August's New Years Resolution Experiment

I'd love to say July went much better on not checking email or Facebook in the car, but I am still not a 100% there. I am much more conscious of what I am doing and many times will stop and put the phone down. Or, I'll do a quick check before I leave whatever parking lot I am in, and then know that I don't need to check it again until I get home. Yes, I know I have a problem. Admitting is half the battle, right? I am making progress.

For my August change, I am going to concentrate on my diet. I am going to keep track of everything I eat and write it down as I am eating it. This should help with the mindless snacking that occurs around 2:00pm until dinner and then again after dinner. Tracking what I eat is the foundation of Weight Watchers. It works and is the best strategy for trying to lose weight. I've had major success in the past and need to get back to doing it. After a full 30 days of tracking, I should be able to report on some great results.

Happy August everyone! Hope you are staying cool out there. Just want to give a quick shout-out to everyone who is reading my blog. Thanks!!

Transformation

Several weeks ago, my friend Ivy and I were talking and she asked me what my goals were. She had recently broken up with her boyfriend and was going to focus on herself for the time being. She felt like she needed some goals to have something to works towards and feel more fulfilled when she reached them. Me? Goals? I really don't have any. I do have the small changes I make each month, but once those 30 days are up, it is not something I focus too much on and move onto the next change I want to make. I really didn't have anything I was working towards...nothing that was keeping me motivated and inspired to keep going.

And then it hit me after writing my last post "Bleh!" I need goals! I need something that makes me want to jump out of bed and challenge myself a little more. Get me excited about seeing the dream become a reality. I've decided a transformation within me is going to take place. I am super excited about this and decided to tackle the following:

1. Lose 25 pounds.
Yep, Back in October 2009, the number used to be 14 pounds left to lose to meet my goal weight. We are now at the ugly number of 25 more pounds to go. There, I said it and am facing the fact that I need to get super-serious about my weight loss efforts and go back to tracking every bite and morsel I eat. No more mindless snacking in the afternoon. If I bite it, I write it!

I was given this awesome article on heart rate training from my friend Katy. Turns out that all the running I was doing (hours and hours on end!) was having an adverse effect to my weight loss efforts. I was running in my maximum heart rate zone and therefore, over training. Yes, I was burning calories and getting somewhere quickly, but I wasn't burning fat or getting my metabolism to move faster. So now, I am focusing on my heart rate, staying in zones 1 and 2 (no more 4!!) and giving up the importance of speed and distance. It is a whole new way of life for me on the treadmill and outside. Turns out I need to walk a good part of it to keep my heart rate in check.

2. Get all my hair chopped off and color it something fun and sassy!
I've been growing my hair out now for over a year and a half. I've been trying to get to 10 inches for Locks of Love. I've only got 2 inches left to go. But, I am so ready to cut it all now. This heat does nothing to help with all the hair on my head. Before kids, I used to color my hair all shades of brown, red and blond. Not at the same time, but go back and forth throughout the year. Every time I got bored, I'd mix it up with a new color. Oh, how I miss those days. Once I started doing Locks of Love, I stopped coloring it so the hair I donated would be as healthy as possible. I've done Locks of Love once already and will soon be done with donation #2. It feels good to be able to help kids with cancer who need wigs, but I am ready to start having fun with color again and trendy hair styles.

3. Get the big mole on the left side of my face taken off.
Some people call it a beauty mark, but I call it ugly! I've hated all the moles on my face for years and years. If one could have a skin transplant on their face, I'd be the first in line. The problem is, I am very moley person. Not sure why because neither of my parents or sister look like this. At my last skin check with the dermatologist, the dr suggested taking off the mole. I had inquired in past years with other drs about having it removed, but was hesitant with the scar I'd be left with. I've been hoping that with laser technology there would be a way to do it without cutting, but I am done waiting. It is coming off. As the dr put it, whatever scar remains will be easier to cover up than what I have now. I am going for it. I have a feeling that I am going to like the results so much, it will start an obsession with me to keep going. By the time I am done, I could look like I lost a fight with a razor blade. I should just have a t-shirt made that says, "You should see the other person." :)

So there you have it. My 3 goals I am working towards. I am giving myself until Thanksgiving to accomplish the above list. Why Thanksgiving as a deadline? It is when we will be going down to Orlando for Thanksgiving and I always enjoy a good reveal to people who know me best. Plus, Thanksgiving is just far enough away that it gives me enough time to be able to work on these, but not too far away that I lose sight of having to stay focus and keep my eyes on the prize.

I woke up this morning feeling energized and excited about my plan. I think this is just what I need to break me out of the bleh stage I've been feeling. And, I'd like to think that all 3 goals go hand in hand. It's easy enough to do #2 and #3, and never come close to losing the 25 pounds I want to, but I will enjoy the end result so much more by also losing weight.

I will keep you updated on my progress, both good and bad. And, if things go really well, I'll even include before and after pictures. Who knows, I may even be so excited about finally getting to my goal weight, that I could even publish the new number appearing on the scale. Well, maybe I shouldn't get so carried away.

Does it get any better? I think not.

Bleh!

I'd love to say this blog entry is going to be about something interesting or having to do with the kids, but I've got nothing. Nothing I tell you. I am worn out, tired and HOT!!! This weekend did me in. I am beyond over the heat. Bring back Winter!!

I spent several hours outside on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Not the best plan of activities to do and it took its toll on me. More sweat was generated by my body in 48 hours than ever before in my life. It is a gross feeling and all I wanted to do upon coming back in the house was take a shower and burn my clothes. That is once I got them to no longer stick to my body.

To my dismay, this heat does nothing for my diet and makes me want to eat non-stop. I am disgusted with my eating habits these past few weeks. I've lost my focus and need to get back in the game. It is an ugly scene on the scale each morning. I am done. Done. Done. Done.

I am tired of feeling hot every second of the day when I am outside. I am tired of feeling worn out and exhausted. I need a good night of sleep. I need 70 degree weather. I need stretches of time where there is nothing to do and no where to go.

Ok, I've ranted and complained long enough. It will get a person no where. I am taking a deep breath and getting back out there. And I promise to try to do it with a smile on my face. :)

Through the eyes of a 5 year old

I was flipping through the channels yesterday and found the movie "Baby Boom." It was in the middle and I asked Ian if we could leave it on. I was pleasantly surprised that he said yes and we could watch the last 40 minutes of the movie.

Ian was half watching and half talking to me about everything under the sun. The scene where Diane Keaton's character goes back to NY for the meeting about the Food Chain Company wanting to buy her new Country Baby Company comes on. This is a huge, victorious moment for her and she is making the big comeback she dreamed of. She is walking down the long hallway toward the board room and music is playing in the background of the scene. Ian says, "It sounds like sad music. Is this going to be a sad scene?"

I am temporarily overlooking the fact that Ian's assessment of the music was completely wrong. But instead be amazed how Ian picked up on the music and what it might tell the viewer about what they are watching. I don't know if this is typical of five year old's or not, but it was impressive to me.

Tae Kwon Do(n't)

Many of my mommy friends have praised the benefits of Martial Arts for kids as young as 4 years old. It gives them self-confidence, boosts their self-esteem, helps them focus and aids in discipline. We know a few friends who have been doing Tae Kwon Do for more than a year now and love it. The place everyone raves about is literally across the street from where we live. I know I've mentioned this shopping center a few times before, but it truly does have everything you need!

I asked Ian more than a few times over the past few years if he wanted to try it. Ian said no without hesitation, every single time I asked. Even for beginners, the students meet 3 times a week for an hour each (Mondays @ 5:00pm, Wednesdays @ 5:00pm and Saturdays @ 9:30am) and I felt like it would be a good match for all of Ian's excess energy he has. But, he has to want to do it.

We heard a really great promotion was being offered. For a $5.00 donation to St. Jude's Childrens Research, you get a free uniform and a month's worth of classes. Wowee!! Now this was a deal I couldn't pass up. However, it took Ian's best buddy Ethan also doing it for Ian to want to give it a try.

Together, the boys started out on a Monday. Ian really seemed to enjoy it. He even said when we were going home afterwards, that he will need to practice. That's promising, isn't it? The only problem I saw from that first class was that Ian wouldn't stop talking. I told him before Wednesday's session to try not to say so much and he told me he had all these ideas he needed to tell them about. Ian enjoyed Wednesday's class just as much and got very excited about practicing punches with a real x-ray picture. Saturday's class we weren't able to make because of a prior commitment. Then on Monday, I picked Ian up from a friend's house and helped him change into his uniform. He did so with enthusiasm and was looking forward to going to class.

Somewhere on the 10 minute ride to Tae Kwon Do, something snapped in Ian and he started throwing a huge fit about not wanting to go. It was the strangest thing and I am still not sure why he no longer wants to do it. I told Ian he didn't have to participate in class, but we are still going to go and watch. I didn't want him to think that just because he threw a fit, he could instantly quit. Plus, I had a feeling that when he was watching Ethan in class, he would want to join in.

Oh no, this was not the case at all. I asked Ian why all of a sudden he wanted to stop and he gave the following reasons -

1. He couldn't buckle his own car seat with his uniform on.
2. He would rather be eating dinner during this time.
3. He doesn't like the stretch exercise of touching your toes they do at the beginning.
4. He wants the green belt that Luke has and not the white one they give you.

And there were plenty more, but they made even less sense than the ones listed above.

So, there you have it. Tae Kwon Do is now a Tae Kwon Don't. I do believe Ian gave it a fair shot to see if he would like it. And since he knows what he is missing, I am okay with him saying this isn't for him.

However, I am big-time disappointed as I finally got Sam to understand that she couldn't run on to the floor and join her big brother. And, this was no small feat either!

"I did it!"

Here is just a little snapshot of what I am going through with Sam.

When Sam wakes up from her nap, I give her a cheese stick and some milk. On Friday afternoon, upon her waking up, I go get her from her crib and say, "Let's go get a cheese stick." She nodded her head in agreement and picked out her own cheese stick to eat.

We go downstairs to hang out with Ian and I open up the cheese stick and have her cup of milk ready. She instantly says no and goes to the closet where the Costco dry goods are kept and opens the door herself. She gets a bag of Welches Fruit Snacks and brings it to me saying, "Open. Open." I told Sam no, I will open her bag of fruit snacks after she eats the cheese stick.

Sam then proceeds to throw a fit, which includes screaming and jumping up & down. In the process, she somehow miraculously tears open the bag of fruit snacks. Her eyes get super big and she says "Whoooooooooaa" upon realizing her good fortune. With a big smile on her face, she exclaims "DID IT!!"

Then, while looking me directly in the eye, she takes one fruit snack, puts it in her mouth and says, "mmmmmmmm, good". Sam then proceeds to continue eating the enitre bag and with each one, looks me in the eye, puts the fruit snack in her mouth and says, "mmmmmm, good".

What a little stinker!

Taking applications for the job of Tooth Fairy

Monday evening, July 12th at approx. 6:30pm:

While eating corn on the cob, Ian says his tooth hurts. Jeff and I look at each other and have the same exact thought. After getting a closer look at the situation, we have discovered that Ian has his first loose tooth!

Ian's tooth is just in the beginning of stages of being wiggly and it will probably still be a few weeks before it actually falls out, but you would've thought we won the lottery with our reaction. It was a very exciting moment at the Toppall house. I think even jumping up and down occurred. At one point, Sam started to feel her teeth and see if any were loose. Ok, I am just kidding about this last part, but it could've happened!

Our little boy is growing up. The tooth fairy has a compensation plan ready to go for Ian. The first lost tooth is special. The tooth fairy will be bringing Ian a wii game he has been wanting. After that, Ian will receive $1 for each subsequent tooth. It's a good thing that Ian is a very deep sleeper and the tooth fairy will have no problem delivering the goods. :)

Ah, to be 5 again! I remember like it was yesterday trying so hard to stay awake and catch the tooth fairy in action. I never was able to. I hope Ian isn't either.