Skinny Jeans

After last weeks weigh in I thought I still had a bit before I would be wearing size 10 jeans, but my size 12 jeans were definitely way loose. I decided to head to the store to pick up a pair of size 10 jeans. I had always loved the look of skinny jeans and boots but knew I could never pull it off before. But now that I have lost almost 30 pounds I decided to go out of my comfort zone and buy a pair! So that is just what I did last week, I bought my first ever pair of skinny jeans! It has been a long time since I have felt this good in clothes! I still need to lose about 23 more pounds to be in the normal BMI range for my height but it's nice to be able to look in the mirror and not cringe (as much! Ha!)



Down another half pound this week! Always nice to see the scale going down even if it is in small increments!



Last Week: 158.7
This Week: 158.2
Wk 7 Loss: 0.5 lbs
Total Loss: 6.7 lbs (27.2 overall!)

Now that I have completed C25k, I wasn't really sure what was next for me. I knew I was still going to keep up with the running and work on training for the big race but I wasn't sure what the plan would be. I like structure and plans but didn't know what I should do. Lucky for me, the Doc is a hardcore runner, having recently ran the Boston Half Marathon. He came up with a new plan for me that keeps me on a specific schedule while also working on my speed. I started on Monday and it looks like this:

Day 1: Regular Run (average about 30 minutes - between 2 and 2.5 miles)

Day 2: Intervals - it will work like the C25k program, training my body to be able to run at a faster pace by slowly building up to it! (on Tuesday I did 60 seconds at 5.5mph and 90 seconds at 4mph for about 20 minutes, next time I will increase the interval time, the Doc suggest 2 minutes at the fast pace and 5 minutes at the slow pace to recover).

Day 3: Regular Run (same as above

Day 4: 5k

Tomorrow night is my 5k night and it will be my second go at straight running it. Sometime in the near future I'll be taking this 5k outside and I imagine my times will be very different! The treadmill paces me so I will be very interested to see how I pace myself on my own.

I'm a C25k Graduate!!

On the eve of my 31st birthday I set a goal to run a 5k. And tonight that is just what I did! It was the last day of my the training program, week 9 day 3 and after talking to the Doc about my training, he suggested that tonight after the 5 minute warm up walk, that I set the treadmill to 4.5mph and go the distance. I thought, why not! Let's see if I can do this - it is after all what I spent the last month and a half working towards!

It felt amazing; you have no idea just how proud of myself I am! A 5k at 4.5mph is about 41:25, and that is not too shabby for someone who, up until last early last month, hadn't run a day in her life! It's a good feeling to know that I can do it, especially since as of yesterday I am officially signed up for my very first 5k! I, along with the Doc and some other friends, will be running the 21th Annual WCRC Turkey Trot in Newburyport on Thanksgiving Day! Now that I know I can go the distance the Doc (my very own personal trainer!) is going to set up a new program for me to work on my time! But honestly, my goal for this first race is to finish! Having never run outside before, I will be happy just be able to say that I ran the entire distance!

And in other news, I am down another half pound! I don't care how small the loss is I LOVE seeing those numbers going down, down, down!


Last Week: 159.1
This Week: 158.7
Wk 6 Loss: 0.4 lbs
Total Loss: 6.2 lbs (26.7 overall!)

And since this is the halfway point in round two of my Biggest Loser Challenge, I also took my measurements. I have lost an inch off my waistline, and a total of FIVE inches since starting this journey back in June! I see myself in those size 10's very soon!!

Green beans and Raspberries!

Evan has been eating all kinds of food now! I guess that is what happens when you're the third child. All caution is thrown to the wind. I just didn't have the patience this time around to wait a week before introducing something new. With the exception of the Doc's mild shrimp allergy, we don't really have a history of food allergies in the family and Evan seemed to enjoy trying all the yummy fruits and veggies. I really like the blends that come in the pouches. My favorite pictures were always the ones where they tried the green beans. So here is Evan's first time with green beans the other day!





Another new milestone (if you can even call it that!) is sticking out his tongue and blowing raspberries! He is lucky that he is 5-1/2 months old and that it's still considered cute!


Also, everyone keeps telling me that Evan is going to keep his blue eyes and I would tell them, that Shaun had blue eyes too at this point and his changed, but upon further research, I was in fact mistaken. Shaun no longer had his blue eyes at 5 months old and Evan's are still very much blue! So that means everyone was right and it looks like we have ourselves a blue eyed baby!

Fall Favorites

Fall makes for some of the best pictures! Check out the beautiful fall photos that Krystal got of the boys! I tweaked them and added the borders, and I can't wait to print them out and frame them! There are so many more good ones, but those will have to wait for another day! For now, here are my favorites!

I Can Jog 2 Miles!

I can jog 2 miles! Never in a million years would I have thought that sentence would have come from me, but it is!!!! Tonight I finished Week 8 Day 2 of the C25k program, which is a 5 minute warm up walk and then jog for 28 minutes! Tonight I clocked 2.795 miles total (that includes the warm up and cool down), I am so close to 3.1 and I am feeling very confident that I'll be ready for my first race on Thanksgiving Day!

Since I am really serious about this whole running thing, the Doc took me to Marathon Sports Monday, and got me my very first pair of running shoes! First the salesman watched me walk a few times and then came back with a pair of shoes. They were much more comfortable than the cross trainers I was wearing before. After I put them on, he had me go outside and watched me jog up the sidewalk. Can you say, awkward! Ha! Apparently he saw that I was rolling off the side of my foot, something I didn't do while walking and had me try on a different pair of shoes that corrects for it. I couldn't believe how comfortable these shoes are. Next on the agenda, some new running clothes for the big race!

I am on a steady pace to reach my goal and it feels good that I really was able to say buh-bye 160! A small loss this week, but it's still a loss!


Last Week: 159.7
This Week: 159.1
Wk 4 Loss: 0.6 lbs
Total Loss: 26.3 lbs

Pumpkin Carving & Decorating

Halloween is so fun! I love driving around seeing all the decorations people put up, I love picking out costumes for the boys and of course Trick or Treating! This year along with carving our pumpkin, I got a few decorations for the boys to put up outside, a couple tombstones, a big giant spider and some cob webs.

David helping clean out the pumpkin


The boys helping Daddy get ready to carve the pumpkin!


Getting the pattern ready

Carving the pumpkin


The finished pumpkin

Front yard decorations

GIANT spider


Our pumpkins

The boys had fun putting up the spider web and helping me find a home for the skulls! I am really looking forward to all of our Halloween festivities this year! I even got a costume for myself!

Get them to the Church on Time!

On Saturday John and Kim tied the knot! It was a GORGEOUS day, a beautiful ceremony and rocking reception! Congrats and best wishes for a wonderful life together!

Goodbye 160's

I had to rub my eyes this morning to make sure that what I was seeing was real. I haven't seen a FIVE after the one since before I was pregnant with David. That was almost five years ago! I was pretty much on cloud nine this morning! Goodbye 160's, and may I NEVER EVER see you again!

Last Week: 161.0

This Week: 159.7

Wk 4 Loss: 1.3 lbs

Total Loss: 25.7 lbs

Yes! You read that correctly! I have officially lost (a little over) TWENTY-FIVE pounds which is 13.86% of my body weight! Picture, if you will, me doing a happy dance! I have now completed 6 weeks of the Couch to 5k training and will start week 7 tonight! The intervals are now over and it's all about the jogging! Week 6 Day 3 was to jog for 25 minutes and I did it! I am jogging slowly but I feel really good and I am confident that I'll be ready come Thanksgiving for my FIRST road race (like ever in my life!).

The comments and support from all of you have been invaluable to me! There are no words! Thank you all very much!

Sitting Up!

For a couple weeks now, Evan has been doing "crunches" when he would be laying on his back. It seem pretty obvious that he had some strong ab muscles but I was still surprised when someone pointed out to me over the weekend that Evan had sat up in his chair. The chair is inclined a bit but still he pulled himself all the way upright!

David and Shaun first sat up at five months old too, but not this early, so I wasn't sure if Evan would be able to hold his balance. I decided to try tonight anyway and put him on the floor and sure enough, he was able to hold his balance! He's not 100% there, he fell backwards a couple times, but he was able to hold his balance for a good five minutes while Daddy took some pictures!

Using his hands to help balance

So proud of himself!

The PERFECT Fall Weekend!

Started with some apple picking in NH with my cousins.

Ready to Pick some Apples:


Shaun's apple:


The Tractor Ride:


David's pumpkin:


After apple picking we headed home and then took Daddy over to Piers Park. It's a beautiful park in East Boston that is right on the harbor, with an amazing view of the city. It was the perfect day for a fall photo shoot!












The weekend ended today with the Stack boys birthday bash! Brady is going to be 5 on the 12th and Cameron turned 3 on the 25th! The kids had a lot of fun and the biggest hit of the day wasn't any of the birthday gifts, but rather a box that one of the gifts was packaged in! Because really, who needs toys when you have a box!






Happy Birthday Brady & Cameron!

I JOGGED for TWENTY Minutes!!

Week 5 in the C25K program is very different than the previous weeks had been. The previous weeks were the same routine each day, week 5 was a different routine for the three days and it went as follows:

Day 1: Brisk 5 minute warm-up walk then jog for 5 minutes, walk 3 minutes, jog 5 minutes, walk 3 minutes and then jog 5 minutes.

Day 2: Brisk 5 minute warm-up walk then jog for 8 minutes, walk 5 minutes and jog 8 minutes

Day 3: Brisk 5 minute warm-up walk then jog for TWENTY MINUTES!

I would be lying if I wasn't a little nervous but many people have told me that running is 90% mental and I was going to push through it no matter what and I did it! And it felt pretty good! I have to say that I am a little proud of myself! My hard work is paying off and I can't say it enough, it's such a great feeling!

Now if only I can get back into making better choices about my food, I may start showing bigger losses. But a loss is a loss so, this week:



Last Week: 161.9
This Week: 161.0
Wk 3 Loss: 0.9 lbs
Total Loss: 24.4 lbs

This weeks loss was a little less than a pound, but add that into my overall total, and I am about a half a pound away from losing a total of TWENTY-FIVE pounds! I have never felt better than I do right now, I am looking forward to getting down into a healthy weight range for my height. Now if only I can stop getting myself a BAGEL for breakfast every morning maybe I can get there a little faster! Ha!

Evan is 5 Months Old Today!

Today Evan is 5 months old! He is getting to big, he is eating some baby food now (rice and oatmeal cereal, carrots and peas). He is the happiest baby, loves to snuggle and so easy going, which is great considering that we're always on the go!!

According to BabyStats on the Wii Fit Plus, Evan is 18.5 pounds! At his 4 month check last month he was 17lbs 7oz (which put him in the 83rd percentile) and 25 inches (38th percentile). The Wii measures him higher than the doctors office so he's probably more like 18 pounds, still a very big boy who is wearing 9 month onesies and 6-12 month clothes! Clothes David was wearing at ONE!

Here are some cute shots of Evan today!