Thursday, September 6, 2007
Miranda's First Day in First Grade
Miranda was so excited to go to first grade this year. She practically came home singing and dancing the first day. It is fun to see her so excited for each new day. She has also really enjoyed having her friend Melissa walk home with her and stay until her big brother picks her up. She worried a little bit about getting all her chores done before school, but so far she has been ready early. She loves her lunches: peaches, go-gurt, granola bar, tootsie rolls, wheat thins, and apple juice are a typical lunch for her.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Spencer's Third Birthday
We celebrated Spencer's third birthday last Sunday with the extended family. Larry and I stayed up late the night before creating a "tower of power". It looks nothing like the tower of power from 'The Backyardigans', but it didn't matter- Spencer loved it.
Spencer enjoyed the attention and his new toys! He got a soccer goal that talks, a giant ball, dinosaur stamps, clothes, a pirate ship, a race track and other little goodies. One of his favorite gifts was a bag of dum dum suckers from Miranda. He was very nice and shared with everyone. Lindsey quickly popped one in her mouth, wrapper and all! Eventually it came off and she gobbled it up.
Another unexpected surprise was that I FINALLY found a group of moms to do a preschool with! Now Spencer will be able to have preschool twice a week. I think he'll love it.
Spencer enjoyed the attention and his new toys! He got a soccer goal that talks, a giant ball, dinosaur stamps, clothes, a pirate ship, a race track and other little goodies. One of his favorite gifts was a bag of dum dum suckers from Miranda. He was very nice and shared with everyone. Lindsey quickly popped one in her mouth, wrapper and all! Eventually it came off and she gobbled it up.
Another unexpected surprise was that I FINALLY found a group of moms to do a preschool with! Now Spencer will be able to have preschool twice a week. I think he'll love it.Larry Won!
Larry officially won the Biggest Loser contest yesterday. We figured out that he won by a long shot. He only had to get to 123, and he ended at 118. Don't worry, though, he has gained at least 10 pounds in the last 36 hours- most of it water, we assume. He is eating like he used to, but his stomach is definatly not used to it yet- he often feels sick after a meal.
Larry won a pair of season tickets to BYU football and a condo in Cancun, Mexico, that we can use anytime over the next two years!
Go, Larry!!
Larry won a pair of season tickets to BYU football and a condo in Cancun, Mexico, that we can use anytime over the next two years!
Go, Larry!!
Saturday, September 1, 2007
160lbs but started at 165 lbs
138lbs
120 lbs but got to 118lbs
Summary
I must thank Michelle (my wife, I always eat her great food from beginning to end of diet) my 4 kids, extended family and friends for the support, without that I would never had made it.
Who would have thought a non runner could run 20 miles in a day or 84 miles in a week. When I started this, I was told my blood pressure was too high from 2 doctors and my fat % was not fit which scared me because I am only 32. I worried about my value to my family so I saw the competition as a way to lose some weight while I learned to build good habits for 20 weeks. I have never intentionally lost weight before this year, or counted calories. I had no idea I would hit my goal so fast, but I new the longer went that my habits would become more solidified. So the 1st 15 weeks of the competition were about health; I got to 140 lbs. The last 4-5 weeks were all about the contest. I got competitive but I never got hurt, other than blisters and a bad hit to the chest in a basketball game- no real injuries. One question I get asked all the time is when did you find the time. I got up every morning except Sundays at 5am, worked out till 7am, and used lunch breaks at work. Even my car wreak helped the last week since I had to ride my bike every where. I ended it by losing a last pound in the last hour of competition with my wife watching ( she can tell you the details). Then we went to Applebees, got a large appetizer, large burger, and chocolate shake, and fries.
STATS
Fat% at start was 20.2% and now 4.5%
BPI dropped 25.5 to 19
Blood pressure 142/82 to today 114/75
Weight 168, though I started at 165 today 120 lbs, was at 180 last year
Cholesterol I need to get new results to know the change but I’m sure dropped a ton because it was high before
BEST HABITS I gained in the 20 weeks ( I plan on keeping)
I cut out all fast food (big help)
Playing basketball 4 times a week ( I was already doing this)Swimming 2 times a week for about 1 mile and water polo on weekend when I could ( I was already doing this one habit 3 months)
I have been running about 10-30 (4-8 at a time) miles a week though at end I was up in the 80 miles a week
Abs work since this may be the only chance to see them, which I sure do now
Extra work around house on the hunt for anything that burns calories (about 30 mins-1 hour a night cleaning)
Look for service opportunities to burn calories
Almost stop watching TV, stop playing computer games; I was addicted (maybe one of the best things out of this)
Use Non fat milk, healthy cereals, more fruit, cut out fat snacks and cut back on desserts
Use stairs always when I can (100 stairs to work) go up and down 2-3 times a day
Made healthier lunches (I use to put tons of leftovers and junk food in them) now just balanced
Drink lots of water
Use my bike to ride to work or around town when possibleBecame an early riser instead of late hermit crab
Affects:I run better and jump better than I ever remember; I don’t get drowsy at night. I am happy that I should live much longer with BP down and I am sure my cholesterol is also.
I feel confident in my self to reach other mighty goals, weight training, learning the piano, learning to cook, typing my mission journals.
I was better able to help my wife in the morning with kids going to bed at decent time and at night cleaning and we are happier.
What habits in diet I will not continue:
1. Mass running: I will tone down the running to few miles a week but will add weight training and more swimming.
2. Cutting food: I will eat more but keep to only good foods, rarely fast foods. I really only cut lots of food last few weeks
3. Watch TV: I have to watch BYU football and some Trailblazers, but will try to cut TV shows
4. Abs work started hurting my back will stop for a while
5. Hope to get to good weight of 140lb to 150lbs with weights
138lbs
120 lbs but got to 118lbs
Summary
I must thank Michelle (my wife, I always eat her great food from beginning to end of diet) my 4 kids, extended family and friends for the support, without that I would never had made it.
Who would have thought a non runner could run 20 miles in a day or 84 miles in a week. When I started this, I was told my blood pressure was too high from 2 doctors and my fat % was not fit which scared me because I am only 32. I worried about my value to my family so I saw the competition as a way to lose some weight while I learned to build good habits for 20 weeks. I have never intentionally lost weight before this year, or counted calories. I had no idea I would hit my goal so fast, but I new the longer went that my habits would become more solidified. So the 1st 15 weeks of the competition were about health; I got to 140 lbs. The last 4-5 weeks were all about the contest. I got competitive but I never got hurt, other than blisters and a bad hit to the chest in a basketball game- no real injuries. One question I get asked all the time is when did you find the time. I got up every morning except Sundays at 5am, worked out till 7am, and used lunch breaks at work. Even my car wreak helped the last week since I had to ride my bike every where. I ended it by losing a last pound in the last hour of competition with my wife watching ( she can tell you the details). Then we went to Applebees, got a large appetizer, large burger, and chocolate shake, and fries.
STATS
Fat% at start was 20.2% and now 4.5%
BPI dropped 25.5 to 19
Blood pressure 142/82 to today 114/75
Weight 168, though I started at 165 today 120 lbs, was at 180 last year
Cholesterol I need to get new results to know the change but I’m sure dropped a ton because it was high before
BEST HABITS I gained in the 20 weeks ( I plan on keeping)
I cut out all fast food (big help)
Playing basketball 4 times a week ( I was already doing this)Swimming 2 times a week for about 1 mile and water polo on weekend when I could ( I was already doing this one habit 3 months)
I have been running about 10-30 (4-8 at a time) miles a week though at end I was up in the 80 miles a week
Abs work since this may be the only chance to see them, which I sure do now
Extra work around house on the hunt for anything that burns calories (about 30 mins-1 hour a night cleaning)
Look for service opportunities to burn calories
Almost stop watching TV, stop playing computer games; I was addicted (maybe one of the best things out of this)
Use Non fat milk, healthy cereals, more fruit, cut out fat snacks and cut back on desserts
Use stairs always when I can (100 stairs to work) go up and down 2-3 times a day
Made healthier lunches (I use to put tons of leftovers and junk food in them) now just balanced
Drink lots of water
Use my bike to ride to work or around town when possibleBecame an early riser instead of late hermit crab
Affects:I run better and jump better than I ever remember; I don’t get drowsy at night. I am happy that I should live much longer with BP down and I am sure my cholesterol is also.
I feel confident in my self to reach other mighty goals, weight training, learning the piano, learning to cook, typing my mission journals.
I was better able to help my wife in the morning with kids going to bed at decent time and at night cleaning and we are happier.
What habits in diet I will not continue:
1. Mass running: I will tone down the running to few miles a week but will add weight training and more swimming.
2. Cutting food: I will eat more but keep to only good foods, rarely fast foods. I really only cut lots of food last few weeks
3. Watch TV: I have to watch BYU football and some Trailblazers, but will try to cut TV shows
4. Abs work started hurting my back will stop for a while
5. Hope to get to good weight of 140lb to 150lbs with weights
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Lindsey's First Birthday!
Lindsey turned one on Tuesday, August 21st. We celebrated on Sunday with Larry's family. We had Lindsey's favorite food- Fettucini Alfredo. I made her a castle cake with her own to tear apart (as you will see).
Lindsey was very timid about actually eating her cake, but she played with it for a while and had fun.
She actually got the concept behind opening gifts, and was very interested in seeing what was under the wrapping paper. Spencer picked out some boats at the dollar store for her.
Larry picked up a last minute surprise gift- a balloon. She loves balloons. I'd have to say that her favorite toys, overall, are balls. She loves to collect them in her arms, fetch them, bounce them, and roll them around.
Lindsey was very timid about actually eating her cake, but she played with it for a while and had fun.
She actually got the concept behind opening gifts, and was very interested in seeing what was under the wrapping paper. Spencer picked out some boats at the dollar store for her.
Larry picked up a last minute surprise gift- a balloon. She loves balloons. I'd have to say that her favorite toys, overall, are balls. She loves to collect them in her arms, fetch them, bounce them, and roll them around.
Our Money System
I thought some of you might find it interesting to know our new system of finances with the kids.
1. Allowance. We give Miranda and Derek $1/month for their age, once a month- so Miranda gets $6 and Derek gets $4 every month. They must pay tithing and also buy any friend Birthday presents. I think we'll start Spencer's allowance at age 4 or 5 as well.
2. Daily Chores. We have 3 wheels with pictures on them that we rotate daily (they do one chore on each wheel). Before they can watch cartoons in the morning, they must all: clean their room, make their bed, eat breakfast, get dressed, brush teeth, do hair, and do their rotated bathroom chore (sweep, clean counters and toilet, or take out the trash). The next wheel is for the afternoon (get the mail, put away the shoes, and vacuum a room). The last wheel is for the dinner chores (set the table, clear the table, and load the dishwasher). Of course, Larry and I help quite a bit, especially with Spencer. It is quite amazing how clean our house has been lately with the kids pitching in and Larry doing chores to burn calories. The reward for daily chores is a sticker chart with a goal at the end. The one they are working on now, is for ice cream bars and a bike ride at the park. I usually make the sticker chart rewards take about a week for them to finish. We've also done a trip to the dollar store, Dairy Queen, McDonald's treat, etc.
3. Money Chores. We made a little list of extra chores the kids could do to earn money- assuming their normal chores are done. For example: .50 for filling a bucket with weeds, .10 for cleaning a bathroom mirror, .25 for dusting the piano. This is how Derek earned his money for this computer game.
4. Savings. The kids have three jars each- Savings, spending, and tithing. Anything they choose to save is matched by Larry and I and put into their bank accounts.
1. Allowance. We give Miranda and Derek $1/month for their age, once a month- so Miranda gets $6 and Derek gets $4 every month. They must pay tithing and also buy any friend Birthday presents. I think we'll start Spencer's allowance at age 4 or 5 as well.
2. Daily Chores. We have 3 wheels with pictures on them that we rotate daily (they do one chore on each wheel). Before they can watch cartoons in the morning, they must all: clean their room, make their bed, eat breakfast, get dressed, brush teeth, do hair, and do their rotated bathroom chore (sweep, clean counters and toilet, or take out the trash). The next wheel is for the afternoon (get the mail, put away the shoes, and vacuum a room). The last wheel is for the dinner chores (set the table, clear the table, and load the dishwasher). Of course, Larry and I help quite a bit, especially with Spencer. It is quite amazing how clean our house has been lately with the kids pitching in and Larry doing chores to burn calories. The reward for daily chores is a sticker chart with a goal at the end. The one they are working on now, is for ice cream bars and a bike ride at the park. I usually make the sticker chart rewards take about a week for them to finish. We've also done a trip to the dollar store, Dairy Queen, McDonald's treat, etc.
3. Money Chores. We made a little list of extra chores the kids could do to earn money- assuming their normal chores are done. For example: .50 for filling a bucket with weeds, .10 for cleaning a bathroom mirror, .25 for dusting the piano. This is how Derek earned his money for this computer game.
4. Savings. The kids have three jars each- Savings, spending, and tithing. Anything they choose to save is matched by Larry and I and put into their bank accounts.
Derek's Quirks
Here is Derek, in his typical morning routine. He loves to look at the weather and see what's going to happen in the coming week. He is an amazingly advanced reader- being 4 and still having a whole year left until Kindergarten.
Another major aspect of Derek's life is his latest acquisition- STAR WARS LEGOS! It is a computer game that Derek played at a friend's house and that has deeply impacted him ever since. He talked about it nonstop for about two months. He did extra chores every day until he earned the $17 to buy it. Since it wasn't Tuesday (our assigned day for computer games), he spent the three days before Tuesday constantly reading the manual to know which keyboard buttons to push. He also felt inclined to mention every single new discovery multiple times to me (I finally had to threaten with time outs to get him to say ANYTHING that didn't have to do with Star Wars Legos). He is still talking about it night and day, but I guess I am proud of him for earning it all by himself.
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