These little pieces of heaven are so yummy and I can’t make enough of them – the kids ask for them every morning!

What is great about this recipe is you could switch up the fruit or even use peanut or almond butter. I am going to continue to experiment and if you have any suggestions on what else would work, I’d love for you to leave me a comment and let me know.

So head over to read how simple Frozen Banana and Nutella Bites are to make!

I also promised that after one month, I’d post before and after pictures (gulp), and now it’s time to do it. I’ve also posted my weight and measurements every week since I started.

During the first week, I lost 4 inches and almost five pounds…I’m pretty sure most of it was bloating, water weight, and my belly was just going back to it’s normal-not-over-extended size.

The second week I lost a few more inches, but no more weight. I think then is when I decided that cheating was going to have to happen for me to succeed this month long adventure and so I started eating and drinking in moderation.

Then during the third week, I lost another pound and a couple of inches. I was feeling good and still very much enjoying the workouts. It has now become habit and is just part of my routine. I look forward to the burn.

So far I have learned that eating and drinking isn’t worth all the extra work that it takes to get rid of the fat and calories. And while I did and will continue to cheat and eat and drink things I know wouldn’t be included in a “clean eating” menu, one thing I won’t cheat myself out of is working out. I enjoy it. I can’t believe I’m saying it, but I need it for my sanity and for my overall self happiness. I know that now.

But you all want to see the pictures, don’t you? I still cannot believe I’m posting these. Let me first say that my body is nowhere near where I want it to be. There have been some significant improvements in how my body looks, but what has been even more important to me is how my body feels and how I feel overall. I’m taking care of myself more, being more mindful of what I’m putting into my body, and setting a good example for my kids.

So here they are…please don’t pay attention to my uneven tan lines, sunburn in the after pics, or all the bruises. Even though I’m treating my body better, I still am bruising like a peach anytime I bump up against anything.

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

And final measurements…

Weight loss? I wish it was more. But it’s my fault for cheating so much! And like Jason keeps telling me, muscle weighs more than fat. But honestly, if I don’t lose another pound but keep losing inches I will be ecstatically happy!

And please don’t get me wrong, I swear I’m not an idiot. I knew when I started the Brazil Butt Lift that I would never look like this in just a month:

Let’s be honest: that girl lives and breathes health, taking care of her body, and eating right…not to mention she’s probably in her early 20s and has never had kids.

I wasn’t expecting miracles in a month, but I am extremely happy with the results. My muscles feel tighter and more toned, my stomach is getting some definition, and the cellulite is starting to be less noticeable. I am happy enough with these results that I’m going to stick to it for another month! I’ll keep you posted on my progress.

I am doing more now than just the Butt Lift. I have been walking three times a week with my mom (with both live in hilly neighborhoods so it’s more than just walking, it feels like a workout!) and I have started to do some yoga (though to be honest, the Brazil Butt Lift uses many of the exact same moves). I might whip out some of the other exercise DVDs I have just for variety, but I really REALLY love the Brazil Butt Lift High and Tight and Sculpt workouts. Those I will stick with for sure!

Are you trying to get back in shape? I know a lot of you are…how is it going for you?

Several of you contacted me this week to let me know my site might have been hacked, and that a trashy looking french maid hawking sex toys and fetishes had taken over my site. Thank you all for having my back, because I need all the looking after that I can get! I responded that yes, it was hacked, because it was easier to explain than what really happened.

Apparently my domain needed to be renewed and Google sent the notification to an email address I never use. Then the credit card they had on file had expired. I didn’t get either of these emails because, like I said, I never use the gmail account they sent the notices to.

So on Tuesday morning I woke up to find the french maid. I really wish I had a picture of her because she really was trashy and pretty worn out looking, not at all sexy. Google really should do a better job of trying to sell sex.

Anyways I immediately jumped on email and contacted Google who told me to check my emails…even though we were kind of past that point. It took me 3 days of running in circles trying to deal with Google to get my site back up and running. So long story short and moral of the story: do whatever you need to do to make sure your domain never expires!

Before Tuesday, I was up to my knees in paint, moving furniture and getting new carpet. We decided to have Ethan swap rooms with the girls because his room was bigger than theirs. So before the move I decided to repaint their rooms. This required me to remove wallpaper border that did NOT want to come off. This also required several coats of paint to cover up the colors that were in their rooms. I love to paint, but this time it was ridiculous.

We also had to move all the crap furniture and toys out of their rooms, and our room too since we decided to recarpet all three rooms. It was a lot of work.

Thank God it’s all done and the kids are happy with their new rooms. We even converted the girls’ cribs into regular beds and they’ve been sleeping in them all night!

You might have noticed that I updated my header! Thanks again to Kristi of Creative Kristi Designs, who has taken care of my blog now for the last year, who surprised me with it. Well, what actually happened was I wanted to do an entire blog makeover and then decided to hold off on it. So she said “Let’s just update the header” and I LOVE it! What do you think?

And since my blog has been down, you might have missed my latest Brazil Butt Lift update. Head over to see how many inches I’ve lost in just a month! Next week is the big before & after picture reveal and I really don’t want to show those before pics! But since I committed to it, I’m still going to do it. Gulp.

Have a Happy Mother’s Day!

I’m still having fun, I’m still enjoying the workouts, and I’m still sore…AFTER FOUR WEEKS! Because I’m really pushing myself because I want my body to look different.

I have only missed one day of working out according to the plan. It was on Monday, and we were getting new carpet installed upstairs. My excuse is that I didn’t have anywhere to do it (I won’t do it anywhere Jason might potentially see me.) As I’ve said before, these workouts require coordination and rhythm that I do not possess. The last thing I need is someone laughing at me! Not that he would, but still, why run the risk?

Anyways, I could have done it on Monday night, but after moving furniture in and out of bedrooms all day, I figured I got some good cardio in. That has to count for something.

Yep, I am still cheating when it comes to food and booze. BUT…I am doing the cheating in moderation. So instead of eating an entire bag of potato chips, I have a handful. Instead of eating the entire pint of Ben & Jerry’s, I savor a few spoonfuls.

And the inches continue to come off – I’m more than satisfied with these results because it has been a definite challenge, but a fun one that I haven’t minded doing and making part of my routine. On Tuesday, I was tired from that damn bird that has been keeping me up at night, but I made myself do the workouts and felt 100 times better after doing it.

So here are the results so far:

Over 8 inches lost in just 3 weeks (well, 3 weeks of the program plus a week of the Supermodel Slim Down)! And almost 6 pounds…just imagine how good I’d be doing if I wasn’t cheating!

Next week is the big Before & After pictures reveal…stay tuned!

Anyways.

The crickets chirping, the wind rustling the leaves, the occasional dog or coyote bark are all soothing and I’ve never been bothered by them. But lately, something has been keeping me up (or waking me up) all night long. It’s this damn bird. I am assuming it’s the same one because it is only one singing his sad song all night long, and it’s always the same sound that he makes: “Ah-Ahh, Ah-Ahh, Ah-Ahh” over and over and over and over again. It’s like he’s got it on a loop or something.

It is driving me absolutely insane. Why? Because he usually starts the first round around midnight. Next one starts around 2-ish, and then 3:30 seems to be the main event. By daylight, he’s done. When does this bird sleep?

When it happened for the first time last week, I laughed it off and so did Jason. By Friday, I started keeping one earplug by the side of the bed because I knew that damn bird would start his melancholy chirping. Why only one you ask? Because Jason is such a heavy sleeper that I’m afraid that if I put both in one of the girls would wake up crying and he would ignore her wouldn’t hear her.

But I might have to start wearing two because last night I swear I could still hear that damn bird through the pillow! It’s Ah-Ahh travels into our room, underneath and through the pillow, and into my earplug-less ear.

Now the weird thing about this is that it doesn’t bother Jason at all. I am ready to stab pencils in my ears so I don’t have to listen to Ah-Ahh one more time, but he can’t figure out why it bothers me.

And if you are curious, I looked it up to see what kinds of birds chirp at night in Southern California. There weren’t a whole lot of choices, but if I had to guess it must be a Mockingbird. Wikipedia says: They are best known for the habit of some species mimicking the songs of other birds and the sounds of insects and amphibians, often loudly and in rapid succession.

Loud and in rapid succession? Sounds like that damn bird. It could be a Whipperwill too, but those seem to be native to Southern US.

So I jest (kind of) when I say this: I want to kill this bird. It’s gotten to the point when I think I hear it even when I don’t! I’m cranky for being woke up even more often than normal during the middle of the night, and I want it to go away.

Anybody know how to get rid of an irritating Mockingbird?

Yeah, I stole the idea for the title of this post from Rolling Stones’ Midnight Rambler. I’m pretty sure there is no such thing as a Midnight Warbler, but if there was, I would want to shoot him, too.

Photo Source: Wikipedia

So go grab a cup of coffee and a donut, ahem, I mean a low-fat muffin, or depending on the time of the day maybe some wine and chocolate, and sit back and enjoy the story!

———-

I’m SO honored to be here today…Natalie was an inspiration and wonderful, patient source of advice when I was just starting out. I’d never have imagined I would here be writing my own Mommy Moment one day (instead of just stalking her site as usual…) Thank you, Natalie!

There were just so many things.

There was the groceries, and the laundry, the unpaid bills. Phone calls to return, laundry to fold, emails to respond to, meetings to schedule, writing deadlines to meet. My mother-in-law was losing her battle with cancer, my husband was breaking into a million pieces right before my eyes. I was spinning in space, trying to make sense of it all, trying to make it all somehow be OK.

There were just so many reasons.

I packed so carefully. Ballet shoes and tap shoes and leotard and tights. After-class snack, bottle of water, hair elastic to make that perfect ballerina bun in her glossy, chocolate hair. Toys and books and fruit cut into tiny pieces for the little one, hoping to keep him entertained during the long hour his sister would be dancing her heart out.

Bag in the car. Baby in his carseat, buckled in tight, battered giraffe lovey tucked between his pudgy fingers. Mirrors adjusted. Parking brake off. I double checked that the ballet bag was on the front seat. I answered a text, set a reminder to bring fruit juice to preschool the next morning. I buckled my seat belt. Turned the ignition. Put the car in reverse.

And that’s when I saw her.

My beautiful, confused, horrified-looking little girl. Waving frantically. Watching me prepare to pull out of the driveway, turn down our street, and drive two miles to ballet class.

Without her in the car.

There was just…too much.

I downplayed it, of course. Made silly faces. Said “Good girl! You stayed in a safe place and waved to Mommy so she could see you. Silly Mommy almost forgot to put you in the car! Your ballet shoes would have had to go to class all by themselves.”

Finally, I had her laughing. At the idea that her ballet shoes could do her routine to “Welcome to the ‘60s” without her little feet in them. At the idea that her Mommy could ever forget her for longer than two seconds. Because I couldn’t, of course. I would have remembered. Mommy always remembers. Silly Mommy.

Would I have remembered?

She danced into ballet class with stars in her eyes, all smiles, all love and trust and forgiveness. I sat down on the floor in the lobby with my baby in my arms and sobbed.

There are so many things…and still, there’s no excuse. No reason ever good enough to have such complete and total mommy-brain blackout that a three-year-old in a tutu could be left standing on the front lawn while her scattered, distracted, over-extended mother almost drove away without her.

I know every  moment of motherhood won’t be perfect. There will be so many moments when I fail, so many times when even my very best efforts won’t come close to being good enough. But this moment? Opened my eyes to a truth that had been right there in front of me all along. Except I’d been too busy doing things to ignore it.

There are so many things.

Some of them will have to go.

These days, there are more emails than I’d care to admit languishing in my overstuffed inbox. The dry cleaning should have been picked up weeks ago. I’ve forgotten about invites to birthday parties, skipped out on bridal showers, let the junk mail pile up in a messy heap on my living room floor. I’m learning to focus on what’s really important…and letting the rest of it go.

But because of all that? I’m a better mom. A better wife. And hopefully, a saner, less overwhelmed person who laughs more and scowls less.

And who will never leave her kid standing alone on the front lawn in a pink tutu ever, ever again.

———-

Oh Jenny, I didn’t read your Mommy Moment until I put it in to the body of this post, and at the same time I was preparing to publish this, I’m Skyping with a friend telling her that there’s just too much going on right now and some of it has to go. I SO GET THIS!

We all take on so much as moms – it’s a tough gig and so easily overwhelming. There’s no manual out there for what we do, so sharing stories like this helps us all learn from each other.

Now head over to Karma (continued…) and say hello to Jenny. If you are a Twitter addict, you can find her there, and on Facebook, and Pinterest, too! And if you are a new follower, make sure to tell her that I sent you!

If you are my age, Judy Blume is probably also one of your favorite authors. Remember Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, the Fudge books, Freckle Juice, and Forever? She’s written so many good ones!

So come back here this evening and you can chat with her LIVE right from my blog using the box you see below. Or you can head over to The Blog Frog and you’ll find the same conversation box to chat from. How exciting, huh?

If you have any questions you’d like Judy to answer, you can type them into the conversation box and she’ll answer them during the chat.

You can also follow Judy Blume on Twitter and like Judy Blume on Facebook!

Who were some of your favorite authors from childhood?

I started out with the Supermodel Slim Down Diet, and last week, I posted my measurements since I started Brazil Butt Lift. This week, I am excited to do it again!

But first, I mentioned last week that the Brazil Butt Lift workouts are not made for uncoordinated people. I am trying to get my feet to follow along with the moves and so I pretty much pay no attention to what my arms are doing. So I’ve also started doing the old school “8 Minute Arms” everyday too. I found it on You Tube and it does the job.

I am still loving the workouts – there are several different ones on 3 DVDs and they are all fun, challenging and keep me interested…I’m not doing the same thing over and over and over. And they are kicking my ass…I’m in Week #3 and I am still sore – it’s a good thing because I know that I’m actually working out and when you see my measurements you will see that it’s making a difference.

And now for an update on my measurements and weight…I couldn’t be happier!

Inches, people! I’m losing inches! I won’t tell you that it’s not frustrating to be eating good and kind-of-sort-of-for-the-most-part-but-not-really staying away from junk food and alcohol and not seeing my weight go down more. Jason keeps reminding me that “muscle weighs more than fat” and that the program is working because I’m losing inches.

Not only that, but my body literally feels different to me. My legs aren’t as jiggly as they were just a few weeks ago. My tummy is definitely firming up and I can actually see some definition. So screw the weight – as long as the inches keep falling off I’ll be good.

As for the cheats, yeah, I’ve been cheating. I’d say I’m making healthier food choices and staying away from junk food. But I’m not totally depriving myself of anything. It won’t work for me. So I’m just being smarter about what I’m putting in my body. And let’s face it, when you are working out and seeing results, the last thing you want to do is mess it all up by pigging out!

Everything in moderation.

So maybe I get french fries occasionally, but they are a small size instead of large. Maybe I eat an ice cream sandwich, but I split it with Ethan. Maybe I ate an In-N-Out Burger Double Double this weekend, but I got it protein style (wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun), with only mustard, grilled onions and one slice of cheese.

Everything in moderation.

So that’s it until next week. Until then, wish me luck!

Who doesn’t love a good cookie?

Who doesn’t love a good oatmeal cookie, preferably with raisins?

Did you know there’s a real holiday celebrating oatmeal cookies? Yep, there is one, and it’s today! Happy National Oatmeal Cookie Day!

Last month, I introduced you to a recipe I finally accomplished making (Etouffee) and also introduced you to the new Quaker Oatmeal Cookies. So I thought it would be a good time to introduce you to my favorite Oatmeal Raisin cookie recipe (it’s Jason’s favorite cookie).

But before I do that, why not share some fun facts about the Oatmeal Cookie with you?

Did You Know…

• That the Oatmeal Cookie was originally invented in the late 1800sduring Rome’s attempts to conquer England?
• Oatmeal cookies are the secondmost popular cookie. I’ll give you one guess about the first.
• Oatmeal cookies have heart health benefits [from oats]. More than 37 studieshave shown that eating oatmeal daily as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may help reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Seventy-five percentof U.S. households have oatmeal in their cupboard. We do…what about you?
• Americans consume roughly 2 billion cookiesa year although some reports will say about 300 cookies per person a year.
• After more than 100 years after the first Quaker Oatmeal Cookie recipe appears on packaging, Quaker finally makes two new and delicious kinds of oatmeal cookies.

Those new cookies are the yummy new Quaker Oatmeal Cookies that you might have seen on the shelves at your local grocery store recently. If you haven’t tried them yet, you are missing out! Why not run out and buy some for National Oatmeal Cookie Day?!

But maybe you would rather make your own. You would still be celebrating National Oatmeal Cookie Day, right? You can never go wrong with the Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe that you find on the Quaker Oats box. Those are the cookies that Jason covets.

But my favorite oatmeal cookie recipe has chocolate chips in it too! Here’s the recipe for my favorite cookie.

Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/4 cups Quaker Oatmeal
6 ounces chocolate chips (I use dark chocolate, but you can use any that you’d like)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (2 ounce) Hershey Bars (grated)
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup chopped nuts (Your choice, optional. I don’t add nuts because Jason and the kids don’t like them, but if I did, I’d choose walnuts)
Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder.

Cream the butter and both sugars. Add egg and vanilla.

Mix together the  flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and soda. Add the sugar mixture. Next, add the chocolate chips, grated Hershey Bar and nuts.

Refrigerate the dough for about 10-15 minutes to get it nice and cold. Then roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown.

This recipe makes two dozen of the best cookies you will ever eat! Enjoy!

And if you love Oatmeal Cookies, check out the Quaker cookie recipes on their site. I can’t wait to try them all out! And don’t forget to like Quaker Oats on Facebook and followe Quaker Oats on Twitter, too!

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Quaker. The opinions and text are all mine. And yes, I really love Quaker cookies!

You know I LOVE Tea Collection, and here’s why! Now is the perfect time to shop for your family for those upcoming summer vacations and family reunions. Tea Collection has the most adorable and unique outfits for kids that are perfect for summer! The Starling Batik Playdress and the Jaya Peak Playdress are sure to have the little girls in your life running around showing off their new look. The Ticking Stripe Shorts and the Roll Up Safari Shirt are too cute for words and are perfect for boys playing on the beach or in the backyard. I’m excited to share with you that Tea Collection is having a 4-day sale and if you shop 4/30 through 5/3, you’ll receive an extra 20% off already-marked down sale items with promo code EXTRA20! 

So go grab a cup of coffee and a donut, ahem, I mean a low-fat muffin, or depending on the time of the day maybe some wine and chocolate, and sit back and enjoy the story!

———-

From the minute they came into this world, I’ve been on a mission to enjoy as many small moments as possible.

The cooing, the smiles, the laughter, the hugs, the big wet kisses…the list goes on.

Some days I document like crazy, silently reprimanding myself when I fail to capture the perfect hug, the perfect jump, or the perfect moment of quiet play.

Most days I leave the electronics behind, immersing myself in the play and art so that I don’t miss a beat. These days I take screen shots in my mind, because I don’t want my only memories to include me behind the camera.

I want to actually be in the memories, not on the outside looking in.

Always, I watch them sleep.

Maybe it was the infertility. Maybe it’s just in my DNA. Whatever it is, I struggle to let go.

By day I watch them grow in leaps in bounds. I cheer for every milestone, and encourage each new adventure, even if I cry a little bit on the inside.

I feel the baby days slipping away right before my very eyes. I am powerless to make it stop.

I listen carefully as my five year old creates complex and fascinating stories just because she can.

I watch in awe as my three year old learns to write his name, put on his own clothes, and create his own buildings. Help is no longer required.

I know, in my heart, that I am still needed. I am, without a doubt, the first person they want to see in the morning and the last person they want to see as they finally rest their eyes.

I will always be needed.

But I see the shift happening. I see the baby-ness starting to fade and the big kid-ish-ness taking over. I see complicated art projects, beautiful handwriting, and athletic skills beginning to emerge. I see individuals emerging and strong opinions being voiced.

It both fills and breaks my heart at the exact same time.

And so, I watch them sleep.

There, wrapped and snuggled and sighing in their sleep, they seem smaller somehow. Despite their length, they remain little, cozy, and hang on to just a little bit of that baby-ness.

There, I can breathe them in, stroke their beautiful hair, and shed just a few tears as I work my way out of the baby days and into the world of big kids.

Just as soon as I’m ready…

———-

I should have mentioned you would need tissues! Beautiful, isn’t it? And I agree that in their sleep they do seem smaller, and it is then that I greedily kiss them and hug them without them trying to push away.

There’s no manual out there for what we do, so sharing stories like this helps us all learn from each other.

Now head over to Clomid & Cabernet and say hello to Katie. If you are a Twitter addict, you can find her there, and on Facebook, and Pinterest, too! And if you are a new follower, make sure to tell her that I sent you!