Hello again

I seemed to take an unintentional blogging break.

It was like Tax season ended and life got nuts!

In my head I guess I was all "I have my hubby back, lets do all the things!"

Lets see.... what HAS happened in the Gilmore household...

Emily started walking.

We are still in the "crawling is faster, but I will try to walk for a bit" phase...

But it made me realize how much she is NOT my little baby anymore.

1st birthday is next Thursday?!

Birthday party this weekend!?

She is starting to mimic words/sounds

mimic everything we do  - trying to take her clothes off, put shoes on, daddy's "magic" tricks...

and even showing jealousy when I have Leah in my lap.

Emily will come right over and try to wedge herself between Leah and I.

Then she starts pushing Leah away.

...

Brian officially LEFT public accounting!

No more tax seasons!!!!!!

His new job is an easier commute, great company, and fabulous benefits!

Its already been amazing to have him home sometimes before I get home with the girls, or by 5:30.

Help watching the girls while I make dinner, family walks, help with baths and bedtime...

So nice!

...

I failed my FA....

And I already took it again...

awaiting results.

Uggg.

Hatred of the SOA is all I have right now.

I am also trying to get back into the swing of studying for an exam...

Im struggling a bit.

But work paid study time begins next week and will be occurring weekly so hopefully that will get me back in the swing of things.

Good bye any sort of hobbies other than studying for the next 5 months...

But I will probably have a cleaner house.

There is that weird "I'd rather clean than study" anxiety thing that comes over my...

...

I am still running and working out though.

Aiming for more strength training than running.

I can tell its working.

Last week I think I received 3 separate comments of looking smaller and "whittling away"...

Not that its my goal.

But I am seeing changes in my body which is nice.

I am planning on getting my body fat measured again next week for a check in to see my progress.

Stayed tuned for the numbers.

...

Oh and we went on vacation!

It was awesome to have a week with the girls.

Vacations may be exhausting but so worth it to see how much fun they had!

Leah and Emily both LOVE the water.

It will be a fun summer.

And now for the pictures...

about 15 minutes after we arrived. 

kicking over my sand castle! 

Emily's first time in the ocean

sand in the mouth

do not take 2 little girls to a nice dinner, even if you get to sit outside... not fun at all!  This picture shows the disinterest in Leah and Emily...

My wonderful in laws. 

Leah flying a kite might have been the cutest thing ever. 

Can't wait to go back.... 

See ya next year Florida! 

(my family is planning to all head down there for my grandma's 80th b-day party! 30 family members all hanging out on the beach together!? I cannot wait!)

Sometimes I Amaze Myself...

Yes we are back from vacation.

 

Yes Emily turned 11 months old.

 

Yes we have some exciting news in our household...

 

But that will all have to wait.

 

I have to share my funny story....

 

Summertime is right around the corner.

 

We typically have taken Leah out of daycare a few days a week so that she can spend more time with her grandparents and enjoy some summertime activties.

 

Today I was emailing the director and finally found out how much we will be paying for the girls to only attend 3 days a week for 9 weeks.

 

I had to pass the news on to Brian of course.

 

Here is the serious of emails:

 

Director:  The new rate would be $295.40 ($173 for Emily and $122.40 for Leah-this includes the 10% family discount on Leah's tuition). 

 

Me to Brian: So we will save 76.10 a week... for 9 weeks...  = 684.90.  Sounds good to me!

 

Brian: Huh, don't we pay like $423 a week now?

 

Me to Brian: 419.30... plus that weird 4 dollars a month fee.  I think it dropped like 30 dollars a week taking her out last summer for 3 days a week... so this makes sense to me... saving 76... Emily costs a little more so dropping her to 3 days a week saves a little more.   Remember there is 2 of them!   right now we pay 83 a day (ouch!) but taking them out 2 days... hmmm maybe this is the 'legends" 3 days a week pricing? I dont know!

 

Me to Brian again: bah! I just realized that 419 - 295 does not equal 76! hahahahahahahah  so we save 124 a week! silly me!   Someone should take my degree away from me huh!?

 

Yep... I have an Applied Mathematics & Statistics degree....

Body After Baby: Reality Check

Last week I wrote THIS post.

I talked about how good I was feeling in my current Body.

How my results of my body fat % were in a pretty good place.

How I was just content and happy.
…
This week I was hit with a little reality slap in the face.

Originally Michael, the trainer, just measured my body fat with the hand held electronic device.

It gave me the 23% happy number.

He then gave a talk about how each time you use that thing it will give you a different result.

Basically it tries to “send a pulse thru your body to measure your body fat.”

Lets think about that for a minute….

I should never trust a “pulse” thru my body in regards to something I am holding!

Anywho, we decided that we would use the “pinch” method for a much more accurate reading.

Basically the pinch test takes measurements from your bicep, tricep, stomach, and back to determine your body fat % thru some calculations.

Obviously much more accurate.

You can’t pinch/grab muscle…

Fat, yes!

But…Bicep, Tricep, stomach & back!?

Hello, my trouble spots for sure!

Yesterday Michael sent me my pinch results along with a game plan.

I saw a new body fat % that will HAUNT me!

Side note… these “Hauntings” definitely motivate me.

My mom once made the comment that she now, at age 58, weights the same she did when she was 40 weeks pregnant.

My mom is not big by any means so no big deal…

I know she never gained much weight when she was pregnant and she started out really small.

Lucky girl!

For me… the weight I saw when I came home from the hospital HAUNTS me.

I will NEVER EVER EVER weight that much again unless I have just gave birth.

I feel the exact same way right now with this body fat % number.

I have started a 10 month long habit of being healthier that will continue.

Now lets discuss my measurements.

(these are just what the pincher said… not %s or inches or anything… the larger the number the larger body fat % though obviously)

Bicep = 25.3
Tricep = 31
Back = 15
Stomach = 19.3

So shocking enough, although I thought my stomach was my worst area…

HOLY ARMS!

Then I saw what these measurements equate too…

34.8% body fat

Yeah.

Haunting me!

Yes, I may have a normal/healthy BMI.

Yes, I may be able to fit into size 6 dresses now!

But I am fatty!

Or… just non-muscular.

I WILL lower that number.

We are measuring again in 6 weeks.

Each time I am tired and want to stop whatever exercise I am doing, I think of that horrid number.

My first 6 week goal is to get to 30%.

Then we will head down to that 20-25% recommended for my age range.

It made me think some more about my size…

You always see these pictures of how a lb of fat takes up so much more room than a lb of muscle.

If I have so much fat to spare and change into muscle…

How small could I actually get?

I don’t mean to say that in an anorexic, gross way...

I am just being serious and curious.

If I have almost 10% of body fat to lose ideally…

What on earth will I be looking like!?!

This all just really intrigues me…

I guess we will just see.

Pictures Lately

LEAH'S SCHOOL MUSICAL

My little Flower

As soon as Leah started at this daycare, a little before age 2, she ALWAYS would talk about Brenden.... 

I guess she loves him!?

Smitten. 

Walking in to preform... Can to spot Leah?  Hands up to her mouth... starting to freak out. 

And theres my little girl, bottom left corner, sitting on the stairs with her teacher... refusing to stand with her class or sing... 

She was still cute... next year... 

GRANT'S FARM

See that death grip around Emily?  That girl was a wiggle worm on the tram!! She did not want to be held, or stuck in one place... 

Feeding baby goats... this was the first year Leah did not freak out at them... 

She loves carousels!

Total joy. 

Checking out the elephants. 

Emily did not enjoy being stuck in the stroller... 

Yeah, this happened... 

This is my "OMG I am on a CAMEL" face! ... although, I admit, I've rode one multiple times... I have even rode one in Africa! 

Talked us into another ride... so pretty. 

 HANGING OUT ON THE DECK

watching the neighbor mow his lawn... anytime he would come to our side of the yard, Emily would freak out and speed crawl over into my lap. Definite fear of lawn mower noises. 

just looking too grown up for me to handle. 

Some day I will be able to get pictures of them bot looking at the camera and smiling right?

Usually pictures of them together Emily looks miserable... finally getting back at her sister. 

So funny! 

EMILY'S FIRST RIDE IN THE CAR

Emily thought it was the greatest thing EVER! 

Someone on facebook commented that in 10 years Emily will still think it is the greatest thing ever when she has her 16 year old big sister driving her around in a real car.... Cant you just picture it!? Terrifying!