My Healthy Take Chimi's

On any given day, no matter where I am in the world, chances are I'm craving Mexican food. Sorry, JR...blame it on my youth. Growing up in a family with 10 kids, you learn to love beans and rice. And oh, do I ever! I have said more than once in my life that I could eat a variation of beans and rice at least once a day. I think it's true.

A few weeks ago I came across a recipe of the Mexican persuasion that I loved (naturally adding my own twist as I am prone to do...) See what you think!

Chimi's

1 lb lean ground meat (I used hamburger because we eat a lot of ground turkey, but turkey or chicken would work too)

Garlic salt, onion powder and cumin to taste (sorry, this is how I cook!)

1 small onion

1 can green chilies

1 1/2 C. salsa

Cheese (I use 2% sharp cheddar cheese. Less calories and sharp cheddar gives you that cheese flavor without having to use much)

Tortillas (low carb, whole wheat, whatever you like. I used extra large flour...oops)

Egg whites

Brown meat with onion and chilies. Mix in salsa and let simmer for 5 minutes. Warm up each tortilla and sprinkle with cheese, add meat mixture. Roll each tortilla, tucking the ends. Brush with egg whites (this will make them crispy) and cook at 325 for 15-25 minutes or...until crispy!

VARIATION(S): add any (or all!) of the following to the meat mixture: corn, olives, rice, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, spinach, shredded carrots

I served these delicious little pockets with beans and rice (obviously), and some avocado verde from wholly guacamole. That verde is the bees knees. I put it on everything!

Three

[February 17th 2015] (Good heavens, this is embarrassing. I never published this post! Happy reading...8 months late!)

Three years. 1,095 days. Three whole years. Three years of wearing his ring and sharing his name. One thousand(+) days of being married, and I still feel like I won the marriage lottery. He is my very best friend and the perfect teammate.  I'm so lucky we're stuck together for all of eternity.

Our first date, I think (so sue me, I'm like the worst at sentimental. I always forget to remember the good stuff. First kiss? No recollection of the actual date. First "I love you"? Ummm... pass. Thank goodness JR is equally as forgetful.) was putting up Christmas for my Grandma and watching Christmas movies with her afterward. And then as we watched something brimming till bursting with Christmas cheer, I remember him being very concerned about my feet staying warm. I love that about him.

We make a pretty great team. We have the same goals and big dreams, and we are always on the same page. One of us is sometimes a paragraph ahead or behind, but it doesn't take long to get right back in sync. And if the page thing is ever too far off, we can always, always find a way to figure it out. That is something else I love about JR. He is the best at processing situations and finding solutions. And our relationship is his very top priority every time.

Happy Anniversary, JR Sandoval! My goodness I love you!

The First Year

One whole three-hundred-sixty-five-day-year. One year for Michael means six teeth, 9-month shorts cause he's too skinny for his real size, baby signing "please", "milk", "more", "all done", "food", and folding his arms for prayers all day long. He, at one point or another in his one-year existence, has said; "mom", "dad", "Ted", "Nan-nan" (Karen), "Pa" (grandpa), "Na-na" (grandma), "Bah" (ball, bum, book, bye, a number of "B" words, really), "bye-bye", "hi", and "hello".

He loves talking on the phone, reading books, trucks, brushes, his shoes, the pool, going on walks, helping dad take Ted out, everything about dad, being chased, hiding, walking, Ted, Maelyn and Tylie.

His favorite food is green beans and he loves strawberries and oranges. He is still mostly bald, although it's more of a patchy mullet these days. The "party in the back" tends to curl -sometimes- and it's pretty adorable. His lips are still to die for.

Michael Blake (little Migalito, as his father calls him) is a busy boy. He's curious and gets himself stuck a lot.

We don't have a lot of trouble with nap time or bedtime. He is a great sleeper and isn't too picky about what he'll eat. Michael is a joy to have in our home. His laugh is the greatest, and I think he gives the very best open-mouthed kisses in the whole wide world. I love his cuddles and it is so much fun to watch him try to communicate. Teaching him about the world and being able to witness him discover life is genuinely priceless.

Here's a year in pictures...

Summer Highlights in 52 Seconds

Oh blogging, there you are my faithful friend. Strong. Steady. Not to mention a constant reminder that I am failing to document important life events. Maybe I'm not a summer blogger...? Not for lack of topics or events, mind you. That excuse has a lot more to do with long summer nights, camping, BBQs and pool time, holidays and lots of time loving our friends and family. Summer has been good to us this year!

This blog will always be my own special space for many reasons, but you'll have to cut me some slack for the absence lately and allow me to recommit myself to regular updates, even if we're all rolling our eyes and thinking; "yeah, okay. That's gonna happen." Just humor me, mmmkay?

So...yes. Summer. This summer Michael's wife was born. So there's that. We have been good friends with the Larsens for a long time (going way back to when Linds and I were single college grads getting jobs that gave us insurance and tasting the freedom of not having homework every night). Matt and Lindsay had their first little baby in June, a girl named Olivia Renee (Lindsay and I share her middle name, although they both spell it wrong). She is just the sweetest, and Michael thinks so too. The first time Michael visited Livy-loo was also the first time he signed "please" all on his own. Every time he would get close enough to see her little face when I was holding her, he would jabber in a high-pitched voice and sign "please." Melt my mama heart. Okay, I consent. Someday you can leave home to marry Liv.

And then we spent a day celebrating our country's freedom Lewiston-style. Lewiston is basically in Idaho, so naturally we left at 5 AM to make it in time for the parade. It was a blast. I have never seen so much candy in one 90 minute block of time. The streets were straight up Candy Land. We love that little tiny town and all the charm of their very own Fatboy Ice cream factory. Michael was super adorable walking all over (oh yeah, he walks. yep, missed that milestone on the ol' blog) in his flag shorts. Although, the first few steps he took in Lewiston landed him face-first in the parking lot so he sported his very own firework on his little noggin all weekend. Poor little dude. He was a really good sport. Loved all the "vroom vroom"s in the parade. To be clear, that can be tractors, motorcycles, cars, helicopters, lawnmowers, on occasion the washer...anything with a motor. Stops him dead every time. It's like he's a boy or something.

We spent a few days in July at Bear Lake. We always have a great time and JR usually gets hurt. This year he was being too tough on a tube and ended up doing some damage to his spinal cord. Everything is good now, but it was scary! He's almost back to full range of motion and the pain is pretty much gone. Now the only reminder of the incident is Michael wearing the neck brace as a Russian hat. It's like his favorite thing.

I'm a little ashamed to say that our first camping trip of the summer was not until the weekend of the 24th. Well, we sort of camped at Bear Lake, but trees and camp fires and multiple tents? The 24th. How did we wait so long?! Almost my whole family made it for the night (we missed you, Hughes!) The cousins were having the time of their lives in the dirt. The first order of business for Michael once he ditched the car seat was a "snow" angel, face-first in the dirt. He also kept laying down to suck on big rocks. Again, face first in the dirt. There was really nothing I could do to stop him. Good thing we had multiple bulk packages of baby wipes.

We celebrated a lot of baby birthdays this summer. It's official. My baby is 1. I am a little bit sad about how big he is, but honestly he is SO much fun that it just doesn't make sense to stay very sad about it. Michael had a pirate party with lots of fun water games. JR, with a broken neck, made the babies a water blob. Look it up. You're welcome. We had baby pools, a treasure hunt, and of course a sprinkler under the trampoline. It was great fun. I think this topic deserves a sappy post all on its own, so look forward to that. (Stop rolling your eyes, I'm gonna write it!!)

This summer we also said goodbye to our best Larsen friends. Matt is starting graduate school (CONGRATULATIONS!) this fall, so Illinois got pretty lucky. I am literally so proud of them and all their big dreams. But I miss them like crazy every single day. I told Linds the other day that I pretended we invited them over for dinner and games but they already had plans and couldn't come. Then I scolded her for making plans when we could have been playing cards and eating roast. I guess I'll have to pretend for a few more Sundays. Sorry Linds. Maybe just try to play along...

I was at the craft store the other day and smelled a hint of cinnamon. Not to mention they had their fall leaves and the most adorable pumpkins set up in perfectly excitable displays. I squelched any hint of anticipation for fall because I just need a few more good weeks of pool time and bare feet, but wagon rides and haystacks and cider and pumpkins are getting me a tinsy bit excited after all. And if we're really being honest, fall boast the comfiest wardrobe by a long shot.

Cheers to a fantastic summer so far, and hopefully a few more good weeks of sunshine and pool time!

Driving the Island

Republica Dominica was good to us. We brought back a lot of memories, a new appreciation for our life and all the conveniences that come with it, a goal to slow down and enjoy, and lots of scars from chigger bites. One of us also may have returned to the Land of the Free with a death wish in the driver's seat. "But JR, in America try to remember we actually have to obey traffic laws."

On that note, my favorite quote of the whole trip will forever be; "Driving in the DR is just like a video game! If we crash we just get a new life." Pretty sure that's not how it works. Jimmy and JR both drove the rental cars all over the island. There were walkie talkies involved, so that made it even more exciting. The commentary was outrageous.

Driving on that island is unlike anything I've ever experienced. Speed limits and traffic signals and basic traffic considerations (including the direction you choose to drive) are not really a thing. Let me clarify, all those things actually exist, but no one actually cares. Including law enforcement. Horns are used to alert others that you are about to violate basic traffic laws. "I'm about to run this red light, so I better honk about it." In JR's case, "I'm going to pass you on the right shoulder of the highway. Beep, beep." The funny thing is, driving isn't hostile like it can be in the states. Horns are used to alert and everyone drives the way they want, no judgement, no worries. I guess it could be considered calming when you are the one deciding the speed, direction and style of driving all on your own.

My favorite experience was actually on my trip back to the airport. My mom was driving and as we started up the on ramp to the highway, a large dump truck was coming toward us exiting the highway down the on ramp. (I'm not exactly sure how he actually ended up on the ramp in the first place, because that whole side of the highway is definitely going the opposite direction.) I turned to my mom and, in a panic, asked; "what is he doing?!" Her response? "I guess he really needed to get to something over here." She wasn't even phased. Just politely passed the large, charging truck on the shoulder and continued on our way.

Something that makes driving even crazier is an abundance of scooters. 96% of all scooters are taped and twined together with mismatched parts, blowing so much smoke and exhaust that they look like traveling volcanoes. 94% of these smoking scooters have a giant tank of propane strapped to the back. Safe. (Most appliances run on propane, and scooters are the main mode of transportation. Adds up, right?) The craziest scooter cargo we saw was a washer. A literal washer strapped to a man's back as he drove his scooter on the shoulder of the highway.

My mom commented on the small children being very well behaved in the Dominican Republic. They must learn this at a very young age from riding scooters. Mom says they have to behave because naughty children (the squirmy ones) would squirm right off their scooter!

How to Plan For Baby Travels: Airports and Airplanes

Michael was such a fun addition to our trip to the Dominican Republic. He was good natured, with the exception of a general dislike for the heat. It made him a bit cranky and he didn't eat as much while we were there, but overall I'm so glad we had the chance to travel with him.

The Gang in SLC getting ready to leave

Once we actually got to our destination my parents and siblings took over and loved my baby through every feeding and nap and diaper change. I didn't mom very much as we hung out on beaches and haggled with hilarious vendors. It was so fun to see them all interact, and I'm glad we had a whole week to just hang out. Because my experience was a little bit different than probably most, the focus of this post is "getting there." On this trip we traveled through 3 airports, on 4 planes and had 2 layovers. So you get "what I learned about the airport with a baby" talk today. It was a lot so I'll try to be concise. (buckle up, because that's unlikely)

Passports
I can't talk about this for very long because first, I'm already getting the anger/anxiety sweats and also, getting passports is literally a (very stressful) post in itself. A post that involves little treasures like; I got peed on, breaking into an abandoned safe, government misinformation, no record of Michael being born and more. *breathe* All I can say about this is: the government will not take pictures of your child if they are under the age of 5. Trust me, just make the Costco stop for passport photos. I can't talk about this anymore. Seriously, just thinking about it is giving me carpal tunnel.

TSA Precheck
So, I knew this was a thing but I unfortunately don't have a clue how I lucked out. Our neighbor recently flew to Asia and applied for pre-check prior to his trip. I have never applied for anything, and thought until recently that I was lucky because I was traveling with a baby. Then I flew to Tennessee a few weeks ago and had the same luck so who knows?! I guess I'm non threatening in airports.

Sorry, lousy introduction for that little tip, but basically TSA pre-check is a lifesaver with a baby. You get a much shorter line, KEEP YOUR SHOES ON, and in a few checks I didn't have any liquid limitations.

Liquid Requirements
Liquid limitations are much more lenient with a babe. Juice, sippy cups, breast milk, (I took a thermos of hot water for Michael's bottles), medications; all excused from the .000003 oz. they usually allow. Obviously it's not .000003 oz. but doesn't it really feel like that sometimes?! If you have questions about what is allowed specifically, our international airport had a very detailed TSA recording specifically about children and liquid allowances. I just called the airport TSA number and menued to the info.

Baby Ears
Okay, so before our trip everyone kept telling me, "make sure you have a bottle or nurse during take off and landing." Great advice. But Michael wouldn't drink anything! I ended up feeding him little snacks and that worked just fine. However, I chose not to wake him up during the landing or the takeoff if he was already snoozing. In fact, he did just fine on the way home with no food or liquid at all during one of our flights. I would definitely have something ready and on hand, but don't stress this too much.

Medicine
I was 1000% okay with using medicinal means to get Michael to snooze while we traveled. I used Benadryl and Melatonin. The Benadryl was nice because it helped with his ear ache as well. Let's just say it worked...

I actually only gave him medicine when we were about to board a flight, and he still did really well for naps all week in the car and stroller just because we were moving around. He would typically fall asleep on a drive to wherever we were going and then stay asleep in the car seat wherever we took it. I'm sure the beach breeze helped!

Strollers & Car Seats
In case you were wondering (and please don't ask how I know this), airlines exclude strollers from property damage claims. Every gate-checker must know this and purposely (perhaps gleefully) smash your stroller into every surface on the way from the gate to wherever it is those things end up. Just a heads up.

I would bring a stroller. Everyday I would make it happen. But get one of those sweet $19 umbrella strollers or a bullet-proof case for any other kind.

I didn't have any issues checking my car seat, but I can't decide if I would do it again. You can ask at the gate, and if there is an empty seat the airline is really good about allowing you to take your car seat on board (even if you didn't pay for the extra seat). This only happened once for us, but it was the red eye so, yay! Again, I don't know if it was worth carrying it everywhere afterwards. I might consider renting a seat with the car next time. From the little research I did, the car seat rental came to about $15/day.

Baby Bottles
Michael hasn't nursed since he was around 5 months old, but stick a bottle in his mouth and he's a happy guy. He tends to take his bottle much better when it's warm, and that can be a bit of a chore when traveling. Also, airport bathroom water made me nervous. I don't know why. Solution: I bought a 16 oz thermos on Amazon and filled it with really hot water. It stayed hot for over 16 hours and lasted the whole travel time. Score! (I would just fill his bottles half full with cold water from my own bottle). At first my plan was to have the stewardess help me with the water sitch, but having it on hand at all times was a lot less stressful.

Wiggles
Michael had a double ear infection on the way to the DR, so he wasn't very social. He just wanted mamma cuddles and lots of Tylenol, which was fine with me!! On the way home I was all by myself. I took my time EVERYWHERE--customs, security, checking and re-checking baggage. I really focused on not rushing anything and the trip was actually great.

If you have ever met my babe you know he's a mover. He's super active and has lots of energy. I found a spot in the airport during our layover on the way home that I blocked off on all sides and just let him play. I cringed at all the germs he was no doubt collecting on every inch of his body, but he actually lived. So, yay! He needed to get some wiggles out, and it was good for him to get out of the stroller. Be okay with germs. Just let it happen.

Help!
Especially on the trip home, I found myself almost in tears more than once as I accepted people's help and kindness. One time I was in the bathroom washing hands and the stroller got caught on a bunch of soap tubes and water pipes under the sink that made it literally tip over. Backwards. Meanwhile, Michael is strapped in staring at the ceiling with this look that said; "seriously, mom?" I had bags everywhere, a car seat, wet hands... A nice lady helped and my thank you couldn't do her kindness the justice it deserved.

At the gate of our second flight I again had bags everywhere, a car seat, and I somehow had to manage situating it all to one hand to break down my stroller with one hand. It seemed real hard. I didn't rush myself, told myself everyone could wait an extra 45 seconds, but that didn't give me an extra hand to work with. The sweetest lady offered to hold Michael while I folded my stroller. She was in tears because she had just left her grand babies. All that sweetness and I hit her (hard) in the leg with my stroller as she held my baby. All the thank you's and sorry's didn't, couldn't cover it.

People are willing to help. Don't try to do it alone!

All said and done, it was a great trip. The travel was totally doable and I can't wait to go again!!

Well Look at Those Milestones!

The majority of my life lately has been lived out of a bag by the side of my bed. The bed I am referring to has included a too small, back breaking bed in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, a fluffy king-sized bed in San Francisco and most recently, double queens just for me in Nashville, Tennessee. My own bed has made an appearance as well, but said bag has remained right there beside it.

So now I'm sufficiently rested and adjusted to my own time zone, the bag is finally unpacked and we are completely loving all the cherished new memories the last 6 weeks have accumulated. So don't be too mad. Give me a minute or 13 and I'll update you on a few milestones at our house. (More on all our travels coming soon!)

1. Michael has two teeth! I didn't know if we'd ever actually meet her, but that little tooth fairy is bound to make an appearance sometime in the next 6 years. (That is, if nature flows it's course and the teeth we've been waiting for actually fall out like they're supposed to).

2. I hit 20 lb postpartum weight loss! Whew. I'm pretty proud of myself and truthfully I wanted to celebrate with chocolate cake. I didn't, just for the record.

I still have a ways to go, but I'm so happy with my progress. JR and I are starting another 24 Day Challenge on Monday and I'm incredibly excited to roundhouse kick this one in the face. The biggest surprise and the most motivating factor on this journey are one and the same. I didn't know my body was capable of the changes it has been making. I feel like my whole life I have had the same pear-shaped body. Weight loss in the past meant a smaller pear. This time around, my body is changing. The weight isn't just coming off, it's shifting. Is that weird? My body composition. It's different and it's crazy. Crazy motivating!

3. JR started a new job! He's still with the same company, but they have given him a lot more slash different responsibilities and he's been a champ as he has had to sift through all the change. JR is a born leader, and I can't help but be completely amazed as I watch him juggle so much. Guys. He's good at it.

4. We're done with another semester of school!!!!!! (!!!) I say we, and I mean it. JR did most of the work with the skills of a ninja, but there were a few late nights of trade offs that looked suspiciously like Mandy writing JR's papers while JR gave Mandy back rubs. The back rubs were never abused, I swear. That last paragraph always needs a minimum of 20 minutes to account for editing and grammatical correctness.

Overall, the Sandovals are doing really well. We're excited for summer and really itching for our first camping trip. We're feeling extremely blessed for opportunities to see new parts of the world and travel together. We are working hard and finding every excuse to play. Life is goooooood!

Tattoos: The Real Kind

I guess it's time to talk about my tats. So, okay.

If you know anything about me, you know I have a lot to say about eyebrows. And also that I am obsessed (I use that term loosely, because. Just read on) with eyebrow watching. Some people like to people watch, I check out all the eyebrows. Don't get all self conscious, my goodness. It's not something I'm critical about, but it does pique my interest. And not in the I-can't-stop-staring-at-your-eyebrows creepy kind of way, just a quick glance and I'm good. K? K. Well now this sounds like a fetish. I just notice eyebrows. That's it. End of story.

Next!

So anyway. Awhile ago I started filling my brows using lots of different brushes, pencils, colors, techniques, etc. I perfected my personal preference for brow filling, and it became a staple in my makeup routine. But it was never really perfect. Some days I had to take off complete eye makeup to redo my brow, the color always showed brassy in pictures, it took time to fill, I could sweat or rub or itch them off (how embarrassing), a million first-world problems, right? I finally decided to try permanent makeup.

Well, it sounded fun. But then it was actually really scary. If you're wondering why, it's because suddenly your eyebrows are permanently darker. I did a lot of research and found a gal that I was, like .001% less scared to have tattooing my face.

She started by talking shape, and measuring every angle and the length my brow should be. I was particularly nervous about the inside starting point of my brow. I didn't want a harsh line screaming "Hi! I'm a tattoo, and therefore fake and also permanent!" She helped calm my line anxiety by starting lighter on the beginning edge and filling darker under the natural hair of the brow. I approve of that technique. But because it was something I was so nervous about, she actually ended up taking me out on the floor to one of her past clients (one of the hairdressers) and showing me specifically what it would look like. Clap, Clap for Erin Kump. You are a star!

She also lined my brow first to show me the shape and look I could expect. Once I gave the okay she went to work. The numbing gel is applied with the tattoo, so the first little bit I may have had tears a'streamin'. About the time she finished up I wanted claw my eyeballs out from all the poking, but otherwise it was pretty painless.

Over the next week I had to apply gel and keep my brows all schlicked up. I couldn't get them wet at all and the itching by day three was enough to drive even Mahatma Gandhi completely insane. All in the name of beauty! After about a week the scabs started to come off and the color seemed fairly faint. It darkened over the next six weeks, and then it was time for a touch up! Annnnnnd...repeat.

I seriously love having darker brows without putting them there every morning. It saves me time and I feel more comfortable having great color and consistency.

JR loves them too, but the tats gave us a good laugh the other day. I was talking to him about our YW, and how I thought it would be fun to get one of my cosmetology gal pals to come give us a few tips on hair and make up. (The girls have Prom coming up and it's kind of a big deal these days) JR said I better not try to teach anything on makeup because I'll just tell them to get everything tattooed. Full disclosure, I probably would.

Healed

All schlicked up

24 Day Challenge: Report

Well this is awkward. I just realized I never gave a final report of my 24 Day Challenge. What the?! Well geesh. Sorry.

So here it is. On day 25 I was down 10 lbs, 11 total inches. At first I was tempted to be disappointed with my results. Like, why didn't I loose 20 lbs and end up a size 2 already? Um, check yourself, Sister Sandoval. First of all, you have never in your life been a size two, ever. I'm pretty sure I skipped that size completely. And every size in between. Pretty sure, as in I swear I went straight from a girl's size 14 to a women's size 14. Probably at age 11. Second, give yourself some credit, girl! You lost 10 lbs and 11 inches...IN 24 DAYS!

I also have a long list of non-scale victories. Long and important, and notable. On my list are things like; better sleep, more energy, punching fear in the face, squatting on the Smith (what?! because that used to terrify me), better control of PP depression, maybe I don't have cankles or they are much smaller at least, pretty major, right?! Also, JR and his workout buddy commented on my killer form while lifting the other day. Can we talk about non-scale victories fo'minnnit? Yass!

I'm trying hard everyday to remember that:

1. I made a promise to myself. 30 is going to be my healthiest year yet.
2. I am not defined by a number. My success is not determined by a number. I am not doing this for a number.

Maintaining consistency after the challenge and those two things, repeated over and over...and over have really helped me stick to my goals. I'm telling you it's not easy. Remember that number that doesn't define me? You better believe it didn't budge for almost exactly one solid month following the challenge. I focused on clean eating, exercising at least 4 times a week, and staying positive. I also added a BCAA supplement and a thermogenic to my day and started counting macros (and you thought counting calories was hard...because how does anyone consume this much protein?!).

Just last week, and not a day sooner, that stubborn number started to move. Goodbye to 6 more lbs. I know, I know, the number doesn't matter. But I'll tell you something, it sure is validating to see that confounded thing drop! (insert red-faced emoji with smoke boiling out the ears/nose)

So, unfortunately there's no magic pill. The process is long, it's tough and the number doesn't reward you nearly as often as it would take to make it motivating. I used to think I had enough excuses to exempt me from everything but minimal self improvement. "Keep walking, I'm just doing the minimum to exist here." The truth is, even with a full time job, a baby, church callings, a husband in school and all the feels of postpartum depression, my excuses were no bigger than excuses anyone else could come up with. Including people who are putting in work.

So find your why. It's gotta be a big one. You have to trust yourself. Most importantly, get out of your own way and do some work.

Failed. Again.

Don't ever think that there will be a shortage of stories about how I failed as a mother. Okay? Okay. This week it started in the bathtub...

Michael gets trapped in the bathtub whenever I'm getting ready. Throw in a fluffy blanket and all the stuffed animals. Ta-dah. Captured baby in what he thinks is a really big bowl full of toys. Mom win.

Recently he's become a lot more mobile. He's squirrel-y and monkey-ish in zoo terms. He. Is. Busy. Busy in this case meant grabbing mom's razor off the side of the tub (duh, mom!) and cutting all his baby fingers. None of the cuts were deep enough for him to even cry, but one in particular wouldn't stop bleeding. Like, do we have arteries in our fingers? Cause I'm pretty sure he nicked one of those. 

I put a tiny little band-aid on his tiny little finger. Sucked it right off. Again, bleeding artery. Everywhere. So I got the medical tape and distracted him with the container of wipes while I wrapped his tiny little phalange no less than 7 times. Literally. Well, if we're actually being literal it was probably more like 12. It totally worked.

Later that night at dinner he sat *quietly* (it wasn't really all that quiet, but he was a good boy despite all the activity) beside me in his highchair as I fed him pieces of sweet potato. We were having a great time until the medical tape was suddenly missing. I couldn't find it anywhere. It was gone.

Well, I found it exactly 24 hours later. All 12 wraps worth. And if you want the honest to goodness truth, I bet it was more like 19 wraps. Or however much it takes to fill up a diaper with 18 inches of medical tape...

Immeasurable Happiness

I had a moment of content, complete and perfect happiness the other night. I've been keeping it tucked away to myself for a few weeks, but I want to read about it someday when I'm old and failing so you all get to look in on my moment too.

We were driving home on a Friday night, Michael in the back seat. The weather was getting warmer, it wasn't too late. The Jeep was parked in the driveway, so we pulled JR's car all the way into the garage diagonally and somehow created our own dance party. It wasn't one of those crazy wild dance parties where you want to stomp through the floor and express yourself to the bass that feels like it's making your heart beat. It was more of a dance party your grandma would enjoy. You dance with your partner as an expression of love, and you sing along to all the words.

JR and I danced, Michael thought he was singing along, and then JR took Michael swirling around trashcans and barbecues and scattered shoes. As my boys swayed and sang, I snapped a few pictures. And in that moment, I knew this was the best kind of night. The most perfect kind of love and our own flawless piece of heaven.

Jacked UP

I'm jacked up sideways (as my friend Chelsa Christensen would say) and I haven't even consumed caffeine today. I'm seriously so excited about moving, and doing, and the success we've already seen. So we're not wildly rich, swimming through piles of gold coins (think Scrooge McDuck) but guys, in my own small way I am taking life into my own hands. Living intentionally, taking control. It's totally a thing, and I'm doing it.

On Wednesday I complete my 24 Day Challenge. I cheated and checked the scale this weekend. I'm down 10 lbs and shattered my 6 1/2 month weight plateau (< that's a really hard word to spell). That felt in. credible. Not joking, nothing I did moved the scale. Eat like garbage for weeks? Same number on the scale. Clean eating and more active? SAME. NUMBER. The weight alone is incredible, but I can't wait to take measurements and my after pictures. It's only been 21 days, but this system works and it's completely changed my life. 

21 days into the challenge. Someday, this will be my "before" picture

It sounds cheesy and I probably was rolling my eyes as I wrote that last sentence, but here's an attempt at making it sound a little bit more sincere... 

I've been feeding an unhealthy relationship with my body for way too long. I've been letting life happen for too many years. In 21 days I have experienced structure, success, hope, and a real difference mentally, emotionally and physically. 

I've Got Structure

The 24 Day Challenge speaks soft sultry words of romance right to the heart of my type-A personality. It is structured so you have to lay in bed in a coma to fail. (My apologies to those who have been or are currently in a coma, I don't mean to offend) 

Success Gives Me Hope

Seeing noticeable improvement gets me so motivated! Our bodies will react to science. You put good into your body, your body will change for the better. Fuel with the right supplementation and your body will get stronger. Being scientific has proved successful and my body is showing me the difference. 

Emotional and Mental Improvement

Before I started the 24 Day Challenge I had just gone through a week of withdrawal from medication for postpartum depression. Essentially, quitting depression medication cold turkey (not recommended, BTW. Like seriously, don't ever do it). I was feeling pretty good as my bottle ran low, and then between figuring out I was having withdrawals (because, why is there so much dizziness that it's suddenly unsafe to drive and I now have all the fevers, and was I even this nauseous pregnant?!), arranging a refill and actually picking up the medicine, time kind of got away from me. Once I got my hands on the refill, the withdrawal symptoms had lessened, and I was feeling about 20% better than before I had started the medication in the first place. There were still noticeable lows, but I was terrified to stay medicated or to experience withdrawals ever again.

I am by no means a medical professional, but I wanted to see if I could affect my emotional health with the supplements and meal guide the 24 Day Challenge provided. Tah-freakin'-Dah. My mind is healthier, my relationship with my body is healthier, my motivation is on point. I've got goals people. Watch out. 

Physical Changes

*Stay tuned* Let's just say, I'm amazed by what I'm seeing so far.

It's not easy, but it's completely, 100% possible. It takes dedication and hard work, but for me it has absolutely made all the difference. 

24 Day Challenge: Week Two, Check.

You guys. The inches! Woah. They're falling off and it's crazy. I told JR on day four; "I think I am getting my body back!" I haven't seen it in a good solid year (or maybe 10). The melting inches are yes, very good. But even better is that I'm feeling great! I am full of energy and purpose, not to mention there is an insane amount of structure going on in ma'life right now. This girl can't help but thrive midst some good solid structure. And seriously, the sleep is unreal. You're welcome, body. I also consider it a personal victory that Husband has mentioned we are eating yummy food. Ha! Fist punch.

This year I am trying to live more intentionally. I want to make choices and decisions for progress instead of just letting life happen. Does that even make sense? I got to thinking that really, I will manage to stay alive for most of what life can throw at me (excluding those things that actually do kill you, not make you stronger). But a lived life, for me, is one that is more intentional. Not going through the motions of living, or letting life just happen, but taking control of how I live. Being proactive to change the circumstances that I'm not satisfied with. Molding and shaping my life to be more of what I want it to be instead of what it ultimately ends up being by not taking action, just letting things happen. It's a scary thought to one day be unable to recognize my life because I didn't take an active part in creating it.

I have always been passionate about good health and it just naturally fits as part of this concept of intentional living. I am tired of not feeling healthy and perpetuating a critical relationship with my body. So let's hear it for 30 and making this the healthiest year yet!

Michael Lately

This is how we wear pajamas at our house on the weekend. Also, this picture was a real struggle to capture. He was scooting top speed through waves of covers to get his little paws on the iPhone. His frantic scoots gave me 3 seconds tops to snap a picture, which, I might add, is nearly impossible when trying to focus the camera on a moving target. Whew. I was probably sweating. Also, notice papa in the background. He totally loves these weekend shenanigans.

Michael is really good at entertaining himself. Give him a basket of toys and an open room, he's happy for days. When the toys are suddenly not so interesting anymore, he hides. Do all the moms have to hunt for their babies of 6 months? I have a feeling he's going to get better at misplacing himself. 

So then he found the stairs. Already!? Uh huh. Found them and started climbing. Boy is he busy! He's naturally curious and gets very focused when using those pudgy little baby fingers to explore the world, especially when it involves food. You better believe I have a plan to exploit that food-focus with puff treats in church.

This little runt LOVES his bed. He loves singing all the songs, and he really gets a kick out of having his face tickled as he's snuggled in a pile of blankets. He's started to giggle when he hears the first few words of "tuck, tuck." I haven't figured out if it's because he loves songs or if he knows it means he gets to go to bed. Either way, it's darling. Lately, he loves talking to himself for hours before he settles enough to actually go to sleep. It's always a fun game to check on him once he actually is asleep. I mean, how did he end up over there? And where are all your clothes?

We're finding ourselves outside more often these days. I mean, 68 degree February weather, you rock. We ran the river trail last week, and discovered the stroller is maybe his favorite thing ever. For such a busy little guy, he didn't move a muscle. Seriously. Not one. Totally content to let me do all the moving. I sure love my little buddy.