And the winner is...

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 37 

Winner the lovely Owens Mom! Congratulations, hope you enjoy the bowl and fill it with lots of yummies!

Things I've learned over a week!

This past week has been chalk full of learning lessons.

My son has in just a short 2 weeks completely outgrew anything Disney in regards to decor or clothing. He refuses to put on his Cars rain boots in front of his friends and his begging to get a new comforter set so his friends can go up to his room but right now its all (and I quote) "all baby stuff". I can't believe where are there.

I have also come to realize that for some freakin reason I only decide to straighten my hair when it is going to rain. Why? I have no idea I must like to self sabotage.

 You are never to old to go on a bouncy slide. Even though I was past the little weight limit sign my daughter begged me enough I ignored it and went . I thought I'd play it cool, I mean hell I've been to Cedar Point but I screamed, was embarrassed but had a blast. (this picture does zero justice to how tall this thing really is)

                                                               Look at those faces

Gap lacy tank tops are NOT worth the money! I have pitched 3 of my brand new tops. They make me itch like crazy and if the rash on my back wasn't bad enough my complete disappointment in my favorite store was worse.

I found out after complete frustration with our family dry erase calendar that the magic eraser does no harm to the finish and cleans it like new. I am so geeked!

 It is completely possible to fall in love with a fridge. It sounds so trite but I really do love my new fridge. I love its control settings the way the LED light makes my food looks like manna from heaven and its huge capacity.

 Investing in a nice wall mounting baby gate is sooooooooo worth the money. I always went mid-range on gates before but never again. He can hang on it the dog can stand on it the older kids can slam it and it won't budge. I feel much more safe when I leave the room with this thing guarding the stairs.

I

I cannot for the life of me grown indoor Parsley. I love it so much but it hates me, it really hates me.

Tell me about some things you recently learned.

McFatty Monday, Pressure is on.

I am in that small percentage group that while breastfeeding lose ZERO weight. Now with my first two children I shed weight like crazy breastfeeding so I looked forward to it this time and thought "I won't have any problems" HA. As long as that kid wanted to eat every 2 hours my body was clinging on to those pounds like a vice. Recently my body slowed production down, way down because he only wants to nurse in the morning and at night and boom there goes the weight. I wanted to say it was because of the 30 day shred or the fact that I garden 5 hours a day holding Adrian in the Moby when its nice out but I know its not. I notice it most in the shower and washing up with the loofah, my thighs feel different, I have less of a pooch on the gut and my butt...well that has stayed exactly the same, I think the butt is waiting for him to completely ween from breastfeeding.

So I'm excited, I'm glad I'm making a little progress and then husband says "were going to Mexico in June, lets get hot and fit together". Oh man I do so well when I don't have to preform. I'm ecstatic to go trust me but know that the lack of breastfeeding  occurring I also have a lack of ...ah hem... boobs. I now have to find a swimsuit with a small top and a large bottom. Three cheers for bottom half weight loss. Boo for boobie weight loss.

 I thought Hey I'll make a really cute pic update but who am I kidding I better stay real because this is what I look like most of the day. Adrain was practicing standing on my leg during the pic, no makeup, just finished 30 day shred and  pre-morning tea. Rock on!

Weight last week - 158pounds
Weight this week- 152 pounds

My first giveaway and it's awesome sauce!

So I understand that giveaways are the standard in mommy blogging nowadays but my real purpose behind my giveaways is to support friends and Michigan businesses. Unless you have been under a rock everyone knows that Michigan's economy is in the crapper. It may not be much but if I can not just be a bystander watching it all go down the drain I can be an advocate for supporting local businesses.

My first giveaway is from Pampered Chef thanks to my wonderful friend Heather. Heather is currently 34 weeks pregnant with her second baby and first girl, and has been my best friend since high school. Heather was born and raised in Michigan and loves this state with a passion. She just entered the blogging world and is really enjoying it so far! 

  

Heather and I at my wedding! Shes such an amazing dedicated friend!

I love to cook and as a result I absolutely adore everything Pampered Chef. They have such great products and they are great quality. So it makes perfect sense that I start with this as my first Michigan giveaway.

                                                             
You are going to fall all over yourself for this essential giveaway piece A Trifle Bowl

  This bowl is versatile, you can use it for decor (above) or the for holding any yummy goodness (below)

The trifle bowl comes with a cover  and is so versatile.
I know you will love this and I'm excited to see who the winner is! So put in your entries.

HOW TO ENTER:

Visit My friend Heathers personal Pampered Chef website and pick another item that your in love with and would like to try.  Leave comment and way to contact you.   

http://www.pamperedchef.biz/heatherboyd?page=products-main

Bonus Entries:

1. Follow my blog, let me know if you already do http://nicolesspirit878.blogspot.com/

2. Follow Heathers blog http://theboydfamily-aaronandheather.blogspot.com/

3. Blog about the giveaway and leave me the link.

4. Follow me on Twitter and tweet the giveaway, let me know if you already do. Once a day!

6. Grab my button. (2 entries)

7. Ordering something from Heather on the Pampered Chef site and posting the order confirmation

(5 entries)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Leave a separate comment for each entry**

Open to US Only.

Drawing will occur on April 30, 2010 at 10 a.m. The winner  will be selected by random.org and notified by email and will have 48 hours to reply back before a new winner is selected. Please leave your email if it is not on your profile so I can contact you if you win. Have fun, spread the word and good luck!

A twist of McFatty Monday

 First off if you visit my blog regularly you will see a new poll at the top and I am begging asking you to participate it is very important, so thank you in advance!

So the real update to my weight loss journey is the fact that I'm blogging about it again. I took quite a little break there. We moved and I said "alright I'll start my blogging again" and then I realized Lowes wasn't delivering our appliances for 2 weeks and this lead to A LOT of eating out, pizza, pasta, and subs. I think in that whole time frame I had a nice salad with tuna once. Also Easter was really recent so I have 3 unfinished baskets of candy floating around my house. My absolute horrible, smack me on the fanny behavior since then is when I am up at night with Adrian at 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. I grab a handful of M&M's because they are there and it makes me feel better about being awake. We just got our stove hooked up but no signs of the fridge (last I heard it was in customs). Alas we also got our grill so no more excuses I can cook out but still its a little difficult not to be able to run to the fridge in the kitchen and grab something you need instead of running outside where your leaving the milk. I digress. I did start a change to my workout since I don't have my Lifetime Fitness gym near me anymore (so sad). I am now doing the 30 day shred and I like it because its 20 minutes, it kicks my ass and I feel slightly less guilty about that handful of M&M's.



My last weight was 152 pounds and my current weight is ( I hate to write this) 158 pounds. So its back on the horse again and I hope I can stick to it but I will tell you,  its hard to get in shape but its harder to get back in shape.

Now I still have a lot of hoops to jump through before I can make my big announcement but let me tell you when I do make it it is going to be HUGE! I'm excited about the potential for me and indirectly it will effect everyone else too.
Reminder again please click on the poll at the top!!!

Tell me about your weight loss struggles recently or throw me a general question, whatever!

5 Things about us!

    5 things about me

1. In high school I was most unlikley to have kids ( HA)
2. I could eat crab till I get sick and that has happened
3. I read about 10 books a year
4. I'm Mulatto
5. My dream job is to own an art gallery

5 Things about Ravi

1. He took time off after med school to be a valet, yes he was a Dr. valet
2. He hates yellow mustard, green peppers and pineapple
3. He's color blind
4. He's a mathmatician
5. He loves me ( cheesy? yes, but very true)

5 Things about Ethan

1. He is the best soccer player on every team he's been on thus far.
2. He still cuddles with momma
3. He is the messiest eater I have even seen.
4. He has horrible print but amazing cursive!
5. He has refused to take off his Wolverine shirt for 5 months ( he is wearing it in this picture)

5 Things about Kya

1. We keep a list of Kya-isms, like jumperine aka trampoline, stunk aka skunk
2. She loves asparagus
3. Wants hugs and kisses when she wants to be done eating (little weasel)
4. Absolute social butterfly, and bossy to boot
5. She has an overpowering sweet tooth

5 Things about Adrian

1. Hasn't slept through a single night since he was born
2. Loves to kick his legs
3. Screams and pounds on his tray when I don't feed him fast enough
4. Exclusively cloth diapered
5. Loves stroller rides

I would love to see some of my followers do a top 5 list for their family, leave a link to your blog in the comments!

Thankful Thursday!

I'm jumping on the bandwagon like acid wash jeans trend in the 80's. Yeah thats a stretch but I really just wanted to say acid wash jeans today! So thankful Thursday is a great idea that I got from Heir to Blairs blog. I would love to hear what you are thankful for this Thursday!

1.Spring weather and cooking out 2.Pillows, Pillows ,Pillows

3.Front loading washer and dryer 4.Baby kisses

5.Gladiator sandals 6. Bubble tea

Yes I changed my blog title!

I was thinking and Fast Times At Mommy High my old blog title was kind of a spur of the moment thing and since I figured I should put some actual thought into it I came up with a new name. Now you might ask, why? I was trying to think of something witty and catchy but after reviewing the past couple days I had a resounding phrase pass through tight lips again and again after being badgered by a 5 year old.

Kya: Why do I have to hang up my shirts?
Mean mother: because you have to treat your clothes nicely and they don't belong on the floor.
Kya: Why can't they be on the floor in the closet?
Mean mother : because they get wrinkled and your not taking care of your things.
Kya: Well, I think their dirty so I'm going to put them in the laundry.
Mean mother: They are not dirty. HANG THEM UP!
Kya: why?
Mean mother: Because I SAID SO.

Mean mother: please be quiet your brother is sleeping.
Kya: I think its time for him to wake up.
Mean mommy: no, its not please be quiet.
Kya: ::goes over and kisses his head::
Mean Mommy: What did I just tell you?
Kya: you said to be quiet, I didn't know I couldn't touch him.
Mean Mommy: :: the look::
Kya: Why can't I talk when he's sleeping, he's not awake  and I'm talking now?
Mean Mommy: Because I SAID SO.

Mean mommy: Please eat your dinner so we can go for a walk before bed.
Kya: I'm so full and I don't want to get so full I puke. You don't want me to puke do you?
Mean mommy: Kya stop being dramatic and eat your dinner.
Kya: Why do I have to eat everything?
Mean mommy: because this is your dinner and you need to eat what your given.
Kya: What snack can I have later?
Mean mommy: nothing if you don't eat.
Kya: ::in a whiny voice:: but why do I have to eat everything?
Mean mommy: Because I SAID SO.

(She looks so innocent here pretending not to be a special forces interrogator)

So like I said this is something I have been repeating not just in the past few days but for close to 8 years. I always said I would not resort to this quick finalized statement with my children and really explain the situation but I'll tell you I'm no saint and paitience wears thin some days so I do my best and saying "because I said so" is the nicest and easiest option sometimes!

How do I love thee Let me count the ways...1,2,3

My husband is a strong man, a brave man, a sweet man and the man of my dreams.

I decided that I will slowly start to reveal some aspects of my personal life but in my own time so that other mommies and whom ever else reads this blog can get to know me and possibly relate to some of my past situations in my life

This post is about my amazing husband. I feel like I'm throwing out every thesaurus term filed under "great" in reference to my husband but really there are just not enough terms to describe him. My husband Ravi came into my life when I was a single mother to two and had just bought a sapphire/diamond ring for myself signifying my independence and determination to not become tangled with men again. We are going to fast forward ...okay warp speed ahead, I'll tell the story of our courtship at a later time possibly.

So we didn't live together till we were married and introducing 2 children at the time (Ethan-6 and Kya-3) was for me a huge moment. Ravi at our wedding wrote vows to the children promising his love , commitment and encouragement to them ( not a dry eye in the house when he read them to the kids standing up with us). Since that day he has been above and beyond what I had anticipated and I had very high standards for him to meet. He loves them like they were his own and considers them blessings.

The way he is with them, how he has date nights with Kya, boys days with Ethan and the way he holds his son just light me up with joy.

When we had Adrian I was concerened ( an unspoken fear he didn't know about) that he would find having a biological child  very different than stepchildren and I was amazed at how he was after. He said that having his own child just deepend and renewed his love for Ethan and Kya and further cemented the importance of him being a good father.He has never shown a difference between them. Seeing my husband has made me realize that when my boys have grown up I want their wives to look at me with the same respect I have for his mother and thank me for raising such an outstanding man.

I'm so excited and I just can't hide it**** GIVEAWAYS

Giveaways are coming soon

Now I want to make myself perfectly clear I am not doing giveaways to gain popularity. I see how popular giveaways are on other mommy blogs and I want to spread the joy the same way but for a different reason. I want to really support Michigan businesses and personal friends. So most if not all my giveaways will have a Michigan connection. If you watch the news at all everyone knows the Michigan is a struggling economic state and I want to do my part even if its just a little bit! Mommas love free stuff, strike that women love free stuff and I am going to make some women very happy.

So stay tuned for some fab giveaways from these very well known brands and some not so known. I'm E-X-C-I-T-E-D!

Decompression after the move

WE MOVED,

hence my lack of blogging this last month

Thank God that's over.

A break down of the pics from left to right top row first

The kitchen, the living room and entry way, the living room from upstairs balcony

The dining room, the basement bathroom, the basement (kids playroom)

The upstairs kids closet, the upstairs office, the master bedroom (excuse the air mattress) with walkout to deck

We have a lot of work to do even though it really is ready to live in. We have to get all new lights, put a ceiling up in the basement ,replace carpeting in basement and we are repainting and because I'm impulsive and OCD ( not a very good combination) it may take awhile for any actual paint to go up on any wall without changing my mind a million times or at least changing a painted wall at least once. The yard needs SERIOUS work but were up for it and heck I consider it kind of a workout.

We are officially moved from Metro Detroit to the country in South Central Michigan. Its a big adjustment but we are finding ourselves very comfortable here and getting to find our place in the world here. We have already enrolled Kya in Ballet/Tap classes on Tuesday, story time on Fridays at the local library and AYSO soccer on Saturdays for both the kids. We arranged all this in a matter of 2 weeks time (whew!).

We celebrated our first holiday Easter here and it was so amazing to know we are here making memories now.

So we are moved and I'm getting used to the country I hope to God that my allergies calm down and I am going to keep my stock in Claritin for awhile. I hope to keep up the blogging and I know that I will be posting a giveaway ( go ahead and eye roll) I am joining the bandwagon but I have so many sites I love that I really just want to share and help peoples independent business and not for popularity purposes I swear! On to the good times.