Diet, Exercise, Princess and the Pea, Terrible Two's, and Baby Konnor!

Well, I have done 3 days of the 30 Day Shred (a workout vidoe from The Biggest Loser's Jillian Michaels). I love it. It is a pretty awesome 20 minute workout...Quick and seemingly effective. I wont know just how effective for a while, but I do know I FEEL my workout!! I also do a 20 minute workout in the mornings for my cardio. I usually do the Shred at night after all 3 kids are in bed so that I can shower afterwards. =)

In addition to working out, I am doing Weight Watchers, which I also love. It isn't too hard to follow, and is DEFINITELY making a difference! The week before I gave birth, I weighed 174..(YIKES) I now weigh 135! WOOT!

The last thing I have done to better my lifestyle is give up soda...Haven't had one since APRIL! I know, I ROCK! LOL! Instead, I am drinking 3 liters of water a day!

All of this, combined with the calories I get to burn by nursing has made me feel amazing! My confidence has sky rocketed, and I FEEL healthier!!

Next week will be a true test as we are headed to Idaho..And Idaho means, games, family, fun and...JUNK FOOD!! I will have to be strong, and resist as much as possible. I am going to make myself low fat enchiladas on the night we have enchiladas, and lowfat root beer floats that night as well! I also plan on keeping up with my workout.

Did I mention I paid in fifty dollars to a weight loss competition? The winner will end up with 300! WOOT! I hope I can win! =)

Well, I have went on and on about me...Maybe I should talk a bit about the real reason anyone visits this blog..The kiddos!

Cierra was just in an ADORABLE production of Princess and the Pea put on by the Missoula Children's Theater. Let me tell you, if this company comes to your town, it is so worth lettin' your children do it. It is free for the kids, and they do it for kids who have finished kindergarten thru 8th grade. All of the kids get a part, and I know Cierra really enjoyed herself!

Blayke is the epitome of TERRIBLE TWO'S! Into everything, destroying everything, and backtalking like no other. He is soo cute though, and sometimes, even when I know I should get mad, I just can't... But, if anyone is a potty training pro..We are gettin' desperate!

And last but not least, BABY KONNOR...Never has an infant been more loved by his 2 older siblings. Cierra has cried, just because he is crying, and Blayke sings him his own special song..."Baby Konnor don't cry"...The kid is ADORED..Yes, sometimes, I have more help than I need..But I am glad they love him so much.

Woody and I are doing well. We are just livin a simple life of work and family. Nothin' too exciting, but it is very fulfilling! We are very blessed!

We are all looking forward to our trip to Idaho..It has been 6 months! It will be nice to see everyone, and hang out and relax! I know a week isn't going to be nearly long enough though!

LIFE IS GOOD!

My life is good!! Here are just a quick few of the reasons why!

1. My kids...all 3 of them...are sleeping...before 9:30 pm.....

2. My house is clean

3. It SMELLS like summer outside!

4. I have succesfully been able to nurse my baby EXCLUSIVELY for almost 2 months! YAY!

5. I got to spend the weekend with my mom

6. I now weigh less than I did when I got pregnant! (I know, this one is vain, but what a triumph for me!)

7. I got in a full FANTASTIC workout without my baby waking up, crying and the inevitable "dropping" of my milk today!

8. My husband called me today just to tell me he loves me! (We always say I love you when we hang up..But it makes my day when he calls, and as soon as I answer, he says "I love you"....)

9. I am BLESSED to have the opportunity to stay home, which is why it was possible to watch Cierra's T ball game today!

10. We are only 1 week away from our trip "home"!

11. I got to wake up next to the love of my life....

12. ....And my smiling sweet baby boy!

Yep...Life is good...I am blessed to be the Mommy of 3 perfect, beautiful, intelligent children...I have a wonderful, supportive husband...And it FINALLY feels like summer out! LIFE IS GOOD!!!

Wow, I am a HORRIBLE blogger! LOL!

Wow!! I am a wonderful blogger! LOL! Well, as is well known, I had baby Konnor Ray Merrell...He was born April 26, 2010 at 5:17 via C-Section...I was terrified of this major abdominal surgery! I was lucky, however, and it went well...The spinal was a breeze! And for those of you who know my birth story from Blayke know that this was a very scary thing for me. The anaesthesiologist was AMAZING!! He stood by my head, and talked me through the entire thing. When my chest began to feel heavy, and I felt like I couldn't breathe, he settled me down. When the baby was born, and my husband went to check on him, he stayed right there with me, telling me how perfect the baby was!! He came to see me once in recovery, and once in my room later that night. Apparently, I was fairly lucky, because recovery from my section was quite easy. I was up and moving the next day, and by a week postpartum I felt FANTASTIC!!! Konnor is GORGEOUS! He has a head full of hair..and depending on the light, he is a redhead, blonde and a brunette!! He looks like he will have blue eyes, which I love! The older 2 adore him, and I couldn't dream of better siblings for this lil' man!
speaking of the older 2..We are having such a fun summer...Cierra is playing t-ball and hockey..She is taking swimming lessons in July..She is doing a play with the Missoula Childrens Theater....Also, we have a family summer pass to the pool...And both kids LOVE going!
In just over a week, we are making the 13 hour trip HOME! YAY! I cannot wait to see everyone! Well there is the quick update of what is going on with us!