Trim Healthy Mama Personal Update!

I started my THM journey in May of 2014.  I had just had my 5th baby, and been put on Provera...which made me gain 20 extra pounds.  I stepped on the scale and it read 199.6.  I was dumbfounded.  I swore I would NEVER get to 200.  I was introduced to THM by a friend, and started it shortly after my scary scale encounter.

It is now September 2016.  I had my 6th baby in 2015.  During the pregnancy, I only gained 7lbs.!!  (I started the pregnancy at 185, dropped 10lbs. the first trimester, and at the 36th week, I was 192.  (she was born 4 weeks early.)  I continued to lose weight after I gave birth.  I started back at my RIPPED classes at my local YMCA 1-2 times per week.  I also started jogging to prepare for my 2 mud runs.  I jog 4-5 times per week.

This August, we found out we were expecting again, and since I had been very active already, my midwife said it was perfectly fine to continue my exercise routine, as well as do my mud runs (just avoiding jumping, electric, and other dangerous obstacles.)   I did my Dirty Girl Mud Run at 6 weeks pregnant.  It was a 5k course with 13 obstacles.  I did every single obstacle, got really muddy, and earned my medal!  I had a blast!

Last night, I stopped at Old Navy because I had no jeans or sweaters to wear in the cooler, Wisconsin weather we are having.  I was a 14 in shorts this summer, so I grabbed the 14s, size Large sweaters, and headed to the fitting rooms.  I was shocked when the jeans and sweater were TOO BIG!!!  I ended up getting size 12 jeans (which are loose!) and I fit into size Medium sweaters!  (I still got the large in some styles as I like my tops loose)  Woohoo!  I am so excited.

I stepped on the scale this morning, and was down to 162...which is the lowest I had gotten before my last pregnancy.  Here's hoping I continue to go down!

This Saturday (2 days!!!)  my hubby and I will be doing Tough Mudder.  This is my husband's 3rd run, my first.  I am SO nervous!  I am also hoping the Lord uses us to be a good witness for Him!  We are going to be joined by my cousin, and another cousin of mine will be doing an earlier wave, so we'll meet up with him later.

How I do THM:  

I typically have coffee with a creamer for my breakfast.  Occasionally I'll have sprouted toast with a tsp of butter.  (the creamer is not on plan, but has a small amount of sugar, so I use it.)

Lunch is usually leftovers from supper;  which is always on plan.

Snacks are usually fresh mozzarella, nuts, or popcorn with nutritional yeast.

Drinks throughout the day are usually water, Bai Antiwater, or Bai juice.

Supper is always something from the THM cookbook.  (For instance, tonight will be Cabb & Saus Skillet.)  If I am working out that day, I usually choose a crockpot meal for convenience.

If I'm running errands, I typically don't stay on plan.  If I choose to stay on plan, I get Qdoba, or a Breve Latte at Starbucks.

Growing in My Faith

In my first week of starting this blog, I talked about my faith.  I was raised Baptist, and am now a Reformed Presbyterian.  I attend an OPC (Orthodox Presbyterian Church) called New Hope Presbyterian. We have been attending this church for about 2.5 months now.  I cannot tell you what a blessing this church has been to me and my family!

I recently realized that in the short time we have been going to New Hope, I have been growing in my faith!  I actually purchased 2 theology books I am interested in reading!!  (Those who know me, know that I am not really theologically minded.)  I am wanting to have a deeper understanding of the doctrines I believe in, so I can explain it well to others.

Being raised Baptist, and then becoming a Reformed Presbyterian is quite a change.  My parents and brothers consider themselves to be Reformed Baptists, so as you can imagine...there are some intense debates on certain theological topics.

I recently have discovered that my heart longs to evangelize.  Our Sunday School lessons are about relational evangelism...or personal evangelism.  That means sharing the Gospel on a daily basis with others, by the way we live, conduct ourselves in public, and how we share God's truths with them.  Having 6 children so close in age lends itself to numerous opportunities to share the Gospel with people.  It greatly helps me, because in the back of my mind, I am always thinking, "Keep smiling, Don't lose your temper, Be a testimony to others."  as I shop with the kids.

I have also been working on bringing the Gospel to my children.  I think Christian moms forget sometimes that we are to be evangelizing to our children, as well as to the unsaved world.  Our children need to hear the Gospel;  need to know what God has done for them.  It does my heart good to hear my children randomly singing hymns and praise songs they have heard in church or on the radio!  I have also been buying good Christian books to read to them before bed.  They love those!

I can feel and see myself growing in my faith, and I am so excited to see what God has for me to learn in the future!

Getting Back into Trim Healthy Mama

After my miscarriage last week, I fell hard off of the THM wagon.  I'm talking Ramen, Spaghetti-Os, Pudding, Chocolate, Fruity Pebbles....you name it.  I have been still losing weight, but feeling really crappy.  So this week I've decided I'd rather not feel this way.  I am slowly going back into the THM plan.  Somethings that are comforts I am not going to give up just yet, as right now I do need some comforts.  (I love flavored coffee with a Sweet Cream creamer.)

I love Fall!  It's my favorite season.  I love the smells, the boots, the sweaters, the colors, the coffee (Starbucks fanatic here), and really just everything about it!  However, I do not go crazy for pumpkin everything.  I love pumpkin cheesecake muffins, pumpkin pie, and my mom's pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. I love my husband's apple pie.  All of that, to say...that there are a lot of THM-friendly recipes for your favorite fall treats.  I will be compiling a list with links to a lot of these fall recipes in the very near future!!  Please stay tuned!

Leaning on Him Through the Difficult Days Ahead

With broken hearts, we have to tell you all that our precious 7th baby was taken up to heaven to be with God.

I had some bleeding and pain in church on Sunday, and by 9:00pm, I had miscarried.  I cannot tell you how heartbreaking it was.  How painful, physically and emotionally, it is to birth your child that is no bigger than a prune.  We have chosen the name, Darcy Bubbles, as her name.  Our older children are convinced it was a girl, and deep down, I feel she was a girl as well.  I was surrounded by my wonderful Mother-in-law, Husband, and loving Parents throughout the process; and had a beautiful visit from my amazing friend, Janelle.

I ended up being kept in the hospital overnight due to a continued allergic reaction to the pain med they had me on.  I passed out once.  I was able to go home the next afternoon.  I am still in a lot of pain; taking pain meds every 4 hours.

The hardest part was having to tell my super-excited children that Bubbles was not coming home;  that she is in heaven with Jesus.  They were devastated.  They loved Darcy SO SO much, and were looking forward to meeting her and loving on her.

We were able to take her body home, and we will bury her with us.  My husband found a beautiful headstone for our little Darcy.

We know heaven is a better place for Darcy.  We know that the Lord had a reason, a purpose for taking Darcy so soon.  He loves Darcy just as much as we do.  This was not a punishment for something we did.  This was not a twisted joke He decided to play on us.  He made a covenant with Bram and I when we became a family, and He tells us that that covenant extends to our children.  We have hope and faith that when our time comes, we will see our little Darcy again.  What a day of rejoicing that will be!

When Your Plans Fall to Pieces

Well, I encountered a major set back in my grand homeschooling plans. 

I planned on starting our 2016 school year this coming Monday. 

God's plan is that I wait a week. 

We switched from Memoria Press to BJU Press for first grade this year.  I eagerly looked over the books as soon as I got them.  As September drew near, I again perused the books, and thought I had a good grasp as to what I would need.  Boy...was I EVER WRONG! 

I overlooked practically EVERYTHING.  I mean, my Mom and Mother-in-law came over this morning to help me cut out all of the manipulatives, and we discovered that I am nowhere NEAR ready for school to begin.  *sigh*  *major tears* 

I need Unifix cubes for Math.  I need word cards for Reading.  There are HUNDREDS of word cards that need to be cut and laminated.  There are lots of Math Manipulatives that need to be cut and laminated.  I am started a new curriculum...I need to figure out just HOW I am going to teach this new curriculum. 

I, of course, immediately felt overwhelmed and cried.  Mostly out of embarrassment, as my Mother and Mother-in-law are veteran homeschoolers and I had just been exposed as totally unprepared to teach their grandchildren.  I also felt like, once again, I had failed in the very thing I should be so good at. It's my job to teach my children...and how can I possibly do that if I am so ill-prepared?  I thought I had prepared, and I was woefully underestimating my prowess as a homeschooler.  And really--what was I thinking?  This is only my second year.  I am by no means a veteran. 

My pride was wounded, my excitement halted, and I was feeling so ill-equipped to teach my children.  I looked at my kitchen table strewn with books, paper, binders, and scissors and felt like I was going to drown. 

Thank God for my mothers.  My mother-in-law dried my tears, and told me everything was going to be OK.  My mother assured me that I do not fail at everything, and that this was just a small set back.  My husband then reminded me that this is homeschool...there is no deadline, no absolute day/time I needed to start our schooling. 

And that is what I want to share with you all. 

HOMESCHOOLING IS FLEXIBLE.

 It works around you, you don't have to work around it.  You need to start later, no problem.  Your whole family gets sick, take a few days off.  You have a new baby, take time to relax, recooperate, and enjoy your new joy for a few weeks to get back to your routine.  School will always be there, ready to be taught and learned.