Weight Loss Journey

Anyone who has read my blog more than once knows that I am OBSESSED with losing weight. With each child I packed on an extra 10-15lbs. I have finally found something that works. I will be journaling my weight loss journey on another blog with a dear friend of mine. Details of that blog will be coming very soon. In the mean time, let me bring everyone up to speed. Well, I had a friend drop quite a bit of weight with little effort or stress. Of course, I wanted to know what she was doing. She was kind enough to share with me her secrets. No diets, no pills, no surgery, and no gimmicks, just a garment that I wear for 4 to 6 hours a day. No sweating, no stress, strain, or worry. Its actually very comfortable because it provides so much back support. Anyway, I've been working the system now for a little over a week and I have lost 5lbs. I think this is awesome. But even more astonishing is the dramatic difference I saw in my body immediately after putting the garment on. I am including before and after photos. I know someone is looking at the before photo in the top corner wondering, is that really her belly pulling on her shirt, spilling over her pants, ewwww. Yes, its what I like to refer to as my post baby love. Its the physical expression of the amount of love I committed to when I carried my 6 little rugrats in their early developing stages of life, you know, pregnancy. What's 10lbs of extra padding, ok I know its more like 70lbs, but anyway what's a little fat compared to the joy they bring into my life, its just a little issue with extra tissue, or what my friends and I refer to as being extra juicy. Except now I'm thinking since the baby producing days are over, maybe I should let the extra padding and juiciness go. Take a look and let me know what you think..... click on the photo to really see

Potty Training at its Best!

Ok, I will be the first to say that I suck majorly when it comes to potty training. You would think that by now, with potty training enrollee #6, I should have it down to a science, but unfortunately, I just don't. Its one of those things that you are excited to finish but cringe going through. I love the results, a fully functioning pottyer, but the journey getting there is just as bad as child birth. All of my girls were pretty easy to train. They pretty much just started going to the potty. My oldest son decided one day that he would be a big boy, and he just went. My middle son took me through much drama to get him where he is today. Drew, the lone non-practicing pottyer, is the one that I will have stories years from now that will be fresh on my brain. He is 3 and 1/2 and until a couple of days maybe even hours ago, he had no interest in pottying. He cared nothing about being a big boy or wearing pull-ups, or diapers. There was no forcing or shaming him into pottying until NOW. I am so proud to present an original idea of the mommy of many. I present to you, THE POTTY BOOK! Quite simply I purchased a cheap little journal, small enough to carry everywhere I go. I am keeping it in my purse. On the pages of this potty book you will find a potty entry. A potty entry consist of the name of the now practicing pottyer, date, and time of each potty experience. For every favorable potty experience, Drew gets a shiny star sticker. Every favorable potty entry is accompanied by a huge proud grin from Drew. And just today when we were in the store he mentioned to the clerk that he goes to the potty. She said "Do you? That's great!" he replied with "Yep, look at my potty book." He turned to me and I proudly whipped the potty book from my purse and showed the clerk all of his favorable potty entries. Why didn't someone tell me that spending $2 and a little creativity would bring forth a proud fully practicing pottyer? Now I wonder if getting through dating will be this simple.....

TV teaches proper dining etiquette!

Obviously the person who said children don't mimic what they see, did not have kids!

Proud Mommy Moment

"Oh, what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day......don't I really wish everything, and I do mean everything would go just my way...." Well I know that's a little different from the original song, but its the version I prefer, its what I call a mommy remix of the song. And since I'm singing about everything going my way, let me tell you guys about something that went better than my way. Today was little Ike's snack day. As usually I didn't remember until this morning so I wasn't prepared. This made Little Ike extremely nervous. Even at the ripe ole age of 5 he has figured out that I have a memory as long as Drew's record of staying dry, which by the way is not very long at all. Before putting Little Ike on the bus, I reassured him that I would remember to bring snacks to school, before snack time, and then I ran to make a note in my blackberry. I still had a few things I needed to do, (mainly catch about 20 more min. of shut eye) before leaving to go purchase snacks. To my surprise, my blackberry remembered to remind me. Now today, I had the extremely rare opportunity of going to the school without non-schoolers in tow, so this meant I could actually walk to Little Ike's room instead of dropping the snacks off in the office. Hubby is working an off shift, which I feel must be against some parenting laws, but that's another post for another day. Upon walking into Little Ike's classroom, he not only greeted me with a hug, in front of his little friends but he asked everyone in his class to give his mommy a happy clap because I remembered to bring the snacks. He told everyone he was so proud of his mommy because she is the "coolest and prettiest mommy." I don't cry, but I thought about how this would have been a great moment to say that I teared up, but I don't cry so I didn't. But none the less I am feeling pretty proud of my little man. His daddy has already taught him the importance of celebrating and praising the women in his life. If he keeps that up into adulthood, it will take very far in marriage. One day his wife is gonna thank us.

New Look

For a few weeks now I've been feeling like The Artis 6 needs a makeover. I thought of paying someone to do it, but I enjoy learning and tweaking the page to find the perfect look. The problem is that I am finding so many looks that I like but I have yet to find something I love. I guess until then you guys will see alot of different looks. I feel like the most beautiful teenage girl trying to find that perfect outfit for the homecoming dance, because she knows everyone will be looking at her. Until then bare with me through the many transformations, and if you see something in particular that you like, now that I have fixed my comment section, Leave a comment!

The Artis 6 need your votes!!

I suppose just like most Mama's, I think I have some of the cutest, most adorable babies. This thought alone, inspired me to enter a few of my little ones into the GAP Casting Call. I wanted to enter them all but the reality is that 2 are too old, and the other 2 and way to shy, they barely speak to people they've known most of their lives. But I did manage to enter the two that are extremely outgoing and they need your votes. Right now we're a little behind in the running, since I just entered them the other day, but I know my bloggy buddies are gonna come through for me and vote my babies to the top. Thanks

VOTE HERE and enjoy a few of my favorite pics of my babies

Big Girl's Slumber Party

This weekend I had the opportunity to experience something completely new, to me. My wonderful cousin decided to host a Girl's Weekend. My little ladies later renamed it to the"Big Girl's Slumber Party." Quite simply she invited a bunch of her female family and friends to her house for the weekend. We were invited to stay the day or the weekend. I felt as though I had been taken back into a time of no worries. From the moment I hit the door the smell of wonderful, deliciously, fattening foods intruded my nostrils, and the sounds of our favorite old school jams blarring through the house speakers all day. From Wii games, and air hockey, to the internet, chit chat, digital cameras flashing everywhere, the excellent Body Magic presentation, the surprise visit of the purse lady (and yes I'm lovin' my new hand bag), and a delicious brunch on Sun, the weekend was jammed pack with fun. Oh wait, how could I forget the awesome 30 min. massages. We ate, we laughed, we danced, we talked. And surprisingly things don't change. Just as little ladies stay up all night, talking, dancing, and giggling, guess what, so do older ladies! The main difference was is adults we have the freedom to come and go, and do as we please, so we were able to take the party on the road for added fun. I enjoyed laughter with my sister and cousin who I've known all my life and the opportunity to meet many new women. Whoever said women were "catty" and couldn't get along, has never met these ladies. I had planned to stay all night but around 3ish in the morning I decided the thought of sleeping next to my hubby's warm body was too much to bear. I drove home for the remainder of my sleep and joined the ladies in the morning. Yeah, I know I'm punkish, but forgive me for loving my hubby. Sleep is so much better beside him. Regardless, this "Big Girl's Slumber Party" is a must do from now on. I'm already looking forward to the next shindig. Great Job on the planning Fee!

A Prayer Answered

For more than a year now, it has felt as if my family and I have faced one situation after another. None of the situations on their own have been strong enough to take me out but several of them back to back had left me weak and tattered. I found myself begging God for mercy and still feeling overwhelmed. Non-believer associates of mine would like nothing more than to say, "Where is your God now? You used to be so happy and full of joy, but it looks like the God you talk so much about, is no where to be found." And I must admit that there were times when I felt alone, and my flesh longed to be emotionally overwhelmed, but the Holy Spirit would always remind me that God said he would never leave nor forsake me, and he is always faithful to his word. I found myself mentally revisiting times that seemed to be less burdensome, just to keep myself motivated. The rougher things got, the less I wanted to pray, but the more I wrote to God. At times when my lips refused to open, my hand constantly wrote. Even in times of struggle I needed God to know that I love him and I trust him and his will for my life. Its amazing how struggles can affect you. Financial struggles, health challenges with me and my children, and family discord among my close family members had broken me. Broken-ness was a new place for me. I had no idea that the brokeness was what I needed to allow God to rebuild and restore me. These issues combined had taken me to a place where I had to come to lean and rely on no one other than God. And today I stand in a place where I can honestly say to God, "Thank you for allowing me to go through and triumph over these circumstances. Trials are only temporary. And I can now begin to see the break in the storm clouds. I'm coming out." Thank you Lord, for I am victorious!