Exciting things to look forward to

1.  Fall is just around the corner and I have been busy decorating and filling my Scentsy candles with smelly goodness.  Check out the latest ------ Fall Mantle

2.  I will be posting progress pictures by next Monday of my weight loss.  I have lost a total of 20lbs since having Codi and a total of 40lbs since being pregnant with Codi.  My initial weight before I had Codi was 170lbs (never lost my pregnancy weight from Caden).  I was 190lbs when I delivered Codi.  Had Codi and went back to 170lbs and now I'm at 150lbs.  It has been exactly 2-1/2 mths since I started my weight loss challenge.  I will let you know I have gone down from a size 10 to an 8 and now 8s are starting to fill a little big.  Size 6 here we come!!!  Check back Monday for pictures.

3.  I'm contemplating starting a 12 week weight loss challenge with a bunch of people.  The Kelsey Byers Challenge - she has been my inspiration since I started my journey.  If your interested - check it out and sign up - totally free!  Begins October 1st - registration end by then too. 

4.  My lifegroup is having a pinterest party this Saturday night.  Here is what I have been working on to share with everyone.  I'm also excited to taste some yummy food!

Have a great week guys - see you back Monday!!!

Fall 2012 Mantle

Fall decorating is in full swing at the Bryan house. Oh and my Scentsy candles are warming pumpkin and cinnamon smells throughout our house. Love this time of year! Thought I would show you part of the fireplace mantle decor. I hope to finish up the rest of the house this weekend.

3 months

I'm a little behind on this post, but I wanted to post it before Codi turned 4 months in about a week.  Here is all my babies at 3 months.  Caden is holding the flag, Codi is in the blue dress, and Connor is in the blue and green outfit.  Codi is going to the doctor for her 4mth check-up in two weeks.

Here is some new stuff she is doing:

Eating: 8 ounces every 3-4 hours - I think cereal is just around the corner

Sleeping: less during the day and from 8:30pm - 8:00am

 

Hair color: Brown

Eye color: Blue

Clothes size: 3-6 months

Diapers: cloth diapers

 

Codi is loving life right now.  She loves to smile and laugh and definitely be talked to.  Her favorite thing is to snuggle right now and hold her little rabbit and rub it against her cheek.  She loves blankets and soft animals against her cheeks, so we have to watch her like a hawk, but it soothes her.  She hates her carseat and doing better on tummy time.  We love taking walks and once we are in the car and settled she is a great sleeper. Overall she is an awesome baby and her brothers love her to pieces.

 

 

Fashion Guru

Have you ever gone into your closet and realized you have nothing cute anymore?  Or how old are these clothes - from highschool!?  Or you've been in the making baby stages and maternity clothes have been your new bestfriend.  I think I actually fit into all those categories.  So you know what I did, I went through all my clothes and pretty much everything was donated but a few pieces. 

 

 

Next reaction!  What am I going to wear now and what do I buy!?  I know nothing about fashion.  Well I'm one lucky girl first off to have a sister.  Everyone needs a sister - do I hear an Amen!!!  Hey nobody said they had to be blood related.  Secondly my sister is a fashion expert.  She graduated with a degree in fashion and works for JCPenney Corp.  But she also has always dressed super cute, sometimes way out there for my taste, but always cute!

 

So naturally I called her up and told her she was my personal shopper and was taking me shopping.  I'm on a budget and my sweet hubby and kiddos gave me a giftcard to Kohl's for mother's day.  So I gave her my budget for clothing and off we went to Kohl's.  I told her I had no idea what I liked at the moment or what my size was (trying to get this baby weight off) but just to go to town and pick out some cute pieces and things that can be mixed and matched.  And guess what Kohl's has some cute things and they have great deals.  I think my total was like $450 dollars and with my coupons and opening a Kohl's card I ended up only spending $250 dollars and I had some super cute clothes.  What a fun day and now I was ready for work. 

 

Now I know not everyone has a fashion guru in their family or that is super close to them, but hey guess what now you have my sister all to yourself.  Want to know why!?  She has started blogging and so far its all been about fashion.  I'm sure she will throw some other fun topics in their as well.

 

So go now and show her some love! 

 

Check her out at

Weight Loss Check-IN

Hey guys!  I know I've been MIA for awhile, but this is one of my busiest times of the year with coaching swimming and school starting up.  Oh ya and now getting three beautiful babies ready in the morning plus myself and all out the door by 6AM - thats a task let me tell ya. 

I thought when I went back to work that eating would be easier, because I don't have much to tempt me at work, but what I have found is packing all the food I might need is tricky.  The first day I packed too much and yesterday I did not pack enough.  So I am really going to have to plan!!  This weekend I am going to spend a little time planning out dinner meals and a grocery list and get all those goods with the crazy Labor Day shoppers.  Then hopefully next week will go much smoother.

Now on to weight loss:

I am still continuing to loose weight.  I was stuck at 155-156 for awhile, but now I'm down to 153!  Yay!!! 

I've been doing pretty good on eating, not so much on working out.  I'm pooped from getting up at 4:30am, carpooling kids to their location, be at work all day, swim practice, back to picking up kids and then headed home by 5:30pm.  Then I'm like what to do for dinner!? And before I realize it its 10pm and I'm not even in bed yet - OUCH!  I've got to change that and the only way to do so is to be a better planner of the little stuff. (ie dinner planned) so I can exercise and spend more time with my family!  I know the hubby and I need some R&R.

I did exercise once this week after school at the pool which really inflamed my allergies and now I have a sinue infection =(

On a happier note - hopefully in the next two weeks I can break 150!!!  Woot Woot

Getting to know you....

Getting to know more about you.....isn't that what blogging is all about!  Well here is a fun way to get to know more bloggers out there!  Thanks to my lil sis from DZ over at The Heights Life, Selena has nominated me for this fun award.  Go over and check her out - she is a hoot and a ball full of energy.  Love you girl!

Its called the Liebster Award - Liebster means "dearest" in German and its an award given to up and coming bloggers with less than 200 followers.

The Rules!

Each person must post 11 facts about themselves

..and answer the 11 questions that are tagged for them

...and list the 11 bloggers you nominate

...and make up your own 11 questions to ask your nominees

Facts about me:

1.  I am a mom of three kids 3 and under

2.  I am a high school Art Teacher and Swim Coach

3.  I love me some Ray LaMontagne

4.  I am a triathlete

5.  I love to travel

6.  When I get the chance I love to play the piano and read a good book

7.  I am an APPLE addict - iphone, ipad, MAC computer, whatever I love it

8.  I am on a mission to become highschool skinny - AGAIN!

9.  I am a Christian and me and the hubby are about to start teaching Sunday School for 3 yr olds - exciting!

10. I love donuts and cookie dough - go back to #8 - I guess those are out the window

11. I have a very wild and fun inner self - just get me going =)

Questions for me:

1. What let you to start blogging?  I had a baby and it was a way to show family pictures and share news

2. Any pets?  I have 2 labs - Choc - Missie, Black - Max, and a shih-tzu named Oscar

3. What is your favorite holiday and why?  I love Christmas time because I really get into all the lights, Santa, decorating, food, etc.  Love all the Christmas Markets too

4. Favorite type of music? I don't know what you would call it, but somewhat folk - guitar, chill (Ray LaMontagne, John Mayer, Amos Lee, etc)

5. Facebook or Twitter?  Facebook

6. What are some of your hobbies?  Triathlons, reading, playing the piano, painting

7. What is your favorite thing about the summer?  I don't have to work =)

8. What do you love most about where you live?  What if I said I don't really like where I live, lol.  But if I had to name one thing - Houston is close to water (aka Galveston - the beach)

9. If you could jump on a plane today where would you go?  no brainer there Ireland or Greece

10. What is your dream job? Realistically -  I would love to own a boutique of some sort , but I think it would be fun to travel and try out all the food and neat places for the travel channel.

11. Who do you look up to and why?  My parents for being such hard workers and strong Christians role models.

Nominees:

Christen @ A Wish for A Little Less Mommy
Amy @ Love.Bug.
Jennifer @ Meet the Mocks
Jason @ No Jason Left Behind
Marti @ The Kubena Family
Brenden @ The Pokorny Family
Micah @ my.crazy.life
Amy @ The Hilton Family
Amanda @ Cut the Crap
Sharon @ Loveable Laughs
Cindy @ Oh Me Boutique

Questions for my Nominees:

1.  What was the last movie, TV show or book that made you cry or tear up?
2.  What's the #1 most played song on your iPod?
3.  What is one of your favorite quotes?
4.  What's your favorite indoor/outdoor activity?
5.  What chore do you absolutely hate doing?
6.  If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
7.  What's the best/worst gift you've ever given/received?
8.  The best part of waking up is?
9.  What is your favorite body part and why?
10.  What sound do you love and why?
11.  What do you miss most about being a kid?

Can't wait to see your answers!!!  Have fun with it

Now we can go out in public.....

Well that is what maybe a first time mom might say, but when you have two other kids your newborn just tags along whether they have their shots or not.  Thats right guys, my little princess is 2 months old.  Time sure has flown by and in just a short week or two I will be back to work - very sad.  

Codi is a growing girl!  Doctor says she looks good.  One thing he is concerned about is her head.  It is a little flat where she tends to position her head while sleeping, so we called in Baby Begin and they came to our house to teach us some positioning pointers and different ways to work on her tummy time to round out her head.  The woman that came was very friendly and gave us a lot of good information.  Codi is still on Zantac for acid reflux and now she has some oil for her horrible cradle cap.  

Her are her stats:

Weight: 12 pounds (gained 2lbs)

Height: 24 inches (grew 2in)

Head: 40 cm (grew 2cm)

Eating: 7 ounces every 4 hours

Sleeping: less during the day and from 8:30pm - 8:00am

Hair color: Brown

Eye color: Blue

Clothes size: 3 months

Diapers: cloth diapers

Codi is definitely smiling and cooing now.  Love love love!  She loves to be held and loved on by her brothers.  She loves to snuggle, especially with a blankie up to her cheek.  She still doesn't like tummy time, but we are working on it.  She loves to go on walks and riding in the car.  She will start going to the nursery at church since she has her shots.  Tomorrow she is getting dedicated at church and wearing one of my dresses when I was a baby.  We just love our little peanut!