The Old me.

Ok before I get any further... Why do they have to keep changing things? I get used to the "old" ways and then WHAM they change it all on you! I mean geez the old blogspot was working just fine for me! Oh well I think I'll figure it out. :)

So about a month ago I said I was going to start a lifestyle change. I said I was committed and I was/am. I started trying to eat healthier and exercise. So there was about 2wks where the exercise was pretty much non-existent, just had to much happening. But now that we're past that I'm back on the ball. Over the last month I've lost a few pounds, gained a few pounds and kinda been going up and down. But I know thats my body changing so I'm not to worried about it. I have noticed I'm losing inches however and thats a good feeling.

Not only have I tried to come up with a workout routine and a eating healthier lifestyle but I've also changed my whole daily routine. I'm in my 2nd week of it so far and its working well and I'm actually enjoying it! Not only that but I go to bed TIRED and fall asleep much easier, but I feel like I've actually gotten stuff done with my day and not just sitting around like I always felt like I was doing.

So I hate to admit it but I think I need to so here is a run down of the OLD me...

Wake up just whenever the kids do, if they sleep till 11 so would I!
I would feed Willa and then bring the kids down and stick Eli in his highchair, let him watch Sesame Street while he ate breakfast. I would put Willa in her exersaucer while I ate breakfast at the computer.
After Sesame street I would typically play with the kids but in a pretty sedate way. If I'm lucky I can leave the kids alone long enough to do dishes etc but most of the time is spent in the living room and the upstairs (changing diapers etc).
I would nurse Willa around Noon while watching something on Netflix... Lately its been the biggest loser, haha so funny. Anyway, then Eli and I would eat lunch on the couch together watching Netflix
Around 2pm I would put the kids down for a nap, now before when Willa was still not sleeping through the night I would nap with the kids. I really needed to at this point.

After nap I would feed Willa again, change both diapers and head downstairs to fix dinner, where Casey and I would eat on the couch and Eli would be in his highchair. We would be watching something on netflix.

That was the OLD me, well the old US.

NOW

I get up earlier (between 8:30-9) and do my bible reading before waking Willa.... (Note I would read the bible while nursing her before).
After nursing I take both kids to the dining room where we eat breakfast.
I unload the dishes in the dishwasher from the night before and load breakfast dishes and clean up the kitchen.
We come in the living room for Eli to watch Sesame street NOT sitting down which has given him the chance to dance with them on the TV and he LOVES that.
We have been going outside after sesame street for a little while when its nice out.
We eat lunch at the dining room table
I load the lunch dishes in the dishwasher
The kids go down for a nap.
I clean up the toys in the living room and then I work out
After working out I shower and spend some time doing other things around the house (today it was laundry)
I relax for like 30min
Get the kids up and feed Willa
Fix dinner
We eat dinner at the dining room table
I clean up after dinner, load the final dishes for the day and start the dishwasher
If the weather is nice we go outside or take a walk.

We MIGHT get a chance to watch a movie together but not always.
Finally at 9pm we get the kids ready for bed. I feed Willa a final bottle and she's normally in bed around 9:30.
Casey goes for a jog/run.
We relax for a bit before going to bed ourselves lately its been around 11pm.

So much better! I actually really like this routine and I am so happy to see the house is staying somewhat clean because every day I do something to clean, today I swept and mopped the kitchen. Tomorrow I plan on cleaning the master bathroom.

And finally, some ugly before pictures I took of myself. I hope to take pictures about every 30 days to see progress as I work to lose weight. So here are my pictures I just took today. Excuse the "workout" attire. :)

New routine...

I recently read a blog by a woman who was talking about ways to help keep stay at home moms from feeling overwhelmed. The blog seemed to speak right to me! I have felt overwhelmed with the task of trying to keep house (which I have failed at many times) and take care of 2 babies that are only 16 1/2mo apart at the same time. About the only thing I would get accomplished during the day was the dishes and that was because I have a dishwasher and I could still easily keep an eye on the kids. However there were days when even THAT was impossible and the dishes would pile up in the sink.

This blog offered some advice for keeping the stress down, it all made sense, even if I Didn't like the advice to get up early. REALLY? So I compromised, you see up till recently while Willa has been sleeping through the night since about 3mo she wouldn't always go to sleep till 2am or later... Would make it VERY hard for me to get up any earlier then when the kids would naturally wake up sometimes 10am or later. Finally over the last couple of weeks we seem to have gotten her used to the idea of going to sleep on her own in her crib without the prolonged screaming or having to get her up for an hour and try again sort of thing (I try not to let her scream more then 30min or so).

Also while I hate to admit it we had gotten into the habit of eating all meals in the living room. Eli would be in his highchair. The dining room had kinda turned into the "dogs" room and the dining room table seemed to always be cluttered. I decided that needed to stop! So we cleaned off the table and I started a new routine.

As the website suggested I got up a little earlier *grumble grumble* I got up at 8:30, spent some time alone with the Lord and then woke Willa and nursed her, then got Eli up and we all headed downstairs to breakfast. Which this time was in the dining room! I let the dogs outside where they spend the most of their time when the weather is nice. Fixed breakfast and brought the kids in, Willa went in our little highchair/booster chair that attaches to regular chairs with some puffs on the tray. Eli sat in a chair with 2 cases of soda sitting in it to act as a temporary booster chair for him (we got him his own REAL booster chair last night and we LOVE it!). I gave Eli his breakfast and sippy cup and fixed my breakfast (A bowl of Special K) and sat down to enjoy breakfast with the kids. We have a 55gal fish tank in the dining room which makes for a relaxing meal I have to say when the kids are enjoying their food. Eli enjoys watching the fish, which the way he says it is to cute, really just prolongs the SH so I guess its more like "fiSH". After I finished my bowl I typically give Willa some baby food, she REALLY loves the yogurt stuff. While Eli finishes up eating, when he's done I get him down and hand him his plate. I show him how to dump any left over food or crumbs into the trash and then take it to the sink. Then we get his sippy cup and go into the living room. I return to finish feeding Willa and then offer her some puffs to keep her busy while I clean up after breakfast.

The blog I had read suggested ALWAYS load and run the dishwasher before bed. I had done that the night before so I put away the dishes and then set the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher. Then I swept up really quick and did a quick mop with the swiffer. Now I won't do this every day but figure at least once a week would be a good idea. The sweeping isn't as much because the dogs come in and sleep in the dining room at night and gobble up most of the crumbs left behind from the day.

Lunch is similar to breakfast, I fix the food, and then bring the kids in. We eat and feed Willa and then I clean up the lunch dishes. Its worked out great and it helps to keep the kitchen clean. After lunch I put the kids down for a nap. Then I come downstairs and clean up all the toys (never ending task it seems) and vacuum every couple of days and then do my work out routine, shower ALONE without kids pounding on the door or sticking fingers under the door while yelling "Hey! HEY MOMMY!" it really is peaceful! After all that I get about 30min alone to relax and do whatever I want before waking the kids up and starting dinner.

The blog also mentions doing a full load of laundry start to finish once a day to help keep up on the laundry. I haven't gotten to that point yet but I hope to as we get a little more set in our routine, that part is the hardest because I can't just leave the babies alone while I go downstairs to do the wash and I can't fold and put away laundry in their rooms while their napping. I'll figure something out, but as it is I'm really liking the routine I've started and I feel better about keeping some what of a cleaner house, our house is never filthy but just a little messy at times before and now I feel like I wouldn't be embarrassed if someone just dropped by un-announced.