts of this experience was that the fish farmers cleaned the fish for you. The kids got to watch this process. They even deboned the fish and then packed it on ice and sent us on our way. The four fish we caught ended up costing us $17.00 and our experience lasted half an hour. When we grilled the fish that night we all had our fill and still had 1/2 a fish left over.
For the more experienced fishermen, they offer a catch and release experience. The cost of that experience is 20 dollars per hour. We saw another couple fishing that caught a seven pounder while we were there. I'd say that's the way to go if you want to experience catching a big fish. Taking home a seven pounder would've costed close to 40 bucks, if you decided to keep it!
Here are some pics of our experience. Kadyn enjoyed it the most and wanted to fish more. Almost wish the fish were just a little harder to catch so it would prolong our experience. Another time I guess.
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| This was the medium sized fish pond. |
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| The duck's job was to eat the moss. |
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| This is how you put bait on your hook. |
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| The BIG fish pond next to us |
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| Whoa! |
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| Look at all those fish go after the bobber! |
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| It wouldn't be a real fishing experience if you didn't get your hook stuck once |
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| "I don't want to smell fishy!" Typical clean freak Bren! |
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| "I caught the first fish! Dinner!!!!" |
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Peace
I had a big long blog posted about the exit of one of my daycare clients. Then I decided, nah. Too much negativity. I just want to say that I hope his departing will return peace to my home with the other kiddos therefore reducing my stress load. AND....I'm really hopeful that come next August, I can actually fill his spot with someone who is a joy to watch. We shall see.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
9 weeks
Does anyone ever stay their goal weight their whole lives or is it a constant battle for everyone? It is for me. I have seasons of greatness with my body, and seasons of not so great. I'm back in the not so great category. The good news is I know what to do. I know it works. And I finally have the motivation I need to get going.
I knew I was gaining wieight since my clothes were starting to fit snug, some I had even outgrown, and it seemed I was in need of a larger bra. Oh, and lets not forget that little belly pudge that I liked to pass off as extra skin from having babies. For some reason though, I didn't feel the need to do something about it until I finally got the courage to step on the scale again. When I did, I found out I was heavier than I thought and only 3 pounds shy of where I was years ago when I was living in KC and at my heaviest. Finally, I got my motivation.
I've done only two different kinds of diets: calorie counting, and portion control. Both work. However, one is more work than the other. The last diet I did was portion control. So much better. You don't have to count anything. Simply use salad plates to eat making sure to make half of that plate veggies, 1/4 of it protein, and 1/4 of it carbs. I don't usually snack, but if I need to I will try to snack on fruit and chase it with some water.
I have tried to add exercise into my daily routine before, but it has been harder than ever to stick with when you have little ones around. So....I try to be active when I can, but I don't beat myself up when I can't and I certainly don't depend on exercise to get my weight down.
My goal is to loose at least 2 pounds a week for the next 9 weeks, then maintain. I kind of hate the word "diet" as it almost implies something you do until you see a desired result then you can stop. Nothing could be further from the truth. Being able to be the person that never fluctuates and always stays in their healthy zone requires a permanent change to how you eat. So.....I hope to keep doing the salad plate thing indefinitely, but realistically I know I'm human and I will flub up again at some point. What is important is I always seem to have a threshold. This point where I start to feel uncomfortable in my own skin before it gets the point of being very unhealthy. I use that as motivation to start making better decisions about my health.
So here's to the next 9 weeks and meeting goals. I have a weight check in log to help hold myself accountable. I will try to check in every now and then on my blog to also add to that accountability too. Also, by blogging I am keeping record of my triumphs as motivation for the next time I find myself in this same situation and need just a little extra encouragement that I can do this!
As I told my mother, it's not about being skinny. It's about feeling sexier for my husband. It's about wearing clothes that flatter instead of hide my body. It's about feeling good in my own skin. And it's about being a better, healthier, happier me.
I knew I was gaining wieight since my clothes were starting to fit snug, some I had even outgrown, and it seemed I was in need of a larger bra. Oh, and lets not forget that little belly pudge that I liked to pass off as extra skin from having babies. For some reason though, I didn't feel the need to do something about it until I finally got the courage to step on the scale again. When I did, I found out I was heavier than I thought and only 3 pounds shy of where I was years ago when I was living in KC and at my heaviest. Finally, I got my motivation.
I've done only two different kinds of diets: calorie counting, and portion control. Both work. However, one is more work than the other. The last diet I did was portion control. So much better. You don't have to count anything. Simply use salad plates to eat making sure to make half of that plate veggies, 1/4 of it protein, and 1/4 of it carbs. I don't usually snack, but if I need to I will try to snack on fruit and chase it with some water.
I have tried to add exercise into my daily routine before, but it has been harder than ever to stick with when you have little ones around. So....I try to be active when I can, but I don't beat myself up when I can't and I certainly don't depend on exercise to get my weight down.
My goal is to loose at least 2 pounds a week for the next 9 weeks, then maintain. I kind of hate the word "diet" as it almost implies something you do until you see a desired result then you can stop. Nothing could be further from the truth. Being able to be the person that never fluctuates and always stays in their healthy zone requires a permanent change to how you eat. So.....I hope to keep doing the salad plate thing indefinitely, but realistically I know I'm human and I will flub up again at some point. What is important is I always seem to have a threshold. This point where I start to feel uncomfortable in my own skin before it gets the point of being very unhealthy. I use that as motivation to start making better decisions about my health.
So here's to the next 9 weeks and meeting goals. I have a weight check in log to help hold myself accountable. I will try to check in every now and then on my blog to also add to that accountability too. Also, by blogging I am keeping record of my triumphs as motivation for the next time I find myself in this same situation and need just a little extra encouragement that I can do this!
As I told my mother, it's not about being skinny. It's about feeling sexier for my husband. It's about wearing clothes that flatter instead of hide my body. It's about feeling good in my own skin. And it's about being a better, healthier, happier me.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Results are in
Kadyn was tested and this came back to me:
"Kadyn did very well on the identification tests and shows a high potential for academic achievement. However, because state guidelines limit gifted programs to service only 3-5 percent of the school population, identification criteria must be high. Your child's scores will be in place for two years and at that time they will be re-evaluated."
I have no idea what her score was. They didn't share that.
So at least I don't have to worry about Kadyn feeling any extra pressure to perform at a higher level because of a label. That is a relief. I still know my child is very bright and will still continue to try to foster her growth at home.
It will be entirely on her next teacher to make sure to differentiate the curriculum to meet her needs. All teachers should do that for all the different learners anyways. It is a job requirement and they'll all required to do it. However, some teachers are better at that than others.
I feel fortunate that her teacher this year was receptive to my concerns. I realize that she has a whole classroom full of different level learners and Kadyn is just one of those students. I do not realistically expect her to spend a ton of time with my one child, but I do expect her to know where Kadyn is in her education and take a little time to send home material that I can work with her on that will continue to help her grow and thrive with the level she is at. This year Kadyn spent the first half of the year in a reading group with one other child. By the end of the year she was in a reading group all by herself. Her teacher would send home different materials than she gave the rest of the class for me to work with her on and I really appreciated this. Kadyn never did complain about being bored and I occasionally would see evidence of new learning which relieved me. I hope that her next teacher is that accommodating for Kadyn. I think part of my anxiety comes from not knowing what next year's teacher will be like. We shall see.
I'm excited to see how Kadyn does next year when things are presented to her that we have not yet learned at home. I may have overprepared her for Kindergarten. I want to see her challenged. If there is one thing that Kadyn needs more of, it's challenging material. She has a tendency to get very upset if she doesn't catch on to things quickly. I think it's an important life lesson to figure out how to get through challenging things rather than just giving up. I want her to learn perseverance and believing in herself.
It was never so apparent to me that Kadyn needed this lesson as when she tried to ride her bike for the first time (with training wheels). For once, she was presented with something that she didn't get right away. It wasn't something she could just tackle with her brain. It was physical. She tried it several times and had trouble. With each try she became increasingly more frustrated the point of throwing a fit and then finally just giving up and saying she "hated" her bike. It was a side of Kadyn I didn't particularly like to see, but it made me realize that she is so used to understanding things immediately that she didn't really know how to handle herself when she didn't get something right away. It made me realize how important it was for her to be challenged more often. I really want her to know what it means to work for something.
So anyways, I'm rambling. Just the thoughts and musings of a mother who wants the best for her child. Gifted or not, it really doesn't matter. What matters is that my baby girl gets the best education possible to help her turn into a wise, independent adult who makes wise decisions and knows what it means to persevere and work hard for something.
Will I retest her in two years when her results expire? I don't know. I think I'll just see where she is at and take it from there.
"Kadyn did very well on the identification tests and shows a high potential for academic achievement. However, because state guidelines limit gifted programs to service only 3-5 percent of the school population, identification criteria must be high. Your child's scores will be in place for two years and at that time they will be re-evaluated."
I have no idea what her score was. They didn't share that.
So at least I don't have to worry about Kadyn feeling any extra pressure to perform at a higher level because of a label. That is a relief. I still know my child is very bright and will still continue to try to foster her growth at home.
It will be entirely on her next teacher to make sure to differentiate the curriculum to meet her needs. All teachers should do that for all the different learners anyways. It is a job requirement and they'll all required to do it. However, some teachers are better at that than others.
I feel fortunate that her teacher this year was receptive to my concerns. I realize that she has a whole classroom full of different level learners and Kadyn is just one of those students. I do not realistically expect her to spend a ton of time with my one child, but I do expect her to know where Kadyn is in her education and take a little time to send home material that I can work with her on that will continue to help her grow and thrive with the level she is at. This year Kadyn spent the first half of the year in a reading group with one other child. By the end of the year she was in a reading group all by herself. Her teacher would send home different materials than she gave the rest of the class for me to work with her on and I really appreciated this. Kadyn never did complain about being bored and I occasionally would see evidence of new learning which relieved me. I hope that her next teacher is that accommodating for Kadyn. I think part of my anxiety comes from not knowing what next year's teacher will be like. We shall see.
I'm excited to see how Kadyn does next year when things are presented to her that we have not yet learned at home. I may have overprepared her for Kindergarten. I want to see her challenged. If there is one thing that Kadyn needs more of, it's challenging material. She has a tendency to get very upset if she doesn't catch on to things quickly. I think it's an important life lesson to figure out how to get through challenging things rather than just giving up. I want her to learn perseverance and believing in herself.
It was never so apparent to me that Kadyn needed this lesson as when she tried to ride her bike for the first time (with training wheels). For once, she was presented with something that she didn't get right away. It wasn't something she could just tackle with her brain. It was physical. She tried it several times and had trouble. With each try she became increasingly more frustrated the point of throwing a fit and then finally just giving up and saying she "hated" her bike. It was a side of Kadyn I didn't particularly like to see, but it made me realize that she is so used to understanding things immediately that she didn't really know how to handle herself when she didn't get something right away. It made me realize how important it was for her to be challenged more often. I really want her to know what it means to work for something.
So anyways, I'm rambling. Just the thoughts and musings of a mother who wants the best for her child. Gifted or not, it really doesn't matter. What matters is that my baby girl gets the best education possible to help her turn into a wise, independent adult who makes wise decisions and knows what it means to persevere and work hard for something.
Will I retest her in two years when her results expire? I don't know. I think I'll just see where she is at and take it from there.
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