Weekend in Canada

We got away!!! Little miss got to swim in her "Waterpark" and actually did it by herself...unwillingly!!! It took a little bit, but she ended up hanging on the noodle by herself and kicking!!! I was so proud!

And of course we had to go to the Arcade there. Rob, Kenneth and I got to play 3 rounds of laser tag and had a blast. Jen hates the idea of laser tag, so she was more than happy to stay and play games with little miss! Of course, this time at the arcade, she had more fun with putting the money into the machines than actually playing the games! She would deposit the money and then let everyone else play!

Tomorrow we have to go see a specialist that the WIC people have set up because they say that Emily is obese!! So, as I sat and tried everything to get her to eat this weekend and she refused EVERYTHING, I wondered what they would say about that! UGH...obviously I am a very upset mom!! What gives them the right to classify a child as obese? Having had weight issues my whole life, I am VERY sensitive about this stuff and refuse for my child to grow up overweight! I am very picky about what she eats and when she eats it. Drives me insane when her uncle and aunt sneak her treats! Even though they are constantly reassuring me that she is not overweight and that she is just a kid. She WILL outgrow this. However, I never did, and I am constantly worried that little miss will have a weight problem like me. Which, is why I am working out and dieting. I want to set a good example for her so that she will be healthy and never have to go through what I did.

Preparing for Change

Here is my life in a nutshell lately:
I recently purchased my first vehicle since moving to Michigan! Completely excited to finally have my own car again. First time driving something other than a Honda since I was 18, but that is ok! Today I was driving to work, and the check battery light came on and the RPM's kept wanting to stay high when I would clutch in...hmm...I think that my alternator is going out. UGH. Stupid used cars. I just need to find a rich guy and get pampered!
Finally found out the results to the biggest loser contest. Yup, 2 weeks later! We won! GO US! I came in 2nd place in the end of all of it. I wish the story ended there! HOWEVER...all of the money that we were supposed to get, someone in the company embezzled it. Ugh...but the company did come up with enough money to at least pay the teams that won. It isn't about the money, more for my health, but when you are depending on that money to pay for your trip to go home in the summer, it kind of sucks! But, I am still continuing my workout, and added tons to my routine since joining the YMCA and loving it! Not losing much weight right now, but trimming down some. Will have to post some pictures of the changes I have made since just joining the Y.
And, last but not least....I am moving!! Well, not far...but getting my own place! I am so excited to have my own place again. I went on a tour of apartments in the area today. I love the size of apartments back here! And...they have pools at both apartment complexes that I like! Little miss will have her "waterparks" close by! Not planning on moving until June, but we will see. I have TONS to buy to just be able to live! UGH!!! Again, I need to find a rich man!!!
I have a much needed 3 day weekend this coming weekend...after a little trading of days of with my favorite co-worker! We are going to attempt to go to Canada Friday morning for the weekend before you have to have a passport to go starting June 1st. I LOVE Canada and really hope to go. Will see how cheap we can get everything to see if we go. If not, I will still get a 3 day weekend!!!
Emily is getting so big and is so smart. She has this little laptop that I got her for her birthday. Teaches her the alphabet, spelling, numbers, etc. She is getting so good at it. Her vocabulary is expanding every day it seems like. She is loving the daycare at the Y and hates it when I come to pick her up. I think 2 hours is more than enough, but she thinks differently! She is keeping me busy and reminding me every day that she is a very independant child and needs no help with ANYTHING!! I don't know what I would do without her...she makes my life so amazingly happy!

More Hours in a Day!

I feel like I have been a horrible blogger lately! Just 2 more hours in a day would be GREAT! I have recently joined the YMCA and have spent a lot of my free time there working out at least 2 hours a day and have really enjoyed it. However, it is taking away from what little time I have at home! Oh well, the working out has been WONDERFUL! As seen in the above picture that was taken a few weeks ago, I have lost some weight. The biggest loser ended last Monday and have yet to hear any results. UGH to corporate! More than willing to take money, but procrastinate giving it out! Go figure! I am sitting with one of my favorite residents in this picture. She is a feisty thing and I LOVE it!

And here are a few pictures from this weekend. The funniest thing about this weekends trip to Big Rapids and Baldwin...from the time it was planned until we were packed and on the road...10 minutes!!! Rob, Jen and I were going to go to lunch at this place that Rob had been telling us about. We were going to leave the kids at home to play and have Kenny watch the girls for us so we could enjoy some adult time with no kids asking us millions of questions or complaining! We were getting ready to go, and Emmy looked at me and said, "Mommy, can I please go?" and stuck out her bottom lip, clasped her hands together and begged! Of course I am not going to say no because I miss her so much during the week when I am at work. So, I told little miss that she could go with. Well, the night before, Rob and Jen had taken her to the Y to go swimming. She thought that is what we were doing Saturday afternoon and that is why she wanted to go. She ran to the counter, grabbed her swimsuit and she was ready to go to the "waterpark!" I tried to tell her we were going to eat, but she wanted to go to the waterpark. I just figured she would be heartbroken when we arrived at the restaurant and would quickly get over it. I guess I am a lot tougher than Rob because he felt bad. So, he asked us if we wanted to make a quick last minute weekend trip to go check out his property up in Baldwin and we would just stay in a hotel in Big Rapids. I looked at him, asked him if this was only because of little miss wanting to go swimming. He turned around, went back into the house and said he had to make hotel reservations and avoided my question all together!!! Yup, a trip to check the property so little miss could go swimming! Sadly, when we got to the hotel, they informed him that a pipe had burst in the pool and hot tub and everything was closed!!!! He informed the guy that he just drove for 3 hours so his niece could swim at the "waterpark" and NEEDED something! Luckily, there was one room open that had a jacuzzi tub in it. Rob snatched it up and Emily was THRILLED! He threw in tons of bubbles and the girls had so much fun. It was a nice quick getaway. Back to work tomorrow!

March for Babies

In 36 days I will participating in my first March for Babies walk! I signed up today at the YMCA and I am completely excited about it! I love the organization and am excited to be helping out with what I can. Please visit my personal website that they have created for me and read more. There is also a pledge area if you are able to. If you are unable to make a pledge, there is a link to find where they do a March for Babies in your area. Feel free to browse around. Any help is much appreciated. Thank you!
http://www.marchforbabies.org/kristinarider



one day... all babies will be born healthy
today... too many moms and families know the heartbreak of having a baby born fighting to survive
I've joined March for Babies because the March of Dimes champions the needs of moms and babies in our community and across the nation. The money we raise for March for Babies will help:
- support all-important research offering preventions and solutions for babies born too soon or with birth defects
- educate women on things they can do to increase their chances of having a healthy baby
- provide comfort and information to families with a newborn in intensive care
- push for newborn screening and health insurance for all pregnant women and children
Please help by donating today!
It's easy, safe and secure - just click to make your donation.
The mission of March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

My Big Girl!

I was so depressed Sunday night. Jen and I decided to go to Walmart. I decided that Emily needed some shorts because the weather has been so warm already back here. I couldn't find anything really in the toddler department, and then Jen found these shorts...in the GIRLS department!!! Size XS!!! My poor baby is getting so big!

We took a quick trip to Lansing this past weekend. I was going to get a car, but then come to find out, the transmission was going! AGH! But, we had fun at the hotel at least!

And the most depressing thing ever...I found this red hair in Emily's hair a few weeks ago! She has always had this blonde hair, and has recently been getting brown hair. But I found this RED hair. My poor little angel!!!

And with the biggest loser...I lost 2 lbs last week. Only 2 more weeks to go I think!! I am joining the YMCA tomorrow, so hopefully that will help with having more stuff to use to workout! I am still winning...fingers crossed! Wish me luck!

Whirlwind of a Week!

WOW...what a week it was last week! I am so glad that it is over, and praying that this week gets A LOT better! Little Miss has been sick for 3 weeks now with this cold that has been hitting everyone like a mack truck! She is finally getting over it thank goodness. I took this picture one afternoon while she had to follow me everywhere. She was being clingy and wouldn't give me a moment of peace...which was ok because I hadn't seen her much and was kind of missing her!!! I just think that the picture was just precious.

Friday we hit 70 degrees!!! YAY US!! I got spring fever and got Emily a skirt and this cute top. Well, she obviously had spring fever because she added the shades! It was great!

And Thursday the power decided to go out...in the entire town of Buchanan, (the town in which I work) and Berrien Springs, (the town in which I live!) I was stuck at working scrambling around trying to find flash lights, portable O2 and getting people changed for bed before our generator went out after only 1.5 hours! Little miss was at home with aunt Jen, uncle Rob and her cousins! Jen took this picture for me so that I could see how she was being! She was playing with Tina and Rob and Kenneth decided to join in! I guess it was fun...I dunno, I was stuck at work like always!

I didn't weigh in today because it was just chaos at work, but will be doing so on Wednesday. I luckily have tomorrow off...a much needed day off! Got to love the lack of staffing at work sometimes! Just have to smile and get through it! I will post my weight loss...or gain...on Wednesday...until then...GOODNIGHT!!!!

Biggest Loser!

Megan and I...if there is anything that I am so happy about getting out of this job, it is meeting this woman right here! She and I connect so well and we tell each other EVERYTHING!

Anyone who knows me well enough and talks to me often enough, hears about this man here! This is my man Ted!!! Yup, he has a black eye, and yes he got on it my shift! :( His cooridnation has been way off lately and I was wondering if he had an inner ear infection. Oh, I was right! Thank you mom for teaching me these things! Any ways, this is my man Ted!

And all 3 of us ladies are doing the biggest loser contest! And Ms. Elaine is my very fragile diabetic who I freaking love! She cracks me up so much! This picture was taken Friday night. I have a picture on my cell phone of what I looked like back in December and I love looking at it because it shows how far I have come since then!

Why all of this about work? I dunno! I just love my job! That, and I got weighed in today and discovered I lost 10 lbs last week! How? Again, I dunno! Just happy I did!

And this wouldn't be a proper blog without a picture of my princess! I had to leave this morning for a little bit to go into work for an evaluation and Ms. Emmy decided to lay in bed with uncle Rob and watch cartoons! He took this picture for me while I was gone. I was gone for about an hour, and when I came home, this is how I found her! The exact same way I left her!!!