30 by 30: 3 down, 3 to go

Several days late, but still counting down and keeping tabs.

Yay! 3 months till my birthday.  I feel like a little kid I'm so excited.  Kinda like how Kirby has been constantly talking about his own birthday since Bennett had his...what presents he wants, what he wants to do, who's invited (about 90% of who live in the States and will certainly not be making that trip).  Since I'm such a loving mother I have reminded him countless time that my Birthday is first. :)  But really this BIG birthday seems so exciting to me.  I love milestones!

Anyway.  The last month wasn't my best.  The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas was less than stellar in my efforts to eat well and exercise.  I did not gain weight at all, just maintained where I was at the end of 2 months.  So considering the time of year and the fact that junk food became almost the only food group I was eating I felt it went ok.

But here we are at the last 90 day push and to do it up right we (Stan has decided to join me the days he isn't traveling) are doing P90X.  First two days went surprisingly smoothly.  I wasn't a hero in that I did it all perfectly but I at least tried each exercise.  And felt energized the rest of the day.  We've both been working hard to drink plenty of water (I'm going above what is recommended in hopes to keep up my milk supply and as an added bonus I get to reconnect with my old friend, the bathroom, at least every hour) and have adjusted our eating.  All junk food, with the exception of the unopened packages of peanut butter cups and butterfinger minis that were sent to us in our Christmas boxes...I'm not so unreasonable as to get rid of treats that we can't buy here, is gone.  The boys have a few things of cookies in their snack bucket but Stan and I have stocked up on dried fruit, yogurt, fresh fruit and veggies to snack on.  And I didn't buy a single can of Coke Zero this week.  I almost couldn't believe my self control.  I figure if I want one bad enough to make a special trip out to get it then I will treat myself.

Unfortunately last night I woke up in the middle of the night with that nagging back pain that I get every six months or so.  NOT what I had on my agenda.  I refuse to let this stop my momentum.  I didn't get up this morning to exercise with Stan, instead I laid in bed with my makeshift heating pad strapped around me--an electric hand warmer stuck down in the support they gave me to wear after my c-section...it works.  I'm already feeling a bit better and plan to get out and walk a bit this afternoon and hopefully do the stretch x afterward.  Tomorrow we are scheduled to do yoga x so I'm hoping to be able to handle that, if not all the way, partially.

So, 15 more lbs to go.  Since I kinda took a month off I'm not as far ahead as I had hoped but I'm still on schedule with the 5 lbs a month so I will do it!  But really I like to think in terms of kilos cause it sounds much easier, so 2.6 kilos a month!

Pray my back is quick to heal so I can get back into this P90X.  I don't want Stan to get too far ahead of me!

And if you care to know what true 'muscle confusion' is (what P90X claims is the key to the program's success) ask my body how confusing it was to go from sitting on the couch enjoying Christmas treats to hard core working out and healthy food.  Maybe the back pain is a form of mutiny!  

Christmas

Christmas has come and gone.  This morning during our Sunday morning time one of our friends talked about how this weekend he was journaling and reflecting back on this Christmas season.  They are new parents and this was their sons first Christmas.  He made the most powerful point that came to him while reflecting.  Many of us spend so much time trying to decide how to handle Santa, or the number of gifts to give our children and so many other things that have become part of Christmas.  Stan and I have done it, I've blogged about it.  But he said what he realized is that if the focus is never taken off of Christ then the other things just get pushed into the background by default.  I'm of course not saying it nearly as eloquently as he did but it was just so powerful.  And then we talked about how if Jesus is the focus of our lives each day then all the issues of movies, music and so many other things are just taken care of by default as well.  I'm not one for making New Year's resolutions but I think if I could have one this year it would be for me to spend each day, focused on Christ and the rest would just fall into place.  It's lofty and may sound unrealistic but I think out of any goal I could make for myself this one would be the most beneficial.

Our Christmas was absolutely wonderful.  My first Christmas dinner was a success (Stan was even impressed with my first attempt at making his mother's dressing) even if we did sit down to eat an hour later than planned.  The boys played and had a blast all day.  Favorites for them were the new spiderman and superman suits and the basketball goal--even though Bennett said the basketball goal was broken cause he couldn't get his ball in it. :)  I will hopefully post some pictures of them enjoying the day/weekend on the Angels' blog tomorrow.

I'm also really excited about this week coming up.  It's a true family week.  We have no plans set in stone, other than a fun get together for New Years.  I have a few ideas of some things I would like to do, including a solo shopping trip to get out and buy nothing in particular, a family outing to Old Town and maybe some cleaning and organizing.  But to be honest if none of that gets done and in place we play one million games of candy land and high ho cherry o, or have family movie night 5 nights in a row with the same move I will be just as pleased with this week.  My big sister will be gone at least the beginning part of the week, if not all, so it will truly be just us.  Oh and tomorrow is the first official day of p90x.  Stan has decided to join me in the challenge the days he is in town.  More on that later.

Best of all, I will still get to enjoy my Christmas tree.

o come, o come Immanuel

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way.  When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23 "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

   and they shall call his name Immanuel"

   

   (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Matthew 1:18-25

mary did you know?

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."

34 And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"

35 And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy— the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God." 38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Luke 1:26-38

silent night

(taken from our bedroom 'balcony' down to the courtyard)