Caption contest

Alright this is my first time doing this, here's how it goes. I post a funny picture and you guys comment on what you think the caption should be! Easy I know. There's no winner no loser just make everyone laugh! alright give it your best shot!

Pictures of the boys

Alright I know I've slacked in posting new pictures of even updating on how we are doing lately. I've been so busy with working out, working, keeping up with the family and keeping my house clean that I just forget to be honest.


Well everything has been crazy around here. Kobe started Pre-K on Wednesday the 25th and he really seems to love it. I thought that we both would cry, we being Kobe and I but Kobe did amazing and I didn't shed one tear. Of course Kobe not crying helped out. Today I hollered at him to come back so I could hug him and he told me NO! lol My little man has grown up! He has made a friend and his name is Ty, he seems to really like this little guy. Tomorrow will be his first day eating lunch at school. Pray that goes well cause if its something he doesn't care for it's a battle at home, so if he doesn't eat at school he goes all afternoon without. Guess he'll learn huh.



Keaton is doing really good as well. He finally cut that second tooth! THANK GOD! that was murder on everyone lol. He's sitting up on his own now. Only for a few seconds he doesn't do it continuously yet. But we're working on it. His hair is starting to come back in finally from where he had eczema and its coming back in REALLY red! I laughed today cause Jeff and I went to eat at the Chinese restaurant and our little waitress lady asked Jeff if Keaton was his baby lol. No we just swiped him off the street corner! lol I know I know he looks NOTHING like Jeff he looks all like me but wow. HAHA Too funny.

Anywho not much more going on here. Just work play and more work :) haha Hope everyone has a great weekend and enjoys this gorgeous weather!!

BROTHERLY LOVE

This has got to be the cutest video EVER! Nobody can make Keaton laugh like this but his brother. They have a unique bond already.

Weekly Weigh-In #4

This week has been especially hard. I go to Zumba every Tuesday and Thursday and train for a 5k on Mon Fri and Saturdays. Last Thursday I went to Zumba and I have been having issues with my left knee it keeps hurting worse and worse ever Zumba session. After this particular one I was in pain!! I didn't do any exercising again till Tuesday. Over the weekend I had gained about 3 pounds back. I wasn't expecting much in today's weigh-in. But much to my surprise I lost!! my exact words were "HOLY COW" lol but here is my weigh-in :)

LAST WEEK

THIS WEEK

STARTING WEIGHT: 349
LAST WEEK'S WEIGHT: 299.4
CURRENT WEIGHT: 298.2
TOTAL LOSS/GAIN FROM LAST WEEK: 1.2
TOTAL LOSS/GAIN TO DATE: -50.8
GOAL BY JANUARY 1: 250
LBS to go till goal: 48.2

Weekly weight in #3

So I did pretty good this week. I missed a few days in the gym but I'm still struggling REALLY bad with the whole cutting down my fats like the dr suggested to optimize my weight loss. It is really hard! Like the other day I had a really good day thought I was eating really good, had a chicken wrap for lunch and the whole day still was around 60g of fat for the day. Double where he wants me. Its a little discouraging I guess but I'm going to keep trying, I'm not giving up yet. I use Spark People to help track my calories and fat intake per day. They have a wonderful daily counter it has everything you could imagine in it. Oh and they have WONDERFUL recipe's too! Go check it out!!

LAST WEEK

THIS WEEK

STARTING WEIGHT: 349

LAST WEEK'S WEIGHT: 300.8

CURRENT WEIGHT: 299.4
TOTAL LOSS/GAIN FROM LAST WEEK: 1.4
TOTAL LOSS/GAIN TO DATE: -49.6

GOAL BY JANUARY 1: 250
LBS to go till goal: 49.4

Weekly weight in #2

I actually had a dr's appointment today, convenient enough. He is monitoring my weight loss. I weighed in today with him at still exactly 300 pounds. I have not lost anything this week because I indulged twice this week :( I know shame shame. My husband went and got me Chili's one night and another night we had Sonic. :( BIG SHAME i know lol. But thats ok I've still been kicking my own butt at the gym. As I will tonight doing my Zumba :) I LOVE that class. The instructor on Tuesdays and Thursdays is a MONSTER!! she is something else I tell you. We burn around 500-600 calories a night! I know crazy.
I put on my size 20 blue jeans which are my first goal jeans I bought cheap a few months ago and I was able to button and zip them but WOW they were tight lol. But hey they got on without tearing a seam lol. I'm close!!!

~My Goal~

Starting weight, when I delivered Keaton - 349lbs

Current Weight - 300lbs

Weight loss goal - 250lbs
pounds left to meet goal - 50lbs

Wordless Wednesday

Weight Loss Goal #1 finally met!!!!

Well I weighed myself today and I have finally reached my first goal! I have hit exactly 300 pounds!! I decided last night my ultimate goal to be down to 250 by January. That is 50 pounds in 5 months. I've been averaging 10 pounds a month so I should be able to do it. I feel great and I really hope to achieve this next goal in my life! I want to thank everyone who's kept me going and kept encouraging me when I had a rough period. We recently joined the Y and I'll be working out 6 days a week, 2 days a week will be doing Zumba and the other 4 is just cardio and toning!

ATTENTION!!!! PRAYERS NEEDED please read

Yesterday was such a happy day. Everyone was so excited a new baby was going to be born. Yesterday proud Aunt Micah couldn't do anything but talk about how excited she was to meet little Charleigh Marie. Yesterday at 12:28PM little Charleigh Marie was born. Soon after birth she started showing signs of distress and was having respiratory problems. I woke up this morning to check her facebook to see how miss Charleigh was doing only time find news that she had passed away during the night. Please pray for Amy Voss (mother) Randy Voss (father) Ashton and Layla (siblings).

whats up

Hey everyone I know its been a while since I've written anything. Everything is going really good here. Keaton has been teething still which has been a nightmare lol. He doesn't sleep through the night anymore, he usually wakes up around 3 and 5. I will usually go down there give him his pacifier and he'll go back to sleep no problem. He has rolled over from his belly to his back pretty good for a while now but just a couple days ago he has finally been able to roll from his back to his tummy. Makes him mad though cause he doesn't like to be on his tummy. I just laugh at him cause its funny.

he likes to roll over in his chair now too

Kobe has been going to a Vacation Bible School at the local Garland Road Baptist Church this week. I did a hair cut on the pastor a few weeks ago and my manager of the salon I work at attends that church. Its a small small church. Only about 100 members which is what I've been looking for. I prefer Methodist because thats what I grew up going to but Baptist isn't much different. Anywho Kobe's been loving bible school I think he'll be sad to see it end, but I think he and I will be starting to attend regularly so that will be good for him.


So I know I haven't talked about weight loss in a while because I've been stuck at 305 :( but I weighed myself today and I lost a pound finally lol. We joined the YMCA today as well and I worked out after I signed up and man that kicked my rear lol.

Hope everyone has a great rest of the week :)

Rolling Over

So last night we were all in the living room, Kobe was asleep on the couch and Keaton was laying on the floor playing. I usually try to do several times a day where he lays on his tummy but he hates it SOO much! Welp guess he found a solution to his problem. haha

Discouraged

Alright so I don't usually do the whole pity party thing but I'm going to right now so I'll apologize in advance.

I weighed myself this morning for the first time this week and it still is saying 305. I've been at 305 for a while now and I'm just down about it. I know I'm finally down a size in my pants but I don't know. My first goal weight is 300 and its just taunting me! Laughing at me in the face and I don't know I'm just irritated I guess. I have a few friends that also did the same thing as me and dropped the weight FAST. I know its not good to lose it fast but I'd like to lose at least SOME! You'd think even on the pills I'm on from the dr I'd drop something but nope! Yeah when I was aloud to get back on them I dropped like 7 pounds out of nowhere. I have a check up with him August 11th. Please pray I lose more than 3 dang pounds by the time I see him cause thats all I've lost since I saw him a month ago this coming Friday. I'm sorry to drag anyone down but I had to talk about it.

Cutting Teeth

So I completely forgot how much cutting teeth SUCKED until this week. I went to the salon on Tuesday with the boys, who I might say were exceptionally good that day, and the girl that was doing my hair said is he cutting teeth. I laughed and said NO! he's too young. She laughs back and said no Lindsey he's cutting teeth, I feel and sure enough he has one that broke the surface already. I knew he'd been drooling and stuff A LOT lately but heh I really didn't think he was teething he's only 15 weeks old, he's not even 4 months yet! NOOOO How can this BE! my baby has teeth already.

Well to tell you I should have never said the words, "WHO KNEW HE'S BEEN SO GOOD! NEVER CRANKY!" I cursed myself! Poke me in the eye for saying it! Sheesh he's been SO cranky now :( Poor guy just eats on his hands. He won't take those teething toys that you put in the freezer he freaks out on me when I put them in his mouth. So the paci has been his "chew toy" lol

Another FREAK OUT moment for me is he's eating so good with the spoon. Again he's only 15 weeks! He's been eating oatmeal with apple juice for the past week. I tried it for the first time last Sunday the 4th. Tonight I introduced him to BANANA!!! doom doom doom! lol at first he didn't like them too much but obviously something changed his mind cause he ate the whole 2.5 oz jar! I know he's a chunk. I can just hear it in his head. "Hey lady I'm big kid I need my food!" lol


Hope everyone has a great week!

Been a while

I know its been a good minute since I've posted anything new on here. But I've been a little bit busy the past 2 weeks. Not to mention I fell off the weight loss wagon for a little bit. But I'm back on and I'm happy to announce I'm back down to 305 and down one dress size. I bought a size 20 and 22 size jeans a few months ago, the 20 is my first goal size, they were cheap so I decided to buy them to have something to target for. I tried on the 22's yesterday and HOLY COW they fit!!! SWEET!! I was a size 26 before I got pregnant with Keaton. I have been doing a lot more walking/running the past week and it feels great. I did my workout video yesterday and I'm feeling it today, not near as bad as before but it still hurts. :)

So our 4th of July got rained out so we really didn't get to shoot off any fireworks which was very upsetting because my dad had gone to a huge firework warehouse in Missouri and bought a bunch of stuff. We will shoot those off soon I will make sure of it :) haha. So instead of going out my parents farm like we usually do we stayed at my mom and dad's and did sparklers and snakes and some rose things that buzz and stay on the ground. OH and some parachute thing, that was a lot louder than we thought it would be. WHOOPS oh well no cops showed up. We were having fun all evening letting the kids do whatever. The boys were using up the last of the sparklers and suddenly Hayden, my nephew, starts screaming, part of his sparkler broke off and landed on his foot, burned it pretty bad. At first we thought it was 3rd degree but my sister, who's a nurse, said its just a bad 1st degree burn it looked a lot better the next day. So glad for that.
Other than that not much else is going on. Been working with Kobe on counting higher and his ABC's still. He was doing really good before we had Keaton then after all that it had been a while so its been a battle getting going again. But he's doing really good, I think he's smarter than he wants us to see cause he will count perfect the first time then he plays dumb and likes to make mommy mad. Keaton's growing up so fast! He talks and laughs a lot now. I started him on cereal/oatmeal on Sunday and he did really good! I was shocked. Usually the first time they just spit it out and it takes a while to get it. Nope not this monster, yesterday I fed it to him again and he ate all of it, which was only a tablespoon but thats still a good amount for him.
So I leave you with a quote from Lee Iacocca
You've got to say, I think that if I keep working at this and want it badly enough I can have it. It's called perseverance.

Have a great week everyone!!!

RIce Crispy Treats

Today Kobe and I decided to make some rice crispy treats. He loves to cook with me and I let him help all the time. Today Daddy left to go grocery shopping with his dad, cause he takes us out to the commissary so we can get our groceries cheaper, so we decided we'd make a little surprise for when he got home. But honestly its not for daddy its for us :) but we won't tell him that. haha

Kobe really had fun I let him cook it all by himself, with minor assistance from mommy.
Kobe is getting so big!

Kobe stirring the butter for me

Kobe dumping in the marshmallows

stirring the marshmallow's I had to assist here cause he got bored with stirring.

dumping in the rice crispies

leveling out the crispy treats

taking a sample....

leveling out some more

Weight loss

Well there isn't much to report this week I haven't lost anything :( I think my problem right now is I have been stressin a little bit about going back to work and leaving Keaton. He hasn't been eating good for his daddy so I'm a little bothered by this. But I've still been working out and doing my thing. I have to admit I don't think I've been eating as good this past week due to all the chaos going on right now. This last week I think I was going or doing something everyday. So today I'm not doing ANYTHING lol. I'll admit I'm being lazy today haha. Well here's a picture of me this week not much change but thats ok.

Crispy Ranch Chicken Recipe

Last night we tried a new recipe from sparklepeople.com I have to say it was quite delicious. But next time I will make one change on it which usually I make a lot of changes to recipe's I find.

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg ranch dressing mix
2 cups crispy rice cereal
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs beaten
dried parlsey(my change)

Directions
Mix rice cereal, ranch mix parmesan cheese and Parsley together. Dip chicken in egg then into the cereal mixture to coat evenly. Arrange chicken on baking sheet, I put a cooling rack on the backing sheet to optimize cruchiness cause if they lay on the baking sheet they will be soggy on one side. Bake at 375 for 45 min. Turn them over half way through.

weight loss updates

So I went to the doctor today for my 6 week weight in. Its been 6 weeks since I committed to him that I was going to lose weight. I have lost 10 pounds since I saw him last and he was excited to see that I'm losing weight at that rate. He said any faster and he'd fear that I would put it back on. When I saw him last we tested my blood sugars because after I had my oldest, Kobe, I became insulin resistant. Basically my body wouldn't absorb the insulin I produced so it would produce extra. Another words I was border line diabetic. But when he tested it 6 weeks ago he said it was on the low end. Well when I go running towards the end of my run I notice I start feeling REALLY weird. I described to him the way I feel and he said my sugars are dropping TOO low so therefore he's taking me off my sugar medications!! I'm so pumped! Whats funny about the weight though I weighted myself before I got dressed this morning and I was at 308 and then got dressed and it went up to 313! 5 pounds of clothes really?!? But he agreed that's normal lol. So I'm saying I'm at 308 so that makes me down 41 pounds since I had Keaton 12 weeks ago.

So the training for the 5k has been going really well, I train every other day. I'm supposed to rest the off days or do a different work out and let me tell you I'm so dang sore for the running that I don't want to do anything else. HAHA I was supposed to go run last night but it was SO hot and SO humid I didn't go. Not to mention there wasn't a breath of air out there! So the dr was excited to hear I'm training for a 5k, he also runs and asked me when my first race was going to be. I told him I'm targeting for Sept 18th at the Enid Land Run. He said awesome I'll be there too! I'm like YIKES! I'm scared I won't be able to do it this is something so HUGE for me, something I've NEVER even thought about doing. Heck growing up running was a joke! So I really need to just get all negative thoughts out and keep telling myself i can do it cause I don't want to convince myself I can't, cause I really want to be able to. But thats enough for today I guess. Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their week!

Keaton is so funny with his fist, he gets mad when he can't get it to his mouth. I laugh so hard when he get mad its funny. Here's a little video of it ;)

Keaton 11 weeks

Today Keaton had a check-up appointment plus shots. He did really good with the shots, he's up to 14 pounds and is 24 inches long. He's a growing boy!

5k

Ok so I'm making this public and want everyone to know so you can keep me on track and hopefully I'll keep updating my status on it. I've decided I'm going to run a 5k race on Sept 18th. Its a 10k & 5K run/walk here in Enid. I have a couple people who've committed to go with me so I'm pretty excited but scared because I've committed to something so big! But I know I didn't update my weightloss this week and its because my scale wasn't working on sunday. But I got it to working on Wednesday so I'm down 42 pounds. I'm feeling really good.

Weight Loss Check in

As I promised I was going to check in on a weekly basis with weight loss updates. I weighted myself this morning and I'm at 312! another 6 pounds this week :) My first goal is 300 so only 12 more pounds to go!

I apologize for not having any make up on in this photo lol

Memorial Day

On this day I want to remember all those I've lost in my life and those who have served in our country and are still with us today. I have a few veterans in my family, my Papa Clyde was in the Navy in 1944 and 1945, I don't know specific stories about his time served but I do know in his short time in the Navy he did go over seas and was part of a group of men who would build airports in a short amount of time for their makeshift naval bases. My cousin Dixon Harper served in the Marines from 2003 to 2007, he served 3 tours in Iraq, was a sniper in his final tour.These two men are hero's for what they've done. I have a great Uncle Loy who is a WWII veteran as well. I remember sitting on my grandmother's back porch with him and he telling me stories of when he was overseas. He will be turning 91 in a few months. I got to see him this previous weekend and he truely is an american icon. My father-in-law, Jeff Brown Jr, is a retired from the Air Force, he has also served overseas many times and is a Vietnam Veteran. Also Jeff Brown Sr, is a veteran of war, I'm not sure as much about what he did or where he served but i do know he was part of the Tuskegee Airmen, if you don't know what that is CLICK HERE.

People I've lost very close and dear to me are both sets of my grandparents. My dad's parents,

Willard and Wilma Moore. picture on the left. We called them grandpa and grandma, Grandpa(age 75) left us in 2003 to non-hodgkin's lymphoma. Grandma left us in 2007 due to heart problems.

My mom's parents, seen to the right. Clyde and Joy Harper. We called them Papa Clyde and Momma Lou, her middle name is Louise. She is the woman I named my second son after, her full name is Joy Louise 'Dixon' Harper. We lost Papa Clyde(age 64) in 1990 to Lung Cancer I believe. We lost Momma Lou (age 66) in 1997 to other complications. Both sets of my grandparents are missed dearly buy all of us.

Someone I lost back in 1999 is Kami Ott, she was a childhood friend of mine. She was only 17 years old. Her and some friends were coming home from a late night movie and she reached down in the floor board to get a CD she'd dropped and when she came back up she over corrected cause she was going off the road and her truck started flipping. She had taken off her seatbelt to get the CD so therefore she was ejected from the truck. A dear friend of mine, Felicia Fortune has named her newborn baby Kami Deanne in Kami's memory. Those two were BEST of friends and Felicia was supposed to go with them that night but decided not to. I unfortunately do not have any photo's of Kami I wish I did.

Another person who we've lost is my mother-in-law, I never got to meet her but I hear she was an outstanding woman. Patrcia Ann 'Gracey' Brown, she lost her battle to breast cancer 21 years ago. From what my husband tells me she didn't go down without a fight. She fought every bit of that cancer till her last day. I hate I never got to meet her but I know I will someday and I will cherish that day. We talk about her often so the boys know who she was.

On this memorial day I pray for our soldiers who are over seas to be safe and come home safely. I also pray for those who are moarning the loss of a loved one that their hearts not ache.

Happy Boy

I was finally able to catch Keaton smiling on camera. He smiles all the time but by the time I he the camera out and on he starts fussin or won't smile again. I swear he knows when that camera comes out and stops. Now I'm trying to catch him talking and laughing on film and yeah thats not happening either lol. Enjoy!

spaghetti and meatballs recipe

Or Spa-Peggy and Meatballs. Anyone? Anyone?
Okay, in case you haven't noticed, I'm a hard-core carb-lover here; pasta and bread are my ultimate comfort food. And does it really get any more homey and comforting than spaghetti and meatballs? Not in my world!

I didn't actually eat spaghetti and meatballs, like, ever growing up; my family was more of the "mix a pound of ground beef with a jar of Ragu" kind of clan, which is totally fine. But since I married my wonderful loving husband he has encouraged me to make more stuff from scratch. I love to cook and my cooking abilities have gotten MUCH MUCH better since we got married 4 1/2 years ago. For some reason spaghetti sauce is one thing I was always intimated of, but tonight I mastered it. This recipe was delicious and it smelled divine!!




Italian Meatballs:
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 lb. Italian sausage
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. dehydrated onion
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. parsley
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt*

Pre heat oven to 400 degree's. Gently combine meatball ingredients in a medium bowl. Shape into balls, whatever size you like, but I prefer using my standard cookie scoop (about 1 Tbsp.) to shape meat into balls and then rolling it between my hands to make them even more round. Place on a broiler pan cook until meat is brown and bubbly, and then broil until the meatballs start to brown have a crust look to them. Remove from oven and set aside until ready to use (or freeze for later use).

Sauce
1 large onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
Olive oil
2 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes
16 oz. tomato sauce
1-2 Tbsp. sugar (to taste)
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of baking soda (to help neutralize the acid)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant. Add remaining sauce ingredients and combine well. Bring to a simmer and add meatballs. Simmer on low, uncovered, until desired consistency is reached--about 25-30 minutes for a sauce that's of medium consistency.

Serve over hot spaghetti maybe with some breadsticks and some freshly grated Parmesan on top. Serves a lot--like probably 12 regular people.

FREEZER MEAL INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare meatballs as directed, but divide the meatballs among two freezer-safe containers. Prepare sauce through adding all ingredients to the pan, but don't simmer; rather, divide the sauce among the two containers. Freeze until ready to use. When ready to use, place in slow cooker and cook on low for about 5-6 hours, although you'll want to keep an eye on the sauce and make sure it's not burning if you go for the whole 6 hours.

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