Kickboxing Mama

He's on the...ROLL!

2010-10-18T16:50:00.003-04:00

Parker rolled over 3 times today!! wow! I put him down on his tummy to play with some toys, and over he went!

Parker is three months old!

2010-10-17T22:09:00.006-04:00

This is Parker Allen Greven's first appearance on this blog!

It is hard to believe that he is already 3 months old-wow! He is such an easy going happy little guy, and we love having his as a part of our family. The only times you hear a complaint from him is if he is hungry, sleepy, or being picked on by someone ;) He is a very smiley, happy baby-he is such a joy! He has just recently started laughing when you do silly things with him, or tickle him. He loves sitting in him bouncy seat and kicking his feet to get the toys to move! He also loves to grab at toys now. He isn't rolling over yet, but he holds his head up strong when he is laying on his tummy! He loves to "talk" to you, and to be talked to. He is gooing and cooing all the time. Blow raspberries are also one of his faves :)

Parker is doing really well developing a schedule to his day. He is sleeping 12 hours at night, waking 1-2 times to eat. Going to bed between 7 and 7:30 p.m., and waking in the morning between the same times. I am thinking of starting him on a little cereal at dinner time in a few weeks to see if we can get that solid 12 hours going soon!

We just love him so much and we are so happy that God blessed us with him!

Here is our sweet boy!

I'm Back!!

2010-10-17T22:04:00.002-04:00

Due to Cooper's baby book that I had created a while back on iphoto being totally DELETED-I have been frantically trying to piece it back together. I remembered my blog, and how good I use to be about it! I came to check it out tonight, and was so relieved to see all the detailed posts about the kids and all the memories I kept on here! Whew! I can put Cooper's baby book back together! yay!!

So, in an effort to help me treasure all of these wonderful memories we are creating with our kids, I am going to get back into this blogging thing!

Here goes nothing.....

Training Update-5 Weeks Today!

2009-03-07T14:35:00.004-05:00

5 WEEKS!!! Yikes!! I feel like my competition is getting so close, yet still feels so far away!

This week I am changing up my workouts. Going to half-body splits, trying to trim some fat. Here's what the split looks like:

Monday: Upper body, teach kickboxing

Tuesday: Lower body, metabolic circuits

Wednesday: Off weights, metabolic circuits

Thursday: Upper body

Friday: Lower body, metabolic circuits

Saturday: Off weights, teach kickboxing

Sunday: Off (for now)

Diet is pretty bland, and very strict-especially now, as my carbs are getting cut a bunch. The carbs cycle through the week, 1 day is all the way up to 155 grams of carbs, and goes as low as 50 grams of carbs on the days I don't lift.

Here is what a basic meal plan looks like for me right now:

Meal 1: Oats, egg whites

Meal 2: Oats, egg whites

Meal 3: Chicken, green veggie, fish oil

Meal 4: Lean ground beef, green veggie, almonds

Meal 5: Chicken, green veggie, fish oil

Meal 6: Egg whites, and peppers and onions

not too bad, but definitely no fun food in there! Good news though-now I can add in a 1/2 grapefruit at some point during the day-so that is nice!

Posing practice is going great and is a lot of fun! My posing coach is super nice, and great to work with. I practice with her once a week. I really feel like it is going to give me a lot of confidence on stage, which was one of my main goals in doing this competition.

I am going to attempt to put the crystals on my posing suit by myself! It's very expensive to have someone put them on for you, so I thought "I could do that!" So, I have the crystals ordered and the tool that helps you put them on. I also have my design all sketched out. I will post pictures as I get it done!

No pics yet. I think you are going to have to wait until competition week! I will post before and after pics then.

Easy Smoothie Recipe

2009-03-07T14:30:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone!

Just thought I would post something quick-I got this idea off a friend's blog, and just kind of changed it up a bit.

Cooper is not a big veggie eater-let's just say, the only thing he likes is northern beans and freeze dried corn *Sigh*. Ella was (and is) always such a great veggie eater, so this is a change for me.

Here's a good way I found to get some veggies in Cooper!

2 c. fresh baby spinach
1 3/4 cups frozen fruit (I used a bag that had strawberries, mangos and pineapple)
Juice from 1-2 oranges
Water

Blend in the blender, and VOILA! It looks really gross but the taste is really yummy! He drinks it right up, and I know for sure he is getting good couple servings of veggies per smoothie! I have been giving him this for a mid-morning snack.

Cooper is Ready for the Super Bowl!

2009-01-27T14:16:00.003-05:00

Always with a ball, this boy!

Figure Competition: Training Update

2009-01-24T11:23:00.002-05:00

Well, next week starts a new phase in my training! Next week I go to two-a-day workouts! One weight session in the early morning, and one after the kids are in bed. Should be interesting, and I should start seeing some serious results.

To give you a little update, a few weeks ago me and the girl training for the body building portion of my competition, Courtney, started training together! We were not happy with the trainer we were working with, so we decided just to start training together. Well, in the three weeks we have been working together we have seen a great deal of results-it's been awesome! We also have started working with another trainer who is awesome! He's got our first phase of cutting diets dialed in, he is keeping track of body fat, and starting next week he is designing our workouts for us-awesome! Exactly what we need!

So, I am about to embark on what is going to prove to be a very tiring, strenuous, SORE, yet exciting portion of the process in preparing for a figure competition! I will be sticking with the first phase of my cutting diet for one more week, then the week after that it changes again.

My goal is to be ready for the show by March 28th-which gives me two weeks before the show to tweak things, and hopefully come in totally lean and ripped! :)

For those of you interested, here is what my diet looks like right now-everyday! Apparently, diets are the opposite of workouts. With workouts, if you are doing the same thing week after week, you are going to stall out and not see progress. Diet works the opposite-if you eat the same thing everyday, your body gets more efficient at processing it, and burns it up-like gas on a fire! So, hence the reason I have to stick with the same diet for two weeks, then he is going to switch it up.

Meal 1: oats, protein shake

Meal 2: oats, eggs

Meal 3: tuna, 1/2 banana

Meal 4: tuna, 1/2 banana

Meal 5: Chicken, green veggie

Meal 6: Chicken, green veggie

Meal 7: cottage cheese, whey protein shake

Meal 8: casein protein shake

So there's the latest! I'll keep you posted on how the two-a-day workouts progress. I am sure I am in for a SORE week this week!! yikes!

Cooper's 15 month check!

2009-01-22T13:00:00.002-05:00

Cooper had his 15 month well baby check today, and he is doing so well! Still 50% for both weight and height-23 lbs. 14 oz, and 31 inches long. He is above average with the amount of words he can say! The doctor said they should be saying about 5 words right now-Cooper is saying: Mama, Daddy, Ella, doggy, cheese, ball, night-night, hi, snack, lunch, eye, yeah, all done, down, no, ...that's all I can think of off the top of my head! So, he is doing really well in that area. Meeting all his milestones in all other areas too. She said he looked great! He had to get two shots today, to stay on the Dr. Sears alternative vaccination schedule. Poor little guy cried and cried, until we got out to the car! :( So, hopefully we can stay out of the doctor's office until his 18 month check in April!

Our Pastor praying for Barak Obama today at the prayer service!

2009-01-21T15:20:00.001-05:00

OUCH!!

2009-01-18T22:34:00.000-05:00

Here is what happened to my poor baby today!!

Ella and the Mixer

Happy 2009!!

2009-01-03T20:07:00.004-05:00

Wow! Another year come and gone. Yes, I am still here!

It has been a crazy past couple of months. Thought I would post an update for those of you who still actually check my blog. There won't be any pictures until I can get my hard drive cleared off-hence the reason I haven't been diligent to keep this thing up!

We had an awesome Christmas this year! We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day with my family in Alpharetta just taking it easy and hanging out! We made appetizers for dinner on Christmas Eve for dinner and watched movies-it was great! Christmas day we spent a lot of time in our Pj's just taking it easy and enjoying our time together, and of course our new gifts! That evening my Aunt and Uncle and their kids came over for dinner. My Dad grilled the most amazing beef tenderloin EVER on the green egg. It was so good! The day after Christmas we headed to Nashville and spent the week with Reid's sister and her husband, and Reid's Mom and Dad. We had tons of fun playing games, eating way too many goodies, watching movies, some fun shopping, and we even took Ella to see the movie "Bedtime Stories" (which was so cute by the way!)

We got back home on Thursday evening, and I am just now starting to get the house back in normal working order. The Christmas decorations are down (with the exception of the outside ones since it hasn't stopped being wet outside since we got home), the new toys are slowly finding places to be, and the suitcases are just about unpacked.

School starts back up this coming week, along with our normal everyday activities! It will be nice to get back to our regular schedule. There is something to be said for a reliable schedule, isn't there?

As for the kids....

Ella is getting to be such a big girl. She is a huge help to me, and she loves her little brother. She is high energy, and loves to go and do. This past week visiting family was definitely a highlight for her. She sure does love to visit! :)

Cooper is learning and growing by leaps and bounds! He's pretty fast at walking now, and of course still climbs on anything he can! He is starting to talk a lot now! Some of his vocabulary includes: Papa, Yaya, Nana, Pop, Ella, Daddy, Mama, snack, pizza, doggy, eye, and YEAH!! His newest thing is to respond to something that he wants, or wants to do with: "YEAH!!!" It's so cute, I need to post a video of him saying it. He also loves a good snuggle if you can get him to hold still for long enough! :)

My figure competition!

Training for my competition is coming along GREAT! I am in the last few weeks of my "bulking" phase (aka trying to put on some solid lean muscle mass). I should be meeting with a nutrition coach in the next week to see when I need to start the cutting phase (aka getting rid of the excess fat to see the nice lean muscle!) My posing suit is purchased, still need to get shoes. This month I will be contacting a posing coach to help me with my posing routine. Every day I think that I am crazy for wanting to do this, but I know I will be very proud of myself in the end!

Alright, so there is a little catch up for you! Hopefully we will be getting the hard drive situation fixed soon!

Gingerbread House Party

2008-12-04T20:55:00.002-05:00

Yesterday at Ella's school, the parents were invited to join their child for a gingerbread house decorating party! It was a blast, and the kids got all sugared up to boot! ;)

This Year's Christmas Cards

2008-12-02T20:38:00.003-05:00

Due to increasing age, forgetfulness, and my decreasing ability to send cards on time, here is my card to cover every Holiday.

Happy Friggin' Everything....

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T21:41:00.000-05:00

Wow!! I have totally been SLACKING on my blog lately! There has been a lot going on, so really it's been the last thing on my mind-sorry 'bout that!

Anyway, we had a GREAT Thanksgiving at my parents house this year! Saw a few movies, put up some Christmas decorations, had some chillin' out time, and ate a lot of yummy food! Here are some pictures from Thanksgiving day.

Cooper's first Thanksgiving dinner!

Helping me make a pecan pie!

The finished cherry and pecan pies!

Pilgrim Ella-for her school Thanksgiving program

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So Funny

2008-11-09T22:21:00.001-05:00

I forgot this picture was on the camera. Can't you tell from his face that he loved sitting in this chair? ;)

My Beautiful Autumn Girl-Having Fun in the Leaves!

2008-11-09T22:16:00.006-05:00

Today's the day!!!

2008-11-04T10:12:00.001-05:00

Get out and VOTE today!!! Don't be one of "those people" who doesn't vote. JUST DO IT!!!

GO MCCAIN!!!

Halloween 2008!

2008-11-03T21:38:00.005-05:00

Here are just a few pics from our Halloween! I posted a ton more on Facebook, so request to be my friend and you can see more! we had a great Halloween weekend! After Ella's Halloween parade and party at school, we headed to Nashville to spend some time with Reid's family. Ella and Cooper got to do their trick-or-treating there with some friends that live next door to Reid's sister Ashley and her husband Michael. We had a ton of fun!

How Tall This Fall?

2008-10-28T14:25:00.009-04:00

Every year we go to "Uncle Shuck's Pumpkin Patch", and every year we have to get the "How Tall This Fall?" picture-it's a must!! Here are the pictures from over the past 4 years. I thought it would be fun to compare :)
Ella-2004-5 months old: What a peanut!

Ella-2005

Ella-2006

Ella-2007

Ella-2008! What a big girl!

And here's Cooper!
Little 2 week old Cooper! 2007

Cooper-2008-This is the best picture we could get. He wasn't too happy about standing there ;)

Spaghetti: The After-Math

2008-10-27T20:29:00.003-04:00

(Sorry it is sideways-I did it with the digital camera, and didn't realize that I wouldn't be able to rotate it)

Rubbing food in your hair+wet wash cloth=funny after dinner entertainment

2008-10-24T21:33:00.002-04:00

Homemade Halloween Decorations!

2008-10-23T20:53:00.002-04:00

Look what Ella and I did this afternoon during Cooper's nap! The scarecrow she made at school, but the pumpkins and bats we did today! I found the pages of eyes, noses and mouths online and printed them out. We used construction paper to make the pumpkins,and cut out the faces and glued them on. So fun!

Gymnastics Olympic Superstars Show

2008-10-22T21:50:00.009-04:00

This past Friday, Ella and I went with our friends Laura and Libby to see the USA olympic gymnastics team in a show at Phillip's arena! It was put on by Disney, so they had fun music, lots of cool costumes and of course lots of awesome gymnastics! The bonus was we got to sit in the Mayfield Ice cream suite and have free ice cream! :) We had a ton of fun-definitely a great girls night!!

Shawn Johnson and Nastia Lukin!

Rainbows are always magical!

2008-10-22T16:00:00.002-04:00

(This is from a few weeks ago, and I just now added the pictures, so now I can post it!)

Last night after dinner, we walked outside and there was this HUGE rainbow in the sky! You could see both ends of it. Ella kept saying "It's SOOO gorgeous!!" She loved it, and was even talking about it this morning. Unfortunately these pictures don't do it justice! Also, a picture of the drawing Ella made of it this morning :)

Happy Birthday, Sweet Cooper!!

2008-10-14T20:37:00.018-04:00

My baby boy is ONE YEAR OLD!! Can you believe it? How does a year fly by so fast??

Cooper is doing so well. Today he had his one year check. He weighed in at 22 pounds, and he is 30 inches long. (A little over 50% for height, and 50% for weight) He is doing everything developmentally that he should, and is very healthy! He had two shots today-HIB (Which we only got today because they were out of it when he was suppose to get it) and polio. Oh, and he also had to get a finger prick-which totally didn't phase him! The shots were a different story-it was very sad :(

We had such a fun party for him on Sunday at "Family Dinner" at my parents house. We ordered pizza (his favorite!...well, besides blueberries...), opened a few presents, and of course had CAKE! He was so funny with his little cake. I had put an icing border along the top of his cake in a light blue icing-he picked off each little "star" shape and ate them. It was so funny! So basically, he just ate the icing.

In celebration of Cooper turning a year old, here are 12 fun facts about Cooper!

1. He is a happy, easy goin' guy! He is more than content to just play and explore on his own. I can go about my business around the house, and he is happy just to play around me.

2. He has a very adventurous spirit! He loves to explore and CLIMB! Let me tell you, this boy LOVES to climb on anything and everything. It doesn't matter if it's an inch off the ground, he wants to climb on it because it is off the ground. It also doesn't matter if it is the end tables in my family room. Yes, you read that right. He pushes his little walking toy over to the end table, and the couches, and climbs up. Little stinker!! He gives Miss Donna (the child care worker) at the gym a run for her money-being in her words "The youngest baby to climb up the slide."

3. Cooper's idea of the perfect diet is cheese, fruit and crackers. If I would let him, that is all he would eat. Cooper is a somewhat picky eater. He will not eat meat-unless it is McDonald's chicken nuggets-nice, huh? He also won't eat bread, but he will eat crackers. Also, veggies-forget it. He was such a good eater with baby food veggies-but he doesn't want to be fed anymore by spoon. So, we tried little diced up pieces of veggies. No go. So, alas, I keep offering them at lunch and dinner, hoping one day soon he will eat them. He does eat freeze dried corn, but I seriously doubt that has much in the nutrient department. I am excited though that he likes black beans, and he ate an entire black bea burger last night at dinner!

4. He is veeeeeeeery close to walking! He is cruising all over the place, and will even stand up on his own right in the middle of the room. No go on the walking yet though.

5. He has 3 teeth on the top, and 2 teeth on the bottom.

6. He is all done nursing, and was no problem to wean! He also has been sleeping soooo well since being weaned! yes!

7. He says several words now: Dada, Mama, Ella, hi, all-done, bye-bye, down, cheese

8. He is a pro stair climber! He also has started to figure out how to get back down. He even knows how to get off a bed all by himself.

9. He loves playing "chase" with his sister. Basically, she runs around our kitchen island and hides on one side, waiting for him to crawl around and find her, then she runs off again. Both of them giggling the whole time. It is so cute. I can hardly wait until he can run after her :)

10. He loves being outside and exploring. And by exploring, I mean picking up leaves and other nasty things and putting them in his mouth. I keep trying to tell him that if he would learn to walk, he would have way more fun outside! :)

11. He loves to follow Sammy, my parents dog, around their house and "pant" like Sammy does. It is so funny!

12. This sweet little spirit melts my heart every day, and we are so blessed to have him in our lives! We love you, baby boy!!

Here's a few pictures from the party day! The awesome picture above my sister Kelly took! Isn't she an awesome photographer? Check out her blog for more pictures!

Don't Worry....

2008-10-12T22:32:00.000-04:00

I have lots of Cooper's birthday pictures to post this week, and of course his one year update. But for now...I'm going to bed!!

'Til tomorrow!

Wordless Wednesday: One of the many joys of having a big sister.

2008-10-08T22:08:00.002-04:00

Cooper's First Hair Cut!

2008-10-08T10:43:00.006-04:00

Cooper got his very first hair cut on Sunday!! He did so good, and didn't cry at all-I was so proud! Now, this is probably due to the fact that I gave him a lollipop and he thought it was the greatest thing EVER! (No comments on me giving my 11 month old candy, k? But a Mom's gotta do what a Mom's gotta do to keep the kid from crying!;) Here are a few pictures from the big event. Look at the cute little barber chair! How precious is that?!

Before-look at those baby curls, sniff, sniff

Handsome little man, AFTER! Still going at that lollipop.

Look at my lollipop!

Ella danced at the fair!

2008-10-05T20:36:00.003-04:00

Today Ella's ballet/tap class had the opportunity to dance at the fair on the main stage! It was very fun, and all the girls were really excited about it. They danced a tap routine to "I Wanna Be Like You" from the Jungle Book.

Moms, you have to read this blog!

2008-10-03T22:23:00.002-04:00

I have had this link to the right for a while now, but I thought I would just give her blog a shout out. Megan at Fried Okra.

She is hilarious, and her style of writing just makes me smile! So check it out, you will be glad you did!

Cumming Country Fair 2008!

2008-10-03T10:36:00.021-04:00

Last night we made our annual trip to the fair, and we had a BLAST!! Ella has been talking about going for a few weeks now. This year she was quite the ride warrior! she wanted to ride everything and anything-including the ones that were going upside down, which of course she was too short for. Earlier this week we were checking out the website for the fair, seeing what kinds of deals they had. She saw a picture of the swinging pirate ship, and was determined she was going to go on it. Well, she ended up being tall enough to ride it-so she and Reid went on it....and she LOVED it! Who knew? :) Last night was free admission night, so we got her the "All-You-Can-Ride" pass. We also let her pick one game to play. She chose the one where everyone wins a prize, and she won a little Clifford stuffed animal. :)

Cooper had lots of fun just riding around in the stroller taking in all the sights. He was just laughing away in his stroller. He thought the stuffed animals hanging at the games where quite funny! He also thought the turkey at the petting zoo was pretty funny too. :)

We ended up the night with what else, but some treats!! Ella got an ice cream cone (with sprinkles of course!) and I got a funnel cake. When she saw the funnel cake she said "I want that because it is yummier!" So, Cooper ended up with a sweet deal on that one. ;) Here are a few pics from our night!

Who Tooted?

2008-10-02T10:17:00.002-04:00

Ella made a doll at school yesterday. They are studying life on a farm, and were talking about how they made dolls for the children. Anyway, this morning she was playing with it and I overheard her singing:

"Rock-a-bye baby on the tree top,
when the wind blows the cradle will rock.
When the WIND BREAKS the cradle will fall,
and down will come baby, cradle and all"

hahahahaha!

Training Update

2008-10-01T09:58:00.004-04:00

Alright, 2 months of training under my belt! I did two different methods of body fat measurements today.

The calipers had me at 14% body fat.

The electronic one had me at 16.1% body fat.

I am down 2 more pounds, putting me at 138.

Training is going great! Still pushing the heavy weights, with lower reps, and a few sets of higher reps in there to keep the body fat coming down. Diet hasn't been so spot on the past couple of weeks though. Since Leah's wedding for some reason, I have had more treats than I should be eating, so this week I got back on track.

So here are the stats:

Starting weight:143
Starting Body Fat: 18.9%

Month One Weight: 140
Month One BF: 16.4%
Lost: 4 lbs of fat
Gained: 1 lb. muscle

Month Two Weight: 138
Month Two Body Fat:somewhere in between 14% and 16.1%
Lost: A little over 2 lbs of fat
Gained: A little under 1 lb of muscle.

Interesting Article from Dr. Sears: N.D.D

2008-09-30T22:43:00.000-04:00

DOES YOUR CHILD HAVE N.D.D.?
A NUTRITIONAL TIP FROM DR. BILL

Oftentimes parents bring their child to me for consultation on learning or behavioral problems at school. They typically open their concern with, “We and our child’s teacher believe he has A.D.D….” After taking a nutritional history, I often reply, “Your child doesn’t have A.D.D., he has N.D.D.” (A term Dr. Bill coined) Obviously, they look surprised. They don’t know what N.D.D. is, but it doesn’t sound like something they want their child to have. I go on to explain that what I mean by N.D.D. is a nutrition deficit disorder. In my experience, many children described as having A.D.D. lose this tag once their N.D.D. is treated. Here’s how:

Since the brain is 60% fat, it stands to reason that growing brains need high-quality fats. Smart fats make the brain grow and perform better. Smart fats, are the omega-3 fatty acids that are found in especially high amounts in seafood. Omega-3 fats are also found in some plants (e.g., flaxseed oil, canola oil, nuts, and seeds), but the omega-3 fats found in plants have to be converted from shorter-chain fatty acids to longer ones before they can be used in the brain. Seafood is the most direct source of long-chain omega 3’s and supplements containing the most important Omega 3, DHA.

Eat Fish be Smart
Oceans of recent research show that omega-3 fats make brains healthier, especially the brains of young kids and older adults. Researchers believe that the high levels of omega-3 fats in breast milk help to explain the differences in IQ between children who received human milk in infancy and those who did not. The body uses omega-3 fats to make cell membranes. Omega-3 fats are also needed to make myelin, the insulation around nerves, and to help neurotransmitters function at the optimal levels. Omega-3 fats are known as essential fatty acids from food. Other types of fats can be manufactured in the body, but the body cannot make essential fatty acids. That is why it is important for growing brains to get adequate amounts of these smart fats from food. If there are not enough “smart” fats available to make brain cells and other key substances, the body uses lesser-quality fats and produce s lesser-quality cells. The “dumb” fats (known as replacement fatty acids), the kind that come from the trans fats in hydrogenated oils, clog the receptors in the cell membrane, and the brain cell does not function well.

Neurotransmitters, the biochemical messengers that carry information from one brain cell to another, fit into receptors on cell membranes like a key fits into a lock. The keys and the locks must match. If the cell membrane is composed of the right fats, the locks and keys match. But if the receptors are clogged with the wrong fats, the neurotransmitter keys won’t fit, and the brain-cell function suffers. Omega-3 fats keep the receptors open so the neurotransmitters fit and the brain can function optimally.

New Studies Show
In the past few years several studies showed that growing children diagnosed with A.D.D. who were given Omega-3 supplements, especially DHA improved their attention and learning.

Eat Fish, Learn and Behave Better
In order for kids to learn they have to be able to concentrate. Studies show that omega-3 fats help the brain pay attention and make connections. Researchers at Purdue University found that boys with A.D.H.D. (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) had lower levels of omega-3 fats, especially DHA, the main omega-3 fat found in fish. The boys with the most abnormal behavior had the lowest levels of DHA. School-age children with the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood had the fewest learning problems. In addition, students who were given DHA supplements prior to exams showed less hostility and aggression during this time of stress.

Feed Your Family Smart Carbs and Proteins
Around 50 percent of the energy from the carbohydrates children eat goes to fueling their growing brains. Muscles can store glucose, the body’s main fuel, extracted from digested carbs. But the brain can’t store much glucose. It depends on a steady supply of glucose in the bloodstream. If the blood sugar dips too low, brain function can deteriorate within minutes. The brain is very selective about the carbs it craves, and it prefers that you eat the right carbs with the right partners at the right time. If brain cells could comment on the best ways to give them the carbs they need, here’s what they would request:

Partner carbs with fiber and protein. The brain prefers carbs that are naturally packaged with protein and fiber. These two partners slow the digestive process and steady the rate at which glucose enters the blood. Without protein or fiber in a food, the carbs are digested quickly and rush into the bloodstream so fast that they cause a sugar high followed by a sugar low, as the body releases a large amount of insulin to handle the sugar. Unstable blood sugar levels lead to unstable brain chemistry, which makes it hard for kids to pay attention and control their behavior.
Graze on good carbs. Kids and adults don’t think well when they’re hungry. Frequent mini-meals throughout the day are good for the brain.
Eat protein for brain power. High-protein foods perk up the brain by increasing levels of two “alertness” neurotransmitters, dopamine and norepinephrine. A high-protein meal really is a “power breakfast” or a “power lunch.”
Add more protein to each meal and snack.
Avoid fiberless carbs (e.g., candy and soda). Instead, choose the fiber-filled carbs in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains.
Feed your child a brainy breakfast. Since proteins perk up the brains, send your kids off to school with a high-protein, healthy-carb, and healthy-fat breakfast, such as whole-grain cereal and yogurt.
Keep A Mood Food Record
Sample Food-Mood Connection Record
When my child eats/drinks... He feels/acts...
a lot of artifically colored and sugary punch... he can't sit still or think straight for the rest of the day...

Don’t Forget Your Folate
Folate (also called folic acid) is vital for growing brain cells and preserving neurotransmitter function. Best sources of folic acid are green, leafy vegetables, such as collard greens, bok choy, spinach, and asparagus. Other rich sources are lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, artichokes, avocados, and cereals fortified with folic acid.

Eat Blue
Blueberries are a great brain food. The deep blue skin of the blueberry is full of flavonoids, especially anthocyanin, and antioxidant that helps keep both growing and aging brains healthy.

Brain Foods
Here are the best and worst foods for the brain.
Smart Foods:
Blueberries
Nuts
Salmon
Spinach

“Dumb” Foods:
Excitotoxins, e.g. MSG, aspartame, food colorings, and preservatives
Fiber-poor carbs
Hydrogenated oils
“Liquid candy” – sweetened beverages

Exercise Improves Blood Flow to the Brain
Physical exercise is good for brains as well as bodies, so get your kids up and moving. Consider movement another brain food. Improving blood flow to any organ, especially the brain, is like watering and fertilizing a garden. More blood means more nutrients. When you move your muscles, especially the large muscles in your arms and legs, which you use in vigorous exercise, your heart works harder to pump blood through your veins and arteries.

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Boy

2008-09-24T15:14:00.005-04:00

Letter B Week

2008-09-23T15:17:00.005-04:00

Last week they "studied" the letter B in Ella's class. It also was her week to be the line leader and bring snack, so we decided to have a little fun with the snacks-with it being letter B week and all. :)

Monday, we took Baby Banana Bread Muffins (aka mini muffins) and bananas. Wednesday, we took Bees and Bears trail mix and blueberry yogurt. And for Friday, Ella and I made letter "B" cookies, complete with icing and sprinkles-oh, and we used blue icing. :) Here are a few pictures from the day we made the cookies!

Another response!

2008-09-23T15:13:00.001-04:00

For those of you interested, here is a response from Johnny Isakson.

Dear Mrs. Greven:

Thank you for contacting me regarding S.1738, the Combating Child Exploitation Act of 2008. I appreciate hearing from you and appreciate the opportunity to respond.

I believe that the sexual exploitation of children through child pornography is morally reprehensible and punishing these offenders should be a priority for our government. To that end, I recently co-sponsored "Masha's Law", which was signed into law and will increase penalties for those who download child pornography off the Internet. S.1738 will give law enforcement officials the necessary tools to aggressively combat those guilty of exploiting children. By increasing the capacity of law enforcement in both state and federal capacities to locate and prosecute traffickers of child pornography, we can make great progress in keeping our children safe from dangerous predators. I will keep your thoughts in mind should this legislation come before me in the Senate.

Thank you again for contacting me.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson
United States Senator

A response...yes!

2008-09-19T20:48:00.001-04:00

Here is a response to my e-mail I sent to Saxby Chambliss: (if you haven't already done so, please read my blog below and WRITE A LETTER!)

Dear Mrs. Greven :

Thank you for contacting me regarding protecting our children from child predators. It is good to hear from you.

Crimes against children are reprehensible and those who commit such horrendous acts should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. We should provide our law enforcement officers with the resources and tools they need to apprehend and convict these individuals. By increasing the capacity of law enforcement in both state and federal capacities to locate and prosecute traffickers of child pornography, we can make great progress in keeping our children safe from dangerous predators.

In the 109 th Congress, I voted for the "Adam Walsh Child Safety and Protection Act," (P.L. 109-248), which was signed into law in 2006. This law dramatically increased penalties for those who download child pornography off the Internet, including allowing those whose images were used in child pornography to sue those who downloaded their images. It also expanded the National Sex Offender Registry and required the Attorney General to use federal law enforcement resources, including the U.S. Marshalls , to assist state and local authorities in the apprehension of sex offenders who fail to register.

I also recently voted to provide additional resources under the Act, by increasing funding for the U.S. Marshals Service to track down convicted sex offenders who have failed to register as a sex offender as required by law and by increasing funding for U.S. attorneys to prosecute child exploitation and child pornography cases as part of Project Safe Childhood.

S. 1738, the "Combating Child Exploitation Act" was introduced on July 7, 2008, and placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar. This bill includes several provisions that would establish programs and authorize resources to aid law enforcement in combating crimes perpetrated against our children. I support the goals of this legislation and would like to see it go even further and allow law enforcement greater access to Internet service provider records that would help them trace online child pornography.

Our nation owes it to our children to provide them an environment in which to grow up free from those who wish to prey on them. I will continue to work to provide law enforcement with the tools and resources they need to combat child predators and help rid our communities of the malicious individuals.

Please let me know whenever I may be of assistance.

What a difference a little tickle makes :)

2008-09-19T20:15:00.006-04:00

Here's how Cooper woke up from his nap the other day...Poor babe :(

Not a happy camper-even the lip came out. This is the best picture I could get of the famous Cooper lip. This picture doesn't even begin to do it justice!

Time for a post nap diaper change....and a little self soothing with the finger sucking...

A little tickle from Mommy....

And VOILA! Happy Baby :)

Our Little Flower Girl-Hair pictures as promised!

2008-09-18T21:31:00.007-04:00

For those interested on how to accomplish this look:

1. Do a side part at the front of the head, fading into a zig-zag part down the back.

2. Separate into 2 pigtails.

3. Turn each pigtail into a pull-through knot, having the hair come out the top instead of the bottom.

4. Put pomade on the pigtails and curl small sections until all the hair is curled.

5. Grab the whole pig tail, and twist to the top of the head and pin in place-pining curls to make them stay in place. Repeat on the other side.

6. Finish with some pretty pins, etc....then spray it down with hair spray!

Protect Our Children!!

2008-09-15T23:14:00.002-04:00

I watched a very disturbing Oprah show this evening that I had recorded on the DVR. It was about the widespread problem of child exploitation. My heart broke as I listened to them talk about the thousands of small children molested, abused and raped in this country on a daily basis-as young as new born babies :( I couldn't help but think of my two sweet babies, and think who could ever do such horrible things?? :(

PLEASE take the time to read what I copied and pasted from Oprah's website below. It took me 5 minutes to cut and paste the pre-written letter below, and send it (by e-mail) to both senators from Georgia.

Do this now, and help to save all those sweet babies out there from these horrible people. Do it for them. Do it for YOUR precious little ones. We need to reach out and help those without a voice!!!

Help Pass Senate Bill 1738—The PROTECT Our Children Act

Hundreds of thousands of children are victims of sexual abuse each year. Due to the sheer lack of resources, law enforcement is unable to follow up on the majority of leads they have.

The PROTECT Our Children Act will:

* Authorize over $320 million over the next five years in desperately needed funding for law enforcement to investigate child exploitation.
* Mandate that child rescue be a top priority for law enforcement receiving federal funding.
* Allocate funds for high-tech computer software that can track down Internet predators.

Act Now!
Your U.S. senators will be voting on the bill soon, so it is crucial you contact them immediately.
Go to www.senate.gov to find contact information for the senators in your state. Search for your senator by name or state by clicking on the arrow from either dropdown menu. Contact information is provided here. To send an e-mail, click on "Web Form" below his or her name, and e-mail your letter to make a difference!

Call Your Senators
If you choose to contact your senators by phone, be sure to tell them, "Vote yes on Senate Bill 1738—The PROTECT Our Children Act."

Write to Your Senators
If you choose to write a letter, fax, telegram or e-mail, you may use the following sample letter—and modify it how you see fit.

Dear Senator:

I know that you believe, like I do, that we must do everything possible to protect children from sexual predators. That is why I am asking for your help.

Last year alone, U.S. law enforcement identified over 300,000 criminals who were trafficking in movies and pictures of young children being raped and tortured. Experts say that one in every three of these criminals has local child victims. Child pornography trafficking over the Internet has given us a trail of evidence that leads straight to their doorsteps, but the vast majority of these children will never be rescued because investigators are overwhelmed, outnumbered and underfunded.

As your constituent, I urge you to do everything in your power to pass the PROTECT Our Children Act (S. 1738, Biden-Hatch). This bipartisan legislation passed the House 415-2, but it is now the victim of petty partisan politics.

Now that we know where these children are and how to protect them, there is no excuse for the Senate to fail to take action this session.

(Your name here)

Instructions for How to Copy and Paste the Letter
To copy and paste the letter into your senator's web form at www.senate.gov, point your mouse arrow at the beginning of the text that you want to copy. Click your left mouse button and hold it down. While holding the left mouse button, drag your arrow to the end of the text that you want to copy. Release the button. The text should be highlighted. Place your mouse arrow over the highlighted text, click your right mouse button once and let go. A new menu should appear. Select Copy from the drop down menu. When you get to the message form field for your senator at www.senate.gov, point your arrow at the beginning of the message field that you want to copy your text to and right click with your mouse. Click Paste from this menu. Submit your form and help our children!

11 Months!

2008-09-14T22:41:00.006-04:00

Cooper turned 11 months this past Thursday! How can it be that we are now less than a month away from his first birthday??

Cooper is really on the move these days!! He is very busy, and loves to PLAY, PLAY, PLAY! He is great just playing by himself for the longest time-getting into anything and everything-especially things that aren't toys! :) He isn't walking yet, but is pulling up to standing, cruising, and also standing up without holding on to anything! He is soo proud of himself when he does that! Cooper also has an obsession with stairs. We have to keep them blocked at all times, because the minute he notices an opening, he bolts it over to the stairs! He definitely is a climber, and will try to get on top of anything higher than the ground-including the dishwasher door when it is down, and I am loading/unloading dishes!

Cooper is famous for his sad face lip. I am telling you, it is the CUTEST most pitiful thing ever. I don't have a picture, because of course, it comes out when you don't expect it, and doesn't stick around long enough to get a picture. If you happen to see it, it will melt your heart. The lady in the gym childcare said that Cooper gets whatever he wants in there because of that lip. hahahaha! Love it!!

Cooper is saying a few words-Mama, Daddy and Ella in relation to the person, "All Done", Uh-oh, we think he is saying "Whoa!", and maybe "Doggy". Some we are not quite sure, but it sounds like he is trying to say them. He also knows a few baby signs, he is the best at "all-done", but also knows "drink" and "more".

Cooper also is waving "Bye-bye", giving hugs, giving BIG slobbery baby kisses, does "Sooooo big!" and dances to music. We love watch him sit there and bop up and down whenever he hears even a snippet of music. haha

Cooper is eating mostly all table food now. He is pretty insistant now about not eating any baby food-because gosh darn it, he wants to ffed himself thankyouverymuch! He do try and sneek in a few bites of veggie baby food once a day, but I usually don't get very far with that! Cooper's every day staples are BLUEBERRIES!, cereal bars, cheese, grapes and crackers. He also loves chicken nuggets and pizza :) I am having a tough time trying to get this little guy to eat meat! He will eat a turkey dog every now and again, but he won't eat grilled chicken or even lunch meat! The only thing I can get him to eat is chicken nuggets, and like I said, the occasional turkey dog. We are down to 3 nursings a day, and have introduced a small amount of whole milk at breakfast time and dinner time.

He is getting to be such a big boy, and is still as happy as ever!! We love you sweet boy!! One more month to the big ONE YEAR OLD!

Here are a few pictures from the other day of Cooper climbing on this little chair that he loves at my parents house.

Fun Weekend!

2008-09-14T22:26:00.003-04:00

We are back from an awesome weekend of celebrating Leah and Chris' wedding in downtown Atlanta! We had a blast! I have some pics to share, but I need to make more room on my hard drive in order to put them on my computer. So for now, enjoy this picture of Ella and her GIANT pancake from this morning at Twelve Hotel :)

You Can't Say I Didn't Warn You

2008-09-11T15:58:00.002-04:00

Here's an e-mail I got from Pole-La-Teaz today....lol

Hello Ladies!

Welcome to a new session of pole dancing at PoleLaTeaz. We are very excited to have you at the studio! And with each new session comes new and challenging spins! With that said, we'd like to remind you to pace yourself while practicing at home. We understand pole dancing is addicting - a fun and healthy addiction - but please remember not to over do it by practicing several hours a day, every day of the week, especially when you're starting a new workout regimen! Whether you've been taking pole dancing with us for a couple of sessions or is a Level 1 student, it's best to balance out your workout to minimize injury from overuse of any specific muscle groups.

We highly encourage you to practice your pole spins at home, but we also recommend balancing out your workout schedule by sensually dancing in your kitchen one day, planking and doing ab crunches in your living room during tv commercial breaks another day, and working on relaxing and stretching as well. Also, don't forget that PoleLaTeaz offers non-pole casual classes such as Chair Dance, Jiggle It, and Exotic Yoga to add fun and spice to your workout schedule!

Have a wonderful session and please listen to your body and pace yourself!

Sincerely,

PoleLaTeaz Staff

Idiot Proof?

2008-09-10T20:37:00.001-04:00

Due to idiot spammers, I had to put the ever annoying "word verification" on if you want to leave a comment...although, I have had more spam than actual COMMENTS!!! (hint, hint) ;)

Girlie Hair-Dos

2008-09-10T15:11:00.004-04:00

All Mother's of girls, I found the most awesome website for hairstyle ideas!! I was in search of ideas for Ella's hair for my sister's wedding this weekend, and stumbled across this site. The blog is called It's a Girl Thing, and has pictures of the hairstyles this lady does on her daughter, with step by step instructions. It's awesome! So, check it out when you get a chance!

And in case you were wondering how I decided to do Ella's hair-you'll just have to wait until after this weekend, and I will post pictures! :)

First Day of School!

2008-09-03T15:46:00.004-04:00

Here is our pretty girl all ready for her first day of 4 year old preschool! She was SOOOOO excited, and woke up ready and raring to go! This year she is attending school 3 half days a week.

This morning started out very crazy. I was on my way to teach my 6:00 a.m. cycle class at the gym, and had pulled into the turn lane-when lo and behold, there was a dead deer laying right there in the center of the turn lane!! Of course, it was pitch black outside, and I didn't see it until it was too late, and WHAM, I hit the blasted thing!! UGH!! I was in Reid's car, and immediately there was this dragging sound. I was like, oh please do not even tell me that the friggin' thing is stuck to the bottom of my car!! So, I pull into the parking lot, and *whew* the deer is not stuck to the bottom of my car, but this little guard thing on the bottom as pulled loose. See Reid's blog for a picture! So, I teach my class (heart totally racing, and totally shaken up!), come home, get Ella dressed and ready to go, get her some breakfast to take in the car, and I take her to Walmart to get some duck tape, hoping this will temporarily help the situation so that Reid can actually get to work without the part dragging along. Come home, Reid comes out takes a look at the car, decides that it can't be taped up, so proceeds to remove the loose part. While this is going on, Cooper wakes up, I go up and change his diaper, bring him down, put him in the stroller with his breakfast so that he can sit out with Reid while he fixes the car, and I take Ella to school!!

Yikes! What a morning! But Ella was a trooper, and went with the flow, had an awesome time at school and came home very excited! She even came home with a little ring of 5 "sight words" (Words they memorize and learn by sight-they will get a new set to add to the ring every month)-which I was excited to see, and she was very anxious to have me go through them with her. It looks as though this is going to be a great year for her, and I am looking forward to see what is in store!

It's September!

2008-09-01T11:58:00.002-04:00

It's September already! Happy Labor Day! We (and by we I mean me) are spending the day cleaning, doing laundry and trying to get a little order and organization going on around here. What are you doing for Labor Day?

Just A Lil' Update in Pictures!

2008-08-31T21:32:00.015-04:00

Here's some pics of the kids, because, well, I know why you really come to my blog ;)

I was making lunch, and heard someone playing the guitar. I look in the family room and don't see anyone, then here is what I found :)

Look at me standing!

This is Ella's new favorite thing to do at lunchtime. Drink water or crystal light with her tea set. What a girlie girl.

I LOVE this picture of Cooper trying a powdered doughnut hole for the first time.

Sitting in the cart like a big boy!

Big helper at Kroger

Ella and her friend Libby being silly at Lollipops Toystore

Big boy on the move!

Having fun in this cool tunnel!

Pretty Girl all red faced from running around

Halarious

Chapel, Ella and Cooper (and Phoenix was sleeping in the stroller) having a playdate at "Catch Air"

Happy Cooper

One Month of Training Down: The Stats!

2008-08-27T15:04:00.002-04:00

Alright, the results are in as of today, after one month of training!

I'm just going to suck it up, and post my weight on here so you can follow the change.

Starting Stats:

Height: 5'10"
Weight: 143 lbs.
Body Fat: 18.9%

One Month Stats:

Weight: 140
Body Fat: 16.4%
Pounds LOST in FAT: 4.06 lbs.
Pounds GAINED in MUSCLE: 1.06 lbs.

Woohoo!!! It's so awesome to see that the hard work is actually paying off! It's looks as though I am going to be a hard gainer as far as muscle mass goes, which means I am going to have to work that much harder to get it....eeek!

Training is still going great! Still working on a 5 day split with the weight training. Continuing with the progressive overload with weights this month. I am going to kick it up a notch, and increase weight/decrease reps. We'll see how that helps with the muscle mass gains. I have seen huge strength increases over the past month, and it is really encouraging!

I need to have Reid take a picture!

My Sister's Bachelorette Party!

2008-08-24T20:49:00.007-04:00

On Saturday we celebrated Leah's Bachelorette Party! It was a BLAST!!

We started off the night at Pole-La-Teaz-where we did a 2 hour pole dancing/lap dance workshop! Let me just tell you, this was a RIOT and was a total blast! We had the best time, and laughed our heads off :) Check out their website for info. on classes! It's so much fun, and also a great workout! Come on, you know you want to try it...you'll love it I promise...It's all in good fun!! ;) Here is a small sampling-but not even the tip of the iceberg...hahaha

Sister Pose

Me waiting to put $100 in Leah's garter after her pole dance

Our group of hot ladies!!

After Pole-La-Teaz we got the Bride-To-Be all decked out and headed to dinner for some Mexican food!

Me, Tiffany and Lauren(The Maid of Honor)

After dinner, we headed to Lauren's house for a lingerie shower, as well as some desserts and wine. It was such a fun night!!

Charlie Bit Me!!

2008-08-20T14:30:00.001-04:00

So, I realize that I am probably the last person ever to see this since there are like 45 million views on it, but I saw this this past weekend and thought it was so cute and halarious I had to post it! Enjoy :)

Training Update: Week 3

2008-08-15T11:47:00.004-04:00

Alright, just finished up my third week of training and I am feeling strong and GREAT!! We went to a five day split this week, working one portion of the body a day. Basically, taking it up a couple of notches, and working that body part until total failure. Here's what I did this week:

Monday: Chest (increased 1 rep. max to 125# on flat bench press!),Abs, taught cycle that night
Tuesday: Back, jogged on treadmill with sprint bursts for 30 min.
Wednesday: Legs, Abs
Thursday: Shoulders, Elliptical Machine for 30 minutes
Friday: Biceps, Triceps, Abs, jogged on treadmill with sprint bursts for 30 min.

Feeling a lot stronger-lots of weight increases all over the place! My trainer said that I should really start noticing a difference over the next month. After next week, we do a weight recheck, as well as body fat check and measurments. Should I post pictures every month? I am thinking that would be cool to see any changes!

Playdough People

2008-08-11T21:42:00.001-04:00

Here are mine and Ella's creations during Cooper's morning nap today :)

10 Months Old!!

2008-08-11T21:26:00.004-04:00

Da Coop is 10 months old today!! He is turning into a wild man these days! Here are 10 facts about Cooper to celebrate his 10 month "birthday"!

1. He is crawling allll over the place these days, and very FAST! Basically, he is into anything and everything. He is very busy, and is perfectly content to play by himself-although it's always more fun with someone else :)

2. Cooper is a climber. Any chance that he has to get to the stairs, he is so there. We had our first stair incident the other day. He was crawling around the family room holding this little jingly toy, and I was in the kitchen getting Reid's lunch made to take to work. I could hear the little jingling sound, so I knew he was playing near by-next thing I know I hear him crying. He had crawled up a couple of the stairs and fallen down. He had a nice little bruise on his head to prove it. Below is a picture of him with the bruise. Poor little guy, although I am sure it is the first of many bumps and bruises!

3. He LOVES him some pizza! Lil' dude ate almost an entire HUGE piece of pizza the other day!!

4. He loves the photographs that I have hung around the house. When we walk by one, he points his finger at it, and smiles and laughs-especially if you go through pointing at each person and naming them by name.

5. On another climbing note-at the gym in the childcare area this is one of those Little Tykes "jungle gym" things, you know, the plastic ones that have a slide? Anyway-according to the childcare worker, Ms. Donna, Cooper is officially the youngest baby to try and climb up the slide. :) haha

6. Cooper pulls himself to standing all the time. This past week, his newest trick it to let go and just stand there! Uh, ohhhhhhhhhh! Of course he thinks he is the coolest, and just laughs when he does it!

7. We think that he is saying Ella now! He says it more like "Eda"...so cute!!

8. He does the sign for "all done" when he is done eating. That is the only one he has caught on to so far.

9. He does that funny thing with his hand and his mouth, you know, when you say "ahhhhhhhhhhh" and then put your hand over your mouth and take it off repeatedly? He does that by himself and when prompted. So funny

10. He is a happy, healthy little guy!! We love him so much, and can't believe we are only 2 months away from his first birthday! Where does the time go?

Here's Mr. Happy! hahahah aka, not happy that he had to sit in the stroller while we were bowling :) But here you can see the bruise on his head.

Summer of Camps!

2008-08-07T15:32:00.005-04:00

Ella has had a great Summer, full of lots of camps! She is like Mommy, and loves to go and do, so we decided to enroll her in several camps this Summer.

For 6 weeks at the beginning of the Summer, Ella went to Camp All-American (click on it to see the website)at my parents church, Perimeter. She went to their Pre-Camp,2 half days a week. She had a ton of fun playing in their splash park, playing games, singing songs, taking her lunch(this was a huge hit for her!) and doing crafts!

A couple of weeks ago, she went to a Fairy Princess Ballet camp put on by the parks and rec. department here in Cumming. It was 2 days, from 10-12, and she had a BLAST! When I picked her up after the first day, the first thing she said when she got in the car was "Mommy, when do I get to go back?" :)

Last week, her gymnastics program did a "Countdown to the Olympics" camp for kids ages 3 1/2-7. It was for 3 days, from 9-1-and she got to bring her lunch, which was once again, a huge hit! She had so much fun last week, but she was totally WIPED by the end of the week! They did all the gymnastics "stuff", learned about the upcoming Olympics, played games, and did a few crafts. At the end, they had a "closing ceremony", where they each got to stand on a platform and get a gold medal. Totally forgot to take the camera to that, so sorry about no pictures :(

And this week was the final camp of the Summer. She did another dance camp with the theme of Mermaids and Hula. They did a final performance for all the Moms when we came to pick them up. I will upload the video tomorrow, but for now, here is a picture.

One Week Into Training-Build, Build, Build!

2008-08-05T10:49:00.004-04:00

Alright, I am 1 week into training, and I am feeling GREAT!! Yesterday was chest/back/abs day-and I already felt so much stronger! I was able to do 2 reps on my 1 rep. max from last week on the flat bench press! We also were able to bump up the weight on several other things too-woohoo! It's amazing how the body works, isn't it??

I was doing some research last week about training. I came across an article written by a trainer who has done and continues to do body building competitions. He said that in his years of training, and the many methods he has tried, working each muscle group to the point of failure (meaning, you couldn't possibly even do one more rep) once a week produces the most muscle growth and the best results. I had my doubts, but after applying that philosophy this week (this is also what my trainer believes) and already noticing a difference, I am a believer. Very interesting!

Here's where I am workout schedule wise:

Mondays:

AM: Chest/Back/Abs
PM: Teach 45 minute cycle class, 10 min. abs

Tuesdays:

Cardio of some sort. Today I am subbing a Boot Camp class.

Wednesdays:

Legs/Triceps/Abs
Every other Wednesday morning I teach cycle.

Thursday:

Functional Fusion class (Core) or light cardio

Friday:

Bicepts/Shoulders/Abs

Saturday:

Teach Kickboxing

So as of now, I am on track and feeling great! Workouts are good. Eating is good. I'm excited!

Cooper Loves Books....

2008-08-04T15:49:00.003-04:00

Especially since you can put them on your head like a hat if you really want to! :)

Such a Great Helper!!

2008-08-04T15:37:00.003-04:00

Ella is such a great helper to me around the house. She is always willing to lend a hand. So, when I was cleaning the other day, Ella asked to help so I let her have at the windows. She loves it! (as you can see from the pictures, this was before we were about to go swimming with a friend-hence the bathing suit...oh, and pre "Orange wall" in the kitchen :)

A New Adventure, A New Challenge!

2008-07-29T22:06:00.002-04:00

So, I have debated back and forth if I should post this here. I have decided to go ahead and post it with the hopes that it will keep me accountable with my workouts/diet and hopefully encourage those of you wanting to get fitter and healthier!!

I have decided to start training for a figure competition!! (Click on it for a definition) EEK! There, I said it!! A couple of friends of mine have competed, or will be competing in shows in the coming months, and I thought "Hey! I could do that!" So here I am. After years of working out and 2 1/2 years of teaching group fitness, I am ready for a new challenge!! The show I am looking at is in April 2009, so I have plenty of time to prepare.

I wanted to start this whole journey out right, so I got a personal trainer at our gym for a few sessions. I wanted someone to help me get a plan together. So, we did the whole measurements, body fat testing, etc... In the next few months we are focusing on building lean muscle, which means pushing as much weight as possible in less reps. We started yesterday (Monday), and BOY AM I SORE!! I pushed a lot of weight yesterday, and yikes I am feelin' it today! This is gonna be good, I can tell! :)

Building muscle also means increasing my calorie intake, which is really hard to do-especially when I need to try and push my calories over 2000 a day! Really closer to 2500-3000, but we are starting out with just a small increase over my normal maintenance calories right now to see how my body responds to the new program. And we are not talking junk food, empty calories. Real, clean eating food. Luckly in this phase, I can still have a few cheat foods though. :)

So here is where I am right now:

-Weight training 3 days a week-different body parts each day. (I'll post my routine later)
-Cardio is weird, because I still am teaching 3 classes a week (which is probably more cardio than I need to do when trying to build muscle), on days I don't teach I am doing fat burn cardio, meaning keeping the heart rate low so I don't burn into muscle.
-Protein: at least 1 g. per pound of body weight
-Carbs: Minimum is 156 g. just for normal brain function, so above this to compensate for training.
-Calories: Eat more! hahaha
-Water: A gallon/day (128 oz)
-Suppliments: WheyBolic Extreme 60 protein shakes and a multivitamin. Adding creatine once I am done nursing Cooper!

So what do you think? Am I crazy???

Heeeere Comes TROUBLE! Exibit B:

2008-07-29T15:44:00.002-04:00

Meet my arch nemesis, and apparently Cooper's BFF. I swear to you he heads for the darned ol' plant stand 1,000 times a day because he wants to pull up on it-and he laughs when I say no. Nice. I'm in trouble, y'all....

Heeeere Comes TROUBLE! Exibit A:

2008-07-29T15:39:00.003-04:00

I wonder who did this??

Who me?? (Check out his collar-hahaha)

Stay tuned for "Exibit B"

Breakfast Idea for Baby

2008-07-27T21:58:00.003-04:00

This is for those of you reading with babies! This past week I started making smoothies every morning for Cooper's breakfast. I add baby cereal to them to thicken them up so I can feed them to him by spoon.

Put the following in a Magic Bullet blender or something similar:

1/3 container of plain or vanilla organic yogurt
Small amount of banana
Small amount(s) of other fruit. So far we have tried blueberry, strawberry and peach
Blend it up!!
Add in baby cereal to thicken and some ground flax seed for a DHA boost!

Cooper LOOOOOOVES this!!!

For older kids, just leave out the baby cereal and they can drink it through a straw. Yummy!

Blog Hiatus

2008-07-24T20:35:00.001-04:00

Until I can free up space on my hard drive, and actually load more pictures onto my computer, there won't be any more posts! :( So, stay tuned.....

Cooper's 9 Month Stats

2008-07-17T20:41:00.003-04:00

Cooper had his 9 month well-baby check today, and it went great! We saw Lauren, the Nurse Practitioner, and she said she loved his rolls, and she commented on how happy he was. He definitely is our happy guy! He kept on trying to grab her stethescope and the tongue depressor-it was really funny. :) He weighed in at 20 lbs. 12 oz. and measured at 28 inches long. He is doing soooo well, and is very healthy!

"Enchanted" at The Fox

2008-07-13T20:42:00.005-04:00

Today Ella and I went with my sister Kelly to see "Enchanted" at The Fox theater in downtown Atlanta. It was so fun! I highly recommend seeing a movie at The Fox-such a fun experience!! Kelly has a checklist of things she wants to do in Atlanta in 2008, so we thought we would help her with one thing off her checklist. Of course we had to do it up right since it was a checklist item after all, so we got Diet Cokes, Popcorn and Milk Duds :) Here are a couple of pictures that I stole from her blog since I totally forgot my camera.

Beach Pictures 2008-Sneak Preview!

2008-07-11T15:55:00.007-04:00

I just loaded these on the computer, and couldn't wait to share just a few....

9 Months!

2008-07-11T09:29:00.004-04:00

Yes, I am still here! We are vacationing in Florida, hence the blog lull, but I couldn't let today go by without posting a "9 Month Birthday" post for Cooper. I've got lots to post and lots of pictures for when we get back.

Cooper is 9 months old today! Lots has happened in the past month. He is now officially crawling, and he is alllllll over the place! He has also started pulling up on things. Let me just say that I am going to be in trouble once he starts walking, because he is already into everything! This morning he was crawling all over and dumping out all the garbage cans....nice! :) Now that he can crawl, he will just play by himself and explore all over the place for the longest time! He is a pretty easy going guy!

He also has 2 teeth on the bottom. No signs of any others coming in yet. He is still nursing 4-5 times a day, and eating 3 solid meals. Just last week we dropped the baby cereal for breakfast, and he now feeds himself his breakfast! Most of the time consisting of banana chunks, a baby cereal bar and some cheerios. He also likes toast with a little bit of butter. He is doing great with table foods, so after the baby food portion of his meal, we give him bits of what we are eating, or his top favorite Gerber Yogurt Melts...yummy!

We are having so much fun with little Cooper! He cracks us up everyday with his little antics. He is such a happy little dude, and we are soaking up every minute!

Posting Lull...

2008-07-02T14:38:00.001-04:00

Sorry for the lack of posts. We've been busy around here with company and getting ready to leave town. I promise I will post soon though....

Summer

2008-06-23T21:43:00.004-04:00

Our latest venture into literature with Ella has been the Random House Book of Poetry for Children. We read several poems a night, and Ella just sits and listens. She chooses to have us read it to her every night! Tonight we read this short, funny poem called "Summer" by Frank Asch. Ella thought it was so funny, and we both just laughed. She had me read it to her again, and at that point she had it memorized and just started reciting it! After we were done with our reading, she wanted to go downstairs and tell Daddy the funny poem.

So here it the poem. Enjoy :)

Summer

When it's hot
I take my shoes off
I take my shirt off
I take my pants off
I take my underwear off
I take my whole body off
and throw it in the river.

Cooper's First Sickness

2008-06-19T19:54:00.002-04:00

Well, it was bound to happen, and I can't believe we made it 8 months anyway, but Cooper had his first fever this week! :( He was running a fever on Sunday, and continued to run a fever until Wednesday. That is when I decided to take him to the doctor. The nursse practitioner said it was a virus (his throat was red). Fast forward to today, he wakes up fever free but has a rash. I knew right away that it was Roseola, as Ella had had it when she was a baby.

So, check Roseola off the list of common childhood illnesses for Cooper!

Cincinnati Trip 2008: Great Grandparents

2008-06-18T07:42:00.006-04:00

This is the final installment of the Cincinnati pictures! While we were there, Ella and Cooper had the chance to visit with both my Dad's parents, and my Mom's Mom. I am so grateful that my children have these opportunities to meet their Great Grandparents!

Cincinnati Trip 2008: Cincinnati Zoo

2008-06-17T15:39:00.011-04:00

Ok, resuming the Cincinnati pictures! We had a GREAT trip to the zoo while we were there. I love this zoo, and it really took me back while I was there, remembering all the times we went there when I was little. I would catch a glimpse of something, even just a railing, and think "Oh, I remember that!" :) The only bummer was the fact that the train that runs through the park was shut down for maintenance. What a bummer! But we had an awesome time-and Ella asked the entire time we were there "Can I get my facec painted?" And so we did.... :)

The after-math of the zoo, part 1...

...and part 2!

Ella Dances A Pirate Jig

2008-06-15T21:57:00.003-04:00

The other day we went to "Jumpin' Safari" because it was too stinkin' hot to play outside! They were playing this pirate music while we were there. I told Ella to do a little dance to the music, and this is what she came up with... :)

Look What I Can Do!

2008-06-15T21:33:00.002-04:00

Sorry the video is so dark, but it was bedtime!

A couple of Cooper Updates that I forgot....

2008-06-14T10:02:00.003-04:00

How could I forget these???

1. Cooper gives kisses now! The big open mouth wet ones :) Gotta love it!

2. He can now go from a crawling position to a sitting position, and a sitting position to a crawling position.

And finally, last night I went in to check on Cooper before I got in bed. He had fallen asleep SITTING UP and his head was resting on the crib bumper! hahahahahah!! I can't believe I didn't get a picture though!!

I Kid You Not...

2008-06-12T23:25:00.004-04:00

This is what Cooper ate for dinner tonight: (after a full nursing mind you)

4 Tablespoons of butternut squash.

An ENTIRE fresh peach that I blended up right before we sat down to eat.

An entire baby sized cereal bar.

An entire cheese stick.

And it looked as though he could have kept going, but I wasn't sure what else to give him!

Are you kidding me? So what they say about boys and eating is true even this early???

hahahaha....We were definitely laughing tonight!

Santa Fe Grilled Chicken Salad Wraps

2008-06-12T10:13:00.003-04:00

We tried this new recipe the other night. SOOOO good, healthy, and easy to make.

The recipe serves 4, so I cut it in half when I made it the other night.

4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 pkg. (6 oz) Perdue Shortcuts Southwestern Seasoned grilled chicken strips
1 large tomato, chopped
1 can (11 oz) whole kernal corn, drained
1/2 c. mexican style shredded cheese
1/4 c. ranch dressing (I used light)
1/4 c. salsa (I added a little more)
8 flour tortillas (I used low carb)

Toss lettuce, chicken, tomatos and corn in a large bowl; sprinkle with cheese.

Combine dressing and salsa. pour over lettuce mixture; toss to coat. Spoon evenly into tortillas; roll up.

Makes 4 serving, 2 wraps each.

Enjoy! It's so yummy!! Definitely a new favorite.

8 Months!

2008-06-11T14:06:00.003-04:00

Cooper is truckin' right along, and is 8 months today!! Here's what Cooper is up to these days:

-Aaaaaaaalmost crawling!! He is SOOOOO close! He gets up on his hands and knees and rocks back and forth. He also gets into a bear crawl position. He is able to move around to where he wants to go (on a limited basis) by getting up on all fours, and pushing forward with his legs (without moving his arms), then he lunges forward. It is really funny to watch!

-He started clapping the other day! So now, if you say "Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!" to him, he starts his little clapping-it is so cute!

-His FIRST TOOTH popped through on the bottom on Monday! You can barely see it, but you definitely can feel it! He has been such a trooper with the teething, because I didn't even know he was getting a tooth until I looked in and saw it about to come through!

-He has been trying finger foods this past month. He loves little chunks of fresh peaches, and also is loving crackers. Basically, anything I put in front of him he loves. :) He is always grunting to get some of my food whenever I am eating. haha I let him try most everything, as long as it isn't a choking or allergy risk.

-He went in the "big pool" for the first time this month. The first try he HATED because the water was still so cold. The second time he loved it, and just kicked back and enjoyed the water in his cool pool float!

He is such a joy, and is such a happy guy. He goes with the flow, and is for the most part easy going! We just love him so much!!

Cincinnati Trip 2008: Tea Party

2008-06-10T14:04:00.008-04:00

After the Butterfly Gardens, since it was a rainy day, we decided to have a tea party! Complete with real china, tea, milk for the non-tea drinkers, and some goodies. A fun time was had by all-until the burping and goofing around started....haha!

Cincinnati Trip 2008: Butterfly Gardens

2008-06-09T14:06:00.013-04:00

Me and the kids, my Mom and my sister Kelly just got back yesterday from a fantastically FUN trip to Cincinnati! We stayed with my Uncle Gerry and Aunt Jenny, and we had a BLAST!! We always have such a great time when we go visit them. Thanks for having us Uncle G and Aunt J!!! :) You guys are the best!

Over the next couple of days I will post pics from all the fun things we did there.

Here are some pictures from the Butterfly Gardens at the Krohn Conservatory. We went with my cousin Jess and her two girls, Lily and Olivia. It was such a cool exibit! It is basically a green house filled with all sorts of plants, flowers, a waterfall and there are butterflies flying everywhere! When you walk in, they put some sugar water on your hand so that you can have butterflies land on you. Ella was in heaven, and loved every minute of it!

4 Year Well Check

2008-05-30T10:25:00.003-04:00

So, everyone besides the Grandparents will probably want to skip this post, but I had to post it just for them! :)

Ella had her 4 year well check at the doctor today, and she is looking great! 36 pounds (60th percentile) and 41 3/4 inches (90th percentile). She passed her hearing and eye tests with flying colors. I have to admit I was relieved to hear that since Reid and I have such horrible eyes! She also got all of her 4 year shots. Poor thing :( She is doing everything developmentally that she should. She's a happy, healthy growing girl! :)

Breast Feeding Hero

2008-05-23T22:46:00.002-04:00

Did anyone hear about this? I thought this was so amazing, and it really touched my heart has a current nursing Mom. Thought I would share with you all....What an amazing selfless woman!

Swimming!!

2008-05-22T20:44:00.007-04:00

Today we broke out the pool, and took our first swim of the season! The pictures are a little dark because I had the pool set up in the shade.

Ella's Princess 4th Birthday Party

2008-05-21T14:31:00.011-04:00

Here are a few pictures from the party. We had a great time!! The girls made foam princess hats as they arrived at the party. Next was a lunch for the girls-heart shaped PB&J sandwiches, cheese cubes, fruit, chips and juice boxes. After lunch we played "Pin the Crown on the Princess" and "Musical Crowns"-complete with prizes for everyone. We topped the party off with cake and presents. Special thanks to my awesome MOM who stayed up late with me the night before to decorate the room so that Ella would be surprised the next morning!! THANKS, MOM!!! :)

The Birthday Princess!!

The Table

The Grand Entrance (A.K.A. Creativity with Crepe Paper 101..haha)

The Princess Dining Room

Having a blast!

A little lunch

The cake I made!!

Make a wish!

How sweet is this picture?

All the princesses in Yaya's beautiful garden.

Hilarious Bouncing Ball

2008-05-19T15:29:00.002-04:00

This is a video of Cooper thinking a bouncing ball is the most hilarious thing he has ever seen! So cute...

Happy Birthday Sweet Ella!

2008-05-18T21:34:00.010-04:00

Ella is 4 YEARS OLD today!! Happy Birthday, Sweet Girl!! We had a great birthday weekend. Yesterday we had a princess party with some of her friends, and had a great time. (I will post pictures tomorrow) Today we celebrated by making blueberry pancakes, playing outside with her new outside toys, a trip to the playground and while Cooper was down for a npa, I took her to "Sweet and Sassy"-a brand new salon for girls under 12. She got her hair done (complete with glitter hairspray of course!), make-up, and nails!! So fun :) We finished out the day with her choice of birthday dinner-chicken, green beans and kraft macaroni and cheese-oh, and of course leftover cake from the party the day before!

We love you sweet Ella! Happy fourth birthday!!! We are so proud of you!

Here's some pictures of Ella from her birthdays the past four years!

Little newborn Ella

Ella's First Birthday

Ella's Second Birthday

Ella's Third Birthday

Here's Our Beautiful Girl Today!!

Rainy Day

2008-05-15T21:45:00.007-04:00

It was a rainy day today, and Ella had some energy to burn, so I sent her outside in the backyard in her raincoat, rain boots and umbrella while I started dinner.

Ella's Mommy

2008-05-15T19:52:00.000-04:00

Look what Ella made me at school for Mother's Day! :)

It reads:

" My Mommy is 4 years old. My Mommy's favorite flower is the tulip and her favorite color is yellow. My Mommy's favorite thing to watch on T.V. is Max and Ruby. My Mommy's favorite book to read is the Bible. My Mommy likes to eat fruity cheerios and drink milk. My favorite thing to do with my Mommy is to play dollies with her. My Mommy's job when I'm at school is to take care of Cooper and take care of my home. My Mommy's favorite place to go shopping is the grocery store, and I get a cookie there. I love my Mommy because she is beautiful!"

Awwwwwwwwwwwww

Wordless Wednesday: Random Cuteness

2008-05-14T21:08:00.004-04:00

Uh-oh!!

Everything BUT Mama

2008-05-13T20:32:00.004-04:00

Cooper started saying Mama yesterday! Of course, he wouldn't say it when the video camera came out! Make sure you watch until the end for the grand finale ;)

We're off to see the wizard....

2008-05-13T10:21:00.002-04:00

If you go for a walk around the neighborhood, and you hold hands with your 3 year old and sing while skipping "Weeeeeeeeeeeee're off to see the wizard......", apparently this is sooooo FUN and makes you the coolest Mom EVER in the eyes of said 3 year old. :)

On another note, today was my due date with Ella 4 YEARS AGO!! What?! 4 years....crazy.....

7 Months Update

2008-05-13T09:00:00.001-04:00

This just in, Cooper now officially rolls from back to tummy, and he is SO stinkin' proud of himself! HUGE smile when he rolls over. :) So cute...

Look out world, he's on the roll!

7 Months!

2008-05-12T09:03:00.003-04:00

Cooper turned 7 months yesterday! Here are 7 things about Cooper to celebrate his 7 month birthday:

1. I SWEAR he said Mama today! I tried to get it on video to no avail. I will post that video later.

2. He is getting up on his hands and knees and rocking a little bit. I wouldn't be surprised if he were crawling by the end of the month! We'll see.....

3. He now eats breakfast everyday. Oatmeal with ground flax seed and bananas mixed in. Yum, yum :) So, because of the added breakfast, I dropped the nursing session right before his morning nap. He's not been a huge happy camper about that, but he has done great with dropping it and has continued taking his morning nap no problem.

4. He thinks his sister is soooooo funny!!

5. He is in a "big boy" car seat now! No more baby carrier for Cooper! He's loving it too, because he sits up higher, and it doesnn't lean back as much.

6. We started giving him foods out of a mesh feeder. So far he has tried banana, honeydew and watermelon in it. He LOVES it!

7. He is spitting up a lot less now. Yahoo!!

I can't believe how big he is getting! We are loving each and every day with him!

Dance Recital 2008!

2008-05-11T20:23:00.003-04:00

Here are pictures from Ella's dance recital! These are pictures from the dress rehearsal (a couple are from the actual performance day), as we were not allowed to take flash pictures during the recital. But check out my sister's blog for some awesome pictures from the recital that she was able to get without a flash...she's got a cool camera!

Ella did SUCH an awesome job! It was so fun, and they were SO cute! I will post the performances as soon as we load it on the computer. But for now, enjoy the pictures!

Mother's Day Tea

2008-05-09T14:52:00.011-04:00

Yesterday, Ella's class had a Mother's Day Tea! Cooper stayed home with Yaya, and I got to go and have a little girl time with Ella. They served a little lunch, and gave all the Mom's a gift. It was very cute. Here are some pictures from the event.

Lunch that her teachers prepared

My Girl :)

The Mother's Day plate she made for me!...That got dropped and shattered on the pavement 4 hours later :(

Dylan, Maggie, Ella, Cayley

Ella's Vault

2008-05-08T20:37:00.001-04:00

Here's Ella showing us her "vault" for her gymnastics jubilee coming up. Note the pillow being used as a springboard-which she came up with herself :)

Mr. Funny Face

2008-05-08T20:18:00.002-04:00

Well, get ready to start being bombarded with video clips of the kids!(Just for you Rick and Gayle!!) We just purchased a Flip Ultra Video Camera, which I have decided is a MUST have if you have kids! No tapes to mess with, just a simple, size of a digital camera piece of awesomeness! And it is SO easy to load on the computer and put on YouTube. I am sure Reid will give you more insight as to what it is and looks like, so now I will get to the goods!

Here's Cooper and his newest funny face...and Ella in the background getting a kick out of the whole thing and trying to make him laugh. :) Enjoy...then comment (hint, hint)

Just Playin'

2008-05-06T14:48:00.007-04:00

After school today...

Sneak Preview: Ballet Recital 2008

2008-05-06T14:44:00.003-04:00

Here's a little sneak preview of the ballet costume for this year! They took class pictures on Monday. You are just going to have to wait until this weekend to see the tap costume. :) Also, I will post video of the dances!