Weight-loss Progress

I normally post anything fitness related over on my other blog Adrienne Rochelle Fitness. For my one year progress I thought I would also share some over here. You can check out my other blog for the full story, here is just some highlights.

Who's with me on wanting to lose weight, get fit, be active, and healthy. Be amazing role models for our children, be confident in your own skin, enjoy going clothes shopping .... I could go on. I know I have personally had an issue with my weight, how I look, and my eating habits since after high school. Since having Austin I really have done a 180 on my own life. I work out frequently, as a family we are eating healthier home cooked meals, and drink a daily dose of dense nutrition that tastes delicious and has made a world of a difference in my life.
In this past year. I have noticed so many little changes such as: having more energy, Ella and Austin choose more fruits and veggies than junk food, we go on family walks, both kids love going to the park and being outdoors. I don't get cravings for junk food. I can count on both hands the number of times I have had fast food. My clothes are fitting better, some clothes are to big, others that I haven't worn in years are fitting again.
Now I will say things haven't been perfect. I am not were I want to be. I hit plateaus and rough spots. I have my mess ups. I am not perfect. But I have made progress. I am not perfect by any means.
Here it is my before and after:

In the last year I have lost 9 pounds. Yes I have yoyo ed back and forth, it has been a stuggled, it hasn't been easy, but I have did it. I have made progress. I can't tell you when the last time I weighed this much was.
Since last November I lost 13 inches, 3 inches alone in my stomach.
I love seeing these results. It shows that I have made progress, it shows me I can make a difference. I am ready to get back into working out and getting more results, starting next week once my back is feeling better. Don't want to hurt myself even more.



ER Visit

Austin had his first ever visit to the Emergency Room last Wednesday before Thanksgivings. He likes to give mom a heart attack and not listen when you tell him so stay off the back of the chair. I was laying on the ground, due to be having back pain, looking the other way the next thing I know he I hear a thud and he is steaming. I pick him off the group and his lip is bleeding. When I get him into the bathroom and get a better look. I see he split it open. I gave him a wash cloth to suck on to help with the bleeding. I called Brian to come home and see if we needed to take him in. I also called my mom to see if she would be able to pick Ella up from school since she was out this way already.

Within no time both Brian and my mom where at my house taking a look at my little man. We all decided it was best to take him in to be looked at. The cut was pretty deep.


While at the hospital. He acted fine. The bleeding had stopped, unless he smiled and split it open again. He can fun walking back and forth in the room and stomping his feet. The door was also all glass and he was waving and flirting with everyone that walked by. 


You can't really tell from the picture but you can see it is a little swollen. By the time the doctor came in the room his cut was healing before our eyes. The doctor said it was looking good on its own. They normally don't do any stitches or gluing unless it crosses over to skin and not just lip. So we were good to go. She also recommended motrin to help with the swelling. 
By the next day he was looking so much better. Most people didn't even notice his swollen cut lip at Thanksgiving dinner. 


On Saturday night Austin was running around the house and tripped over his fathers foot. Ella screamed and started crying when she saw blood. He cut his top lip this time. Luckily it wasn't bad but it did cause more swelling. 
The kids had Christmas photos done yesterday. Hopefully it isn't to noticeable. 




He's Back- Elf Arrival Breakfast

Yesterday was an exciting morning in our house. While other families are excited for Black Friday and shopping, in our house it means the arrival of our Elf on the Shelf, Gus Gus. I have been doing it with Aubriella since she was a year. Some years haven't gone as planned, with forgetting to move him, and being a bonus to help her behave. But it is a tradition I love. This year I am all planned and ready to go with a calendar printer filled out where he will be moving to each morning.


On the morning of GusGus' arrival is a special breakfast from GusGus. He puts it all together before the kids wake up. This year was a little more low key since he has determined what the kids really will eat compared to what he wants to make. 


As well as bringing food he brings the same decorations from each year, and sometimes added some new ones. These hanging streamers have been used since the very beginning. We just have them to the light/fan above the table. 


This years breakfast consisted of powered donuts make to look like a snowman, a candy cane from banana's and strawberries, chocolate chips, marshmallows, green vanilla pudding, whip cream snow flakes with sprinkles and hot chocolate with whip cream and sprinkles. Plus a candy cane. 


As always Gus Gus brings his own Christmas tree, his book for us to read and reread when the kids are not behaving, and a special welcome note. A new edition this year is the countdown calendar. the calendar is just a simple 4x6 picture frame with a piece of paper decorated in it, and we use a dry erase marker to change the countdown number. 


Austin wasn't to thrilled with his strawberry for breakfast. He did however love everything else. Especially the powered donuts. 


Aubriella tried the green vanilla pudding. She was not a fan. She doesn't normally like vanilla anyways, but GusGus can't change chocolate pudding very well. She did love the powered donuts though. It is a nice treat to mix things up. 
Does your family have the tradition of an Elf on the Shelf? If so what did you family name him or her?







16 months

Last week Austin turned 16 months, I know I am a few days behind, but oh my gosh I swear he was born just yesterday. He is one bright eyed happy bundle of joy. But oh my is he all boy. 

He loves going for car rides. Here we are waiting for daddy to come out of work. He just grabbed the steering wheel and was acting like he was driving. It was so cute and he was so excited and cute. 


He may have not been happy to have dressed up as Mickey. Mickey however is his favorite tv show, he has a stuffed Mickey whose nose and ears he likes to eat, and he can say Mickey.


Austin surely is an adventurer. At my parents house he was trying to fit his big butt behind their couch. He got stuck and I had to save him. He also loves to play with all of his cousins Claudia's toys and wants to torment the cats.


Every day Austin gets to facetime someone. Usually it is his Memaw. He does however hang up on her and mute her quite a few times. He loves to play on my phone and take pictures, delete apps, and watch the Disney Junior app.


Austin has the habit of falling asleep in his high chair while eating lunch and some times dinner. 


He is my handful, prince charming, and my love. I wouldn't change him for anything. He adores his sister, and is a daddy's boy. 

Randoms:
- wears size 4 diapers
- loves to take a bath or play in water (washing hands and teeth a million times a day)
- would eat fruit all day if you let him
- we are trying to wean him off the bottle
- loves to play with cars
- climbs on everything
- loves to "read" books himself






Leaves

Fall weather is in full effect here in Northern Ohio.As a kid growing up one of my favorite memories was playing in the leaves. Who doesn't love running and jumping in a pile? Well now now so much. I am not as young as I use to be and the landing isn't so nice. 
Austin took a little to get use to playing in the leaves. He would just walk around the edges and didn't want to get in the middle. I ended up picking him up and putting him there for a quick photo. He really wanted nothing to do with it. He however wanted to get play with the rack and move the leaves out of the pile. 


On Aubriella on the other hand who is fearless enjoyed running and jumping in them. Plus running and doing summermalts in the leaves. This is what I got when I told her to sit still so I could take a picture. She decided to strike a pose.


They kids wouldn't cooperate for me to take a picture of them together. But that's ok. They were having fun playing and making memories.


Do your kids play in the leaves? I have a friend who doesn't let her kids play in the leaves because she is afraid of them getting scratched by a stick. To each their own. 


Friday Favorites



Happy Friday. But first, Happy Veterans Day!!!!  Thank You so much to all the Veterans and those currently serving in the United State Military. 

I'm back at it hopping along with Erika, Narci, and Andrea for Friday Favorites. 



I must confess I have a problem with rearranging Austin's bedroom. I think I have done it 4 times already, and he is only 15 months old. I have limitations with the blinds hanging so low, we can no longer have the changing table under neath them, plus the boat shelf is attached to the wall so we can't really move that without putting more holes in the wall either. 
I really like the way it is set up now, it gives the kids more room to play, and it calls here are your toys play with them. We will see how long I keep it that way.


I saw these adorable leggings on my facebook feed. They are from the leggings store. I think I am a little late to buy them for this year, but there is always next year and I want to find cute ones for Christmas. 


A few weeks ago on the Rachael Ray show she made pumpkin soup. First I had never heard of pumpkin soup, but I love all things pumpkin. She made it so seem so easy to make. I found a cheese pumpkin at the store the one day and we were all set. I made my own modified version. It was not as easy as she made it seem. I had more issues cutting and baking the pumpkin. What was upposed to take 25 minutes took 1 hour and 30 minutes. It turned out delicious though. Plus Brian likes it. I guess I will be making this just once a year.


I was searching on the Disney stores website the other day for ideas for the kids. I came across this shirt and feel in love. My favorite princess has always been Snow White. I wear sweat shirts around the house all the time, it is normally the one Mickey sweatshirt I have. I need to expand my collection. 

That's it for this weeks Friday Favorites. 






Mommy Mailbox Review

Look what came in the mail. I got a mommy mailbox. I'm not big on getting random expensive boxes that you don't know what is inside, but decided to give it a try. Beverly Mitchell, from 7th Heaven, now has a wonderful blog I love following called Growing up Hollywood. She promoted the box on her blog and instragram and decided to give it a try. I was happily pleased with its content.

The first thing you see when you open the box is a a little card about the contents of this month's Mommy Mailbox. This months theme, which Beverly helped to select the items in the box, is Pamper. 


Bum bum da daaaaa. (i have no idea why that picture is upside down and it won't let me flip it) Inside the box is
- a notepad by Rifle Paper Co.
- Bath salt from San Francisco Salt Co.
- Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups from Wild Ophelia
- Earrings from Wrenn Jewelry
- Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick from Ofra Cosmetics

It is such a cute notepad. I can't wait to start using it. But I personally like notepads that you have access to write all over the paper, not just in the middle. I will find something to do with it though, maybe leave special notes around the house. 
I can't tell you the last time I have taken a bath. I am excited to try out these Himalayan bath salts that are supposed to give you an instant soothing experience. Now to plan some mommy time with a quiet bath. This may take a while, I'm lucky to get a shower.
OMG chocolate is my weakness, dark chocolate is my favorite. I am not normally a fan of peanut butter cups. If you are in Ohio and know what buckeyes are, I don't like those either. But I will eat peanut butter out of the jar. I'm weird I know. But I must say I did really like these sea salt peanut butter cups. I ate them all and didn't share. 
I am a jewelry girl, but I normally go for white gold. The earring from Wrenn Jewelry are very pretty though. They are a rose gold and very sparkly. I have wore them once and I am surely to wear them again. 


My favorite item in the box is the Santa Ana long lasting liquid lipstick. It has a retail value of $20. It is stays will stay on lips for hours. And it truly does. I love the dark reddish fall shape. I wore it to work the other day and it stay on my lips the whole 5 hours I was there. Below is a picture of me with the lipstick on.

I did enjoy getting the Mommy Mailbox. I liked everything that was in it. It isn't normal stuff that I would have bought myself, but really enjoy having news things to try. I don't see myself getting the box again at $37 a month. It was nice to have a treat though.


Disclaimer: I paid for this box by my choice. These are my personal opinions on the products.






Time for a check-up

Last Friday Aubriella and Austin had their wellness appointments. It was nice to be able to coordinate Ella's 5 year appoint with Austin's 15 month appointment. It won't ever happen this way again due to their age difference. 
Aubriella was excited for her appointment and was very talkative. She kept saying that Austin was going to go first though. Austin on the other hard was not happy. Did not want sit down, this picture was before the doctor and nurse were even in the room. 

Aubriella got a pretty good report. We need to start her on a small daily dose of Miralax to help soften her poop plus limit her milk and yogurt intake, more whole grains such as quinoa, oatmeal, and barley, try flaxseed or chia seeds also. Hopefully this will stop this small little princess from clogging my toilet and having huge poop (sorry tmi) 
Height- 3'7''   50% percentiles
Weight 45lbs  75% percentiles
Ella got her flu shot and cried.


Austin for the first time had a great appointment. This is the first time weren't referred to another specialist for something. We are now allowed to introduce him to peanut butter. He also needs more protein in his diet, because he doesn't really like meat. 
Height- 2'6'' 45% percentile 
Weight- 22 lbs and 14 ozs 50% percentile 



November To Do List

It's already November 2nd' almost the end of the year. Where has the year gone? There is so many things I want and need to get done this month. I use to be famous for having to do lists all over, but for some reason I stopped making them. When I did make them I got more done, plus I remember what I wanted to get done and felt more accomplished. I am going to start back up with my to do lists.

Here's what I want to get done this month:
- Take down and organize Halloween decorations
- Put up Thanksgiving decorations
- Make fall wreath
- Start putting up Xmas decorations (after Thanksgiving)
- Put toys on layaway
- Make Xmas lists
- Set office up (again)
- Make family binder
- Organize kitchen
- Do 4 crafts with Ella
- Make 5 new recipes, and post them
- Read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin (actual book)
- Read a non-personal development book on my kindle

Are you a to do list person? How do you stay organized?


Happy Halloween

Happy Belated Halloween. 
Aubriella's preschool let the kids dress up on Halloween. The only restriction was no weapons and no masks. (which not every parent listened to) Ella was allowed to pick whatever costume we had that she wanted to be. She chose to be Elsa. 
I achieved a not so pretty braid, but it stayed it. 

She asked if she could have make-up like Elsa and wanted purple eye shadow. I also added in some eyeliner (done but an eyeliner brush not a pencil), blush and lipstick. She was so happy and said she looked just like Elsa.



Ella also had to take her gloves that play music when you move your hands, her purse, and a microphone. I made her leave the microphone in her bookbag.



This year Ella only has 11 kids in her class. They were all dressed up and as something different. Parents were invited to come to pick up their kid 15 minutes early. The kids did a Halloween costume parade walk, then sang 5 small Halloween songs. Then the kids went trick or treating to get bags of candy. It was a cute idea and set up but unorganized. Ella ended up with 12 bags, 2 of which were what we brought in.


For dinner I made the kids quick mummy hot dogs. I should have sliced the crossants smaller to look more like a mummy, but we were on a time constraint for Ella's dad to get her from school. 


While the kids had hot dogs, I have a turkey burger with cheese, tomato, pickle and wrapped in lettuce. Brian had a bun instead of the lettuce wrap. 


Since we didn't have Ella for Halloween to take her trick or treating we decided to just hand out candy instead. My handsome little Mickey Mouse helped, well really he ate a sucker and ran around. Everyone thought he was cute. 

The strangest visitor we had was a black cat. I have never seen it walking around the neighborhood before. It was friendly and walked right up to us, let Brian pet it and wanted in the house. You could tell it was someone pet by his lack of fear of people and how soft his fur was. Not the normal visitor of choice. 


Hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween. What did your kids dress us as?