Birth to one year and beyond...

*Click on the picture to get a full view and to read what Ellie has done over the past year :)

one year old photos

It was so hard to get her to pose and smile, she wanted to be all over the place! Into all the props, touch the camera. Kept on blowing raspberries, so I had to keep wiping droll. Luckily we were still able to get cute pictures and capture the true Ellie. My little clapper, curious George, raspberry blower :)

How I lost 30 pounds in 3.5 months

Some have asked how I did it? I was surprised my self! I'm still working on it, but I have been losing at a slower pace. Time to get focus again. At least I am maintaing instead of gaining :) Exercise is way important in weight lost! but eating right is the key! I did the Scarsdale medical diet- http://lowcarblisa.tripod.com/id18.html that helped me a lot in learning how to eat. It is strict, not so much hard, as it is boring after you've done it for a week. A few tips I TRY to follow but don't always succeed at are, *No sugar! Once a week if I must. everything in moderation *Cheese is only good alone, not on other food! *can't eat starch and meat together. Your body has two different acids to break down food. One for Starch the other for Meat. When you make them work together, they fight against each other and so it slows down the digestive system and so your food is not being fully digest therefore turning to fat. * whole wheat over white *I once read that eggs are a good wight lost food, so for breakfast I have an egg or two with wheat toast and fruit if I am still hungry -Breakfast is key! That is when you get your jump start and your metabolism going *Kiwi, Grapefruit, a few others, are good fruit for your body and weight lost programs *Your meals should be mostly vegetable. I believe fit for life, another program I have learned some of my eating habits from, say's 75% of your meal should be vegetable *I avoid starch and bad carbs as much as possible, sometimes very difficult!!!! I actually did a no sugar, carb, starch diet for a week and lost 6 lbs! *When eating carbs make sure they are high in fiber and low in sugar. Whole wheat breads, pasta, rice are much better over white. Hench, wheat over white!!! My mom always said, the whiter the bread the sooner you're dead :) *No Soda. If you must then diet soda. I have heard diet soda can mess with your nerves and memory, but I did google and all I could find is that it can if you drank to much in a day, but not enough if you have a can of it here and there *In between meals: cut up vegi's and fruit so you grab for that instead of the bag of chips. Nuts are also a good snack. Walnuts, pecans, and almonds are full of good fat. * Don't deny your self a treat or a craving! The Cleveland Clinic offers these facts to help you satisfy your cravings without wrecking your weight: * Satisfying a food craving can help improve your mood, relax you and give you more energy. * Women are likely to crave certain foods during certain times of the year and month, and are more likely to be happy when they've satisfied their cravings. * Don't deny yourself something that you are craving. Instead, allow yourself a small portion. * Denying yourself a small treat that you crave can lead to an intensified craving, and eventually binge eating. * Take care of your craving shortly after it starts. The more time you have to think about it, the stronger the craving probably becomes and the more likely you are to binge eat. *Don't eat after 8 pm, if you must, another rule of thumb is wait three hours to retire to bed after eating *Night owls, like me, keep water and gum by your side to avoid midnight snacks! *Drink lots of water. It help make you full and flush out your body, it also helps with water retention. *AT my Doctor appointment back in May I found out I had IBS, she put me on Metamucil, it really helps! You can get a lot of fiber from fruit and vegetables, but it is a little extra fiber and helps make you regular. One other thing I just learned last week is your age, weight, height, and gender decides how much calories you should be taking in each day. If you are not taking in enough you are starving your self and then your body will store food in case it starves again, thus causing fat. Here is the calculator, http://www.shapeup.org/interactive/rmr1.php to find out how many calories you should be taking in each day. Add in 50-200 calories for everyday living, like chasing kids, cleaning house, grocery shopping. Then add a few more hundred for exercising.

It's not easy being neat....

..when you're learning how to eat! Before dinner After dinner, yummy!! Daddy helped, by giving me "war" paint :) Yum! Shepard's pie! I'm a big girl using my spoon! mmm....Chili

A Happier Me!

I'm still working on my weight and health and I am feeling good about it! It was nice to see 199 on the scale a few times last week. Now to hit 198, 197, 196....lol. I'm learning all kinds of different ways to eat right and exercise and it has been fun doing so. There is so much out there I didn't have a clue about and its nice to know now. Google is a good thing :) *click on picture to get a bigger view*

One year older and Wiser too

This is yet another big post, but not cause I fell behind, but because Ellie and I had a BIRTHDAY! With our birthdays being 9 days apart and celebrating in 2 different states, we got to celebrate our birthdays a lot!!! Yes we are spoiled, and we know it, and enjoy it. We look at it more like, well blessed :)

Our celebrations this year, were celebrated on August 15th in the morning when we all went to IHOP for breakfast to celebrate, Ellie's, Grandma Sherrel, and my birthday. Then Ellie had a birthday party that night, she ended up with a total of 42 guest! wow, it was a ton of fun, and I left some people out, cause I didn't think to send them a invite when I meant to, boo to me! and others, cause well I wasn't sure how many more people I could fit in the house when there was already 45 of us! Then on August 16th, Ellie's birthday, we had Family dinner at my parents to celebrate, Ellie's, cousin Alta, and my birthday.

We then return home, we took Ellie shopping to get a gift from her Nana who sent money. Thanks for the blocks nana! Then Friday August 21 we went to my favorite Mexican restaurant, which I call Uncle Lindo's, cause I can never remember the name, or pronounce it. We both got to celebrate our birthdays, once again. Saturday August 22, my dear friend Sarah Potts, who is one of my blessing with moving to Las Vegas, took us out for lunch, then took me to get a pedicure AND manicure! She spoiled me! Sunday August23 we had dinner at the Potts, our Vegas family. I made the same cake we had at Ellie's b-day party but added kiwi's and it was a nice touch. Forgot my camera so I didn't get any photos or video's that day :(. But even if I did, the singing of happy birthday video would have been long, cause they sing every birthday song they can think of! Of course our favorite is, "...one year older, and wiser too..." :) Well, I thought that was the end of our birthday celebrations, cause Scott is gone all day on Tuesday's which my birthday landed on. But no! even though we went to Uncle Lindo's for my birthday, he still took me out to eat at IHOP Monday night. Yes we like IHOP :)

My actually birthday, August 25th, I didn't expect much with hubby being gone all day. I got to clean house! My downstairs looks great! I had forgot, but was soon reminded by a text that my dear friend Sarah was going to come keep me company so I wouldn't have to be alone on my birthday. She brought me dinner, Ice cream, and, flowers! after all she had already done, she did that too! That is a good friend to have! Like I said, I am not spoiled, I'm well blessed!!

To top my evening off, hubby returned home, with flowers and sang happy birthday to me :) What a good husband! I got very lucky to have found him and married him for eternity!!!

So I end this post, a very happy women, looking forward to another year full of joy and happiness, spent with a darling husband, and sweet daughter!

Ellie opening her gift from her Great Mema in Texas.

At IHOP, the balloon lady made Ellie a monkey on a palm tree. The monkey came undone. I tried putting it back together, but it ended up looking like a dog on a palm tree. LOL!

Opening gifts from all her friends. This one was requested to be open first cause the bag kept moving!

"Happy Birthday to you,..."

Yummy dig in! I had to mash it a little before she could really dig in or even try. But once she figured it out, she loved it! Until she was done and all messy and kept crying. Which I did get a "it's my party and I will cry if I want to video" but I didn't turn it off fast enough and daddy removes her diaper for bath and I don't feel comfortable posting it :) But the moment she was placed in the tub, she was happy once again! She loved her party and loved all the different people to look at and all the kids to play with.

Blocks we bought with the money Great Nana sent. Thanks Nana! She loves them!

She also loves knocking down want ever you build, even before you could build it. Daddy only got to build this cause I had her distracted while he did so. :)

Dinner at "Uncle Lindo's" The actual name is, "Lindo Michoacan" If you are ever in Las Vegas, you should totally try it out! Will go with :)

Ellie figured out how to use a straw and now likes her own cup and straw when eating out :)

After they sing to you, if you are old enough they give you a shot of tequila. I declined. Pay attention to the gentlemen playing the guitar, he was so funny when I said no.

My bday cake Scott picked out. Although we were to full from dinner that we had it the next day :)

Last but not least, my beautiful flowers :)

Happy Birthday Grandma!

We hope you had a wonderful birthday!

Yummy Watermelon!!!

Elle got to try watermelon on the 4th of July for the first time, but she only got small bites as I gave them to her, and she had a hard time chewing with no teeth. Last week she got to rediscover watermelon, but a big chunk on the rind, and she loves it!!!!

She walked!

Scott had a the first half of his Bar exam Friday, August 7th, so Thursday we stayed at a hotel to get away from distractions, so he could study. Elle stayed with my mom that night, so Friday when I went to go get her, she got exited to see me and took her first 3 steps!! I was trying to get her to walk for daddy, but no such luck! I finally got her to walk, only cause I had a toy she wanted :) She is up to 10 steps, give or take. It has to be her idea, or she won't do it, or takes a few try's. She is going to be walking in no time!!!!

mmm....food....

while visiting with my mom, she had made us some spaghetti for lunch. She place the left overs in a bag and into the fridge. Later that day, as I was cleaning her fridge, Ellie of course comes to the fridge to "help" as she always does when a fridge door is opened. As I am at the sink cleaning one of the door shelf's from the fridge, I hear Ellie smacking her lips. I look over at her, she had pulled the spaghetti done, ripped into the bag, spread it all around, and was eating it!! She is to cute!!!! What a handful, I mean, mommy's little helper... She also got to try corn on the cob for the first time

Oh, the places I can go

Little miss curious, is into exploring everything and anything! I heard her make a giggle and I look at her, and she is pleased at her self for finding her way into the stool, and eating stuff off of the floor. Now how to get out....

Swim Party :)

My brother got a fun new pool!!! At a great price! Wish I could get one! We enjoyed our Sunday get together, eating yummy fish and then swimming like fish. This was also the time we discovered, that not only does she like watermelon, she likes it when you give her a whole piece and not just bites.

a hiking we will go

I wish I would have made the decision sooner, to take a hike each available Saturday, cause we had a lot of fun. I got to thinking about how many trails we live around, we should go on a hike. Although it was HOT! and small legs made for a longer time on the trail, we had a lot of fun! Packed a lunch and enjoyed our self Our cute little family My sisters cute little family Our fun lunch break, yum! Way past nap time :) Elle loved when Scott would run, especially towards someone

Yipee, my own piano....

Papa, replaced the batteries, and now it is one of Ellie's favorite toys. One day, as she was playing, I had turned the volume down, then it went back up, I asked her, how did you turn that up. She say's "upp" it was so cute!!! I can't get her to say it again, but boy was it so cute to hear!

Gross, Gross, Gross!!!!

Word to the Wise(r) :) When you bath your 1 year old. Bring diaper to bathroom with you! I did not! I got Elle out of tub. Brought her into the next room with me. Grab diaper. I look down at her and she is eating something off the floor, well that is normal. I ask what are you eating, as I go to grab. I can not see it, for the light is off, and I don't have my glasses on. Gross, gross, gross! She was eating her own poop!!!! Then while I am typing this up, she plays in her car seat and falls and gets a bloody lip! Doh! Do I get the good mommy award of the week or what?

How do these feet work?

She took 2 steps today. Partly cause I tricked her with a toy in her hand. She thought I was still holding on :) She is almost there, just not ready to do it on her own. When you hold her hands, she walks fast, she is going to go from crawling to running, watch out mommy and daddy, here comes trouble! But boy is she dang cute!!!

Law Office Of Mark Wiser, Family Law

Papa, is a wonderful man and a wonderful attorney, that he deserved a bigger and better office, and we got to go visit him and see the new place. The nice view!! The Boss at work, well, the little boss....