100th Post! (Couch to 5K Friday!)

When I started my blog back in 2010, I wasn't very hopeful that it would remain a permanent part of my life, nor did I think it would ever be an area of importance in my life.  I didn't really have any direction I wanted to go in with my blog and just felt like there probably weren't many people who would care about what I had to say.  (Sometimes I still feel like that!)  But here it is, 100 posts strong, and I am enjoying writing again and feel that this safe keeps an important time in my life.

It's funny, in my first post I was writing about how Spring 2011 was going to be my last semester of college.  And in reality, today marks the LAST day of my Summer 2012 classes which will finally complete my Bachelor's Degree!  I had 5 credit hours leftover that I had to complete and am just now getting around to it.  (It's been a busy year!!!)  So in 100 posts, I've finally come in full circle in that regard. 

Onto other news...

Couch to 5k Update:

• On Thursday of last week (I think?) I was supposed to do Day 3 Week 2.  Instead of doing what I was supposed to be doing that day, I accidentally clicked Day 3 Week 3 on my app!  I didn't realize this until I was already 1/3 into the program so I just kept going.  Talk about just being thrown into it!  But really, it was the best run I've had so far.  I felt so great and really hit a good stride that day.
• So then I did Week 3 Day 1 on Sunday and let me just say:  AWFUL.  It was scorching outside - so hot that we left Presley home with my mom - and both Tony and I barely made it.  It was definitely the worst run yet.
• I was supposed to update about C25k on Wednesday, but we pretty much (accidentally) took nearly a week off from it because of the stupid hot hot weather.  After our 5 day hiatus, we completed Week 3 Day 2 today.
• This week's Milestone:  Currently running 3 minutes straight this week!  Say what!
• I downloaded the "Endomondo" app for my phone to track the distance of my walk/run combo.  Today in the 28:37 (just over 28 minutes) it took to complete Week 3 Day 2, I completed two full miles.  The first mile I ran/walked a 14:21/mile.  Mile 2 I ran/walked a 14:16/mile.  Pretty happy with that!  I can't wait to see what it is at the end of the program.  (And so far I LOVE the Endomondo app!  Highly suggest it if you walk or run to keep up with your progress.)
• I went into it today thinking it would be okay to walk during some of the run time since we took 5 days off and I'd probably really suck today.  Towards the end of the last run, I really felt like I wanted to quit.  But then I gave myself a pep talk:  If you can give birth to a baby, you can do this!  And then, Linkin Park came on and I knew the music gods were in my favor and that got me moving!
• The weather today was AMAZING.  There was sun, there was shade, there was warmth (but not too hot), and good gosh... THERE WAS A BREEZE.  Thank you, Mother Nature... thank you Mississippi River!!!!
• My husband is still keeping up with C25k as well and he's doing great as well!  (He ran/walked a 12:29/mile 1 & 12:31/mile 2 today!)  Neither of us have "quit" on any of the run periods, either.  And since I signed us up for the 5k in September - and paid - I don't think we will be quitting or cutting corners anytime soon!
• Thanks to my C25k partners and knowing they are out there doing the program really keeps me going, too!  I love that I've got friends to rely on for accountability.  I know I say that just about every week... but it really is great.

A little bit of our scenery.

There's daddy & Presley!

Sun, music, and the best sun glasses in the world.

The geese were out and enjoying the day as well!

Beautiful day.

So today was a big ole success!  If you would've asked me yesterday, I would have said that I think I was throwing in the towel on C25k and I was just going to walk the 5k in September.  But after getting back into it today, I am confident and feel strong!  I'm looking forward to the rest of the program -- the challenges, bumps in the road, and all.

Well, my sister is due tomorrow and still no baby!  That just means that it really could be any day now so keep your eyes peeled for an update here and hopefully Presley and I will make it to Nashville so I will have some pictures of Miss Anne Marie to update with!  So if you have a moment, please keep my family in your prayers for safe travels and a safe labor and delivery.  It's my sister Amanda's first baby!  So exciting.

Hopefully the next update there will be some kind of news to share!

Here's hoping!

Praising through humility.

Today's point of praise: "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe his commandments." (1 John 5:2)  Day #4

Lord, create in me a servant's heart.

This topic is so important for me to visit these days.  It's not only important to do what's right and to help your friends, families, neighbors, and strangers, but it's just as important to do so with a humble heart.  We build this up to where we think in order to be a good person we have to be a superhero and practically move mountains, so we say in our heads that we'll start doing work for God "tomorrow" and then tomorrow never comes.  But really, encouraging a friend, having a caring listening ear, holding the door for someone, not having road rage when someone cuts you off, loving your family, and seemingly "small" things typically have a lasting impact.  The impact is not only on the person you are serving, but most often yourself.  However, in order to have a lasting impact on yourself, it's important for Christians to remember to give God the glory rather than ourselves.


There really is no cure for that awful mood/funk most of us are in at the beginning of the week - also known as "the Mondays."  And sometimes, really, we just wake up in a bad mood on any given day and it is what it is!  But if you do something positive for someone else it often lifts your own mood and leaves you feeling good about yourself.  So maybe being a humble servant isn't the cure for "the Mondays" ...but it could be the cure for any other day.

There is a phrase that has stuck in my head -- Either you can lift yourself up here on earth and be humbled in heaven, or vice versa.  When you wake up in the morning, choose vice versa.

Day #3: Christ's Love
Day #2: Abundance
Day #1: Everyday Life

Happy five month birthday, Presley!

 Here is what the pretty princess has been up to lately...

• At her doctor's appointment last month, Presley rolled over from her belly to her back very surely, almost as if she has been doing it all the time.  Since then, she has done it maybe once or twice more on accident.  She'll flip onto her side, but that's it.
• Bedtime is not my favorite time of the day here lately.  Getting her to sleep is such a struggle!  Her bedtime is pretty consistent but her wake time has not been and I know that lies on my shoulders!
• She's been doing better when it comes to sitting up.  Definitely not sitting up unassisted yet, but she is getting stronger at it each day.
• When she has belly time, she has just started to tuck her knees underneath her a bit!  So we're making (slow) progress towards scooting/crawling!  Not in ANY rush to have her racing around, though.
• She's finally starting to grow some of her hair back!  And it's so fluffy and adorable.
• She's in size 3 diapers, close to growing out of her 3-6 month clothes, and in 9 month sleepers already!
• I knew it was only a matter of time, but at 5 months of age, Presley has her first minor illness!  Seems like she's got a little cold - complete with a runny nose and all.  She wakes up sounding so congested, poor girl.  Hopefully my body will create some antibodies for her and we'll both get over this soon! (Either she passed it to me or I passed it to her -- either way, we've both got it, but hers is definitely worse.)
• It seems like she may have "found" her toes (FINALLY!) but it also seems like her legs might be too long or her to really grab and play with them!  It's so hilarious because when she's playing on her back, she'll grab her knees and hold onto them in the same way that other kids hold their toes.  It's pretty darn cute.
• Her eyes are still pretty blue!  I'm still wondering if they will change or stay the same.  We'll see!
• She basically only seems to want her pacifier at bedtime these days and I'm sure if we took it away from her now or sometime soon that she might not even miss it.  But considering it's one of the only things that seems to stop her cries at night, I am not ready to part ways with it just yet.
• Presley's definitely been eying our food more and more lately and seems to want to try what we've got!  This is exciting!  Last month I was so freaked out at the thought of starting her on solids, but now I just can't wait to see how she does with baby food!!!
• We got out the high chair because I wanted to introduce her to it and she absolutely HATED it!  She cried instantly when I put the tray on and the second time around she was alright for a minute or so but then started to cry.  Hopefully she'll just keep getting better and better with it.
• For the moment, she is enjoying being in water!  We haven't done too much lately with her and water (no pools, sprinklers, nothing recently!) but she likes the shower again and even tries to drink the water!  And it is so adorable.
• We've been having weekly play dates with a friend of mine who watches her nieces during the day (adorable twin girls) and I'm not sure who enjoys it more - me or her!  :) 
• Presley is counting down the days until her cousin Anne Marie makes her big debut!  While it could be any day now, there is no real rush for her to get here; we want her to stay put until her mommy & daddy have absolutely everything ready for her!  Hopefully we'll be able to make it down to Nashville to show all of them some love, too!
• She loves to smile and laugh and I really can't get enough of it!!!!

Big 5 month old!

So here we are, almost halfway to her first birthday!  Although I'm loving where she is currently at, I still find myself looking forward to her getting older.  Presley's always been such a sweet baby, but lately she's been more on the fussy/needy side.  (Which hey, it's to be expected:  She's a BABY!)  I'm not sure if it's because she's been a little under the weather lately, teething, or what... but at moments it's a little on the tough side! 

Not to mention, I think we've definitely been experiencing somewhat of a "sleep regression" which lots of moms swear takes place in the 4th month.  It's not fun rocking your baby over and over and over again and getting no where!  I just look forward to the days when it doesn't take nearly an hour of tears (on and off) to get her to sleep.  I've debated going back to swaddling her but I don't know if that's moving in the wrong direction or not?

All in all, things are still going very good and she is one incredible kiddo.  But holy moly, I cannot wait to sleep train once she hits the 6 month mark!  My plan over the next few weeks is to learn as much as I can about the Ferber Method (hopefully without having to buy the book -- going to get a hold of it from the library) so that Tony and I are prepared.  I would say the thing I'm most nervous about is making Presley adhere to a strict schedule. 

Up until this point, we've pretty much done everything on command and paid close attention to the cues Presley gives us when it comes to her being sleepy, hungry, etc.  So I am very apprehensive about that aspect of sleep training.  And I'm very worried when it comes to napping as she is usually all over the place when it comes to nap times. SO!  All you mamas out there, let me know if you've sleep trained, if you plan to, or how sleep is going in your home these days!

In other news, school is over for me by the end of this week and I could NOT be more excited and ready to kiss it GOOD BYE and have my Bachelor's Degree!  I was supposed to be done with my degree after summer school last year, but unfortunately I didn't pass a class that I needed to graduate.  On top of it, it was a pretty specific class that I needed and I couldn't make it work until now to take it.  I am just ready to have this monkey off my back!  We will then be one step closer to getting out of the Quad Cities and hopefully back to Tennessee!

Hope everybody had a happy Monday!  Hardest day of the week is over and we're all one step closer to the weekend.  :)

Couch to 5k Wednesday (Week 2)

Alright!  So, we (as in Tony and I) have made it this far and still want to keep doing it!  Wahoo!

•  Here was my Week 1 post

We found out that we are definitely at different paces and have decided to run together, but separately, which works out really well.  Plus, working out with others really isn't completely my thing, I feel it can be too distracting.  However, I love to have workout buddies so we can work out simultaneously yet do our own thing.  So this is perfect!

Music is a MUST. You can see the beautiful River in my sunglasses.

Week 2 Day 2 was a bit more challenging than Day 1, but this could be because of the warm weather.  (We're still running outside alongside the Mississippi River!)  But that heat advisory didn't stop us.  Someone yelled at Tony for having Presley out in the heat - but seriously? - she was covered, shaded, smiling & laughing, and he was sprinkling her with water every so often.  Plus the river gives off a bit of a breeze.  On top of it, we were out there for a total of thirty minutes.  (This was around 6PM, by the way, it's not like we were out running around 2PM when it's even hotter.)  As parents you make educated/calculated risks all the time and while I appreciate someone was concerned, let's not go about it in a rude way, people!

Let's just be glad I was not the one jogging with Presley at that moment because there would have been an exchange of words!  Tony made a good point when he was talking to me about it later... what did people do with their kids before air conditioning?  I mean, the human race has survived thus far, ya know?

But needless to say, we all survived being outside and live to run another day!  Which, the next running day will be Friday.  Our scheduling was a little different from last week but we're still keeping up with the 3 days a week program. 

My muscles are just feeling so tired after the run today and I think it's because I really didn't eat a whole lot this afternoon before going to run.  I really just forget to eat throughout the day.  Sounds stupid but keeping up with her feeding schedule and being out and about just makes me forget.  I won't make that mistake again on a day we run.


All you other new moms, runners, work out enthusiasts... what have you been up to this week?  I like to hear about what other people are up to when it comes to staying active or just plain getting out of the house for you new mamas.  Presley and I still aimlessly walk around Target at least 3 times a week, just to get out!  Hope everybody is doing well and would love to hear from you if you are reading this!

Weight Loss Journey.

So, let's talk about weight, shall we?

Directly preceding my pregnancy was our wedding.  And if you've been a bride before, you might have been like me and worried about looking okay in your "little white dress."  Though, at the time I was busy with school, work, life, and wedding planning -- I tried to make exercise a priority.  I enjoyed working out at the YMCA, walking, and especially Zumba.  I wasn't extremely faithful to a workout schedule, but I did okay.

For me, dieting is not something I do.  I just don't really restrict myself when it comes to food or drinks I enjoy... life is too short in my opinion.  But when it got down to the wire, wedding plans had me stressin' and the first thing that goes when I am truly anxious is my appetite.  (So much so that it took me a few days of being on my honeymoon to de-stress and gain my appetite back in full swing!)

So around the wedding time, I weighed about 150.  (And for me, that was doing pretty good for myself -- especially considering the "happy girlfriend" pounds I packed on after Tony and I moved to Illinois in 2008.)

And then I got pregnant.  And gained somewhere around 58 pounds.  I remember the last time I looked at the scale at the doctor's office I saw 208.

I know what you must be thinking, "Geez, isn't that a little excessive?"  And while I don't have a decent explanation for how exactly I gained that much weight, it is what it is, people.  Before actually becoming pregnant myself, I held two opinions when it came to weight gain and pregnancy.  

• The first being that you are only pregnant for a brief period of your life.  It is a time of great happiness and also a time where you deserve to be pampered for your ongoing creation of a little person.  It's a time in your life where it's okay to eat pickles and ice cream in the same sitting if you so choose!
• The second view I have is that while this is a time to take it easy, there is a difference between giving yourself a break and letting yourself go.

Throughout my pregnancy I worked at a gym in the children's area.  I got to know some wonderful moms and was lucky to gain a special perspective from their advice and experiences with pregnancy.  One mom's opinion really struck me.  She said throughout her entire pregnancy she was hell-bent on keeping up with her strict workout routine.  This didn't really make her happy but she felt like it was necessary at the time.  In hindsight, she wished she had allowed herself that time to just take it easy because the weight could always come off after the fact.

To me, that was comforting.  I was happy to hear that experience and while I stopped my exercise routine sometime throughout my pregnancy, walking was still important to me.  I had a happy pregnancy, albeit the frequent rude comments about my body or weight gain.  So after actually experiencing pregnancy firsthand, my view on pregnancy weight gain is do what fulfills you.  If that's having an extra doughnut, GO for it.  (Lord knows I did!)  And that may mean keeping up with a workout routine for others.  But don't let anyone make you feel ashamed for your decisions.

So, I gained some weight.  But more than that, I feel like I did let myself go.  I got very lazy and that is something I regret more than any weight gain.  Nevertheless, after birthing my almost 8 pound baby and through the miracle of breastfeeding as well as keeping up with my walking routine, I have said goodbye to 50 of those pounds.

And this is where I feel I have currently "hit a wall" as they say.  I have stayed within the 158-160 region for a little while now.  I would like to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight of 150 with an overall goal of losing an additional 10 pounds after that.  Without a doubt, I feel that this standstill has to do with my diet.  If I would make better decisions when it comes to what I put into my body, I know I wouldn't be so frustrated at the unmoving numbers on the scale.

However, what is most important to me is improving my body composition.  This is why I am giving running a try:  in hopes that it will help in toning my body as well as become an activity I enjoy.

So, in addition to my current goal of working towards running a 5k, I am also going to attempt to make better decisions when it comes to my daily food intake.  I would really like to speed this weight loss thing up so I can then focus on my fitness.  However, let's be honest, I am far from hardcore.  The plan is to just going and continue to set realistic goals for myself and strive to follow them as long as that is what makes me happy. 

Because ultimately, nothing tastes as good as healthy feels.

It's a...

So, I was just reading a blog post written by one of my favorite blogger friends -- Sean @ A Mad Girl's Lovesong -- and because of her great writing and the genuine emotion I felt while reading it, my mind was flooded with the memories surrounding the week of our gender scan ultrasound last October.

When we found out we were pregnant, we were lucky enough to have a local pregnancy clinic (Pregnancy Resources) that offered a free ultrasound.  We were supremely blessed to be able to see our baby at about 11 weeks.  This was my first experience with ultrasounds and the only thing I knew of them were pictures I had seen of other people's ultrasounds in the past.  So call me an airhead, but I was pretty stunned when we got going and we actually saw our baby moving around on the screen!!!  I actually started laughing and couldn't fight back the tears.

Immediately after the ultrasound, the nurse left the room.  Tony and I both said we felt like it was a boy just by watching "him" move around on the screen.  I hadn't really thought about my preference - a boy or girl - at that point since we really hadn't know we were expecting for too long at that point.  I was excited at the thought of having a son, and while I was leaning towards a boy, I really didn't get my heart set on anything just yet.  We left that appointment with a packet of information and headed home with a few ultrasound pictures.

One of the papers in the packet of information was for another local pregnancy clinic that was looking for pregnant women in their second trimester to come in and get a free ultrasound.  I was only in my first trimester at the time, but I gave them a call.  They would be training new technicians soon and said it would be a great help if I set up an appointment with them, so of course I did.  I would be about sixteen weeks along when we went in for the ultrasound and I could not wait!

We had a great time at the appointment and got to see our little baby again...

I knew 16 weeks was pretty early to tell, but I decided to ask anyway if they could tell the gender of our baby.  The trainee called in her boss because she had a really high accuracy rate for predicting the gender early on.  She told us that she wasn't sure, but if she had to bet, she would say it was a girl.  Since she really wasn't too sure, Tony and I told each other that we would only share that information with the people we were closest to and not make too big a deal out of it and just wait a few more weeks until our gender scan.

But to be honest, I really started thinking we were having a girl.

So, a few weeks later (I was 19 weeks along at this point), it was FINALLY time for our first ultrasound at our doctor's office and there was really no containing our excitement!  At this ultrasound, the nurse has to look all over at the baby's body to make sure everything looks alright and that is exactly what happened.  She went through the brain, heart, internal organs, everything and explained each image as we went.  When it came time to reveal the baby's gender, our baby would NOT cooperate because our baby's legs were bent and the little feet were in the way.  The nurse tried and tried and tried and the more she tried the more upset I felt.  We were there for what felt like FOREVER.  She apologized and said she couldn't get a good view whatsoever but if she had to guess, it'd be a boy, but that she really wasn't sure of that.

WHAT?!  I was shocked at how unsettled I was at this news.  Not just the fact that she couldn't get a clear view, but that we were having a boy when I was sure it was a girl!  I just left feeling so defeated and really confused.  Tony and I made the decision to pay $100 out of pocket to get an ultrasound to find out what we were having.  We made the appointment for just a few days later, the earliest they could get us in.

Now let me just say, the place we went was seemingly sketchy as they had no one in the medical field that worked at this place.  The lady said they were trained to read ultrasounds and to be honest, at this point I was so desperate to find out I would do anything!  While we were waiting to get sent back into a room, Tony and I talked in the lobby about how we were feeling about finding out the gender.  We asked each other what we were hoping for and if we'd be upset if it wasn't what we expected.  Tony was holding out for a boy and said he would be fine with whatever.  I, on the other hand, wanted a girl and I admitted it might take me a little while to get excited about having a boy.  I know... that's awful, but it's just how I felt in the moment.  (I know for a fact that there are so many things I would have been thrilled about when it comes to having a boy, so it wouldn't have taken me very long to rebound if we got that news.)

So, every ultrasound we had up until this point was crisp, clear, and easy to understand.  However, at this place, the machine looked outdated and the picture was so dim and fuzzy.  So, the lady tried to get a good view but was having a hard time.  Finally, she said:  Well, I'm pretty sure you're having a girl.  I asked her again and again to check so she could be absolutely certain and she ended up saying she was 99% sure it was a girl!

I was just so happy I couldn't even stand it.  I just felt such a strong feeling after finding out we would bring a baby girl home.  But that strong feeling would soon be trumped by the moment I felt Presley being laid on my chest for the first time.

We are so blessed to be the parents to Presley and I wouldn't change a moment of it for anything in the world. 

ps, Sunday is the last day to vote for Presley for the QC's cutest kid! Don't forget, you can vote everyday!

Couch to 5k Wednesday

Whoa!  Almost already forgot about writing on the C25K topic... not to mention that it's already WEDNESDAY!  I guess running really speeds up your week...

So for those of you who aren't familiar with couch to 5k, it is basically for people such as myself who would classify themselves as "couch potatoes".  While being a couch potato has it's perks - let's face it, TV is fun - nothing feels better than that sore feeling you get after a great workout.  However, when it comes to running, I am typically not a huge fan.  I have pretty much always hated any distance running.  But I have had friends from high school who  have become runners and I can see how much it has sculpted and toned their bodies in a way that other work out programs have failed to do.  This, coupled with the fact that my post-pregnancy body has left me looking like the little green fellow from the movie Flubber, I have decided it is time to try to catch the running bug!

Here's a picture for those of you too young to remember!

Though I am so in awe of those who do have that will power, let's face it, we're not all strong enough to go the "cold turkey" route.  I love the idea of easing into things when it comes to majorly changing your habits (be it changing eating, exercising, swearing, or smoking habits).  And the C25K does just that. 

The program is broken down into three run/walk sessions a week for nine weeks total.  In the first week, you start with a 5 minute warmup walk.  Next you alternate 60 seconds of jogging followed by 90 seconds of walking.  You do this for a total of 20 minutes and end with another 5 minute cool down walk.  By week nine, you start with a 5 minute warmup walk and then run for 3 miles - which they say can be done within 30 minutes... we'll see about that!  There are many weeks in between week one and week nine that gradually get you to where you want to be physically by the end of the program.

So far, I've survived day one and two of the first week.

Day one (Sunday):  I started out feeling like a champ!  When it came to each 60 second jogging session, I was really flying.  But what I am not used to is pacing myself, so about 3/4 of the way through, I was really ready to throw in the towel.  Thank goodness my husband was there with me because otherwise I'm afraid I would've given up all together.  I had to stop once for a water break but after that I decided to just pour water over my head every time I got too hot -- it was pretty warm out Sunday!

Day two (Tuesday):  I went into it with the notion that somewhere along the way, I would be as miserable as I was towards the end on day one.  So I started out slow for me and I stayed that speed as best as I could the entire time.  And this couldn't have worked out more perfectly!  Not only did I make it through all of day 2, but I literally enjoyed every minute of it.  I still had to push myself and tell myself to keep going, but I didn't have that miserable feeling that I was going to quit.

So, for day three - which is tomorrow - I am actually looking forward to the exercise.  I am looking forward to being outdoors and spending time with my family... because whether I mentioned it or not, I got Tony involved in the c25k!  And since we have our handy dandy jogging stroller, he is comfortable enough to jog while pushing Presley.  I'm definitely not that comfortable yet!

Presley cheering us on!

 I've signed both Tony and myself up for the Palmer 5k on September 23rd.  I could not be more excited to accomplish this goal and check it off the old bucket list!!! 

Whether you are looking to add exercise into your routine at just a few days a week or looking to run a 5k yourself, I emphatically advise that you consider the couch to 5k program.  And if you are interested, they also have couch to 10k, couch to 13.1, and couch to 26.2!

My recommendations for the first week of C25k:

1. If you have a smart phone, download the "C25k Free" app!  It's so handy and hassle free.  It shows you the elapsed time, the time remaining, as well as has a timer for each leg of your run.  You can also listen to music while you use this app and it will verbally alert you when to run/walk so you don't have to watch the clock tick away!
2. STAY HYDRATED.  This makes all the difference.  If you know you are going running, make sure to drink plenty of water beforehand.  If you plan to run in the morning, I would even suggest hydrating the day before; if you plan to run in the evening, definitely hydrate the day of!  If you don't feed your body what it needs, it's not going to work efficiently for you.  This goes for diet too; if you load up on junk - you'll probably feel like junk on your run!
3. Get your friends involved in the program!  It's so nice to have accountability partners who are not only invested in their own success, but in yours as well.
4. If at all possible, TAKE SOMEONE WITH YOU.  If you are anything like me, you may feel like giving up the first day and if you have someone who can kindly motivate you, it may make all the difference.
5. Again, if possible, pick a course you enjoy.  For me, it is the River Front in Moline, Illinois.  I get the sun, beautiful landscape, wildlife, and the beautiful Mississippi River -- what more could you ask for!  Likewise, if you enjoy running on a treadmill or track inside an air conditioned gym - stick with what you enjoy!
6. Find a pace and stick to it as best as you can.  Don't start off too ambitious at first because it may end up that you burn yourself out after the first few jogging sessions.

Good luck for my buddies Dee and Brianna who have started their c25k journeys this week!  I hope you guys can end week one strong and spend the weekend resting up for week two.  Just think, after tomorrow, one week down and only eight more to go until we're able to run a 5k and look totally HOT while doing so! :)  And for anyone else looking for an accountability buddy or who may be looking to start c25k, I could always use all the help I can get to stay motivated!

Happy Hump Day,

QC Times "Cutest Kid in the QC" Contest.

EDIT:  Nevermind all the instructions!

Here is the direct link to vote, which is much easier:

http://facebook.upickem.net/engine/Details.aspx?p=V&c=63553&s=21942435&i=1

END EDIT!

Oh yes, alas, I entered my baby into a cutest kid contest!  I know these kinda things are really just a popularity contest... but the prize is airfare to Orlando, Florida AKA... the HAPPIEST place on Earth!  (Not to mention, my grandmother lives about 2 hours from Orlando.)  So I surely wasn't passing that opportunity up.  Plus, as you know, my child is adorable.  If you want to help us out on voting, I will owe you a favor you can call in at any time!  You can cast your vote once per day per computer/household.

It's easy:

1) Go to facebook.com/qctimes. Make sure you 'Like' the Times.
2) Click on the Cutest Kids button underneath our cover photo.

 3) Presley is on the 10th page - otherwise, you can type "Duggan" into the little search bar to find it real easy.

4) Select the entry and submit your vote!

This is the photo I submitted; it totally shows her little baby personality!

 If you could just take about a minute of your time out of each day, our family would appreciate it and will pay it forward!

New Beginnings.

Lately, I have really feeling the need for changes in my life.  And for some reason, this weekend I have really just decided enough is enough.  I just keep looking at myself in the mirror and expecting to feel better about my body.  It's been 4.5 months since I was pregnant and I finally have the feeling that I'm ready to get back on the saddle.

It's been so hard for me to get started after having Presley, but I'm on board to beginning a healthier lifestyle for myself again.  I just have started spending less and less time on myself to the point where I feel guilty if I do anything for myself.  I think it stems from the fact that I'm not making any money for our family and that makes me feel worthless.  On top of that, putting in so much effort into my sweet little girl everyday leaves me feeling worn out.  I'm also not keeping up with a healthy lifestyle or diet currently and you know what they say, junk in... junk out. That has never been more true!  It's so bad that at the end of everyday, I am so embarrassed to log what I've eaten throughout the day on myfitnesspal.  And eating primarily fast food out of convenience leaves me feeling disgusting with no energy to do better in my daily life.

I have finally gotten to the point where enough is enough and I want to make a change and become more active.  I want my pre-baby body back, dammit!  (Or, as close as I can get.)  So I decided to start the couch to 5k program!  I actually started it this afternoon.  I felt so great the first half of it but by the end I really wanted to give up.  If Tony hadn't been there pushing me to keep going, I probably would have given up.  So I am on week one and it's an eight week deal and by the end of it I should be able to run a 5k!  I'm planning on signing up for the Palmer 5k run/walk the weekend of the Quad City Marathon on September 23, which is about 11 weeks away.  So by the time the 5k gets here, I should not only be able to finish the 5k, but hopefully I'll be able to improve my time by then.

I am notorious for giving up on things and finding excuses, so I am looking for help to stay accountable.  My plan with that is to start "Couch to 5k Wednesday" and write about how it's going Wednesday every week.  (I chose Wednesday because it's hump day/the middle of the week... it's always a struggle to make it to the halfway point - with Friday being the "finish line" - so I just felt like symbolically, Wednesday would be a good day to choose.)  This is just the beginning, though.  I want to work really hard when it comes to fitness and diet (as in eating healthy) so I can feel a pride within myself again.  I want to get out of this rut!

I feel like feeling better about myself and having more energy will cause some awesome changes in our family.  Tony has already decided he's going to do C25K with me and is thinking about signing up for the 5k as well!  It'll be awesome to do this together.  We also want to de-crap our house and get things cleaned up.  We are such slobs!  We want a home we can be proud of... a place we WANT to spend time and a place we can invite friends and family over without constantly apologizing for the mess.

Another thing I'm excited about is all thanks to Nikki at the Life of the Lasseter's. I'm going to start the rookie mom challenge this week and I am so excited!  What is the rookie mom challenge you ask?  You can go here and check it out for yourself!  It's a list of 50 activities of fun ideas for new moms to do with their kiddos once every week.  Some of them sound silly, but others really sound like they'll push me out of my comfort zone -- which is great!  It's a fun opportunity and I will be documenting all our fun outings along the way!  Maybe it will inspire me to come up with my own "bucket list" of 50 activities I want to do with Presley/as a family after it's all said and done.

This week is all about getting out of the rut I've been in and what better ways to start than these!  It may sound like I'm becoming too ambitious too soon and loading up with TOO many new things... but I hope to prove myself wrong and show that I'm capable of finishing the things I begin.  And this is all step one:  putting it out there so others can hold me accountable!  So, if anyone is interesting in starting the Rookie Mom Challenge or the C25K program, I'd love to keep up with you as you go through these experiences as well.  The more the merrier!

Alright, gotta start on some homework... which is much less exciting. Only THREE more weeks until summer classes are over and I will finally be finished with my bachelors! WOO-HOO.

One year.

How is it that it already feels like a lifetime ago since we found out that we were expecting?  In reality, it's been one full year.  A year ago today I took a test and from the second I left the bathroom that night, I swear life has not slowed down since.

It's been a whole year of knowing that our life would be dramatically different.
A year full of shock and surprises.
365 days of disbelief that this is going to be our life... for the rest of our life!
52 weeks of having Presley in our life.  (But at that time she was an "it"!)
More days of carrying her inside of me than having her here on the outside.
So many feelings and emotions.  So many memories and pictures.
So many days passed where she is all I could think or speak about.

Going from this...

 

To this...

And finally, to this....

It's hard to believe that exactly one year ago, Presley was nothing more than the results of a pee test.  And here she is today...

We are so thankful and very much in awe of God's plan for our family.

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above...
                      James 1:17

Happy Independence Day, y'all!

Time has absolutely been flying by since our last post!  Let's begin with what's current and work our way back...

• Fourth of July!

So today is the 4th of July and while I made huge plans for celebrating today in my head -- parades, fireworks, etc -- we did just the opposite.  We celebrated today by hanging out at home!  Tony had the day off but he was a little worker bee today and really cleaned away all day.  Me and Presley... we did the sleep/eat combo (well, she ate... I mostly slept!) and it was marvelous.  We really owe Daddy now!  Later in the afternoon we got dressed and headed over to my Aunt Susie's house for a cookout, which was more or less a cook "in" since it was too hot outside.  We got to see some family members who live in Virginia and it was great spending some time with them -- wish they lived a lot closer so we could get together more often!

Naptime cuteness! She is back to being swaddled but was sweating when I checked on her so I started to unswaddle her. :)

Our family today on the 4th!

•  Trip to Indiana!

We've been so lucky getting to spend time with family this summer!  A few days ago we were in LaPorte, Indiana visiting a bunch of my dad's family members.  Being around such a fun, extended family really reminded me of the Mississippi Ward's (Tony's dad's side of the family).  While we were in LaPorte we stayed with my dad's cousin Carol and her husband Tom and spent as much time as we could with my Gramma Myers (my dad's mom).  It was a blast.  Carol's grandson celebrated his 1st birthday while we were there and we got to see the extended family -- a bunch of my dad's cousins & their kids & grandkids -- and I felt extremely blessed to be there.

Carol, Gramma Myers, Me, & Presley before leaving LaPorte

Presley Rose and her Great Gramma Elinor Rose -- her namesake!

We also visited the cemetery Grampa Myers was buried at -- haven't been there since his funeral in 1995!

For maybe the first time in my life, I really understood the full importance of family while amidst all the chaos at Carson's 1st birthday party.  There were people and kids everywhere and a million things going on, but that kind of beautiful chaos is what life is all about and it's the most fun you could ever have.  Everyone was so thoughtful -- people were offering to hold Presley as Tony & I made a plate of food and all the family we met were so nice!  I felt so comfortable and didn't feel judged or the need to be perfect.  It made me wish my dad was still here and that we were closer with his side of the family.  It also made me wish that I lived in the same town as my sisters and cousins -- especially as we are getting ready to welcome so many new additions to the family here soon!  It just seemed like such a blast getting to raise all the kids with the support of your family while they, too, raise their kids!  In addition, like I said before, being in LaPorte reminded me of being in Mississippi around Tony's family.  I am so thankful to be a part - even if it is a small part - of his family.  While I may be a small part of a big family, Tony's family has never made me feel like a small part or an outsider.  From the first time Tony brought me around, I felt like family!  And realizing this makes me miss them as well as incredibly "home" sick.  And I hope I can convey to them how much they all mean to me.

All of these things made it all the more obvious how much I love my family here in the Quad Cities.  But even still, I just feel like we don't fit in all the time.  And whether or not we are actually being judged for the way we live, overall, I typically feel judged.  And that feeling coming from people you love and respect just sucks.  On top of that, relationships suffer when you begin to feel judged.  And I hate that.  Part of me feels like if we didn't live so close that the relationships would be better off.  Oh well.

What was the original point to this rambling?  Oh yes, that we are blessed to have the family we do; extended family, immediate family, friends who might as well be family, and everybody in between.  Blessed.  And what a blessing to be able to hang out with my Gramma for a few days.  She lives in the sunshine state, so it's not often that we get to see one another.  But we keep in touch as best we can through email and I love our conversations.  While my sisters and I were kids, she would send us cassette tapes of her reading stories to us, many of which I still have today.  (Too bad I don't have a cassette player!)  She gave Presley a book called "My Little Princess" and it is one of the books you can record your voice along with each page.  This gift is absolutely priceless.  I can't wait to see how much it means to Presley throughout the years.

• What we've been up to!

So, lately, we've been doing a lot of mall walking and visiting our favorite park in Rock Island -- Schwiebert Park!  Presley and I love to get out of the house every day and those are the typical things we occupy ourselves with.

Mama & Presley at Schwiebert Riverfront Park taking a break from playing in the water!

Presley not wanting to leave the water! That is a first!

Other things we do throughout the week is hang out and SLEEP!

Oh and of course we're always laughing at the things Presley does -- seems like she does something new and funny each day!  We love taking pictures of her, as you can see!

Diva!

Some people joke and say we spoil her but that is a risk we are willing to take! :)  We've also been to the zoo a bunch this summer and the last time we went, we ran into the news crew from channel 8 -- our favorite!  Pretty awesome that Presley is already hanging out with local celebrities.

We love News Channel 8!

Checking up on our favorite exhibit at Niabi Zoo -- our new baby giraffe!

That's the update on what's going on with us here lately.  I love having a place to come and write about all the big and little things going on in our life.  It gives us the chance to look back, smile, and remember the things we might've already forgotten.  Not to mention having a whole blogging community is extremely therapeutic.  So for those of you reading my blog - thanks for being a part of it and enjoying it!  I love hearing what people think of my posts so don't be afraid to stop and comment to let me know you're here.

Again, happy 4th, everybody!