I’m excited! I just found a wordpress application for my droid. I’m using it now. Maybe this will help me blog more.
Jenn
So I’m completely failing at loosing weight. At least I have been for the last three weeks!
First I got a head cold that wouldn’t let go and then Oliver got one too. Then on top of that I had a massive birthday cake to make for my sweeties birthday. Then this week I have been nothing short of the human blob. The only things accomplished this week were three loads of laundry, one of which is staring at me from the couch right this moment, and the kitchen was kept clean.
All week long I felt like extremely more tired than I have previously been feeling and couldn’t quite put my finger on why. Then I realized that slowly I have been bringing really bad foods back into my diet. I had cut out carbs like potatoes, and anything with massive amounts of sugar. Somehow I got off. Last weekend I had cake, ice cream, pizza. We ate really bad! Then two days ago I told my husband to go buy us some survival food incase the power goes out from the snow. Now mind you I mentioned buying fruit and some healthier snacks. This is what he comes home with….
Needless to say, eating healthy and loosing weight is a real struggle every single day with this junk in the house! I realized this week that my lethargy is from eating so much sugar. I feel like a zombie who wants to just sit and sleep.
Today I told myself that I would not eat any of the junk food in the cabinet. I did really good until it started snowing. Then I went and got out the hot cocoa that my husband sneaked into the shopping cart last week. After that it was all over. I had two rice krispy treats, a ding dong, and an oatmeal cream pie! Not to mention another cup of hot cocoa!!!!
I’m not sure I’ve gained any weight, but I just feel really bloated. I woke up a few days ago after eating some junk and it felt like my under eyes were swollen. EW! I hate feeling this way!
Now to be fair my husband did go to our other grocery store the next day and buy me some oranges and bananas. I have been eating those too, in combination with my junky snacks. I need a sugar intervention, and it starts RIGHT NOW!!!! 
Jenn
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?”
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us.
And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”–Nelson Mandela
Jenn
I am such a night owl, and I have been since at least middle school. I’ve been known to go to bed as late as 3-4 a.m. I will honestly say I can remember several times within the last year I’ve gone to bed at 5 a.m.! As you can imagine this wreaks havoc on the next days activities and how I feel. I know why I stay up late. After the kids go to bed, the house is FINALLY quiet and my brain can finally think! I hope that making a switch over to waking up at 5:30 a.m. instead of just getting in the bed, will still result in some quiet time, and that I will be more productive throughout the day.
I came across a blog post at Small Notebook about how she was a night owl but has changed over to becoming an early riser and now loves it. That got me inspired, because for the longest time I have been trying without result to get up early.
I then clicked on a link I found through one of Small Notebook’s links: Inspired to Action. There you can put in your email address and receive a free ebook. I highly recommend it. The ebook tells how to start a morning routine and wake up early, start an exercise routine, and a daily prayer and bible reading routine all before the kids wake up!
This morning I had my alarm set for 6 a.m. I was out of bed about 5 minutes later. My goal is to eventually get up at 5:30, but it’s going to take some time. The book’s tip is to keep setting your alarm back 5 minutes every morning. Another good personal development resource is Steve Pavlina. “How to Get Up Right Away When Your Alarm Goes Off”, and my personal favorite “Self-Discipline”.
Jenn
http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20100105/hl_hsn/newchildhoodvaccinesschedulesreleased
Jenn
What do you think?
I started trying to loose the baby weight on November 11, 2009 and I started out at 170.2 pounds. Today is December 30, 2009 and I am down to 159.2 pounds! That is a total of 11 pounds! I’m 5 feet 4 inches tall so a healthy weight range for me is about 125-135. Back in high school I weighed around 125-130 and I thought I was fat! I can remember wearing size 5 jeans! If only I could do that now! Really fitting into skinny jeans is a fabulous idea, but my real goal is to be healthy. I want to feel more energized and not be at risk of fat related diseases. I hadn’t been to the gym in about 2 weeks until monday.
The week before Christmas I went that monday to the gym and then wednesday we ate some pizza. That night our daughter woke us up throwing up, and several hours later I had it too. Then the next day my husband and son started feeling sick. My son ate the least pizza and was the least sick. So we figure we had food poisoning. We were all fine until we ate pizza. Even that next week after I thought I was better I still kept feeling funny.
Monday of this week I went to the gym and did my leg work. I used all the leg machines and then did step ups with hand weights. Also I used the ab machine, back extension machine, and torso machine. I also did leg raises while holding myself up. Those suck! Yesterday, I used all the arm machines and then used the elliptical. I haven’t been journaling my food like I started out doing. That usually becomes a hassle and I give up on all of it. Right now we are out of food, so the last three days I have eaten organic spaghetti. I’m a little tired of it!
Today I am so sore I can barely move! That is what stinks about missing for two weeks, it feels like starting all over again. Although, if I keep adding on weight I should be sore every time. The measly little 10 pounds on the ab machine is starting to get easy, so next time I am adding 5 more! Yay!
I know New Year’s is coming up and a lot of people will say they want to loose weight and then a month later will be over it. I am determined not to do that! 125 here I come!!!
Jenn
My cousin Rachel posted a really good post over on her blog about some natural flu prevention remedies. Please check it out!
Natural Flu Prevention Remedies
Jenn
1A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
2The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.
3A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
4By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.
5Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
6Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
7The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
8He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
9He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
10Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
11He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
12The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
13The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
14The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.
15Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
16He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
17Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
18For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
19That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
20Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
21That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
22Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
23For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
24Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
25Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
26Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
27If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
29Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
WHY WATER.
Right now, almost a billion people on the planet don’t have access to safe, clean drinking water. That’s one in eight of us.
WHO WE ARE.
charity: water is a non-profit organization bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations. We give 100% of the money raised to direct project costs, funding sustainable clean water solutions in areas of greatest need. Just $20 can give one person in a developing nation clean water for 20 years.
Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of all sickness and disease, and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Many people in the developing world, usually women and children, walk more than three hours every day to fetch water that is likely to make them sick. Those hours are crucial, preventing many from working or attending school. Additionally, collecting water puts them at greater risk of sexual harassment and assault. Children are especially vulnerable to the consequences of unsafe water. Of the 42,000 deaths that occur every week from unsafe water and a lack of basic sanitation, 90% are children under 5 years old.
HOW WE WORK
Drilling a well can cost from $4,000 – $ 12,000 and many living on less than $1 a day can not afford one in their community, even if the money is combined. With the help of exemplary organizations on the ground, we can drill wells and provide people with this basic, essential need. charity: water partners with local organizations in each country where we work, choosing the partners based on expertise and the ability to impact real, sustainable change in the communities they benefit. For more information on how we select our partners, and who we work with, click here.
BUILDING WELLS
The local community is engaged in the well building process, carrying out small tasks for free to reduce labor costs. This also encourages community participation and ensures community ownership after the project is complete. When the well is built, a water committee is formed. It generally consists of 6-8 people, half of them female. In the case of hospitals, the committee will generally consist of nurses and hospital staff. In schools, the committee would likely be comprised of teachers. Since charity: was founded and began activity in August 2006, we have funded the construction of more than 1,549 projects that, when completed, will provide clean drinking water to over 820,000 people. We’re just getting started.
$2o can give a person in Africa clean, safe drinking water for 20 years.
100% goes to direct project costs.
After being completely dehydrated yesterday and so thirsty that I was craving water I can’t even imagine what it is like to live somewhere where there is no clean drinking water. If you would please donate. mycharitywater
Jenn
Since my last post I’ve lost 2 lbs! I’ve been working out at the gym with my sister in law. We have been rotating arm and leg exercises, and cardio. We also cut out white flour, sugar, and processed food. She has lost 3.5 lbs! Right now my glutes are killing me from doing step ups, the leg machines, and lunges. I’m getting to where I am looking forward to the exercise, and I already feel stronger. The first time I used the ab machine I could barely lift the 10 lb minimum. Yesterday I did the 10 lbs again and it was already easier! I can’t wait until it’s 90 lbs.!
Jenn
part 1 above..you can see the whole movie on youtube or get it from Netflix.
I finally got to watch the documentary ‘Food Inc.’, and it was very good. It reminded me in some ways of ‘The Future of Food’, but it also had different aspects. It tells how the farming in our country has drastically changed over the last few decades. The most radical change to food in the course of human history, yet still most food is packaged so that you still think of rural farm settings by looking at the packaging. It gives the appearance that farmer bill down the way grew your bacon from piglet to pig, when really that pig was raised in some industrialized farm packed in with thousands of other pigs in horrid conditions. Speaking of which, it told how back in 2001 a two year old boy died from a new strain of E. coli after eating at a fast food place. His mom now lobby’s for safer food regulations. It was sad. But the new strain of E. coli 0157 H7 has developed from these new farming conditions. From cows being fed a diet of all corn, packed in on factory farms with other cows standing knee deep in their own feces. The documentary also shows how chickens are raised. *shudders* First most chicken farmers have contracts with bigger companies like Tyson. Besides the fact that the farmers are not treated fairly by these companies, the chickens are treated far worse. One farmer who said she was fed up with things allowed cameras inside her chicken houses. She told how since the chickens are treated with growth hormones their bones aren’t strong enough to meet the needs of their growing bodies. The chickens limp, and drag themselves around. Most chickens never see sunlight. The movie also shows how seed giant and agent orange inventor Monsanto treat farmers. You can patent life, and Monsanto has done just that. They patented their GMO soybeans. If these soybeans by means of pollination, wind, animals, falling off a seed truck, etc. end up in a farmer who doesn’t use Monsanto soybeans, Monsanto can then come in and sue them for infringement on their patent. It told how there are almost no saved seeds around and any farmers who do save seeds are on a black list created by Monsanto. There was a seed cleaner who was sued. Monsanto claimed that Mo Parr had insisted that soybean farmers save their Monsanto seed, which is against the law.
Here is another better review of Food Inc, it’s getting late and I can’t recall every detail!
I recommend everyone see Food Inc.!
Jenn
When I got on the scale this morning I was down 2.8 lbs! Yippie!
Jenn
I have a confession. I have been eating whatever I want! During my pregnancy I found it hard to want to cook meals and stay healthy. A lot of times I just wanted fast fixes for the kids and for us to eat. We got off track. I still didn’t buy a huge amount of processed foods, but I did slack off a ton. Yesterday I went in for my 6 week check up after having the baby. The nurse told me the first 6 months are the most critical if you’re trying to loose weight. She said it is easier and after 6 months your weight will just plateau. I have gained 2 lbs in the last three to four days after eating pizza and halloween candy! So today I am getting back on track. I got out my food journal from the first of the year and started writing everything I put into my mouth. I had to do this after I found myself mindlessly eating 2 cookies! They ended up being around 60 calories! 60 calories that I wouldn’t have ever remembered eating and then wondering why I’m gaining. I was thinking yesterday that loosing weight reminds me of shopping. I went to Target and my bill was enormous. After getting to the car I couldn’t figure out how I had spent so much, but every little thing I throw into the cart really adds up, until I’ve spent hundreds of dollars. If I want to buy those items then I have to go work to make the money for them. Like with loosing weight, the little 32 calorie cookie adds up when I eat several throughout the day and then I can’t figure out why the scale is going up. If I want to fit into the size 6 dress, or eat whatever I want then I’m going to also have to do the work through exercise to get to that place. So my goal today is to loose 50 lbs in the next 5 months. I’ve already wasted one of my months, but I also wasn’t approved to exercise until after 6 weeks post-baby. I gained about 30 lbs with this baby and I have only lost about 13 of it. So today is day one!!! I will update on my progress.
Jenn
I think I need to find a new brand of chocolate chips! 
PhD in Parenting: ‘An Open Letter to the Attendees of the Nestle Family blogger Event’
Nature Mom’s Blog: ‘Nestle Blogger Firestorm’
Jenn
I found with no-pooing that having easy to use containers is key to keeping it up. My friend, Q-girl, told me that she uses baby formula containers for her no-poo needs. I went to the food isle at the store and found some rubbermaid 1 qt drinking containers with snap on lids. You can use whatever will work for you, but I think having something with a snap on and off lid that is attached is probably more efficient. I still use a small open lid container and pour my AC Vinegar into that so that I can soak only the ends of my hair. It’s a lot less wasteful, and if I use too much AC Vinegar my hair can be oilier. Always keep in mind your local ‘everything’s a dollar’ type store too when searching for containers. 
Pictured above is the Munchkin brand formula containers.
Pictured above is a Rubbermaid 1 Qt. container. Made for beverages.
Jenn
So I’m really excited that this weekend I decided to no-poo again. I gave it up several months ago because it just felt like a hassle and I was spending an extra 5 minutes in the shower. My biggest complaint was my system. Every time I took a shower I would have to measure out the baking soda and the AC Vinegar. I finally decided to just buy an organic shampoo, but it cost over $9 a bottle! This time my shampoo was almost gone I decided I needed to switch back to the more budget friendly way to wash hair. I decided to get a couple bottles that have lids that way I can keep all my ingredients in greater amounts in my shower ready for use. I may have to add to them every few days, but it’s better than every time I get in the shower. With a new baby coming I hope I can keep this up, and don’t give up again because of the extra time it takes. I absolutely LOVE the way no-pooing makes my hair feel. There is nothing like it. Back when I no-pooed all the time my hairstylist commented on how shiny and healthy my hair looked. I felt like telling her why but then I figured she’d never believe me since they use so many products on their hair. And I hate the way people look at you when you say “I no-poo”…You what? Once while I was trying my organic shampoo I still had some of my old regular shampoo left in the closet so I got it out and used it. When I dried my hair it felt really heavy and almost plastic. It is amazing what those products really do to your hair! I was excited today to see a blog post by simple mom on no-pooing. Here it is with some others.
http://simplemom.net/how-to-clean-your-hair-without-shampoo/
http://sortacrunchy.typepad.com/sortacrunchy/2008/05/another-way—s.html
http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2009/07/no-poo-update.html
http://babyslime.livejournal.com/174054.html#bad
Jenn
This is totally random, and so is this book. I love how insane this book is and how it just veers off in so many silly directions. I feel so silly, in a good way when I read this. ENJOY!
Transcription of
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
“One fish, Two fish, Red fish, Blue fish,
Black fish, Blue fish, Old fish, New fish.
This one has a littlecar.
This one has a little star.
Say! What a lot of fish there are.
Yes. Some are red, and some are blue.
Some are old and some are new.
Some are sad, and some are glad,
And some are very, very bad.
Why are they sad and glad and bad?
I do not know, go ask your dad.
Some are thin, and some are fat.
The fat one has a yellow hat.
From there to here,
From here to there,
Funny things are everywhere.
Here are some who like to run.
They run for fun in the hot, hot sun.
Oh me! Oh my! Oh me! oh my!
What a lot of funny things go by.
Some have two feet and some have four.
Some have six feet and some have more.
Where do they come from? I can’t say.
But I bet they have come a long, long way.
we see them come, we see them go.
Some are fast. Some are slow.
Some are high. Some are low.
Not one of them is like another.
Don’t ask us why, go ask your mother.
Say! Look at his fingers!
One, two, three…
How many fingers do I see?
One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
He has eleven!
Eleven! This is something new.
I wish I had eleven too!
Bump! Bump! Bump!
Did you ever ride a Wump?
We have a Wump with just one hump.
But we know a man called Mr. Gump.
Mr. gump has a seven hump Wump. So…
If you like to go Bump! Bump!
Just jump on the hump of the Wump of Gump
Who am I? My name is Ned
I do not like my little bed.
This is no good. This is not right.
My feet stick out of bed all night.
And when I pull them in, Oh, Dear!
My head sticks out of bed up here!
We like our bike. It is made for three.
Our Mike sits up in back, you see.
We like our Mike, and this is why:
Mike does all the work when the hills get high.
Hello there, Ned. How do you do?
Tell me, tell me what is new?
How are things in your little bed?
What is new? Please tell me Ned.
I do not like this bed at all.
a lot of things have come to call.
A cow, a dog, a cat, a mouse.
Oh! What a bed! Oh! What a house!
Oh dear, oh dear! I cannot hear.
Will you please come over near?
Will you please look in my ear?
There must be something there, I fear.
Say look! A bird was in your ear.
But he is out. So have no fear.
Again your ear can hear, my dear.
My hat is old, my teeth are gold.
I have a bird I like to hold.
My shoe is off, my foot is cold.
My shoe is off, my foot is cold.
I have a bird I like to hold.
My hat is old, my teeth are gold.
And now my story is all told.
We took a look. We saw a Nook.
On his head he had a hook.
On his hook he had a book.
On his book was “How to Cook”
We saw him sit and try to cook
But a Nook can’t read, so a Nook can’t Cook.
SO…
What good to a Nook is a hook cook book?
the moon was out and we saw some sheep.
We saw some sheep take a walk in their sleep.
by the light of the moon, by the light of a star;
They walked all night from near to far.
I would never walk. I would take a car.
I do not like this one so well.
all he does is yell, yell, yell.
I will not have this one about.
When he comes in I put him out.
This one is quiet as a mouse.
I like to have him in the house.
At our house we open cans.
We have to open many cans.
and that is why we have a Zans.
A Zans for cans is very good.
Have you a Zans for cans? You should.
I like to box. How I like to box.
So every day I box a Gox.
In yellow socks I box my Gox.
I box in yellow Gox box socks.
It is fun to sing if you sing with a Ying.
My Ying can sing like anything.
I sing high and my Ying sings low.
And we are not too bad, you know.
this one, I think, is called a Yink.
he likes to wink, he likes to drink.
He likes to drink, and drink, and drink.
the thing he likes to drink is ink.
The ink he likes to drink is pink.
He likes to wink and drink pink ink.
SO…
If you have a lot of ink,
you should get a Yink, I think.
Hop, hop, hop! I am a Yop
All I like to do is hop,
From finger top to finger top.
I hop from left to right and then…
Hop, hop! I hop right back again.
I like to hop all day and night.
From right to left and left to right.
Why do I like to hop, hop, hop?
I do not know. Go ask your Pop.
Brush, brush, brush, brush
Comb, comb, comb, comb
Blue hair is fun to brush and comb.
All girls who like to brush and comb,
Should have a pet like this at home.
Who is this pet? Say! He is wet.
You never yet met a pet, I bet,
As wet as they let this wet pet get.
Did you ever fly a kite in bed?
did you ever walk with ten cats on your head?
Did you ever milk this kind of cow?
Well, we can do it. We know how.
If you never did, you should.
These things are fun, and fun is good.
Hello, hello. Are you there?
Hello! I called you up to say hello.
I said Hello.
Can you hear me, Joe?
Oh no, I cannot hear your call.
I cannot hear your call at all.
This is not good, and I know why.
A mouse has cut the wire, goodbye!
From near to far, from here to there,
Funny things are everywhere.
These yellow pets are called the Zeds.
They have one hair upon their heads.
Their hair grows fast. So fast they say,
They need a haircut every day.
Who am I? My name is Ish
On my hand I have a dish.
I have this dish to help me wish.
When I wish to make a wish
I wave my hand with a big swish swish.
Then I say, “I wish for fish!”
And I get fish right on my dish.
So…
If you wish to make a wish,
you may swish for fish with my Ish wish dish.
At our house we play out back.
We play a game called ring the Gack.
Would you like to play this game?
Come down! We have the only Gack in town.
Look what we found in the park in the dark.
We will take him home, we will call him Clark.
He will live at our house, he will grow and grow.
Will our mother like this? We don’t know.
And now, Good night.
It is time to sleep
So we will sleep with our pet Zeep.
Today is gone. Today was fun.
Tomorrow is another one.
Every day, from here to there.
funny things are everywhere.”
Now my fingers hurt! Not really! I totally found this already transcribed out. I did not sit here for hours typing it all. Just so you know!
Jenn
“Women planning birth at home experienced reduced risk for all obstetric interventions measured, and similar or reduced risk for adverse maternal outcomes,” Dr. Patricia Janssen
Hope this can help someone else. I may not be able to birth the way I choose but hopefully someone else can.
Jenn
