{Weight Loss Weigh in: Week 22}

About this week, hmmm I have been trying to get my fluid intake up to at least 10 - 16oz glasses of water (per doc's orders) and have only managed an average of about 5 glasses. Mind you I am drinking mostly water, sometimes watered down juice or have a nice glass of ice tea and I just can't understand why it's so hard for me to up my intake of water with this pregnancy!!

I haven't been getting thirsty or hungry and over this past week if I haven't gone out or was reminded to I would just forget to eat or drink. I don't know what is going on with me lately. When I do eat though I eat really healthy - on occasion I do have a treat but mostly it's "good for you" foods.

I think I am going to have to put myself on an eating chart and start writing down what I eat and when to make myself more accountable because it's not just me this affecting but MJ too, although you wouldn't know it by how active she is.

I gained back the 2.5 lbs I lost last week so I must be getting enough or MJ is just growing like a weed - not sure which, probably her growth and not so much mine.

Anywho, below is my progress - if you can call it that. Hope you all have a super weekend - I am going to spend mine with my mom, family and friends.

Current Weight: 290.5 pounds

Weight loss/gain: + 2.5 pounds

Total Weight loss: 14.5 pounds 

Weight still to lose: 53.5 pounds to go

{Cinnamon Mocha Cupcakes}

I have been trying out a few recipes and though I don't have a picture taken by me of these yummy cupcakes I wanted to share a great cupcake recipe find with you. It's super easy and super simple and it's moist and has a great flavor!

I found this recipe on all recipe and over at Taste of Home. The recipe on all recipe even comes with a frosting - which I haven't made but loved the cupcakes and they have become one cupcake I will make over and over again! I changed a few things to suit me & placed those items in parenthesis.

Enjoy!

(Image found at Taste of home)

Cinnamon Mocha Cupcakes

yields: 24 cupcakes bake: 350° for 18-20 min

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar (I used organic unprocessed "raw" sugar)

3 eggs

1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2-1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour (I used unbleached flour) 

3/4 cup baking cocoa

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1-1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup strong brewed coffee, room temperature (I used instant decaf for this since I don't drink coffee)

1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp buttermilk (I don't normally carry buttermilk on hand so I put 1 tbsp of vinegar into 1 cup 2% milk and let stand until ready to use)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla (I added the eggs one at a time). 

2. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, baking powder and cinnamon into a separate bowl.

3. Mix the wet ingredients (buttermilk and coffee) alternately with the dry ingredients to your creamed mixture. Until mixed well - please note you may need a little extra milk if the batter appears too dry. (I added about a 1/4 cup extra milk (non buttermilk) to the mix).

4. line your cupcake trays with paper liners or spray with cooking spray and fill with batter. Bake at 350° F for 18-20 minuets or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minuets before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Once cupcakes are cool frost with your favorite frosting.

{Weight Loss Weigh in: Week 21}

This week has been hard. Not food wise but just physically hard and draining. I ended up going to the hospital (thank you Reina for taking me, as I was in no shape to drive myself) and got hooked up to a lovely IV and was given two bags of saline, a shot of anti-nausea medication and a couple pills to stop the diarrhea.

You see the last doctor's appointment I was told I needed to drink more or else they would have to give me IV fluids (the doc suggested I get it then but I wanted to wait and see if I could hydrate myself - obviously I failed). Well Tuesday I woke up way early in the morning feeling awful - took a bath thinking that it would help - it really didn't so I went back to bed only to wake up an hour earlier barely making it to the bathroom before throwing up, which continued once every 30 min until about 9 am. It was coming so hard and fast that I was in alot of pain and extremely nauseated.

Mind you, tuesday was my the start of my 24th week (6 month mark) and the whole day I am thinking "what a way to celebrate my 6 month mark!".  I called my friend to see if she could drive me in because it was becoming unbearable and showed no signs of stopping.

Once we got to the hospital they sent me up to OB and hooked up to the baby monitors and waited until the doc gave the ok for the IV fluids. You should have heard MJ on the monitors, she hates things on my belly and was kicking so hard it sounded like a freight train from all her thrashing around trying to remove the tight monitors. I had the nicest nurses, although I felt bad for the one who put in my IV. I warned her I could possibly throw up if she "fished" in my hand for a vein - which she didn't - but from the pain of the needle going into a very sad and dehydrated vein and the smell from the alcohol wipes I couldn't help it and was glad to have that blue bag to toss my cookies in. That was the last time I threw up.

After the second bag of saline I was feeling loads better and was able to go home.  The rest of the week seems like a blur of sleeping, eating and just trying to relax and not overdo. I think the only reason I lost anything this week is due to the diarrhea and vomiting - not from any exercise program. I am drinking more and more and trying to drink what I am supposed to be drinking.

This is the first pregnancy where I have had any problems keeping my fluids up. This pregnancy is really wiping me out. Don't get me wrong I like being pregnant and feeling MJ move around but I am not liking the pain from the sciatic nerve, the tiredness, nausea and now I have a slight waddle to my gait as I move. I don't like the severe migraines, swollen feet or how moody I can become due to wacked out hormones. I am glad I won't be going thru this again (unless something happens beyond my control). MJ should be our last.

So there ya go. My week & below is my weight loss. Mind you that I am sure to gain it back because really it's not loss from any sort of exercise but from being too dehydrated to keep anything down. Hope you all have a happy weekend! Stay cool and stay dehydrated!!

Current Weight: 288 pounds

Weight loss/gain: - 2.5 pounds

Total Weight loss: 17 pounds 

Weight still to lose: 51 pounds to go

{Weight Loss Weigh in: Week 20}

This week has been hectic between looking and putting in an offer on a house and just trying to enjoy time spent with the kids I haven't really been keeping track of my progress or what I have been eating but somehow I lost a pound.

I am more consciously aware of how much I have been drinking though and have really upped my intake of fluids, so that's a good thing!

Anywho, that's all I have for this weeks post but I am happy with my progress - I keep reminding myself that I am growing a babe and I will fluctuate but after MJ is out I know the weight will just come off (I hope!).

Hope you have a fun filled weekend. I think we are going to keep it low key - like always - and just enjoy each other's company.

Current Weight: 290.5 pounds

Weight loss/gain: - 1 pounds

Total Weight loss: 14.5 pounds 

Weight still to lose: 53.5 pounds to go

{Lakeside Lavender Festival}

I had an awesome time with my friend, Reina, at the lavender festival held in Nampa on Sunday. She brought her cute little guy and I brought Ruth. We went in the morning and it was nice and cool and just beautiful! The sun was out and the sky was soo blue.

We walked up a tree lined path to be greeted by a lovely scent of lavender and soon our eyes feasted on the rows of purple. We went up to the welcome table and found out what we needed to do and then walked twards the beautiful purple field that beconned us.

We rode on a horse drawn carriage, ate some lavender icecream & lavender tea cookies and drank some lavender lemonade. It was the most relaxing day and one of the prettiest!!

It was stunning! Reina brought her camera and I forgot mine so all the images below were taken by her camera. It was such a beautiful day!

Due to the sweet smelling lavender we were relaxed and even though the kids got a bit cranky it never ruined our relaxation. Afterwards we dropped Ruth off back at home with Beau & William so that Reina and I could go out to lunch. We would have taken Ruth but she got a bit too cranky and needed a nap.

Did I mention we had lunch at Sherri's!!

* the images below were taken with Reina's camera, some were shot by me others shot by her. I did edit a few - ENJOY!*

(He was mad because he wanted the camera)







(you can't see them but the bees are all over the lavender)









(Ruth was the only one brave enough to go into the rows)





(Look at how blue the sky was! It was just lovely!)





(look a butterfly)







(The horse drawn carriage ride was so relaxing. We got to see all over the farm)







(Ruth was tickled pink to pet the horses - this one drove us around)









(Jackson loved the horses too!)













(Ruth didn't get rid of her sucker stick until she got some lavender icecream)

















(Jackson and Ruth were playing a game of rolling the grapes back and forth on this chair - the giggles were contagious!)