I Love Today!

Do you ever have one of those days when everything just seems to go right? Today was one of those days for me. First of all, I woke up feeling rested for once. Last night, Grace slept 10 hours straight, ate and went back down for 3 more hours. We were both happy when we woke up. To top it off, the sun was shining and I could hear the birds chirping outside. Since it's been raining for almost 2 weeks, this was a very nice change of pace! :)

I jumped on the scale this morning (I hadn't been on it since Monday) and the number that I saw brought tears to my eyes. After months of hard work, there it was...my ultimate goal weight. The scale said 139.7. Seriously? OMG!!! Sheer excitement! I weighed 139 on my wedding day almost 3 years ago. I stayed at that weight for a mere 2 days and then slipped back into the 140's. I never made it back into the 130's. So, imagine my excitement this morning when I saw that number on the scale. I was STOKED! I actually jumped up and down in the bathroom, with Grace looking at me like I was crazy! I'm proud of myself (something that doesn't happen very often). I feel like I worked really hard to get to this point and I really hope I can stay here. My goal now is to maintain this weight. That being said, I'm still not small by any means, so if I lose a few more pounds, it wouldn't be a bad thing. I feel fantastic though! I feel strong. I feel healthy. I feel energized. I feel powerful. What a way to start your day, eh? :)

This afternoon, Sherri, Jill and I went for a walk with the babies! The sun was shining, it was 21 degrees and it was gorgeous! It's amazing how much better you feel after a little vitamin D!

Abigail, Harrison and Grace all ready for a walk on the trail!

Sherri and I with our babies in their strollers! :)

We walked for about an hour. It was so hot that I could feel the sweat trickling down my back. I loved every minute of it! We headed to the park for a little playtime after our walk - so much fun!

The babies got some time in the swings.

There was some fun to be had on the slides!

They got to play in the grass for the first time.



There were cuddles and pictures as always!



I got home and felt fantastic! I LOVE the sun and I love the summer! Yay! Grace was in a great mood all day too - I think she enjoyed the weather!

This evening, we had outdoor bootcamp. The last 2 sessions took place outside in the rain and cold temperatures. I'm talking layers of clothes, winter hats and gloves! Tonight was the opposite. We were sweating right from the beginning. When I was finished, I was soaked in sweat and my face was redder than I think it's ever been. I loved it! It felt so good to be outside. I also realized that I got a sunburn today...probably should have been wearing sunscreen. First sunburn of the season! :)

This is what I looked like after bootcamp! Can you say RED?!

So, forgive me for bragging, but my day was pretty friggin' awesome! My fingers are crossed for more sunshine and happiness tomorrow! :)

I am Blessed

Last night we had a family get-together at my aunt's house. It was to celebrate Mother's Day with my grandmother. For the first time in 3 years, all of the grandchildren were there and my grandmother was beaming with pride. She just loves getting us all together!


All of the grandchildren with Nanny and Grampy!

I love my cousins and have always been really close to them, so it was nice to see everyone. Once again, I was reminded of how lucky I am to have my family. When we all get together, it is guaranteed to be a good time. It is loud, the room is often filled with uncontrollable laughter and the happiness is infectious. Did I mention that there is never a shortage of delicious food? :) I always leave family get-togethers with a smile on my face.

Looking at these pictures, I can't help but wonder, "Where did the little kids go?" As you can see, the last 5 grandchildren have been boys. I remember when they were little babies. I babysat them. I changed their diapers. I spent hours playing with them. It makes me sick to see how quickly they're growing up! Wow!

Last night, we got our first "4 Generations" picture. I've been meaning to do this for months, but keep forgetting. So, last night Grace, me, Mom and Nanny got a couple of pictures.

Four Generations of Women!

I am so grateful that Grace is growing up in a big, wonderful family. She has 3 grandfathers, 3 grandmothers and many great-grandparents. When I was growing up, I had a great-grandmother and I remember being so proud of that. I am so happy that Grace not only has grandparents that love her, but great-grandparents that adore her too! Grace tends to "play shy" with my Nanny, but last night she sat with her for a long time, talking to her and playing with her. Nanny was in her glory.

As I said, I feel so blessed to have such a big family. I can't imagine it any other way! When we get together, it's like we've never been apart. Some people would say we're crazy for all of the get-togethers that we have, but it's a great way to catch up and we always enjoy ourselves so much! When I was living away, I always hated to miss the family parties, so I appreciate them a lot more now.

If I had a glass of champagne right now, I would toast my grandparents, because they are at the root of this amazing family. Then I would toast my extended family, because my life would not be the same without you! I'm lucky to have you. Grace is lucky to have you. I am blessed. :)

Mommy's Day

Last year I was pregnant on Mother's Day. I remember thinking that I couldn't wait until my first Mother's Day with my little baby. I also couldn't wait to be back with my own Mom (since I was living away at the time and had missed 2 Mother's Days in a row). You see, my Mom is amazing. She is the most supportive, loving and caring person I know. She would do anything for her children. Mom has cheered me on my entire life, whether it be at stepdancing when I was little, or at my university graduation. She has been an incredible role model for me over the years. When I thought about becoming a Mom myself, I knew that I'd be happy if I could be even half the Mom that she is. She was in the delivery room when I had Grace and it was an overwhelming moment to share with each other. Mom loves Grace so much and is such a fantastic Nanny. I don't know what I would do with her. So, Happy Mother's Day to my amazing Mommy! xoxo

Mom and I at my wedding shower - May 2008

May 31, 2008

At Dad's 50th Birthday Party - October 2009

Incredible moment after Grace was born - September 16, 2010

Being a Mommy is the most incredible feeling in the world. My life has changed so much in the past 8 months and I find it hard to imagine what life was like without Grace in it. We have this bond, this connection, that amazes me each day.

How incredible is it that a mere snuggle from her Mommy

can make those tears disappear?

When I look at pictures of us, I'm beaming in all of them! I am so in love with my baby girl and it shows in my expressions. See the goofy grin on my face? I can't help it! :)

I've wanted to be a Mommy since I was a little girl. It's something I've dreamed about and longed for. I always said that I would have all of my kids by the time I was 30! Since I'm 27 this year, I do not see that happening anymore, but I am glad that I started relatively young. I just couldn't wait any longer! Motherhood is even better than I expected! My house may be a disaster most of the time, you may find teethers under the couch and if you drop in to see me before noon, chances are I'll still be in my pajamas. Grace doesn't care what I look like and I no longer worry about what people think of me. My goal is to make her happy and to make her life the absolute best that it can be. She is my focus every day. She is the reason I get out of bed. She is my life.

Not everyone has the opportunity to be a Mommy and I am so thankful that I have been given this beautiful gift, a happy, healthy baby. To all the Moms out there, I hope you had a fantastic Mother's Day! xoxo

Besties

Do you have a bestie? You know what I mean...that one true friend that stands out among all the rest. The one that you turn to first with big news (whether it be exciting or devastating). The one that knows all of your embarassing secrets and loves you just the same. The one that is more like a sister than a friend.

I have a bestie. Her name is Sherri.

Before the days of babies and husbands,

there were the days of Sherri and Cheryl.

We met in 7th grade and have pretty much been inseperable since. Need a good laugh? Check out these early pictures of us!

Sherri and I at Camp Abegweit (Junior High)

We took frequent trips to Dairy Queen!

If you have a bestie, you know what I mean when I say that I can't imagine my life without her. She means the world to me and our friendship has grown so much over the years. When I lived out west for 2 years, we kept in touch via e-mail and Facebook. I was just looking through old e-mails today and realized that I had 387 e-mails from Sherri during that 2 year span (yes, she has her own folder). We may have been in different provinces, but we kept each other up to date on every aspect of our lives!

Conveniently, we met our husbands while working at Burger King (when we were 15) and they just happen to be first cousins. We quickly became the "Fab 4" and time together became even more frequent! I love that I get my "girl time" with Sherri, plus I get extra "bestie time" when the 4 of us are together (well, 6 of us now)! ;)

The Fab 4!!

Ha ha, this picture always makes me laugh!!!

This one is an oldie! Camping trip!

Sherri and I have been through a lot together and she as always been an amazing support system! It's impossible to put the importance of our friendship into words.

We have had our fair share of serious moments and many many silly moments. I seem to have more pictures of the silly moments! :)

80's Pubcrawl

LOL - model faces!

Sherri's stagette - back to our roots at BK!

She was my maid of honor when I got married in May 2008 and I was hers when she got married in June 2009. Her speech at the reception made me cry and I like to watch it on my wedding DVD frequently!

Getting our hair done the morning of my wedding!

At Sherri's wedding in 2009.

Do you and your bestie have matching pajamas??? Sherri and I sure do! We have worn them on more than one occasion!

We have shared some of life's most exciting moments together. When she told me she was pregnant, I was insanely excited for her. When I found out that I was pregnant about a month later, she was just a little bit excited too! This is a caption from her e-mail the day she found out that I was pregnant:

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  You are moving home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Our babies will be BFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Just like us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I removed several exclamation marks and the opening line, which was HOLY F---! (with about 100 more exclamation marks).

We were SO excited to be pregnant together! Since I didn't move home until the end of June (she had her little guy the end of July), we kept in touch through e-mail and Facebook again, sending constant pictures of our bellies, comparing symptoms and asking a billion questions. It was the most amazing and special thing to be able to to share with my bestie!

Home for Easter break
Sherri - 21 weeks
Cheryl - 17 weeks

Pregnancy photo shoot
Cheryl - 32 weeks
Sherri - 36 weeks (delivered her son the next day)!

When we found out that our babies would be the opposite sex, it gave us an excuse to shop for cute boy things AND girl things! If she saw something pink that she liked, she let me know and if I saw something blue, I let her know! It worked out perfectly!

In true "bestie style", we couldn't wait to call each other after the birth of our babies. I will never forget that phone call from her husband at 3am on Harrison's birthday. He told me that she was in active labour and there was no way I was going to fall back to sleep after that. I was so excited that I was shaking. I was teary. I was overwhelmed. My bestie was having a baby! She called me as soon as he was born and I was so proud of her. I could not wait to get into the hospital to see them! See how I'm beaming like a new Mom is this picture? It's because he's like my own and always will be.

Harrison and his "Auntie" Cheryl

When I was in labour with Grace, I got Mike to call and let Sherri know. Once I had my epidural and was more comfortable, I called her from the delivery room. I couldn't wait to talk to her and share all of the excitement! I called her again when Grace was born and she arrived to meet her "niece" as soon as she could! Shhh...don't tell the hospital that we broke the visitor rules!

So excited to see my girl! Grace's "Auntie" Sherri! :)

I can't imagine what it would have been like to go through those first few months as a new Mommy without Sherri! We turned to each other with every little question (well, we still do) and we shared the tiniest little excitement with each other. It brought our friendship to a whole new level.

With our beautiful babies - Harrison and Grace

I know without a doubt that Sherri and I will be "besties" forever! You know that little acronym "BFF - Best Friends Forever"? I wonder how many people wrote that on their junior high notes and are still best friends with the people? I wrote that on MANY notes to Sherri when I was younger. I had no idea at the time that our friendship would develop into something as amazing as it has.

I also realized when looking through old pictures that we are very talented. I think it's safe to say that we have mastered the reverse pic! What do ya think? LOL

Our lives have changed a lot over the last 15 years, but one thing has remained constant. I will always have my bestie and I know that I can count on her for anything. We may not be as skinny as we used to be, we may have bags under our eyes from sleepless nights and we may be happier in our sweats than heels (who am I kidding? We've always been that way), but we are perfect in each other's eyes. Instead of seeing faults in your bestie, you always see their strengths. That way, when you are hard on yourself and focus on your flaws, your bestie will be right there to tell you why you're wrong! :)

The most recent picture of my bestie and I!
Sherri and Cheryl - April 2011

If you have a bestie, I hope that you realize how lucky you are. I know that I couldn't live without mine. Take a minute today to tell your bestie how important she is. Have a girls night in your pj's. Eat your favourite treats together. Laugh at old memories. Cry over sappy movies. Take silly reverse pictures. Watch old episodes of your favourite shows. Hug her. Thank her. Tell her that you love her.

To say that Sherri is important to me is a major understatement. Like I said before, our friendship just can't be put into words easily.

We're besties...a special brand of besties. :)

I love you, Sher! xoxo

Uh Oh!

So, as you may recall, I have always said that the first week I gain weight, I will smarten up with the eating (since I've been eating more treats lately).

I also said this last week:

"I dreaded stepping on the scale yesterday (Monday) for my weekly weigh-in, but by some strange miracle, I managed to lose 1 lb (down to 143.6). I'm sure next week's weigh-in will not go so well, because I'm pretty sure the chocolate will be gone by then!"

Well...remember that big basket of Easter candy? It's gone. I also ate Mike's 3 bags of Mini Eggs (pretty sure that totals about 8 bags of Mini Eggs in one week). I figured the week was a write-off, so I may have eaten a couple of bowls of Froot Loops...and a few chips...and a double cheeseburger meal at DQ...and a sundae...and hamburger helper...the list goes on. Needless to say, it was a bad week!

As a result, this is what I saw on the scale this morning:

UH OH!!!! 1 pound gain! Since January 1st, I have weighed myself weekly and I have never gained weight. I have lost as little as .2lbs, but I have NEVER gained! You know what this means...time to smarten up!

I know that the weight gain is 100% my fault, but I'm not going to feel sorry for myself! I'm just going to get back on track. Everyone falls off the wagon sometimes, right? (Please tell me I'm not the only one!) The important thing is to get back on! So...this week I'll only have a few treats, instead of eating my face off every day! I'll let you know how next week's weigh-in goes!

I promise to make a post in the next couple of days that is about something besides my weight! We have an appointment with a pediatrician today, so I'm hoping to get some advice on Grace's belly issues! I've also decided that something needs to be done about Grace's sleep issues. The last few nights it has taken up to 3 hours to get her to sleep and when she wakes up in the middle of the night (which thankfully has only been once lately), it's another long battle (last night she was up from 4am-6am). We haven't decided what to do yet, but something needs to change before we lose our minds! Will keep you updated!

On a side note, we have been one of the lucky finalists chosen in a photo contest on Facebook! We could win a professional photo shoot (which we would LOVE)! If you have Facebook, please vote for us! You first have to "like" Jude Wood Photography and then look for her contest called "Small moments that make your life BIG". When you see our picture, you just "like" it and it counts as a vote! I posted a link to our picture below. We appreciate all the votes we can get! :) Thanks and have a great week everyone!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150556411600461&saved#!/media/set/fbx/?set=a.195886423790002.50716.132974056747906