25 Things {you didn't know about me}

Stole this idea from Kim!

1.  I hate shaving my legs.  During the winter aka pants season I shave about every 10 days.  Sexy sexy.

2.  I am very ashamed that I haven't voted in an election since I turned 18.  I'll change that this year.

3.  This article sends me to tears every time I read it.

4.  I had a really hard time ever buying/wearing skinny jeans.  With ample hips/rear/thighs I was afraid I'd look like I was funneled in my shoes.

5.  After I go to the gym at lunchtime I have a hard time being motivated to do anything the rest of the day.  Thus I'm an early riser to get things done before lunch.

6.  I'm the sweatiest person that I've ever met and very jealous of all you non-sweaters out there.

7.  I used to drink diet sodas all day every day but haven't bought them {still drink at restaurants} in years.  

8.  I can't wait for the day that I don't obsess over think about food every second of every day.

9.  I can do two kipping pull ups.

10.  My max dead lift right now is 225#

11.  I don't know if I can run a mile without stopping anymore.

12.  My mom has been a teacher for 40 years and some times I wonder if I want to become a teacher too.

13.  I have no fear or anxiety of turning 30.  My only fear of getting older is getting feeble or sick.

14.  My favorite blogs are weight loss blogs of gals that have kids.  It's no secret people like to read about those similar to themselves.

15.  I so enjoyed watching and getting lost in Disney movies as a kid that makes me very excited to share those movies with Rowan.

16.  The only way my daughter will chill out when we eat in restaurants is by watching a movie on my iphone.  I'm extremely ashamed and guilty about this.

17.  We've lived in this house almost 4 months and just hung up pictures on the wall yesterday.

18.  I firmly believe that we find things to dislike in others that we dislike in ourselves.

19.  Menu planning and making a shopping list is one of my favorite parts of the week.  It's a game to see what I can plan and stay within my points+ as well as use what I already have in my fridge/pantry.

20.  My dream car is a Ford Explorer or a Volvo SUV.

21.  I swear I'll never drive a minivan.  **coughfornowcough**

22.  Before I had a child I ALWAYS fell asleep on the plane before take-off....usually before the safety brief was over.

23.  I did not like being an active duty military nurse but being deployed was one of the most valuable experiences of my life.  I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

24.  I have slept with the same stuffed bear every night since Christmas 1987 when I got him from my Opa.

25.  I hate it when all the good TV shows end for the summer!

Date night at the beach

We spent last weekend in Florida with my MIL and some of her friends.  It was fabulous especially because {husband} was able to take me on a date!

First things first, the outfit:

This is a dark photo but I felt cute!  

I bought this cute cotton black dress from Maurices.  The shoes are Guess circa 2010.

I tried a cat{ish} eye for the first time!

We stopped on the way for a beer at Wine Bar.  This was Blue Point Brewery Blueberry Ale.  DELICIOUS!  Tasted and smelled just like blueberries.  

Beer = 5 points+

We shared a jumbo shrimp cocktail.  The HUGE shrimp were so fresh and delicious! 

Shrimp = 0 points+ 

Cocktail sauce = 2 points+  (this girl loves her dip!)

We split a wedge salad that was quite possibly the most delicious thing all night!  I ate one very small portion even though I wanted the whole dang thing haha

Wedge salad = 4points+

Choosing my entree was so hard.  I wanted crab cakes, stuffed shrimp or a burger but I got a smarter choice - seared fresh tuna.  It was so good served over lemon almond rice pilaf.  I'm going to be searching for a recipe!

Tuna = 3 points+

Rice pilaf = 5 points+

Green beans = 0 points+ 

After our dinner it was early so we drove all over Pensacola looking at restaurants and shops.  I felt satisfied but not disgusting full like I normally do.  {WIN!}  We were thinking about dessert but I suggested instead of stopping for a rich and heavenly that I really wanted we just go home and have one of the pre-portioned ice cream cups in the freezer. {WIN!}  When we got home we talked with my MIL for a while and even though I kept obsessing over thinking about ice cream I knew I didn't need it and went to bed without it.  {WIN!}

I know some of my Points Plus values are probably wonky because I was sneakily looking things up on my phone but I'm really proud of myself for the night.  Instead of throwing caution to the wind because It's date night!  It's a celebration!  We can go back to diet tomorrow!  I decided instead to celebrate by enjoying my husband and treating my body right by not stuffing myself or eating crap.  

Baby steps, ya'll.  Baby steps.

Weight Watchers. Back at it {again.}

I am very hesitant to post this because it seems that any resolution or life changes that I blog about go to complete 'ish.  However, as you can see by the title of this post I decided to go ahead with it...ladies {and maybe a gentleman?} I'm back at Weight Watchers.  The main reason I decided to post?  Because this is the second week in a row {of 4 weeks total} that I have gained weight.

The first question I'm sure you're thinking is "Didn't you just say you were trying Paleo again?"  Yes, I did and it wasn't working.  Not because Paleo-style eating isn't healthy or doesn't work for weight loss.  My weight problem is because I am a massive over and a hugely emotional eater.  No "style" of eating will ever help me if I can't learn portion and self-control.  No matter how healthful food are you can't lose weight if you are eating them in huge quantities.

I joined Weight Watchers again one month ago and have found the Monthly Pass option to be really helpful - I have tools for success on my computer, phone, handouts and iPad.  I should be hugely {no pun intended} successful.  But I'm not.

I lost almost 5 pounds and then the past two weeks gained wait for a net loss of only 3 pounds.  I'm actually not devastated or upset by the gain because it's helped me come to the realization that: I can't cheat anymore.  Those little bits of Rowan's mac and cheese or the last chicken nugget?  They count.  Just because I wasn't sittin down/no one was looking/I wasn't eating off a plate does not mean food does not count!  The first 2 weeks were the magic weeks that my body lost some weight despite my cheats...now it's caught up with me.  I am cheating myself by thinking secret eating isn't hurting me!


So.  There it is.  There's what's happening right now.  I'm planning to do some What I Ate posts to help keep me accountable as well as share the amazing recipes that I've found.  And, if I grow some huge cajones, I am also planning a post with my stats and pictures.  Holy Moly, y'all!  Pictures!  Wish me luck!

Tips for Disney World {Magic Kingdom} with a toddler

So I will definitely agree with people when they give a "best age for Disney" that's anything other than 1 or almost 2.  It's true, bigger kids can enjoy more and understand more BUT it doesn't mean you can't have fun with the little ones.  You just need to alter your expectations and be prepared!

Food
Bring snacks.  We had the opinion that we were on vacation and not going to do the cooler thing for meals but definitely brought our own snacks for Rowan.

Fridge.  Make sure you have one.  We had milk, yogurt, and fruit in the fridge in our room and I'm so thankful for that!

Fruits and veg.  Don't expect them.  Yes, there are some options but hello it's Disney World.  Those squeezie fruit packs you know the ones that kids suck the fruit out of the little bag?  Those are PERFECT.

Plan dinners out ahead.  There is not a single restaurant at Downtown Disney that takes same day reservations.  If you think your group would like a dinner out - plan ahead.  There are tons of options {check out Yelp.com} but unfortunately, with little ones, waiting an hour for a table isn't as fun as just grabbing a drink at the bar anymore!

Baby Gear
Stroller.  Bring it.  Actually, you do not have to bring one from home but you must have one.  You can rent a stroller at the Magic Kingdom entrance or there are places that will deliver them to your room.  For bigger kids (the "experts" recommend a stroller for kids 6 and under) a stroller rented at the park would be fine but for the little ones keep in mind you have to return it at the end of the day and then navigate back to your hotel/car.

Toys.  We didn't spend time in our room at all so I'm glad I didn't bring a ton of stuff but the books I brought were well utilized. \

Baby carrier.  This would have saved us a lot of gritted teeth/counting to 10 in our heads/wishing for adult beverages as we waited in line.  How do you explain to a toddler that we need to "wait our turn" for 45 minutes?  How do you explain that standing still in the heat and not running through people's legs or climbing on the railings will be so worth it in the end?  Answer:  you don't really.  
If you're lucky you have a lot of family to pass your toddler around.  If you're us, you suffer.  Just kidding {kind of.}  But really Rowan is very active and although I brought our Ergo with us I forgot it the first day.  Something about being strapped in without our arms around her gives her more sense of freedom.  She was not into being held in line!

Sleep.  Have a plan.  We do not co-sleep so we brought the pack and play.  Planning also includes naps, however, and even though it killed me {because we were only there 1.5 days} we took Rowan back to the hotel for a nap.

Parent gear
Nap gear.  Unfortunately, unless you want to sleep too {this is highly possible, actually} you will need something to do in your room whilst your pookie naps.  DO NOT COUNT ON THE INTERNET.  These resorts are huge.  HUGE.  And though they advertise free wi-fi you can't count on it at all.  Bring some ear phones to watch a movie on your phone/computer/ipad.

Sink bath.  I'masweatybeast.  Let me just put it out there.  This is a super sensitive {embarrassing?} subject so I'll be quick.  I brought underpants liners, refreshing spray, after-shower powder, and had extra wipes to freshen up at the park.  Also, I wore a cotton skirt one day and used this stuff for walking around.  I had zero chub rub!  Holler.

Other.
Hotel.  I was not involved in the choosing of our room {Pop Century} but I am so thankful that my sister chose a Disney resort.  We were able to utilize free transportation to parks and Downtown Disney.  Also, while the rooms are very typical {think Holiday Inn Express circa 1999} the resort itself is wonderful - lots of pools, playgrounds, and special activities.

Set an alarm.  Get to the parks early!  We had a race from our resort - my sister and her family rode the bus while {Husband}, Row, and I drove and we ended up there at basically the same time.  Once there we chose where we wanted to go {may I recommend Buzz Lightyear or Peter Pan as they are SUPER popular} and grabbed a fast pass for another popular ride on the way.

Get pictures.  Utilize the photographers everywhere!  When you get your first photo taken they will hand you a "photo pass" that has a special number on it.  At each location you hand that pass back to the photographer who will scan it.  Keep using the same one so your pictures will all be in one place.  And omg don't lose it.  There is a service you can use to find pictures from lost passes but trust me you don't want to have to try that.

Ditch the big bags.  Both my sister and BIL had a back pack that was filled with I don't even know what.  They had to wear them all day and take them on rides!  We had diapers, wipes, snacks, water in our stroller and kept our money and IDs on us.  Our camera usually went with us on rides for pictures.  This way we had empty hands to run after our girl.

We're Back from Disney!

Last weekend we met my sis and her family for two nights in Disney.  We used the military deal for park hopper tickets (almost half off for a 4-day Park Hopper getonthatdeal, folks!)

Our trip was fabulous!  Honestly, it was mostly because we had no expectations of Rowan enjoying/behaving/participating.  We just decided to take everything as it came and she did really well.  I plan on doing another post of tips and things we learned for taking a toddler to Disney but for now here are some highlights:

 The Ugly Stepsisters were by far my favorite characters and Rowan had no idea who they were but loved them.  They were funny and frank and so sweet to her.  She tried running back to them after her turn ended.

 We went to The Chrystal Palace for a {hella expensive} buffet lunch with the characters from Winnie the Pooh.  Rowan was starving at this point and kinda ignored most of the characters but flipped her 'ish when she saw Pooh.  Tried to jump out of her chair screaming "Pooh!!!!"

 Seeing Mickey and Minnie.  The line was about 10 minutes but for a toddler that has been going to bed several hours late and {inadvertently} skipping naps it was an eternity.  She acted like a tiny psychopath while we waited.  

They are very creative with meeting Mickey because they have about 7 sets of Mickey and Minnie each in their own room behind closed doors.  We were last the get ushered into our room so everyone in front of us had to deal with Rowan losing her mind.  Had I been in front I would have asked the parents of the screaming child to go in front of me just so I could enjoy meeting Disney's Main Mice but obvi we know how it works and weren't asking for anything special....just feeling horrible for our child going Linda Blair on everyone!  
She stopped crying to meet Mickey and Minnie - called them by name and held their hands - and finally at the end she just looked into Mickey's eyes and collapsed on his lap.  It was as if she had found the one person in the world that understood her pain....she stayed like that for about 20 seconds until I peeled her off to get a snack.

 She is very stoic on rides but never cries.  Right at the end as the ride stops she'll very quietly say "wee."  And then once we're off she'll talk about, "fwying up" and "fwy in sky."  Very cute.

She LOVED the parades and was always especially excited to see Woody.

Sleepy baby after a long first day!

****Just so everyone knows how it works:

-  I bought all six of our military tickets to use for myself, {Husband}, SIL, BIL, and 2 nieces.  Rowan is free because she is under 3.  

-  The tickets have to be activated by the active duty member or their spouse.

-  They take names, birthdays, and finger prints to identify you with your card (which looks like a credit card or hotel room key.)  

-  After the first activation you do not have to be together at all times.  My nieces are older and wanted to see other parks but we stayed in Magic Kingdom.  

-  The tickets are 4-day Park Hoppers but the days do not have to be used consecutively!

Happy Mother's Day, Mama

Becoming a mom has helped me understand all the sacrifices my mom made for me growing up.  There was so much I didn't understand until now.  But I don't think my mom ever wanted or needed me to understand she just wanted me to grow into a responsible woman with good character.

She made sacrifices for us because she loved us and didn't require anything back from us.  She taught us to be responsible and make decisions for ourselves.  I am forever grateful for my crazy little mama and everything she gave me - both material and immaterial.  Thank you, Mama!

Beach Day

A friend and I drove 2 hours to Destin, Florida on Tuesday for a beach day. I was worried that Rowan would be like she was last year (OK for 5 minutes and then "get me the eff out of here!") but I was wrong. We had a great day playing in the water, eating snacks and digging in the sand.









A 20 month old on the beach is so much more fun than a 12 month old.


I learned a valuable lesson - putting sunscreen on someone else (the baby) does not protect you...sunburn city. However, sunburn can't keep us away! We will definitely be back!!!

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So WHAT! Wednesday

Linking up to Shannon @ Life After I "Dew" for So WHAT! Wednesday!

This week I'm saying "So WHAT!" if:

- I have reminders set in my phone to DVR new shows. hello, it's the summer - if you miss one thing you will have nothing to watch!

- I burned the %@&$ out of myself at the beach yesterday. Like straight up tourist's first day at the beach burned. I had sent {Husband} out for emergency burn stuff and took Melatonin so I could sleep. Ow.

- I am so excited to go to Disney this weekend! I totally act like its because I want Rowan to see it but in reality I just want to ride Buzz Lightyear and Small World!




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