My Goal

Scott and I have been trying to work out at the gym regularly and eat well, but we decided that we need a short term goal to keep us going forward. Yesterday morning we decided that we both want to lose 5lbs by Easter. Our rules are:

1. No Sweets
2. Pasta Twice a Week
3. No Eating after 8pm
4. Keep a Food Diary (livestrong.com w/daily plate) with calorie restriction
   
5. Work Out Every Day (except Sunday, unless a walk)
6. Fruit Anytime
7. One Meal Replacement Protein Shake a Day

So far we are doing really well. I worked out at the gym today for an hour on the elliptical and really enjoyed it! I go to the YMCA while Scott stays home with Pixie during her morning nap.
He goes to the school in the morning when we get up and usually works out with his brother.
I was so proud of myself! I have always been REALLY bad at cardio and when I started going to the gym I burned 400 calories an hour, now I'm up to like 560! Scott burns way more, but that's partly because he's better and stronger and partly because he weighs a lot more than I do!
It's also my time to watch tv since we don't have cable. Today I watched the Food Network channel! It's my favorite.
So, I encourage you to call, email, message me and ask me how I'm doing! Keep me on track!

Hooray, Presents!

Okay, presents that I have to pay for a few days later, but I love getting things in the mail!
As some of you know, I am a coordinator for one of the companies we buy from in our local buying club (like a co-op). Every month I drool over the sales and plan my method of attack. I have changed many of our household goods over to organic and/or natural products.
If you think that these products are a lot more expensive than the mainstream, well, they are. That is, they are if you pay the 40-50% mark up they charge you in the regular stores! Wahoo...I love club pricing. Then we get the additional up to 25% off sales.
So, this is what I got this month:
(back, left to right)

• Seventh Generation Automatic Dishwashing Liquid. So far..I love it!
• Pure & Gentle Shampoo for Scott. Trying to switch his products over too. He's still testing.
• Citrus Magic air deodorizer in Grapefruit. I knew I had to find an alternative. I read an Oust (or Febreze?) label that said to remove pets before spraying the area. How good can that be!?!? I just LOVE this stuff already! Buying a different scent for the bathroom next month.
• Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Magic Soap for Pixie. Also will use in my homemade cloth wipes solution.
• The DivaCup. Okay, maybe a little TMI, but this really works! I know Becca used one and liked it. I only got to use it for the last day of my cycle, but it was very easy and comfortable with no risks of TSS!
• Ambassador Baby Hair Brush and Comb. Made in Germany with boar's hair, ethically extracted mind you!
• And essential oils from Aura Cacia in Geranium, Lavendar, and Lemon. These are used in my vaccum to eliminate doggy smells, diaper pail smells, and also in Pixie's wipe solution and diaper pail.
• I also ordered some Yummy Earth Root Beer candy drops, but they were on sale and out of stock. :( All of you know that I don't like non-chocolate candy, but these are AWESOME!
  

Method of Transporting Goods

Since Pixie has not mastered walking yet, she has found a cool way to carry around her toys and other things...without using much of her hands.

That's right...she uses her mouth.
(btw, see this ADORABLE coat I found at Old Navy a few months ago...for $6!)
Here she is carrying a candy wrapper, keys, and the dog's collar. She screams when she sees our keys, we have to hide them. She's already shorted out Scott's remote starter with her slobber.

Here is just a cute picture I took the other day. She was "helping" me go through her next size up clothes and we tried on this hat.

I'm not pushing her, but hopefully she'll be able to walk soon and have just her hands to carry things around with. She is standing on her own, so it shouldn't be much longer!

What's Your Go-To Food?

Pixie isn't a super picky eater, thank goodness, but she sure has gotten pickier lately. I should be counting my blessings because her favorite foods are unusual for this age, I think!
Pixie doesn't like cheese (unless on pizza) or anything cheesy-creamy. No alfredo for this child! She eats everything with tomato sauce on it and recently wolfed down my artichoke heart-lemon-parmesan angel hair pasta. This morning she refused pancakes, which normally she loves.
So, my go to foods (that I KNOW she'll always eat) are:
Yogurt
Falafel (pictured below)
and Stir Fry with Tofu. She love, loves broccoli.

She's a weird child probably. So, what's your go-to food?!?

Pictures of the Last Month

Here are a few pictures I have been meaning to post. I finally got around to downloading the software for our new camera!

This picture was from the snowstorm we got the end of February. The SUV battery finally bit the dust the night before and was stuck inside. Lovely.

This was taken only a few days after the snowstorm! It got up to 80 degrees and it all melted. Hooray!

Pixie was in this swing forever! She loved it. Of course I wiped it all down with a baby wipe before I put her in it. :)

This last Saturday we went to our first garage sales of the season. Becca went with us and then we went to her house for lunch. She bought pizza and I made lo mein. mmmm...
Scott was wearing his favorite shirt and took some preventative measures.

We then left from Becca's and headed over to my parent's house. It was my Dad's 67th birthday!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

This was Pixie's first taste of cake actually. I've held off on sweets a bit. Don't worry baby, your turn is coming up soon!

Pixie looked so Springy in her dress on Sunday. This is Pixie responding to my calls. She had to crawl weirdly in this dress and she kept doing it even after I changed her into shorts!

How pretty is she, really?

This is her crazy face. She is so excited because she's starting to stand without holding on.

And the proud parents.

A Fuzzi Bunz Giveaway!

As you all know, I have been mostly using cloth diapers for Pixie. I posted my review of bumGenius (just got two 3.0s to try!) and I just got some organic fitted diapers in the mail from Eco Baby to try at night time. I also have some Fluffies covers coming too and I'm going to attempt to make my own wool soakers and longies...if I ever get a hold of a sewing machine! I found a tutorial to make them out of wool sweaters, then went to Goodwill and found two sweaters for .50 each!
Okay, point is that I really want to try out different diapers and I have always wanted to try Fuzzi Bunz. There seems to be an equal following for them and the bumGenius brand. Also, Fuzzi has come out with a one-sized diaper like BG. That really makes me want to try them because I'd only have to buy one size!
So, go over to A Psych Mommy and enter! She also has some other great reviews to check out.

Giveaway at Piece of ME

So, if you are a mom and are travelling, you probably have wished there was a compact way to bring along an activity center for your baby. I know I have driven the SUV instead of the car just to fit the exersaucer in it! Wouldn't it be nice to have something small you can keep in your trunk?
Well, I want this! It's perfect!
Piece of Me is hosting a review and giveaway of the PopATot.
I SO want to win!