I like three things: simplicity, health and FOOD.

Whelp, I am officially a Weight Watchers leader! What does that mean? Pretty much, I get to run my own meetings and encourage other people to feel great about themselves on an amazing program! Also, it's a boat load of paperwork that I didn't really expect but it's manageable and I LOVE IT. I still consider myself a "stay at home mom" but this is my little outlet. Not only is being a leader rewarding it's helping me stay accountable. Other members inspire me and help me keep my focus. I see transformations from week to week, it's beautiful.

Weight is such an emotional, personal and sometimes frustrating thing for so many people. It's sometimes the only thing we see in ourselves (I don't mean everyone but to some, it really is). Until we are happy with our self image (is that ever perfect?) it's really hard to move on with ourselves and see the bigger issues. We always make it through our day perfectly 'ok' but at the end of the night when you stand in front of your mirror, brush your teeth and wash your face we have those evil thoughts that come creeping back in. I know for me when I "fall off the bandwagon" and make poor decisions with my food choices my most powerful thoughts occur at night. Sometimes the last thing I say before I fall asleep (besides I love you to my hubs) is TOMORROW IS A NEW DAY and I will be ok tomorrow. Is tomorrow a powerful word for anyone else other then me? Tomorrow always comes and it's up to me if I chose to make the right choices.

My goal today was to share an EASY and SIMPLE food idea to those on the go. Personally, I try to change up my food so I don't eat the same exact thing every single day. How incredibly boring. I have this one thing that I am obsessed with. I wish there was a stronger word for obsessed because really I would say I'm addicted if it was even possible to be addicted to this but I LOVE IT: This stuff is amazing. I put it on absolutely everything. Truly. I could eat it straight out of the can but I needed to show myself I have some sort of self control. I bought this at Costco. I typically buy 4 to 5 of these when I go because a Costco is about 2 hours and 15 minutes from my home. We have an extra fridge in the basement and the turnover rate in a tub of this is rather fast so, that is why I buy so many at a time! If you are not a Costco member OR you don't even have a Costco I found the recipe of this. You can modify this recipe and I'd imagine it would significantly drop the point value, for those of you who are counting points :-) Here is the link to the recipe if you'd like to make it, I would highly suggest it :http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1615,153188-250192,00.html For those curious to the point value for 2 tablespoons it's 1 point.

I place this stuff on my morning egg sandwich, my lunch turkey sandwich and I'll find something at dinner to put it on. Two heaping tablespoons of it is 1 point, my tablespoons are so heaping that I just write 2 points just to be safe. It has so much flavor, ugh!

So for lunch today (I already ate lunch today, for blog purposes of course) so here is what I made!It's not overly colorful simply because I was doing this quickly (in 3 minutes to be exact) because I wanted to make this and take photos while the twins were sleeping. This wrap is JAM PACKED with flavor. The ingrediants I used were: I use chicken strips, you can absolutely whatever kind you wish or can get your hands on. Left over chicken from the night before cut into strips works sufficiently, as well.

I seldom buy flatouts but when I have Greek Yogurt dip in stock I grab them. This particular flat out (the light) is jam packed with fiber. Fiber is such a filling and it makes me feel satisfied after I eat. I always try to get in as much fiber as I can. I took a flat out and laid it out.
I then took 3 ounces (maybe a little more) of frozen all natural fajita chicken. Doesn't have to be fajita, it's what I had in my freezer. Next I took my infamous dip and spread two tablespoons on my flatout.I then pulled the chicken out of the microwave and spread it on the shell. You can also throw lettuce, tomatoes, ANYTHING you want on this to spice it up. But for me, this has enough flavoring and I'll say it a thousand times...it's SIMPLE.I then tightly wrapped this protein, fiber packed lunch and gobbled it right up. Along with this lunch, my daughter and I have been doing this a lot recently from the recent warm weather we make fruit smoothies. It is SO easy and it's about 1 point per serving only because I put fruitie greek yogurt in it. It is ahhhhhhh-mazing! If you consumed this ENTIRE blender, it would be 3 points.

We were playing dress up before we made smoothies and Maddie's still in her dress up clothes :-)

Fruit smoothies are fun and a great way for YOU and your kids to get extra nutrients. If you buy frozen fruit pay super close attention that it either says ALL NATURAL or NO SUGAR ADDED. Check out the ingrediants on the bag also to make sure that it is nothing but FROZEN FRUIT in that bag. Some companies try to make their products taste "good." That "good" taste you're tasting is all the added sugar that's been crammed in there. Juvenile diabetes scares me, a lot. So I'm really concious on sugar intake for my tykes. Does that mean on a hot summer day I let them have a capri sun? Heck ya I do...but if I can watch it, I really really try!

Just get MAD. Really MAD.

Leaving the hospital with my two babies

Florida and at my twins first birthday party!

This is NOT about gloating about myself or bragging but it's my journey that I've worked very hard for. I know there are PLENTY of people feeling some similar feelings and maybe reading my journey could help. If I can help one person, just one person I will feel like I saved the world!

My mission is not an image or about being skinny (even though fitting in jeans I could only dream of does make me feel pretty good) it's all about being healthy and feeling healthy. I do not want my children seeing me eat crap food (I do have special days for treats, I'm not perfect) but I want to encourage them to watch important information on the things they eat and to READ THE LABELS OF WHAT YOU EAT! I also want them seeing me happy and full of energy. I always wanted to be a young mommy for so many reasons but I want them to remember me as happy and healthy, I am both of those.

Whelp, I did it. It feels so refreshing to say it. I am right where I want to be. Now, the hard part begins. I have to keep the weight off. It is so much easier to just let it come back but it won't win me.

I joined weight watchers 6 weeks and 2 days after I had my twins. Really, after they were born I watched what I ate because I THOUGHT I couldn't join until 6 weeks after they were born. I mean, you can't go back to work until 6 weeks so I thought in my head same must go for any "dieting" program. Well, I was wrong. I could've joined the instant they were out of my body. But, it was probably best that I waited anyways. To heal and to get to know and focus on these two little people who didn't let us sleep. What so ever. At all. For 8 weeks straight.

I went into my first meeting. A meeting!? To lose weight? I was nervous and incredibly anxious but most importantly I thought this is what it will take to get MY body and feel amazing. So I joined on the old weight watchers momentum program. That was the last program weight watchers had before it changed. It's merely identical to the one now (points plus) the only difference is you can eat all the fruit and veggies you want until you're blue in the face. The last program you had to count your fruit in your daily "points" allotment. The other new thing on the new points plus program is that carbohydrates count and I am SO happy that that is being taken into consideration. So my leader calculated how many points I could have and she had me take a little test with information like my height, am I nursing, daily activity level (huh? I just change messy diapers and feed them) and I sat in on my first meeting. I don't know if my brain was really there or if it was back home wondering how the babies were doing, do they miss me? Are they crying? Is Ryan ok with three children vying for his every ounce of attention? To answer all those questions in one answer, the answer is yes to each one.

My first meeting and every single meeting from here on out has been so motivating. I sit there and listen and can relate to every single thing that comes out of every man and woman's mouth. I am not alone in my battle to be healthy! I feel normal here. Whatever I say, someone else feels exactly the same way. The key to losing weight was the meetings for me. It's my motivation factor. I tried online but I had little accountability and it was fun watching all of us work so hard for the same thing in the same room.

I right away created my "goal" weight. Basically, a healthy BMI (body mass index) for my height. I went on the higher end of my height spectrum. I had enough on my plate at the time and in my head it felt like less pressure (sounds like an excuse to me). I joined on May 5th in 2010 and had a average loss each week. I strived to do between 1-2lbs each week because I've learned the slower it comes off (as frustrating as it was) the longer it will stay off. Dramatic weight losses (5+lbs every week) you will gain it back fast and twice as much. I did have weeks where I gained and weeks that I had huge losses but all in all I knew what I had to do. It took me to December to reach my goal and become a lifetime member! I did it!!! Hip hip horray! I lost 54 lbs.!

IT IS SO DARN EASY. I could eat what I want in moderation (well really it's a human proportion rather then my 2039420934029 servings) and still lose weight. It's true. It's so true.

I went to Florida with my family in the middle of March of 2011. I started slacking and getting lazy there. When I returned home it was so easy to grab crap food that comforted me and made me sleepy. I started feeling angry about gaining about 9 pounds that I put back on from pure laziness. A friend and I were talking (she is also in weight watchers I won't reveal her name incase she would rather me not) and she told me the greatest thing. I don't know if she knows but it's changed my entire outlook on me. It's my focus. She has taught me how to get back on track right away. Not tomorrow or not Monday morning but RIGHT AT MY VERY WEAKEST POINT...she told me you just have to get mad. Mad!? That's it? Just the word MAD is all it took this entire time? Mad at yourself for quiting something you know that is working. Mad at jeans getting tight not because the dryer is shrinking them but because I am making poor choices. Just get MAD. Thank you. Thank you so much because you have helped me more then anything I have learned so far about myself just through that one word. Mad.

Cozy Cap Creations

When I was pregnant with the twins, I use to wonder what little hobby I could do. I tried a few things but it was a mess and our home isn't the largest to create my own personal space to contain my junk in one room. The extra room and spaces we had were mainly for toys. Many parents can relate to that. What's mine is there's and what's there's is...there's. The fall temps started to come in the end of September and I jumped on etsy.com. etsy.com is a handmade website where you can find anything and everything exactly the way you want it. Literally anything. It's mainly little shop artists willing to create whatever you want. So I started searching for matching hats for my three. After filling up my shopping cart on the website my total was $101.73. First thought was, how do I justify this and tell my husband the total. Then I started to think this is only THREE hats. I realized this was someone else's time and money into yarn but financially we couldn't swing it with twice the formula and twice the diapers and honestly it wasn't worth stressing my husband out. So I sadly cleared my shopping card.

That weekend I went to visit my parents with the kids. My parents live in Lake Orion, a town 45 minutes north of Detroit. I went to JoAnn fabrics with my little 40% off one non sale item and grabbed a ball or two of yarn. I sat down with my mother who taught me how to begin a hat. From there, I did it on my own. I began having friends and family asking for hats and my husband encouraged me to start up an etsy shop. THERE IT WAS!!! MY LITTLE NOOK! My craft. My hobby outside of changing diapers, filling and refilling sippies all day and cleaning up toys. Finally something for me. Last year I did 4 craft shows and it was seriously some of the most fun I've ever had! I love seeing everyone else's table and the response to my work, well, it just made me feel pretty good. It's definitely what I needed after being cooped up in the house while pregnant and especially after they were born.

My goal in my etsy shop was to create a price point reasonable for customers and to give people something unique that you couldn't find anywhere else!

A special thank you to Finn Photography (http://finnphotography.blogspot.com/) for all of her work and time she has help me put into my little business!

Going from three to five of us!?

The shirt I tried to wear for as long as I could. Good 'ol basketball t-shirt.Then came the red shirt that got me to the end. A little skin showed at the end but I was overly conscious and kept tugging it down.I made it to 37 weeks, to the very day. I have to find the photo but 35 and 37 I looked merely identical. Gigantic.This photo is before the wild things were born and we were taken back to the c-section.
Us with the two newest Ramsey family members. I could relive this day, over and over (repeat).

2 Years and 3 Months Later...

Clearly, my life over the past couple of years have been fun, crazy, emotional and truly some of the best ones ever. I haven't necessarily neglected this blog but I'd like to think...I just didn't have the time! So it may take awhile to catch you up if we aren't "friends on facebook."

Madelyn has grown leaps and bounds. I was reading and going over some of the posts I put on here awhile back and just sat in awe of the beautiful and intelligent girl she has become. She's a chatter box who literally, never stops talking. There are times that I will look at her, begging and pleading for her to JUST STOP TALKING. She always replys with some witty response. "Um, mom I'm not talking, I'm singing." I'd like to say she's your average three year old girl. She's happy, sassy and quite the little sneak. Eating is nonexsistent, sleeping? Well, that too. My parents laugh and tell I'm getting, exactly what I was.

And since the last blog I've had...twins! Yes, twins! The news was incredibly shocking when I received it MYSELF in the doctors office. Ryan had a golf outing and I went into the doctors office to get a routine beginner ultrasound to see about how far along I was. BEFORE this life changing ultrasound...well, I'm such a worry wart that even though the pregnancy tests were coming back positive (all 34932804928390 of them) I still wanted blood work done. So my doctor sent in the order forms to let me get blood work done to make sure this was a legitimate pregnancy. Poor doctor. My gut told me this pregnancy was just a little different. My day one blood work was in the range it should be according to the LMP so I went back for the second day of blood work to make sure my numbers were going up and they tripled. Um, tripled? What does it mean when it triples when they're only supposed to double? I quickly googled what it meant (google is the worst thing on the planet for people like me) and it said in most scenarios it meant its a multiple pregnancy. Wait, multiple pregnancy? We just thought we were trying for baby number two. Ho-lee-smokes. I called to talk to the nurse at the OB's and explained all the above, as she was listening she was laughing and said don't worry! It's not always the case. So, a few short days later I went in for my first baby appointment and well, I'll never ever in my entire life forget this:
Doctor: "There's the baby, measuring just like it should be"
Me: "Only one right?"
Doctor: "Hang on let me just move...opp there's another one"
Me: "Are you shitting me?"
Doctor: (laughing) "hang on let me measure, this one is measuring the same as the other"
Me: "There's no more in there, right?:
Doctor: glancing around, "nope, two's it."

I left there with a few photos in my hand feeling so happy, unsure and proud. Can I handle two babies, at once!? I sure can!

Two black circles. That meant two babies, currently taking residence inside my body. Well, that was just the beginning.

I have been through one wild journey. Madelyn is now 3 and the twins just turned one on March 22nd. They are one. I have a healthy 3 year and also 1 year old twins. I feel like the luckiest woman in the entire world.

Personally, I had those babies and I wanted MY body back. Is that even allowed to be in the same sentence? Babies and my body? I was bound and determined to. I had those babies and started that day. Food wasn't going to get me this time. It took me one year to do something about my body after Madelyn. I don't know if it was first baby syndrome or what. I spend that first year after Madelyn was born no necessarily depressed but in the slumps because I just didn't feel healthy or good about myself. It was never enough for me to do something about it. Around Maddie's first birthday I joined weight watchers and began to lose weight. I lost about 24 lbs and then got pregnant with the twins.

Since the twins were born I've lost 54 lbs and am back to me with some stretch marks and some excess twin skin. Those are their foot marks on my body. It's ok, for now!

I am now a weight watchers receptionist. Meaning I weigh people in, encourage them and do all the paper work. I start this Friday training to become a weight watcher leader. I can't believe it, I can actually be a leader! This was my goal from the start, being a leader. A leader is the one who runs the meetings and does pretty intense motivation for the group. I CAN'T WAIT! I feel great and I want others to feel this way, too.

I have neglected this page for so long that I don't know where to begin the update.

Madelyn still has yet to walk. She will take 8 or 9 steps or sometimes walk across a room but until she is walking walking on her own, that is when I call it walking! Maybe I'm a toughie but she uses crawling as her main source or transportation or moms hip.

We celebrated Madelyn's birthday on December 6th the day before her real first birthday on the 7th. It was pretty special having both Grandma's and Grandpa's there. We had some travelers, friends and family members as well. After her monkey party we went to the Christmas Parade in town. It was a wonderful way to end the first birthday. I've decided next year to have her birthday party a bit sooner. It felt pretty overwhelming to organize a birthday party and prepare for Christmas 2 weeks later.

Christmas was the best ever this year. Having a child makes the it so much more special. Watching her face light up when opening a present is priceless. Watching her hug every toy she opens makes it feel so worthwhile. Us being all together on Christmas morning and creating our own traditions is so much fun. Her favorite gifts were her babydolls and Leap Frog School Bus.

Maddie has 7 teeth and a molar close to the surface. Her gum is so puffy where the molar is about to come through. She refuses to eat meat. She will sort out the meat in each bite with her tounge if I mix it in with other food on a spoon. Luckily, (knock on wood) we've all been pretty healthy this winter.

Not too much longer and Madelyn and I will be flying to sunny (hopefully) Florida. Daddy has to stay back and work. We are crashing in with my wonderful in-laws who have a condo in Florida. I'm a little nervous about the flight but if anyone has any flying tips or games or things to do with a 15 month old I would greatly appreciate it. I plan on lots of food, pacifier and the DVD player.

I hope to update with pictures soon!

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."Proverbs 3:5-6

Carving Pumpkins.

We were so excited to carve a pumpkin with Maddie this fall. In the beginning she really enjoyed it and by the end she really wouldn't go near the pumpkin. We've really had a great time doing all these fun traditions that we once did as children. Hope you enjoy the photos below.

Taste testing the pumpkin...nice job dad.

Making sure Colt is behaving.

Family photo in our Sunday's best :)

Scoop it up dad!

Fall 2008

It's been 2 months since our last blog! Yike. Time flies. This fall has been a blast and many changes with our little one.

She currently has 5 teeth and is always on the go. In the photos below, she is attempting to play in the leaves but unfortunatly they freaked her out.

Happy Halloween!

Today is Madelyn's very first Halloween. She was going to be a monkey until she grew out of the costume so now she's a mouse. She makes a pretty cute mouse. These pictures below are from her music class Halloween party.

The mouse quit crawling after 5 minutes because she was exhausted from the costume.

Trying to figure out how to pick up instruments with no fingers out.

Goofy photo but check out that the top tooth!

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Another tooth!

We are on our 3rd tooth! The front left tooth popped through and her left eye tooth is not too far behind. You can see it right below the gum line. Pretty exciting for Madelyn.

Things have been busy lately, I have been occasionally subbing. It's the easiest thing to do with our schedules. It's nice to decide when to work and when to not. I give so much credit to working moms. Making dinner when they get home and trying to find a little time to give to your child. Those few days working truly made me appreciate my days with Madelyn more. I couldn't believe how badly I missed her. I would be fine for the first half of the day but then it would just get to me. I loved coming home though to her two teeth gummy smile and her hugs and kisses. It made those days that much better.

We are looking forward to this weekend. We are having a Michigan verse Michigan State party. So far about 80 people have rsvp'd that they are coming. Fortunatly we have a tent with sides being set up (with a heater in it), a port-a-potty being delivered Friday, and 3 fire pits in the yard. Hopefully the better team wins. Go State!

-Love-
The Ramsey's

She crawls!

After many requests (mainly my mom) of wanting me to put up a video of our monkey crawling, I have finally gotten around to it. Enjoy!

Madelyn Dancing

When I was recording this video I didn't realize what song was playing in the background. Sort of funny!

*Not the best quality, video was taken on my camera.

And we're off!

I never really considered an "army crawl" officially crawling but it's what she has been slowly doing for a few weeks. She would slowly army crawl in a circle. As of Tuesday evening, my little monkey has been crawling on all fours still slow but moving. She is pulling up on all the furniture and walking along it. She loves (mainly chewing) all cell phones, dog toys (I try to hide them but Colt brings them back out), remotes, paper, computer buttons especially the on/off switch that lights up, electrical outlets, power strips, so needless to say I am busy.

Her naps are starting to shorten and she is spending some quiet time in the crib. She enjoys it and I enjoy small amounts of time to get things done. She usually takes a 40 minute morning nap and 45 minute-1.5 hour afternoon nap. I've been trying to cut out morning nap but it's really a hard thing to do.

I've started substitute teaching. Just to work when I can and Ryan isn't busy at work. We really want to finish our basement. It will be a slow work in progress but it will be nice to just start the project. We plan on adding a den with an adjoining playroom (that will turn into a pool table room in a LONG time), a half-kitchen, fourth bedroom, bar, and a full bath.

Happy Autumn to all!

-Love-
The Ramsey's

So much progress so quickly!

This past week has been such a monumental week for Madelyn!

She has figured out how to sit up from a crawling position (which she still isn't technically crawling but is doing a slow army crawl).

She has figured out how to wave.

She clearly says "dada" and knows what she is saying I think she is trying to say Colt at times.

And the best part...She is pulling up and trying to walk along furniture. She is standing in her crib and jumping like a wild maniac. She takes much longer to fall asleep now that she has figured out how to stand but it's ok, I like progress!

I can't believe how quickly she has grown. She is so much fun and definatly has her own personality. Also, her favorite foods is mexican foods.

We (Madelyn and I, daddy was busy at work) spent the past week in Lake Orion taking care of Evan and Merza. That was a job in itself. My mom is a Saint. We were lucky enough to see our cousin Haley and little Lydia (1 year old). Lydia and Madelyn got to spend a little time together. It's so cute to watch them interact with eachother. I could not believe how much just a few months make. Lydia is definatly a little investigator!

Madelyn also got to meet some very close high school friends of mine. It was such a nice time together. It's been about 6 years since I've seen them. I miss them a lot. Here are some pictures from our dinner at yummy Sagebrush.

Poor sick little baby

I was reminded last Thursday how truly lucky we were for Madelyn's sleeping schedule. Wednesday/Thursday night she awoke around 4:00 am screaming. We proceeded to wait a short bit see if she would just fall back asleep. After about 30-45 minutes of hard crying I went in and took her out and rocked with her. That work all 2 minutes so we brought her in our bed (which normally we would never do but I'm sure we all remember being sick and snuggling with our parents) and let her watch Noggin. That worked and after 30 minutes or so I placed her back into bed and she fell asleep.

Thursday/Friday night no more then 40-60 minutes of sleeping occured and she was happy and awake as could be. I figured it was teething. Around lunch time on Friday my gut told me to take her temperature and sure enough 101.8*. So I called our pediatrician...closed early on Friday. I called the next pediatrician and they got her in in an hour. We loaded in the car and headed over. Sure enough Madelyn has...tonsilitous, an ear infection in her left ear, and all top 4 teeth are cutting at the same time. She is on amoxicillion and doing well. She is such a great baby and loving girl. I'm especially loving all the snuggling she is giving me.

She doing really well and is such a trooper.

Here is Madelyn enjoying cartoons on Saturday morning in our bed.

Music Class

We started music class this past week and it was extremely successful. Madelyn really enjoyed herself. I took many pictures. I fear what her first day of school will be like if this is how I am now.
Picking out her clothes for music class.

Mad at me about something.

Taking an interest in the tambourine.

Madelyn enjoying Miss Angie.

Teaching Madelyn how to drum.