Merry Christmas!

 

I wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  It seems like 2011 sure went in a hurry.  Here's hoping 2012 is a great year too!  For a quick update, read here.  Blessing to everyone!  

Here are the kids, including Jakob, singing at Church last Sunday.  It was so cute, there was a television with the words of the songs below them along with their teachers that are out of sight.  If you watch closely, you can see them watching either or both!  So cute!

A Very Merry Christmas

We went to our church's Christmas service yesterday evening. It sure was nice to see everyone and we had a great turnout! Our Pastor, Chris, said there was approximately 260 people there! More chairs had to be pulled for room for everyone. He was super excited especially since the church is considered a baby church since it just started officially meeting September 2011. All the kids at the service received electronic candles and were able to keep them. Jakob was sure excited and careful with his candle. I have volunteered to take pictures and different church events to record the history of our church! It will be neat to look back at them later.

It sure has been nice having the time off from school to visit with family and friends. I think my co-workers along with our students were really ready for the break! In January, I start my Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction at UNT. My plan is to take one class a semester for starters and slowly knock it out!

Merry Christmas everyone!

13.4 Pounds Lighter since August 15th

I have lost 13.4 pounds since joining Weight Watchers on August 15, 2011.  I started as a size 16 in pants after having Ashlyn and now wearing a size 14.  These next two weeks with the holidays, I am going to try to just maintain my weight.  I decided that I am not recording my points over the next two weeks, but to eat healthy when possible.  Plus, last week was especially hard because my students were bringing me Christmas goodies!  I had so many delicious treats brought that I could not pass up and snack on throughout the day!

$971.17 Coupons to Atsugi, Japan

Over $970 worth of Coupons

Another month has gone by and I have pulled my expired coupons to send to military over in Japan.  So far since starting in July, I have sent over $3200 worth of coupons to Japan for the men and women serving overseas in the military!  If you would like to learn how to do the same, visit the Overseas Coupon Program website.  It's easy to do and I send monthly using First Class Mail.  It cost me about $1.50 to send them the coupons monthly.  I figure I save enough money using the ones I do that I can afford to send them rather than recycle or trash them. 

Last month, I was too busy to add them up so I just put them in an envelope and shipped them off.  The reason they would like you to approximate the total of coupons is so they know if they need more adoptions or if they are good!  I personally send to Atsugi, Japan because my brother was stationed there majority of his time while stationed overseas.

Menu Plans 12/4-12/10

These last two weeks have been so much easier since I have gotten back into planning basic menus.  It has also helped my weight loss as it appears I will have some more pounds lost when I weigh officially on Monday morning!!

Sunday: Dining Out (Raising Cane's Hockey Game Promotion)
Monday: Corn Dogs & Chips
Tuesday: Cheesy Spirals (from freezer), served with peas and corn
Wednesday: Tacos, refried beans, and chips
Thursday: Leftover Cheesy Spirals
Friday: Chicken Spaghetti (from freezer), served with garlic bread
Saturday: Dining Out?

Yummy Apples

Ashlyn eating rice cereal and apples on 11/27/11.

Ashlyn successfully had apples with rice cereal this week with her breakfast and at dinner time.  She started with about 2 tsp of rice cereal and 1/3 of the apples.  Then as the week progressed she continued to want a little more.  For the end of this week, she ate 1/2 of the apples and a good 4 tsp of rice cereal.  The cereal and fruit is sure helping her though for overnight.  She is back to sleeping through the night!  She has been a little sick and is almost finally over all of it!  The last few nights she has woken up at 4am to cough, but goes right back to sleep after giving her the pacifier.  This morning she slept until 6am after going to bed at 9pm, other than waking up once due to coughing.  Since it has been a good week on the same food with no reactions, I am going to try a different fruit or vegetable tonight.

Ashlyn's Growth Chart

I need to put this together so I have for Jakob also, but I will start with Ashlyn.  She went to the doctor on Monday, November 21st, for her 4 month checkup.  Originally, she was scheduled to go for a checkup and shots, but it ended up being a checkup and a sick visit since she is congested and on breathing treatments.  She ended up having to go back in for additional medicine to help her get over her cold, but since receiving her new medications she is feeling much better.  We also had our first successful feeding with rice cereal mixed with apple sauce!  She is getting it in the morning at her school and then in the evening before bedtime.

4 Month Appointment - 11/21/11

 Weight: 14 lbs 7 oz; 60%

Height: 24 3/4; 70%

Head Circumference: 16 3/4; 80%

Ashlyn playing with a toy on 11/23/2011.

2 Month Appointment - 9/23/11

 Weight: 11 lbs 9oz; 60%

Height 22 1/4; 50%

Head Circumference: 15 1/2; 60%

Jakob and Ashlyn on 9/29/2011.

2 Weeks - 8/3/11

Weight: 8 lbs; 40%

Height: 19 1/2; 20%

Head Circumference 14 1/4; 45%

Ashlyn swinging on 8/1/2011.

Ashlyn - Sticking out her Tongue

Ashlyn is about 4 1/2 months now and is playing with her tongue and sticking it out of her mouth.  Jeff and I are still watching to see if she begins to lift it up toward the top of her mouth since we believe she too could be tongue tied as I was when I was a kid and so was Jakob.  We were able to get Jakob's tongue clipped at the age of 3, but it can be done sooner.  Jeff and I would prefer to have it clipped as soon as possible so it does not imper her speech as it did for Jakob.