Shaker my KITCHEN PLEASE!!

SHREDDED: Before and After

Growing up my dad's favorite cereal was shredded wheat. So when I hear that word, my mind jumps to opening the cereal cabinet and seeing that box full of blah cereal and thinking....how could my dad eat this??? I still don't know the answer to that question, but I think my dad stopped thinking he  liked it too because now I hear he eats a quart of hagen daaz for dinner! If THAT is what getting old and turning crazy is like, I CAN'T WAIT!! I joke that I am rubbing off on him because he used to be the healthiest eater I've ever KNOWN!!! But I think I told him that I skip meals and go straight to dessert a time too many and he's just adopting my bad, YET YUMMMY eating habits!!

 I digress....soooo been going through a lot of changes!!! Baby(still need about 100 blog post about that...sorry) then our house flooded and that was 4 months of living in a apartment and remodeling he%%. Then we move back in, have Thanksgiving and Christmas and BOOM....my marriage crumbles.

 But I will say that this time has been a spiritual blessing. A time that I will always cherish because I felt and still feel extremely led and blessed and overwhelmed with gratitude for a savior who saves us from not only physical death but from every kind of situation. He is my hero for ever more. I am sooooo excited to be living my best life now!

 Speaking of living my best life.... right after Chloe was born I heard about Jillian Michaels 30 day shred. I thought 20 minutes! Even a new mommy can find 20 minutes!! So I bought, I played, I exercised, I became disabled for 4 days. Short of installing a elevator in my home I was stuck to one level of my home! So I gave up and sunk back into flubby motherhood.

Fast forward to now. I can not even remember what inspired me to begin. I think someone else was starting something and I thought I can too! I have not been able to get back to teaching at the gym with Chloe screaming like Jason is after her if I leave her vision. I also thanks to the hormone cortisol had lost about 5 pounds, but still felt a little flabby around the core and I wondered was that because of my diet or because of my lack of core strength?? You always hear...it's ALL DIET. My diet these days consist of no breakfast/ salad , omelet, or oatmeal for lunch.../and a light dinner..../and popping chocolate in my mouth in frequent intervals.

 So on April 2, 2012 I began 30 day Shred. Minus Sundays (Short testimony on not working out on sunday...I actually started to do it one sunday and promptly felt the spirit inside me say NO! So I thanked that spirit and welcomed the day of rest!)Short of sundays and one monday I had Strep throat...I completed 6 days a week for 5 weeks.

 10 Days Level 1 Started very very light, barely squatted down, used NO weights first three days...this got me through initial sore period. NO need for elevator.

10 Days Level 2 Oooooooo Pushups????? I loathe theee!!!! The squat and shoulder rise nearly ended me, I hate shoulder exercises which means I must need them.

10 Days Level 3 I think I died. Have you ever worked out so hard or ran so hard you are sucking air?? Then you promptly feel like puking??? This was level 3, but I loved it!!

 So THANK YOU JILLIAN I WISH I KNEW YOUR MIDDLE NAME MICHAELS because for the first time in MY LIFE I can see my stomach muscles a teeny tiny tiny bit. Teeny tiny, like barely but I was beginning to think I may not have them!! I feel sooo strong

? when you are strong you feel strong! It's so hard, so hard, so hard people it's hard....but then you feel sooooo good!! I started seeing results right away...so here are the before and after pictures. My pint size photographer Ryan was too kind to help his dear old mom on these before bolting for the education.

Where to start.... the Beginning

Let's start with the birth! Here is the story:

On Saturday August 14, I went to a zumba class in the morning and then I was re-organizing the boys drawers...yes, more nesting! As I was waddling around opening drawers..up and down...I felt Leaky! Now this is not a new feeling completely, but It continued throughout the day. I called my mom who was visiting family in Utah and she said I should call the doctor. Which I did. The doctor said I needed to come in to check if it was amniotic fluid. Now in my mind I said, "uh oh". See I wanted BADLY a natural delivery. I had been induced with my first and it was horrible, but my second was natural and beautifully easy! I had even picked an O.B. that was more naturally inclined, their c-section rates where only 12% vs. the hospitals 30%!! So back to the phone call. The doctor said come on in, and I said, "How about we wait and I go into labor naturally and then come in, PLEASE?"

...it didn't work...she said I had to be checked now because there was a risk of infection...boo

So I canceled our evening plans, called the evening plans sitter and asked if she could come early, and told Seth to get home NOW from his weekly Walmart saturday trip ;)

An hour later we were headed to the hospital, all my bags packed and ready to go because I was going to be prepared for anything. We got checked in and she "scoped" me and 3 minutes later we were a positive for "ruptured membranes" which is a fancy way of saying..my water broke.

She was ready to start the induction, but I asked if I please could have the most time possible to try to go into labor on my own. SO I stayed at the hospital overnight. BUT being 2 weeks early....my body said NO! So at 7 a.m. they wheeled in the IV pole and the potocin started dripping....BOO!!!

ICK...I loathe potocin.... about 2 hours later I started to feel it but was breathing through ok. Then they came in and checked me. I was still a 3. A measly 3!!!! This was going to take too long and I wasn't about to go through all that potocin pain all day! So I threw my arms up and my will and called for the "drugs" the EPIDURAL!!! I felt defeated and broken, and a little scared. I think anytime there is a 5 inch needle entering any part of your body one should be scared.

The anetheolgist came in, a salt and pepper cutie pie man. Anyway, he did his thing and the weirdest thing happened.....I was "high"!! I started to giggle a lot and flirt with the doctor and say the most ridiculous things about how he had so much power over his wife because when she was mad at him all he had to do was give her some epidural and she would be happy and giggly and feel great... Seth was laughing at me. Thought it was great his wife was so silly and "high". My next feeling was exhaustion!!! I couldn't keep my eyes open. I conked out hard!! They would wake me to flip me every 30 minutes(Hear the thighs slapping together haha), but other than that from about noon till four I slept like a baby. Ahhhh I kinda was liking this baby laboring...so restful! ahhhhh. At around 4:30 I woke up and felt a little something down there. Then there was a pop and a gush and I could feel her head between my LEGS!!!!

"CALL THE DOCTOR, SHE'S FALLING OUT!!!" I yelled.

The doctor arrived, and said, "she's right there, go ahead and push." I was so afraid of tearing this time that I made the sound that I was pushing so the doctor would think I was, but really I was just"flexing" and she said,"great push! Do that again and she will be out!"

So I grunted my best grunt, flexed and POP, out she came. A little head this time! She already knew how to make her mommy happy by not breaking my who who!

I had a wonderful stay at the hospital and baby was perfect! I am in girl heaven!!

I don't know if it was the left over drugs or hormones, but I was just in bliss for her first three days!! She was soo precious and yummy!

Grandma and Grandpa Adams

The BIG Brothers meet their new sister for the first time....

Daddy holding his new princess girl.

Leaving the Hospital....off to a new wonderful pink life!! We are so blessed!!

Chloe Belle Cochran

August 15,2010

5:58 p.m.

6 lb. 14 oz.

19 in. long

38 weeks 1 day

Sooooo, WOW!! Here I am at the end! I can not believe it. There is no other time in my life when I have more splitting emotions:

I do want her to come out because.... I can not wait to see what she looks like, cuddle her warm soft body against mine, feeling the immense love I know I will feel for her. Watch her grow through all the stages...into a beautiful woman

BUT...

I don't want her to come out becasue there is side that is scared, scared and anxious, and excited to deliver her. How will it happen? When will it happen? And then there is that other side that is sad to have her leave my body knowing this will be the last time I will feel the sweet movements of another with in me. This has been my hardest pregnancy by far, but the miracle and amazing feeling of it all will be missed!

I was talking with a friend the other day about how surreal having a child is. We both joked how when they lay that little alien thing on your belly, we are both feeling this shocked feeling and then it hits us, "THAT'S WHAT IVE BEEN DOING THESE LAST NINE MONTHS, OK CRY TIME TO CRY"

So here is my official statistical update: (this is the ooey gooey details)

-2 cm dilated

-90% effaced (she called it a pushing cervix)

-been nauseous for the past 4 days

- been spotting all day today after she checked me

- just normal braxton hicks, a few are crampy every now and then(mostly at night)

-lost 2 lbs. since last visit! whhoo hooo

I told the doctor I went into this pregnancy being very against induction, but after watching my sister's nearly puuuuuuurrrrfect, nearly painless induction PLUS how uncomfortable and sleepy I am.....Let's just say I almost let her strip my membranes today. WOW! And for those of you that know me, that's pretty desperate, because they stripped my membranes with Ryan and that led to my horrible induction....

She was actually the one that decided against it, saying I might regret it later, and the far far dusty pre-pregnancy part of my brain had to agree with her. She said she would induce me at 40 weeks, BUT she really didn't think I would make it that long......I'm worried she may have jinxed me.

Well to be continued.....

Imitation is the Best Form of Flattery

I am really really good at copying other people's genious. The glory be MINE?? No not usually, the glory usually belongs to my sister, or pottery barn, or Martha Stewert, or ETSY!!

I love,loVe, lOve,lovE ETSY!!!

I have gotten the idea for my hospital gown, (this is my boo-tiful sis Amy modeling, made by the spectacilar hands of me mummy)

...baby blessing dress,

and car seat canopy all from etsy. So thankyou and bless those people out there for your non-money making inspiration!

My latest idea stealing hunt is for...

DRUM ROLL PLEASE...

a white paper bird mobile of some sort to hang over my baby crib. I just haven't done the rest of the room traditional, so WHY START NOW???

So how about this one...

....Or this one.....

...but this one wins the award for originality..I think I'm in LOVE, but HOW DID SHE DO IT!

I have white cardstock, a craft knife, and a sewing machine....do I have the right tools for the job?

Ideas anyone??

Waiting to Exhale.....

...and inhale....and be able to walk again....and be able to eat normal again.....and sleeeeepppp...oh wait x out the sleep part.

I remember the moment Ryan was born and that wonderful feeling of filling my lungs with all that fresh oxygen down into the under utilized sections of my lungs. Ahhhh

This is my story at 37weeks 4 days:

Now I wait. I have nested and nested and nested some more! I got done nesting and packing my hospital bags at MIDNIGHT last night and already I'm bored! Bored out of my mind! I'm wondering what I did with my life before it was full of running hither and thither to pick up paint, ribbon, onsies,tissue paper,and diapers! What did I do before I spent my days and nights rearranging and cleaning the cabinets, closets, and under beds??

My nails are painted, my toes are painted, my legs and pits are shaved. I'm ready. SO let's go already!!

So I should enjoy this time, right? I can sit back and relax, knowing I'm ready, I'm prepared almost 3 weeks in advance which is unusual for me. But the truth is...I've needed all these activities to distract myself from....

.... this little annoying thing called FULL TERM HELL! This is when your body decides that it no longer appreciates being stretched and torn and sleep deprived! Let me vent a moment, just in case any of you forgot:

- sleep about 4-5 hour stretch (even with Tylenol PM)

- can't breath

- my left hip throbs all (short)night long

- indigestion so I have to sleep half sitting up which gives me a....

- back ache

- walking like a duck, a wounded shot hurt duck

- bottom end "issues" lets say....

- being jammed in the hips and ribs multiple times....

- I'm moody as all heck, poor Seth can do no right, the kids say I've been using my "big voice"

- every time I move or sit up my stomach tightens up into a knot and I can't move

- I'M HOT

- I can't tie shoes, I can't buckle my favorite sandals, I have to sit down to put my pants on

- ONE upside...my tummy sticks out so much that I can't see the number on the scale to weigh myself???

- charlie horses leaving me screaming

- not being able to laugh,sneeze,or cough without, well, you know...and lately I think I need to upgrade from a liner to a diaper

- once again running to the bathroom just to "dribble"

Ok maybe I don't even have it that bad compared to many and I know I'm being a big fat Laman and Lemuel right now.

Because there is this other more angelic side of myself that says that I should be so grateful to be blessed with this pregnancy, this little girl spirit that I thought may never come. I am so excited to cuddle her and I KNOW it will be worth it, BUT mommy me no feel good.......

UNCLE!!! I'm crying UNCLE!!

Called to serve

Church Smile is plastered on my face as the bishop's counselor speaks, "and the new calling we have in mind for you...and we've given this a lot of thought, and we are very excited about is.....

CUB SCOUTS!....."

My church smile fades into dear in the headlights grin as my realization of what he just said....

visions of young rowdy boys,knots,and ugly brown shirts are dancing in my head.

Least to say this was the last calling I thought would "fit" me! My last calling was my perfect fit. You could call it my lid to my pot, my sail to my boat, my cup to my tea

Primary Music Leader...Loved it!! Every Sunday I sang and danced, yes danced occasionally for these beautiful children. I loved their little spirits, still love their spirits and I try to sub as often as I can...

..back to reality....so my optimist brain switches to "how bad can it be" mode. This is my about to have a baby posh job, right? Then I ring my girlfriend Jennifer who was the cub master at the time, but on her way out because she was ABOUT TO HAVE A BABY? She proceeds to tell me it was the most time consuming calling she has ever had!!!!???? And she goes, "they KNOW your pregnant, RIGHT?"

Wow, this is looking better and better by the minute. But I was not raised to be a downer about a calling. And I was raised to smile and nod and rise to the occasion! I'm not cut from the R.S. prez cloth like my mom....that is FOR SURE! But I realize where my strengths are and I think....

I think that's WHY they called me to this calling....

For example, first day cub scout camp. We gather round the cub scout flagpole preparing to do the flag ceremony. To open camp we announce that it's time for the packs to do their cheers. One by one each group of 8-10 boys about whisper their chants. What come again? How boring and quite! I don't like boring and quite!

The next day, I kinda took over. I told them it was a contest to see who had the most spirit. Ok I didn't just tell them, I yelled it at them! Then I told them if they didn't do it loud enough they would have to do it again and again! Well, that lit a fire under their butts and you should have seen their little red, strained faces shouting out these little cheers! Mamma Cubby was sooo proud!

Growing older into my 30's this is what my self-acceptance has been all about. Realizing that I am not EVER going to be the "oh, she is so on the ball" or "she is the best blank leader we have ever had" type. My strengths lie in the details. You plan it and I'll be there to accessorize and make it a great time! Are my pictures colored and laminated? Let's be honest...do they even EXIST! NO!! But what I lack in color and copy skills, I make up for in spirit and enthusiasm.

The Leaders: Jennifer Hunt (organizer, planner supremo) Donna (shopper,implementer of plans) Lisa (knot tier/spirit leader)

Come to find out though...I'm a whimper snapper at KNOTS! This is my new bumper sticker, do you like it?

How to make a Pomander

A WHAT? ...a pomander....what's that?

It's a super cute, easy to make, and the most time consuming craft I have ever EVER MADE!

For my super amazingly cute and fun baby shower that my wonderful sista did for me, she made tissue paper flowers and hung them over her table display: IT WAS BEAUTIFUL!

I have seen them before, but they seemed way out of my crafty talent range to attempt! But Amy inspired me to look into it, becasue I had thought about including them in my baby room design. Then while searching for ways to make the tissue paper flowers, I came across pomanders....WHAT?? POMANDERS!! They seemed a little more long lasting or something to me to hang permentaly in my baby room...so I thought I would try one...and I did TRY ONE! THREE HOURS LATER I HAVE A LOP SIDED POM POM POMANDER!! So am I inspired to EVER make one again or make multiple ones for Chloe's room.....um NO WAY MAN (as that lil Simpson kid would say)

But just in case you have uber amounts of time on your hands and want to make one for a shower or party or something...this is the lady who taught me how to do it on you tube!

Tomorrow I think I'll make a bunch of tissue paper flowers so I still have time to do my other daily activities such as conquering the universe and other mundane task as such.

I think I need to start blogging again....

No one I know that I used to follow blogs as much as they used to either...so I guess I don't feel that guilty. But I think the person, the only person that is mad that I stopped is me! This is my only journal you see.

Sure iPhone is a super high-tech do it all gadget that I lovingly refer to as "iCrack" becasue It is that addicting and replaced a need for me to get on my laptop, which in turn took me away from my lolli-gagging internet sucking time with blogging.

And facebook entered my world in a big way, and I could now just catch up and see pictures of you there on facebook, from my iPhone...done deal right!!! No need to blogger.com...RIGHT???
Well, that's fine for yall. My no interest blogger, I can totally understand was of little interest to most people BUT...I'm cheating myself and I HATE living with regret!

So I am equipped with a new sporty camera, plus the old one, plus my "iCRACK" photo's so this should be fun. I will start to chronicle my life once again and who will be happy??? ME (throw head back evil laugh)
Because there is a LOT going on in my life that I need to chronicle...I have too, or I will be super mad at myself!
What is sooo important you may ask? Well, only the pregnancy of my third and most likely last child....

whom I was sure would be a boy and I was going to love him and name HIM Cody.....well Cody was missing some accessories and turned out to be Chloe. Seth picked the name which is cute, because he never NEVER has been into pregnancies or the naming of our posterity until Cody became Chloe and I guess he is getting daddies little girl or something.

Maybe we are more settled and he has an easier time getting excited about this baby??? Who knows...either way it's super cute that he is into it. Anyway, Chloe is a spoiled BRAT already! Why?

Is it the closet full off garage sale and consignment store cloths? (YES, we have stock piled diapers up to the ceiling too...if BabysRus is out, you know where to look)...Or could it be her baby nursery I have spent hours of time designing and decorating? Here is that story....

Because I never had any moolah to spend and we were always moving or in transition so I never have really got to "decorate" a nursery. Oh, don't get me wrong, there were pictures drawn up and dreams laid out for the boys, but they were never realized other than the uber cute green toille baby bedding that my mom made for me with matching basket covers...sooo cute!!

This time around I was armed with
a) living in the same house for a record breaking 2.5 years and not moving in the foreseeable future
b) having some cash from the craigslist sell of our guest room furniture
c) TIME to scour the Internet and design and draw to my hearts content!

My first step was to scour the Internet for pictures of my favorite nursery's. I looked at a gallizion. The ones I loved got put in a special computer folder. Then I looked at the pictures over and over again and picked my favorite. The winner was.....The COCO DOT themed nursery from PotteryBarn Kids...

I know I know SELL OUT!! But it really caught my eye with the vibrant wall color and muted ivory tones with pops of pink.
Next step was too draw up the plans...which I havent looked at for about 3 months and WOW I actually made a plan and STUCK to it for once....and since I'm the only one who will read this probably...I'm going to pat myself on the back for sticking to a plan! Three cheers for plans!... and start to shop! First stop....craigslist!! I checked it everyday, sometimes two times a day! It was hard to find anyone who was selling a matching crib AND changing table...CRIB here...changer there... and white?? Finally after about a month...seriously a month, an ad popped up and I was lucky enough to catch it in the first few hours, call, and reserve it! I went and looked at it and the same day we went to look at a vintage dresser.
A few hours later we had 4 people, a full crib, changer, and long vintage dresser in our clown car mini-van!
Crib and Changer $125
Vintage dresser $100
Can of matching paint$ 17
New hardware for the dresser $38

Seth painted the dresser likity split and It turned out way nicer than I thought it would! Love, reuse, and recycle!! Then for my side tables I found this little ditty at the PB outlet on clearance....And the only problem with my super awesome new changer is that the pad takes up all the space so I needed somewhere to put wipes and stuff, so back to craigslist I went. I wish I had a before picture of this little guy because he was a beaut! PHYCH! Bright fire engine red he was painted badly needing a touchup! Scratched,dirty, and falling apart really...but for $20 bucks...and it was the perfect height and width.....I got to work right away armed with a lot of soap and paint...here is how he turned out...

And oh yes, I went there...I found this wipe warmer at a garage sale for $3.00 TOTALLY WORKS and then I blinged it out with a little walmart ribbon...oh yah baby go for it! You KNOW you WANT TO!!

Walmart ribbon and a little whimsy =

Painting and crafting has been a constant companion lately.

This little lamp shade below was 49 cents! And I just added the ribbon to match.....

Walmart photo frames and a little paint and a little patience =

Sorry MOM but her room is already messy and I'm the one who did it! Do you think God was this messy when he created the earth?

Meet BIG BROWN...this was my splurge! After two babies with no chair...I kinda wanted one...so Seth spoiled me and after (2) 20% off coupons later....I got BIG BROWN...I LOVE HIM ALREADY!!
BIG BROWN IS WHERE I'M GOING TO SNUGGLE THIS....ALL THE ABOVE IS FOR THIS....

Coming soon to a home somewhere in Austin, TX...meet CHLOE.....