Day 259...

Wanted to Share...

I'd like to bring your attention to a really great give away, hosted by The Undomestic Momma!

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Days 257 and 258...

Wednesday morning Gracie insisted on wearing her overall dress over her pajamas. They were all set to go into the washing machine, but ended up in the hands of Gracie, who sat struggling to get them on, until Mommy stepped in to help. She wore this little outfit until naptime. :)

I'm not sure who got more water, the patio or the flower...but I'm not making any bets on the flower...

Taking a break from playing...she found a great spot!

Here We Go...30 Day Shred

Today is the day. I'm throwing my whole body in and surrendering to the fact that it's time to get back on track. Last April, I was celebrating the loss of 15 pounds of lingering baby weight. While I've been successful in not gaining that weight back, I have still completely abandoned my work-out routine. I hurt my neck during a yoga session about two months ago and it literally took over a month, and one very painful massage session, to get the kinks in my neck worked out, and for it to completely heal. I've worked out a few times between then and now, but I have to admit, I've been a little nervous! That neck injury was the worst I've ever had and I'm left with this fear of hurting myself again...

Oh well. Here we go!

Why the 30 Day Shred? Well, I have a girlfriend who has lost somewhere around 70 pounds with Jillian's help. Her dedication to getting healthy has definitely been motivating and inspiring. If she can change her life, while being a mom to two boys, a wife, and a full-time, traveling employee, then I don't really have an excuse!

My thought was that by sharing my plan with you, I would be less likely to bail on the whole thing. :) I'll write an update post half-way through, and then see where I am on May 15th, which is also the date of Gracie's 2nd birthday party!

Well, I just completed my first work-out, and it seriously kicked my butt! I can totally see how it would be effective. No matter how much I may want to stop, I'm not going to allow myself to give in. If I have to suffer, at least it's only for 30 days, and in the grand scheme of things, that's not so bad, right? Has anyone else tried this work-out, or any other Jillian DVDs? Is there a work-out DVD that you would recommend for life after the next 30 days?

Thursday Five!

Once again, I am linking up with Keely and her Thursday Five! Below you'll find my list of 5 things that have made me smile this week. This is a simple way to focus on all the good that surrounds us each day!

1. I was able to spend Monday afternoon with my mother, sister, daughter, and nephew. We took the little ones to the Natural Science Center, then went to lunch. I love afternoons like that! I get lots of hugs and kisses before I head home, and I always feel so incredibly blessed when I think about all of the special people in my life.

2. I went to the grocery store with Gracie this week. I can never predict how these trips will go, and since I was planning on being at the store around the same time that Sean arrives home from work, he offered to meet me there to help out. Well, Gracie wanted nothing to do with sitting in the cart, but behaved beautifully as I carried her on one hip, while pushing our cart and picking up the items on our list. She was so silly and giggly that I ignored my aching arm and enjoyed that time with her. Sean arrived at the store in time to help me get everything out to the car, so it worked out well!

3. Wednesday afternoon, Gracie and I met one of my best friends (and her hubby, who I also consider a best friend) for coffee at Barnes and Noble. She is 20 weeks pregnant with her first baby, a boy! Seeing her, and that adorable baby belly, brings a BIG smile to my face. She's been through a lot over the past few years, so being a part of the happiest time in her life is amazing!

4. I finished reading The Last Song, by Nicholas Sparks, this week. I was immediately pulled into the story being told and found it frustrating when I had to put the book down! I stayed up much too late almost every evening, but read the final page on Tuesday night. It was a tear-jerker, but I found it to be a really beautiful story. I started reading My Sister's Keeper, by Jodi Picoult, Wednesday. I love squeezing in some alone time with a good book. :)

5. I'm looking forward to taking Gracie to her Kindermusic class tomorrow! I've mentioned before that I really believe I enjoy the class as much as she does. There's nothing better than watching a group of toddlers sing and dance together!

What has brought a smile to your face this week?

Day 256...

Gracie doesn't want Cuddles to miss a thing, so when she sees an airplane in the sky, she makes sure he does, too. :)

Top 2 Tuesday!

I'm joining in the fun of Top 2 Tuesday! Today's topic is Beauty Secrets...
 

 I'm going to be completely honest here, I don't have many beauty secrets hiding behind my stay-at-home mom exterior. I do exactly what I have time for, and that isn't much! :) There are, however, a few things that I would miss terribly, should I ever have to go without. Here are my Top 2: 1. Almay Eye Make-up Remover Pads-I love how quickly and easily these pads remove all traces of eye make-up. I use one every single morning to get rid of any leftover mascara or eye liner. They are nice and cool, too, which makes puffy, itchy allergy eyes feel much better first thing in the morning. This beauty "secret" goes hand in hand with my number 2... 2. Mascara- Okay, so while this may not seem like a secret at ALL, in my world, a little mascara can go a long way. I don't always have time to put on a full face of make-up, and honestly, since Gracie doesn't seem to mind, I save myself the trouble. There are also those days when I don't even have time to take a shower, but I don't want to feel as though I look like I could care less about my appearance, even though I very well may...I like enhancing my lashes, and if nothing else, they look longer and fuller, which is something! I have used the L'Oreal variety for years! Visit the Undomestic Momma for more Top 2 Tuesday answers! I've already learned a thing or two!