Hello from sunny Gloucester

We are taking a break this weekend from blogging and our crazy hectic life!

Check back Monday for details from our weekend getaway!

Weight loss journey

For the past 3 months I have been slowly working at losing the weight I gained from my pregnancy.. Well as of 2 weeks ago I had lost all of my weight from Beth, I am still chipping away at the weight from Madison, but I am super happy with my progress so far!

May 19th I started a 30 day nutritional balancing and cleansing program. I was actually scared to do it! 

I was nervous I wouldn't be able to do, but I was also nervous I would have no results. I am so happy to say I have had amazing results!!

In the past 30 days I lost 10lbs and 29inches!

 

I didn't starve myself, I didn't go to extremes ... I just ate healthy and clean! I replaced 2 meals a day with a shake and then had one 400-600cal meal! Doing just that I also went from being comfortable in size 12 jeans to now comfortably fitting my size 8's!

For those that know me know I LOVE milk and cheese.. So for me the toughest part was cutting out those things!  I also love a good chai latte or a vanilla latte so that was also tough to get used to. Did I veer off the plan .. Of course! I am human! I am not saying I cheated as this is a learning thing .. I am learning to make better choices for myself and my family! 

I love this new lifestyle! I feel better, I have more energy and I am not craving sweets  or diet soda. The one thing I am treating myself to tomorrow is an ice coffee!!

I will be continuing with the program for another 30 days! Along with the program I have increased the amount the miles I am running and I have also re-introduced weight lifting into my workouts!

I have goals and so far I am on track to surpass these goals!! I can't wait to update you all in another 30 days!

Xo's

Weekend round up

Wow!  I still can't believe all the likes, shares and comments for my Beautiful body shoot! Thank you all so much!!

Just more inspiration to get out and exercise today! 

This weekend was fun packed, non stop adventure. 

Friday started with an appt with the gastroenterologist for miss Elizabeth. We are still struggling with her feeding and weight gain. She isn't tipping the scales by any means but neither did Madison, we don't have enormous children but Beth is only 8lbs 1 oz at 3 months. She isn't even on the percentile chart anymore! So the first "test" is new medication for her severe reflux and a new amino acid based formula(for milk allergy) She has been labeled as "failure to thrive".. Not as scary as it sounds!   

Since Friday we have switched things around and have been more on edge with her feeding as she is choking when she spits up!  We go for a weight check on Wednesday so hopefully she has gained ... If not it's off for a second opinion!

Thank you to everyone who has expressed their concern and their support while we deal with this!

Friday night a few is us went to dinner for Kate's bachelorette! It was a fun low key dinner to celebrate the bride to be and to take her mind off of all the stress or wedding stuff and work! We can't wait to celebrate this Friday!!

After almost 2 weeks we finally got to meet our niece Carlee! 

Madison was so excited to get to spend the day with Bella. She really does love her cousin! It's so great as they are 5 weeks apart, and now the little girls will hopefully have a close relationship as they are 3 months apart!

For Father's Day on Sunday we let Chris sleep in and then we just hung around at the house until mid afternoon when we headed down to Chris' parents house! From there we went to a family friends house with a groups of people to celebrate Father's Day! Madison ofcourse wasted no time and was in the pool within 5 min of walking in the door.. I'm sure it would have been faster had I not made her say hi to everyone and then put her swim suit on. 

She shocked us all by jumping in all by herself (with floaties). She usually wants to hold your hands when she jumps in but not anymore!! Where did my baby go!

I wish I could post a video here! 

I will have to look into a YouTube account to post videos so you can all see. 

So proud of our little fish!

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend!

Xo's 

My beautiful body

At 2 months post partum I was given the opportunity to partake in a "beautiful body project" with Little Whimsies Photography. Well yesterday was the big day!!   At 3 months 7 days post partum I stood infront of a camera....

I am so happy I did this!!! I was a little nervous about sharing this photo but I'm so glad I did! In the past 15hours this photo has been shared over 25 times on Facebook, been liked over 1000 times and over a hundred comments!!  

This was my little write up for why I did this!

After my having my first daughter I was not happy with my body at all, I had no confidence. This time around I am much more confident not because my body looks better but because I have realized that no one is perfect. We all have flaws and things we wish we could change. I wanted to do this so when my daughters are teenagers and feel self conscious or when they are mothers and aren't happy with their bodies I can show them this and say your perfect the way the are! 

I now realize that my body is amazing, all women's body's are incredible we carry and nurture a baby for 40 weeks and then we give birth and keep going! 

Every women should feel confident after a baby because look at what you created.. You are amazing!! 

I hope that I inspire other women to love their bodies!!

Xo's 

Summer bucket list...

Along with my summer reading list, I have a summer bucket list .. Just a few things I hope to do this summer before school and work picks up again!

1. Visit the Zoo (usually we do this more then 5 times a summer!)

2. Visit the beach!

3. Picnic in Central Park 

4. Teach Madison to swing a bat

5. Have a BBQ at the new house

6. Train for a half marathon

7. Visit a children's museum 

8. Visit a new city that Madison has never been to.. If we haven't either then even better 

9. Finish summer reading list

10. Teach Madison to spell her name l

11. Not get massively sunburnt .. This goes for all of us!

12. Chris wants to go tuna fishing

13. Make it to a "movie under the stars" event 

14. Get Madison to duck her head under water all by herself ... And if she can figure out how to float great! (Daily swimming lessons at camp will help!)

15. Check out our local pool!

16. Have fun!

We've got so much fun stuff we want to do in the summer and usually we are so busy with normal life stuff we forget about the things we want to do. 

What is on your summer bucket list!?

Many of you, if we are friends on Facebook, have seen the "beautiful body project" photo that the girls and I posed for. I want to thank you all for your support and I will do a little post about it on Monday!! 

We finally get to meet our almost 2 week old niece today! Madison is just excited that Bella is coming down!

Have a great weekend!

Xo's

Summer reading list

For many years I've always wanted to make myself a reading list for summer .. But I always got to busy! 

No more excuses this is the summer, so I thought I would take a moment to show you my list and if you have any recommendations let me know!

1. The Honest Life - Jessica Alba

2. The Fault in our Stars - John Green

3. The Newcomer - Robyn Carr

4. The Hero - Robyn Carr

5. The Wanderer - Robyn Carr 

(The Robyn Carr novels are at the recommendation of my mother)

6. Kate : The Future Queen - Katie Nicholl

7. Unlimited - Jillian Michaels 

8. Presumed Guilty - Casey Anthony : Inside the Trail - Jose Baez 

9. Fifty Shades Darker - E.L James 

10. Fifty Shades Freed - E.L James 

... Yes I am still reading Fifty Shades, I've been a little busy the last 2 years.

I used to read all the time but lately I haven't been able to make the time for it. 

Time to make some time for me .. Even if it's only 20min a day

Madison has become book lover.. Specifically her "children's first bible" books, she loves to look at the pictures and make up the story and then will make me read them.  

All part of the learning process! 

I actually took this photo while Beth and I were playing on the floor and Madison was sitting in Beth's chair using a nursery rhyme app! She knows them by heart!h

Hopefully I'll finish this list by sept 8th that's my goal! 

Xo's 

Sweet summertime

It's officially summertime for everyone in the Murray house.

Yesterday was my last day of work! 

It feels to have summers off again! I'm looking forward to it! So far off to a great start it's 730 and Madison is still sleeping!!!!!

My first year working at Elmwood was amazing!! I truly enjoyed going into work everyday. The people there are incredible and made this for me so great!! I can't wait to get back in the fall ... But until then it's all about my kiddies :)

We started out Madison's first day of summer by visiting the dentist for the first time!! 

She thought the "bib" was funny because she was like Beth. Our hygienist is great she even gave Madison her own pink gloves! 

I was amazed at how well Madison handled the visit! She sat and let the dentist count and polish her teeth! 

I had been concerned about one of Madison's teeth because it's very rough and discolored.. It's been like that since she got it so I was worried I am not brushing them properly .. Turns out there's nothing we did wrong! The enamel didn't developed properly while I was pregnant, and it's very common.

Made me feel a little better knowing it wasn't my fault!!

After that it was mom's turn! Madison was very interested on what was going on! 

Maybe we have a future dentist on our hands ;) 

We have so much fun stuff planned over the next 18 days before Camp starts! The most exciting plan is our trip to Massachusetts for Kate's wedding/ mini beach getaway! Madison is the flower girl and she can't wait!

Hope you all have a great Thursday .. We are off for Beth's weight check .. We will see how much our little peanut has grown!  But first a little peak at our gorgeous nieces - Isabella and Carlee.

Xo's