Do your kids do this?

Nope. This isn't an ad for hand lotion or sunscreen. It's the "extra" stuff I found in my shopping bags when I got home from the store today. K was "helping" and kept putting the little extra things by the checkout on the conveyor belt. I kept putting them back. Evidently, I missed a few of her surprises, which makes me mad because checkout boy saw me put the other things back. Thanks a bunch kid who probably isn't paid enough by the Walmart cooperation to care! At least I had actually paid for it this time. Last time we came home with something extra, we had to have the thievery talk with Ty and then return the items to the store. Fun! Anybody need some sanitizing hand lotion with cooling sensation?

Celery Obsession

I know that this will come as a shock, especially to my parents because as a kid I wouldn't eat soup if there was celery in it, but I have developed an obsession with celery. That's right, good ole Apium graveolens, aka celery.

My friend told me she hasn't seen me without a piece of celery or an apple in my hand since January. This is not entirely true, it feels true, but it's not. Seriously, what is more crunchy and yummy than celery? Potato chips. Right, like that's in my future anytime soon. Did you know it takes more to burn off a piece of celery than it's original caloric intake, so celery is actually a negative calorie food! This is fabulous! It's a miracle.

We are currently going through about 4 or 5 bunches a week, which is kind of excessive, but it's not just me....C and K like their celery too. I always keep a glass of celery sticks in the fridge for when someone (namely me) gets the munchies. This morning I go to retrieve a mid morning snack, only to discover an empty glass. Do you love it as much as I do when your family leaves empty boxes and bottles in the pantry or refrigerator?

Now I am having a major craving and there is no celery in this house! What is a girl to do? Well, if your this girl, you go complain about it on your blog and then head to the store. I need my miracle food fix, and K needs some diapers....

Backyard Beat

Remember way back in March, when T and Uncle B and Grandpa J built the deck floor, and all we had was our lovely "concrete," rocks with a little dirt in between? You think I'm joking, but seriously, when we put the front yard in last fall, the first guy we hired to trench the sprinklers quit, and the second guy broke a trencher machine before it all got done.

Now we have dirt! I know this isn't the most exciting news for most people, but in our neighborhood, dirt is good, as opposed to what you have before your yard goes in. For us, dirt means progress. K's new favorite thing is eating on the deck, and since the railing isn't in yet, and considering her track record....we keep the deck door dead bolted. Notice the pretty furniture and umbrella, that was my Mother's Day present this year (thanks guys!).

The gorgeous gravel-filled hole is for our fire pit, as is the rock pile...pretty...someday... soon. It looks gray in the pic, but really the stone is different shades of brown. We are so excited that our trees are in and things are really starting to take shape.

Pretty dirt! Now if it would just stop raining so the sprinklers could get done...and the deck rail, and the stairs...and the path, and the fire pit...and the flower beds, and the curbing...and the rock around the deck pillars...and....you get the picture. Aren't projects fun!

This is the remains of our robin's nest. See the paper shred in between the lights? The kids loved watching the mom and dad fly back and forth with worms. T "loved" the bird poop dripped down the stucco. About a week ago, I walked through the kitchen and noticed a little gray bird on the deck. The two baby robins came out of the nest and spent about three days in the backyard before they disappeared.

More pics to come...eventually, we'll get grass! Who knew sod could be so exciting?!

Birthday Bash at the Zoo

T's birthday was May 23, and since he is the most wonderful and spectacular husband and father around, the kids and I decided to take him to one of his favorite places. He loves to play with his camera, and what place is more perfect to shoot pics that the ZOO!

Remember this fountain? I think it was here when I was a kid!

The Elephant Encounter was our favorite!

The kids wanted to make a wish in the donation pond before the bird show. Of course, on the way back to our seats, K tripped and faceplanted into the concrete stairs. Blood everywhere and people freaking out and asking if we wanted a medic or a first aid kit. Nope, we came prepared, we do this ALL the time.

Strike a pose!
Happy birthday Dad!

Memorial Day in the ER

Do you know how busy the ER gets on holidays? I do. Yep. I know, shocking, isn't it. A member of my family in the ER?! If you are at all surprised by this...you haven't talked to me in a LONG time. Keep in mind, this list doesn't include the thousands of near misses we've experienced. Let's reminisce, shall we?

1. A in ER in middle of night for infection after c-section with baby #1 (aka Ty).
2-4. T in ER for various construction related accidents (i.e. nail through thumb, nail through foot, nail through ear, etc.).
5. Ty in ER with RSV when he was two.
6. C and the papershredder (see previous posts, no one wants to rehash this one).
7. K with broken femur at 5 months.
8. K with broken nose at 9 months.
9. K with stitches in her eyebrow at 14 months (do we detect a pattern?).
10. T breaks ribs biking at Sundance.
And now, our latest addition:
11. C comes careening out onto my parents deck at breakneck speed and trips into the little kid table. He caught the corner of it right in the middle of his forehead. Luckily, no stitches this time. Just good old super glue and steri-strips.

I think I have figured out the problem. You see, I am a klutz, a big one. I married a daredevil; he'll try anything once. This means our children are fearless and clumsy, a dangerous combo to be sure. :)

HCg Q & A:

Okay, I've never had that many emails and comments about a post before. So, to answer some questions.

HCg is a pregnancy hormone, but it doesn't make you feel pregnant. It's the hormone that makes your body feed baby first and you second, so fat gets burned first, not stored, and you use up your "reserves."

Second question, nope, no pics yet. I hated getting my pic taken in college when I was sort of skinny, I like it even less now. We'll see, maybe later.

Thirdly, while I admit that HCg is good whether you are trying to lose 15 lbs. or 300 lbs., it is not for everyone. It can be discouraging, especially for women because during the mid to end section your weight will tend to wavier up and down slightly or you will stall. It stinks, but I realized that even though the scale wasn't dropping, the inches still were. Also, you really have to be truly ready to change your eating completely and STICK TO IT! Commitment is key. NO CHEATING, not even a little, or it doesn't work. I prefer to think of it as, "I won't eat that," instead of, "I can't eat that." Plus, even if you just want to lose that last stubborn 15 from the baby or whatever, you still have to complete the entire course. You would probably lose that in the first two weeks, but you would still have to finish the course (another 4 weeks) or it will come right back. However, it is fast. I would much rather do this over 6-8 months than try the traditional 2-3 years it would probably take me.

Fourth question, a little personal, you know who you are... Yes, T loves it. Nothing like massive weight loss to make your hubby remember how cute you are! :) He has been very supportive. He makes dinner a lot because I have days where I really don't want to look at other food. Plus, I would never let him buy clothes for me before because it was just too embarrassing. I am at a size now where I am okay with it. Not thrilled, but okay, and I'll get there.

Fifth question. Yes, you can gain it all back, if you revert to starches and fats and all that lovely stuff. Eventually, I will be able to eat what I want, but I also know what it will do to me and how hard I will have to work to burn it off. And that M&M is just not worth is to me anymore.

Good luck! Let me know if you try it, or what other stuff has worked for you! Thanks for all the support. I love you guys too.

The Incredible Shrinking Me

So, I've had about a dozen people ask me in the last little while what I am doing to lose weight, so here's the scoop:

I am doing HCg. I know, it totally sounds crazy, but it works. I've had two cousins do it (one is a nurse) and they look great. One wanted to lose about 30 lbs., the other about 20 lbs. I look better, but not great yet. To sum up, you give yourself injections everyday, eat very specific foods (only 500 calories a day, but a lot of food, veggies, lean protein, and good ole water), and lose on average a lb. a day.

When I first started, I was losing between 4-6 lbs. in a day, which is great motivation to not cheat. The down side is it can be really expensive, so shop around and find a DOCTOR who does it. I've seen some places that charge $1000 a round! My doctor was $495 the first round, and $100 off each additional round. The $ is also a motivation for me not to cheat (I don't can't afford to waste it).
It sounds scary, but as long as you don't cheat, it works; plus it really teaches you what you should and shouldn't be eating, and how your body works with food. I'm on my second round and I will definitely do one more. It's a hormone, so your body levels off and won't allow you to lose more than you should. A round lasts about 47 days and you have to take about a 4-6 week break inbetween so you don't become immune to the hormone.

I know, you're thinking you would starve to death on 500 calories a day, but it really is a lot of food and the hormone injections keep you from being hungry. I actually have to remind myself to eat, because if you don't get in your calories and water it doesn't work. The best part is you lose weight evenly all over your body, so no weird, uneven fat places, and you lose every day (as long as you don't cheat, have I said that enough times?). Since mid-January, I've lost 66 lbs. I'm hoping to hit 80 before my last injection in two weeks. You lose a little less each round, so I'm hoping I'll only do one more round, but we'll see.

It is not an easy fix. It is hard and temptation is all around, but it is working for me. You just have to be completely committed and ready to change. :) So drink lots of water and eat your veggies!