A Break

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This week I have taken a-bit-of-a-break.

For the past 2 months I have been working my hiney off, literally. Working out at least two hours most days. Pushing myself beyond what I thought was possible. Watching every calorie being consumed. And to be honest: I was tired.

My body, mind, and motivation was tired.

My body was tired after our 8-miler last Saturday. My mind was tired from the counting calories and focusing so heavily on my goals. Monday morning when it was time to hit the road my motivation level was: ZERO.

So, this week I have taken a break. Still choosing to eat healthy I have only worked out out twice this week, and I haven't ran a single mile.

I can now say I am ready. Ready to hit the road again first thing Monday morning. Ready to focus on my goals. Ready to push myself. Ready to better myself.

If you need to, take a break today.

Little Lady

One would think this-little-lady could get me out of bed and running in the morning, but not today. This-little-lady kept me inside laying on the floor, snuggling, laughing, and playing.

Snuggle, Laugh, and Play today.

Today I am linking up with:

Mother's Love

For the nine months Alivia Nicole was inside me I had her to myself 24/7. April 4, after 30+ hours of hard labor there she was. This perfect little human with beautiful dark blue eyes and more hair than any other baby. I now have to share her with the world.

Now 3 months and 22 days later my princess is still with me most of the time. I have only left her a hand-full of times, and I like that. I have to admit I struggle sharing my little girl.

Spending all hours of my day caring for her, feeding her, changing her, making her laugh, and most importantly loving-on-her makes me happy. Watching her learn new things. Seeing her discover her hands and feet. Placing her in front to the mirror to hang out with her "best friend". Reading to her. Everything about this little human warms my heart.

I knew I would love her. I knew she would mean the world to me. I knew that she would change our lives, but never did I realize that my heart could literally survive outside of my body. I never knew the love that I could have for such a tiny-little-thing.

My hope for her is that she never goes a day without feeling loved by her father and I. No matter what decisions she makes. No matter how rough her teenage years get. No matter how long she dates that boyfriend we both don't approve of. 

I always want her to know she is loved. 

Love on your babies today.  

Blog Lovin

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Our Weekend

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family.

Love on your family today.

Distance

For those of you who don't know, my brother plays baseball for the San Diego Padres. Right now his family lives in Tuscon AZ. This isn't the first time that my brother has lived far away. Ever since high school he is has been gone. Playing that ball.

I will have to admit something though. Usually I miss the Hefner's, but this season seems like it is lasting for-e-ver. This season it seems like a-big-chunk-of-my-heart is in Arizona.

I don't know if it is the tan-little-boy that has changed everything. I don't know if it is his daddy being gone for so long has just caught up with me. I don't know if it is that Sarah and I have grown extremely close over the past few months.

All I know is that: distance is making this heart grow fonder.

This weekend I got to watch my nephew go down a water slide, hang-out with my sister-n-law, spend time with my mom & daddy-o, and love on Mr. Armstrong. It was perfect.

Cherish every second today.

*Tomorrow I will have all of the a-dor-a-ble pictures from this weekend! Come back and check-it-out!

Excited

Today I get to see two of my favorite people: Aunt Sarah and Mr. Jacer. This weekend is going to be a blast!

I will be back Monday morning to share all of the details and wonderful pictures of our little weekend-get-a-way to Grams and Gramps house!

Over-&-Out.

Trash

Yesterday this sense of being in a dungeon came over me. Our house is a mess. Not the "house" that you see when you walk in, but the house that is hidden inside the cabinets, behind doors, and the areas guests don't go too.

I get to a breaking point where I grab a big-black-trash-bag and throw everything away. So, for the past two hours I have been slaving away in the sparebedroom the-room-that-collects-everything.

My trash bag is too heavy for me to carry to the curb for trash day.

I don't understand how I can be so selfish.

My craft bins can barley close. I have more projects than I can count from school. Cards from our wedding day. More fabric than I have time to sew. Just Stuff.

Piles of Stuff. I need to get more organized.

Grab a trash-bag today.

Relief

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If the temperature outside would freeze right this second: today would absolutely be a beautiful summer day. 93 degrees with a nice breeze. Perfect.

Instead the temperature is only going to rise until we top off at 105 today. Awesome.

My heart goes out to every single person that has to endure this heat everyday. My-handsome-husband being one of them. I couldn't imagine being out in it other than walking to the mailbox or into Walmart. How selfish am I? 

Find a pool, enjoy a cold drink, turn that fan up.  

Get some relief today.

Weekend Love

Sunday afternoon we took a few pictures. I love them.

Pretty-much all weekend we just spent time loving on each other, watching movies, eating ice cream, and spending time as a family of 3.

Also, Brandon and I went on a date Saturday night. Just the two of us. We held hands and found a few things to talk about other than changing diapers, teething, being sleep deprived, and our princess. It was so nice to love on each other for a few hours.

Sometimes I feel like my life is so simple-and-sweet.

I love this.

Enjoy the simple things in your life today.



Two Month Update: Mission-Get-My-Body-Back

Yesterday was July 17th, do you know what that means? Well, it means it has been two-whole-months since I started my mission-get-my-body-back 6 weeks after Alivia Nicole was born. That morning I stepped on the scale weighing one-hundred-and-69 pounds. That morning change began.

A lot of progress has been made in the last month. A lot of life-style-changes have been made in the last month. A lot of sweat and hard work happened in the last month.

Starting the month out I had a ten-day-plateau. Ten days of no progress on the scale. Ten days of hard work and no results. I was so upset with myself and I didn't understand why or how I could be working out so much and still not seeing that number get any lower. The truth is people: I wasn't eating enough. I was only consuming 1200 calories a day, and my body was going into starvation mode. It was holding on to all of that fat. The fat I wanted to lose.

After ten days of torture and bumping up my calories to 1500 a day. It happened. Slowly. That number starting decreasing and our mileage starting increasing. At the end of last month I ran my first post-baby-5k. Saturday I ran 7 miles straight under one-hour-and-20-minutes blowing my goal time out of the water.

My breakfast routine has changed too. Instead of my usual smoothie I am now having: 2 scrambled eggs, 1/2 whole wheat english muffin with 1tbs peanut butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon, and an apple. This breakfast is full of protein and fiber and boosts my metabolism for the rest of the day! I have started feeling much fuller and that makes for a happier-momma-bear.

Something I have to remind myself everyday is that I am not on a diet. Diets don't last.

What I am doing is making lifestyle changes. It is not realistic to never eat ice cream or eat whatever I want on a date with my husband. I'll be honest. I have had ice cream twice this weekend. I also have had sesame chicken and a chocolate covered strawberry from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory that changed-my-life it was so good.

Dates happen, ice cream happens, snacks happen, but I know that I can live the rest of my life with moderation. I can't live with depriving myself.

My workout program has been about the same. I run 4 times a week. Saturday is my long runs (This week we are running 8 miles)! I have one off day: Wednesday. I usually enjoy a walk with my baby girl and at the most a Yoga session. I have two-days of cross training. Sunday and Tuesday. This past week I have started a revised version of P90X. I rearranged the workouts to meet my lifestyle. Doing 30-40 minutes of the videos a day. I not only want to be healthy, I want to be strong. I have also added in a 30 minute Zumba session to the mix. Monday night with the ladies. 3 words can describe it: So-much-fun! I love trying to get my hips to shake and move my feet at the same time.... so far no luck!

On May 17th I stepped on the scale: 169lbs. June 17th I stepped on the scale 9 lbs lighter: 160lb. And after one-month of hard work yesterday morning (July 17th) I stepped on the scale weighing in at 155lb.

Another 5 pounds gone.

14 pounds down, 20 pounds left.

135: Here I come.

Make a life style change today.

Battle

My run this morning was a battle.

You might think I am crazy, but this week I started something new. Wednesday I set down and planned out my workout program for the next 3 months, yes that's right: For the next 3 months I will be doing P90X along with my running.

Wednesday was Day One and let me tell ya, I-am-one-sore-Momma!

I am ready though. I am ready to get out of the 150's, ready to feel good, ready to be healthy, and ready to be strong.

However, this morning I wasn't quite ready to push a stroller with my chunky-monkey in it for 4 miles with sore shoulders and abs. It was a battle the whole way, but so worth it.

7 miler tomorrow. 

Fight the battle today.

*Sunday is my mission-get-my-body-back 2 month weigh-in! I will post my update blog Monday morning! Make sure to come check it out!

What I Want.

Last night Mr. Armstrong, Liv, and I laid on the floor in a pink room and read books. It was beautiful.

We read about Daddy Bears, Nursery Rhymes, and Loving our baby girl through every season of the year. Alivia did great. Just laying in between us looking at the colorful pictures. I want more of this.

Last night Mr. Armstrong and I ate Taco Pita Pizzas. There is only one word to explain them: A-MA-zing.

We took whole wheat pitas and topped them with: salsa, taco seasoned turkey meat, taco rice, corn, black beans, and cheese. They were super easy to make, and so yummy. I want to enjoy their goodness at least once a week from now until eternity.

Last night after taking an evening bath, and keeping Alivia up a little later than usual (trying to get a good night sleep out of her) we laid our little princess down to sleep. She looks so peaceful sleeping.

Two hours later we were up, then two hours after that, and two hours after that. I don't know if she thought she was missing out on something super-cool, but she didn't want to sleep. So, after moving to the living room so Papa Bear could get a decent night sleep she crashed in her swing until 7:00AM. I want more sleep BUT  I wouldn't trade snuggling with my angel for anything.

What do you want today?

As a New Mom

As a new mom I struggle with a lot of thoughts during the day. I know with changing every diaper, washing poop out of every onsie, hours spent on the couch feeding my princess, singing, storybook reading, and cuddling is well spent. BUT I also struggle with thoughts.

I struggle with the clean laundry still sitting in the living room for the 3rd day in a row. I struggle with the dirty dishes in the sink, the numerous amounts of shoes I keep stubbing my toes on throughout the house, and the fact I haven't washed my hair in 2 days.

When Brandon tells me he is headed home I get busy.. Trying to entertain while unloading the dishwasher, straightening the couch cushions, and throwing away the pile of diapers that have collected on the floor throughout the day.

I don't want Brandon to think that I sat on the couch all day napping with my baby girl (even though some days I do just that). I know that pouring love onto Alivia is what I need to do right now. I know that I am accomplishing a lot when I do get that shower. I know that my day is full of love and fun, but I my thoughts take over, and I feel useless some days.

I am a new mom that will not let those thoughts control me. I will keep loving, keep changing diapers, keep singing, keep being a mom. Dirty hair and all.

Think positive thoughts today.

Moments

I have a 3 month old baby girl who has been talking to herself non-stop for the past 3 days. We have officially found our voice.

I have a 3 month old baby girl who is trying her hardest to roll over. She gets so mad when she can't figure it out.

I have a 3 month old baby girl who is starting to love baths, and riding in her stroller.

I have a 3 month old baby girl who is chewing on her hands like crazy. Could we be teething? I like so!

I have a 3 month old baby girl who I left last night for the second time with her daddy. Momma went to Zumba class and surprisingly had a blast. Dad on the other hand had a cranky, tired 3 month old baby girl on his hands!

It is so hard to believe that Alivia Nicole is 3 months old, and quickly approaching 4 months. I am just treasuring every second, every snuggle, every coo, and every smile. She is growing so fast.

Treasure every moment today.

Letter to the Mr. {two}

Dear Mr. Armstrong: sometimes when you look at me just right I get butterflies in my stomach and goose bumps just like I did 3 years ago when we first started dating. sometimes when I think about the things we accomplished in 2 years of marriage I get a little teary eyed.

sometimes when you nap on the couch with our baby girl I can sneak in a take pictures of you before heading to the bedroom to take the best-nap-of-my-life. that picture will always be engraved in my mind.

sometimes when we crawl into to bed at 8:00 o'clock I think we are getting old, but mostly I enjoy snuggling for a few minutes before falling sleep. even if it is before the sun goes down.

sometimes Alivia and I are so excited to see you at the end of the day we wait on the front porch until we see your-big-box-truck come around the corner. we can't wait to get our arms around you. sometimes when I make your lunch I poor so-much-love-into-it, and hope that it tastes-even-better-and-is-even-more-filling than the day before.

sometimes when I say something stupid, I blush, but then I remember you married me for better and for worse and I laugh at myself and move on. (Babe, what's an ARC?) sometimes after I clean the house or fix my hair you notice and it makes my day. please keep noticing.

sometimes I don't understand how we fell in love, got married, and had a baby all within 3 years, and sometimes I dream about how much more in love we will be and how many more babies we have together. hope that is okay.

xoxo

Sweet Pea

Write a letter today.

Must Read

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Sometimes my daily posts are inspired by something else I have read online, today I read something that I couldn't have said better myself. So, if you are a wife or mom, or if you want to be a wife or mom you need to click on the link below:

http://www.thewiegands.com/2011/07/hot-mamas.html

Pursue your husband today.

Days Like These

There are days like yesterday when laying on the floor with my baby girl is way more important than writing a blog: I am soaking up every second I can!

There are days like yesterday when the pile of laundry become more important than writing a blog.

There are days like today when eating lunch on the couch, watching Sift Justice, and snuggling with my husband is more important than writing a blog.

My blog has been on the back burner this week, but don't worry: we aren't going anywhere!

Enjoy the little things today.

July Goals

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The month of July is going to be full of failures and successes just like every month in the year. The month of July is going to be full of hard work and sweat. The month of July is going to be full of hot days and mosquito bites. The month of July will be great.


This weekend I spent some time coming up with some goals for the month of July. Here area few:

One. Complete Sarah’s water challenge.

Two. Run 8 miles straight by July 31st.

Three. Track my calorie count on myfitnesspal every day.

Four. Weight in the 140's by August 1st.

I am going to have to work hard this month to keep going on my journey. I don’t plan on giving up or quiting anytime soon.

Set goals today.

4th and 3 Months

Alivia Nicole Armstrong

July 4, 2011

3 Months Old Today.

The Armstrong's want to wish you a Happy 4th of July!

Enjoy your holiday today.