Growing too fast!

WAY TOO FAST!!

This first picture was taken while we were still at the hospital....

And this one was taken 16 short weeks later!

She is growing way too fast!



Warm Spinach Dip

1 box (9 oz) Frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed and drained
1/2 cup cup refrigerated Alfredo Pasta Sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup Shredded Swiss Cheese ( I usually add extra cheese...can never have too much!)
1 loaf French Bread


Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix all ingredients except bread.
Cover, cook on low heat setting 2 to 4 hours. Serve dip with sliced bread.


***I have also cooked this on the stove top. Just cook on low setting until cheese melts and it all blends. Stir often so it won't stick***
THIS IS DELISH! ENJOY!

Santa baby,and hurry down the chimney tonight!

I have always really enjoyed the holiday season but this year was absolutely the best! We found out Christmas Night last year that we would be having a baby and she is almost 4 months old and just perfect!

We figured Santa would want to meet the gift he brought to us last year so we took Brooklyn to see him early this month. Hopefully, she will always enjoy the trips to see St. Nick...we shall see :) He was pretty good to her this year, I might add. I will post a picture of all her goodies soon, if I can get it all in one picture! haha

Brooklyn and I went to the Nutcracker Market this year and got her first Christmas tree ornament. One side says "How can I thank God enough for you...I Thess 3:9" (so true we cannot possibly thank GOD enough) and the other side says "Brooklyn's First Christmas 2010." She actually got a few first Christmas ornaments this year. Thank you Avery and Suzette.

Thank you Holly!! Love the Santa Baby bloomers!

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

~ ~ ~ HAPPY HOLIDAYS ~ ~ ~

It's not a diet...it's a weigh of life!

The time has come...I must make changes!

I have been going on a diet for years, I have bought smaller clothes hoping to encourage me to lose weight, I have bought AND sold unused treadmills, I have invested in every weight loss video there is known to man and never used them and now years later I have nothing to show for it, but albums full of pictures that I cringe to even look at. My eyes focus on those certain spots every-single-time! I am tired of people telling me, "Kaylynn, you are not fat", yes I am, pictures, scales, the size tag in my jeans and my sweet Dr. don't lie. I am tired of having limited places to shop. I do not enjoy having to shop at specialty places, with lousy choices, and spending tons of money. I am over it!

I don't want to be the mom that hides from the camera or positions their child just right in the picture to try and "cover up" what everyone already sees anyway. I don't want to spend hours cropping myself from pictures just because I am too lazy to get healthy. I don't want to always be behind the camera, I want to be in front of it!

Most importantly I don't want my daughter to fall into this same rut! I want her to make healthy choices. I want to be able to chase her around the yard when she starts walking (without running out of breath), I want her to be my cheer leader at 5K races and be in that stroller that I push the entire way and eventually be my running buddy, I want her to see me make healthy eating choices! I don't want to spend my time with her while I lay in a hospital bed because of a disease I could have avoided if I would have just taken better care of myself. I lost my MP, my grandmother, way too early in life because she would not take care of her health. For me, this just isn't an option. I have too much life to live!

I have no interest in ordering food from an 800 number that you just nuke and add water too, I have no interest in drinking 3 shakes and eating two energy bars every day, I have no interest in attending meetings with fellow over-eaters and confessing my midnight snack sin, I have no interest in going under the knife and having weight loss surgery just to be restricted to certain foods anyway, I have no interest in working out in a circle with other people who are more interested in socializing than losing weight. I don't need to pay $40 a month to socialize. And last but not least, I have ZERO interest in supporting the "magic weight loss pill" industry. I don't want an attorney, from Downtown Houston, soliciting to me and my family because I made 3 easy payments for a pill that damaged by heart. I know plenty of people who all of the above worked for, and that is great, but they aren't for me, please don't take it personally :)


I AM interested in making healthy food choices and getting active. My new outlook is "It's not a diet; it's a weigh of life." I now know I have to have my favorite Chick-fil-A in moderation, I need to replace my snack drawer at home with healthier options, I need to send the Schwan's man packing to a different house (thanks Janey), I need to pre-plan my meals and throw away our to-go menus, except Iguana Joe's, I need to stop buying ice cream and my beloved Red Diamond Sweet Tea, oh how I will miss thee. There are lots of things I need to do and WILL DO!

I stopped watching The Biggest Loser a few seasons ago because it was just a huge cry fest every...single...week. Not every person who is overweight has a story that has caused them to turn to food and over indulge. I am living proof. We all have things that happen to us in our childhood but we can't possibly use it as a crutch our entire life. Trust me, if that were the case, I would be getting a free ride! I think 99% of people use different things as a crutch because they are allowed too, for me that has never been and never will be an option. The Biggest Loser is just an expensive therapy session and most contestants have gone back to their "old" ways once therapy at the ranch is over. I am not a big eater, I don't gorge on food and I rarely eat late in the evenings. I just don't make sensible decisions when I do take the time to eat and I don't exercise consistently. My sister says I make a big mistake by never eating breakfast, also. I know with out a doubt she is right!

Last year Trent bought me the new Wii Fit hoping to motivate me to lose weight. I loaded it in the Wii, entered my name, my height, my weight...and there it happened right in front of my face...the Mii blew up into a perfectly round ball. I have not touched the thing since. I am pretty sure it is covered in dust bunnies as "wii" speak :) But that is going to change too. I am going to pick it up and start using it again. I am going to get active in fun ways. I am on the way to a new "Mii"...haha!

Every weight loss blog begins with pictures right?! Well, here we go, here are some pictures. The pictures I post in 6 months WILL BE vastly different.

I am doing this for my sweet girl! Even she is a little surprised :)

 

If you know me well, then you know I never allow a full body shot picture...EVER. Obviously I was not aware this picture was being taken! I was too immersed in picking out the best pumpkin for Brooklyn's first Halloween :) This picture was 6 weeks post delivery put not much has changed since then!

Yes, I have a goal weight but I will never tell! I must keep some sort of privacy :) But I will share with you that I would like to lose 50 lbs. I will be posting goals every week and a weight loss ticker. I feel like if my "business" is out on the street I will hold myself accountable, maybe just a little, anyway.

There...I said it! Everyone has heard it...I am on my way to a healthier ME!

(That wasn't too painful)

ALWAYS JOLLY!

THREE months ago today our lives changed forever!!

We are continually blessed by Miss B...she is always jolly!

Happiness is Minnie Mouse!

Brooklyn has been sick this week and I had to make a trip to Walgreens for more pedialyte. I made a quick trip down the christmas decor aisle and I found these cute Minnie Mouse ears. If nothing else, it made this momma feel a lot better when she got a big smile after a few days of feeling crummy!

I have been thinking about doing a Minnie Mouse theme for her first birthday!

 I think she makes a super cute Minnie Mouse!

Reflections of Motherhood

Going...Going...GONE!

Happiness is good friends!

Brooklyn had a play date with her good friends Brooklyn and Bryce Walker! Brooklyn Walker was born in July, Bryce in August and our Brooklyn in September. Lydia made yummy hot sandwiches served with fruit! It was nice to have adult conversation, even though we mostly talked about our babies and their sleeping schedules! Oh, how much life has changed :)

Lydia and I were talking on the phone one day and realized we had both picked the same name. We both loved it so much, neither of us could imagine naming our sweet girls anything other than Brooklyn...so we did :) We think they will think it is neat to share the same name. Actually, they both have so many nicknames they probably won't actually ever hear "Brooklyn" unless they are in trouble! Which won't be often with these little angels. *giggle...yeah right*

We put them all together so they could "talk" but as you

can see their little hands seemed to be much more enticing!

They were watching HGTV and learning how to "Design on a Dime!"

That's great, more money we (the mommas) can spend on their cute clothes!



She was tired after playing so hard with Brooklyn and Bryce!



One day these babies will know how lucky

they are to be surrounded with Christian friends!

Laughed so hard I cried!

I have a confession to make...I laughed until I cried tonight hearing Trent gag while changing Brooklyn's diaper. Please forgive me!

This video was shown on America's Funniest Home Videos earlier this week...it is hilarious :) I thought about it tonight while I was listening to Trent trying to keep his supper down. Glad he did because I am NOT good with puke.

Trent is a firefighter for the City of Mont Belvieu. A few weeks ago he took the fire truck to the school and showed the little kids around. I think their favorite part was the lights and loud sirens! Brooklyn and I met him up there and hung out in the fire truck for a few minutes. It was really fun seeing all the kids get so excited about the fire truck and the nice firefighter! :)

Children are a handful sometimes, A heartfull all the time...

Here is our sweet heartfull...she is two months old today!

The BEST birthday yet!

Trent and Brooklyn brought me a card and roses! Earlier this week Trent went and bought a golf cart for Brooklyn and me. We love taking rides in the afternoon and visiting our neighbors...now we can in style :)

I spend my birthday in The Woodlands with Angie, Addison and Brooklyn. We had lunch at The Cheesecake Factory and then did a little shopping at Williams and Sonoma and Pottery Barn Kids.

It was a great day!!

BEFORE

AFTER

Loved the cheesecake...even with little hands in it :)

Shopping is a hard job!



I have had my eye on this painting for a long time! My mom surprised me with it for my birthday. It has already found a home on the walls in Brooklyn's room.

Happiness is having a great PaPa!

Brooklyn and her PaPa...they are best buddies!

"Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,

and the glory of children is their fathers."

Proverbs 17:6



Happiness is loving our Honey Bee!

We are having so much fun with Brooklyn!

Here are a few pictures from her first Halloween.

Pumpkin Patch in Beaumont

Picture with our sleeping pumpkin'



Uncle B and Auntie Kalina being silly!

Happiness is great friends and family!

We worshiped at Major Drive Church of Christ with our family today and then had lunch with everyone at my grandparent's house. Larry and Dawn Trahan gave us a gift for Miss Brooklyn and it had such a sweet card attached. Here is what is said....

"I was told when I became a mother that I was in an "Elite Group"..."A class all of it's own!" Being a mother is a true blessing, glad to have you aboard."

It brought tears to my eyes, I feel like I am in a class all of it's own. I am blessed to be Miss B's momma, loving every single minute!

Happiness is being ONE month old!

Miss B turned one month old today!

10.07.2010

Hello!



Being one month old is hard work!

Safe and sound...she is here with us now :)

Has it been a month already?! Time is flying by way too quick.

Here is a video of pictures from the time we found out we were expecting until now!

We have been truly blessed with her.

We have grown and learned so much more from her

than she ever will from us. Life is so good with her in it :)

~ ~ ENJOY ~ ~

Song Credits: Safe & Sound by Matthew West

Photography Credits: Professional photos are included in this video and were taken by Mandy Bonds

Visit http://www.mandybonds.com/

(THE VIDEO IS 15 MINUTES AND THERE ARE A FEW PICTURES OF THE ACTUAL C-SECTION...JUST WARNING YOU IN ADVANCE!!.. HAHA)

4 Generation shopping trip!

We took Brooklyn to Old Towne Spring for her first shopping trip! We have to train her right. It was nice to spend the day with 4 generations! We strolled around and shopped at all the cute boutiques and had a great lunch on the patio at Ellen's Cafe. Granny treated us to dessert later in the day at Ellen's...we heard their homemade ice cream was to die for...and it WAS! I had vanilla ice cream with fresh coconut, almonds and chocolate...tasted just like an Almond Joy...my favorite candy bar!

Chicken Salad and Fresh Fruit

Nana loves Brooklyn kisses!!

Erin, one of Kalina's best friends, met us for dessert and snuggle time with Brooklyn!

Four Generations!