Sweet Family!

I miss my family....I love my military family, church family, neighborhood family, but when you have a love one that is sick, you really wish you could be there with your immediate family!!  Prayers are needed for my sweet grandma tonight!

Back to blogging! Before and After Pics!

I'm back to blogging, going to use this post to keep myself accountable with meal planning and workouts of the week!

Since Septemeber, I have been using My Fitness Pal to help lose some unwanted pounds! This tool is fantastic, it really helps with being aware of mindless eating that I was doing, and planning your healthy food choices! I would recommend this to everybody....super easy, and free!

Before

look how little and sweet Gracie was.....she still is little and sweet

after....minus about 50 lbs from the before pic..I feel like a new person!

We also have changed our diet to Paleo ish.....clean eating diet, and loving how we are feeling!  I'm giving Abby and my big girls, as much nutrient dense food that I can, along with supplements to try to help her with brain development.  Some of the theories on why the diet GF/CF and high nutrient diet works, is that it helps them focus, clear the head, heal the gut, so they can get more out of conventional autism therapies.  I really think the diet makes a huge difference!  Our healthy lifestyle change is really all about health, but the bonus is that I have lost weight, and feel so much better about myself.  I've lost 20 pounds since Sept, and 60 since my highest post pregnancy weight.   

I'm going to try to post some meal ideas every week, so we can be more prepared...I would much rather eat healthy food at home, and even if it may be a little more at the grocery store, you can easily save by not eating out!!

Meal Planning:
M - leftovers, with sweet potato fries baked, salad, fruit salad
T - Chicken, bell pepper kabobs, chicken sausage for the girls, green beans, and fruit
W- breakfast for dinner at church, eggs/bacon/sausage, I will have to resist the biscuit :)
Thurs-BBQ chicken pizza on sweet potato crust, big salad, fruit
Fri-potato/kale soup....saw a good recipe
Sat - Dinner out
Sun- leftovers!

Workouts: Love Fitnessista.com, doing her winter shape up week 2....moving the schedule around some since I was sick on Sunday
Sun: Rest
Mon: TAC with Amy at TT....killed me
Tues:Workout #2 + Elliptical HIIT
Wed: Rest
Thurs: Workout #2 + Hills
Fri: Tabata class if I can get Abby into CDC or Insanity DVD
Sat: Workout #2 + Treadmill HIIT + Ab Burner

Love all her workouts, I've pinned a ton of them! 
Going to try to post weekly to keep myself accountable!

First Day of Pre K

My sweet Emma is in Pre - K.  Her favorite part is riding the bus......she loves riding the bus with her sister in the morning, and home with our neighbor who is in her class too!  The problem with Pre-K is that its only 8:30-10:50, so with recess and snack time, I don't know how much learning is going on...but she still really enjoys school even if its more social time! :)  One project she did last week was a  "Wemberly Worries" worksheet.  They read this really cute book at school, then she had to color a picture, and her teacher wrote what Emma worries about.... "Emma worries that her sister will get stung by a bee."  She is so random.......but its so sweet that she is always thinking about her sister!  I am so impressed with their school, which is another reason why we love living on base!

First Day of Kindergarten

I can't believe my baby is in Kindergarten!  She is absolutely loving school.  We are excited that she got into a mulit- age classroom, with kids in K,1st, 2nd grade.  Since we held her back, I'm excited that she will be challenged academically but we still want to keep her in the kindergarten class for developmental age.  Her favorite part of school are the specials....PE, Art, Music, Spanish....but really she loves everything.  Gracie has been telling me all the questions she answers in class, so I think she is doing great in a class with older kids!  The best part of going to school on base is that she gets to ride the bus, and she loves it!!! I love being able to stay in my pj's when she goes to school!

Back to blogging: Keeping an update on our family

Our family has been through a lot the past few weeks.  The realization, first on my own, then with a dr. confirming our worst fears, that our baby has a life long illness is crushing.  I literally felt like somebody had punched me in the stomach.  I cried for a week, read everything I could, then turned on my Tiger Mommy mode wanting to do everything I can to help my child.  Autism is a word that I have always feared, but I'm not wasting my time on why she has it, just what can we do as a family to help her.  

Abby's sisters, Grace and Emma, love her and love to play with games with her.  Their play therapy is invaluable. Our family in on a mission, to help Abby doing everything we can to help her develop.  Right now, we are waiting on Tricare to approve all the therapies and get her started.  The common amount of therapy is 30-40 hrs a week for Speech, Occupational, and ABA therapy.  We are also going GF/CF as a family and starting the girls on nutritional supplements to "feed the brain."  I'm hoping to use this blog as a progress on how she is doing, and to chronicle the big girls lives too!  They are super excited to go to school on base!  

Throughout it all, I am so thankful for the goodness of the Lord.  He led us to the Dr. in Wilmington, who studies at John Hopkins, is a developmental pediatrician, and believes in alternative therapies.  Our prayer is that God leads us to the correct therapists she needs, and she really responds to therapy!  We love all our children no matter what, but want to see them reach their full potential, whatever that might be.  

Funny things the girls say....and more park fun!

We met a bunch of friends at the park this week, and the girls had a blast, they got filthy as usual, but love playing outside with friends.  So thankful that we live on base now, and I feel safe enough to let the kids play outside by themselves, with neighbor kids.  They have so much fun!

The girls are obsessed with playing hospital lately.  I was listening in to them play yesterday, and overheard Emma telling Gracie, "OK, Gracie you are the nurse, and I'll be the hospital this time."  They think a hospital is a person. :)  
Last saturday when I was running errands, Gracie was sitting on the couch watching TV with Steven.  She turned to Steven and said, "Daddy, I don't want any tattoos on me, but someday, I want to be the person to draw tattoos on people when I grow up."  Steven started cracking up, probably not the best thing to let your daughter watch Ink Master or NY Ink with you.

Abby 16 months!

Abby, our sweet little one, you are getting so big!  You are starting to walk, a little bit....you are having more and more fun playing with your sisters, especially Gracie, who you share a special bond.  Your hair is starting to curl, and your eyes are still a pretty grey color!  We love you, our sweet baby girl!