New Disney Blog

If you were sent to this link for the Disney Information, I've created a new blog!! Here it is! http://thismommydoesdisney.blogspot.com/ Enjoy!

Weight Loss Journey

Ive been struggling with my weight. That is an understatement. I've been "struggling" for about ten years. Pretty much as soon as I started college and realized that gym class and rec sports would no longer keep me in shape. Then there was college living. Dorm Rooms, Drinking, Fast Food. And then there was the big 2-1. 21. Which lasted until I was about 24. Binge drinking every weekend. Smoking. Dancing (drunkinly, not actually enough to burn off the alcohol that I'd consumed.) Hangover food. Regular Food. Then I met Lee and we got comfortable. TOO comfortable. Add in a move to a new town, stress (LOTS of STRESS), Planning a wedding and honeymoon, preparing for a new baby, having sed baby, buying a house, switching jobs.....it all adds up to ME. AT a current weight of: ??? Yeah right, did you really think I would spill those numbers? Anyway, I started feeling pretty poopy. I realized that I"m never going to feel better, or get back all that energy I had in my younger days if I didn't change. So I decided to do just that. Implement Change in my life. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to implement change a little at a time, and "Gradually" add more things into the mix to change. That didn't work for me. I was too lazy. I decided that If I was going to do it, it was going to have to be extreme!

Enter-Jenna Lawrence. Jenna is a Botetourt transplant stuck here in Hampton Roads with me. She feels my pain! Several months ago, she emailed me and asked me if I'd start jogging with her because she wanted to run a 10K. I would like to clarify that NEITHER of us had EVER been runners. EVER. And while I liked her excitement, I pretty much ignored the message until I could figure out what type of lame excuse I could give her NOT to do it. Then it hit me. Maybe I should do this. Its totally out of the box for me. I have no clue what I'm doing. Why not? Then I researched a little bit. A 10K definetly seemed like a ridiculous bit of a stretch for me. Then I saw online where one of my friends started using an app on her I-Phone to train for 5Ks called "Couch to 5K!" I'd actually heard about this several times but the thought of having an app on my phone intrigued me for some reason. So I wrote Jenna back a couple of weeks later and said "Hey, Here's a thought....."

So we hit the ground running! Well, more like hit the ground in general. We decided to meet three times a week at Mount Trashmore Park to run around the lake. Sounds doable enough. The first day was supposed to start us off pretty easy. Any normal runner probably would've laughed at that work-out. I will say though, if Jenna wasn't there struggling through it with me, I probably wouldn't still be doing it. The poor girl runs a good quarter of the mile ahead of me these days, and I'm surprised she still likes meeting me there and putting up with me and my snail pace run! Anyway, that first day I thought "this is only going to get harder. Then its going to get easier. I can do this!" Fast Forward to a couple of months later.. ITS STILL HARD. BUT I've pushed through bad shoes, a knee injury, a back injury, rain-lots of rain, pants that wont stay up while running, and little dogs that chase you. There's been so many days where I want to quit, throw up, pass out, etc. Everytime I think I need to stop and walk (when I really don't because its totally mental) I just thank God over and over in my head, for letting me be ABLE enough to actually run around that lake! Everyone said from the beginning that it would get easier. It still hasn't, but thats the beauty of it. I can now push my body to limits I didn't think possible, and believe it or not I'm starting to enjoy and look forward to running! I'm scheduled to run my first 5K in less than two weeks. I Still have 2 and a half weeks left of my Couch to 5K program. This is more of a practice 5K for me. Basically I'll be trying to finish without dying. And I'd like to not be the last person crossing the finish line, but hey if I am who cares? I'm giving myself permission to walk if I need to and not feel guilty. I have already signed up for several other 5K's throughout the coming year...about one a month so far! I really have no 5K goals...I didn't see my life going in the direction of running...and maybe it wont. I definetly don't have the body type of a runner, and no one says I have to do this forever. But for the time being, I'm enjoying it. Im getting in shape. And I'm being all Healthy and what not. Look out world....here I come! (maybe a little slower than the average human)

Back

Well, If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times! my vowel is to continue to blog again. I always forget how freeing it is to be able to post about life. I really want to blog more often and have decided to really, REALLY, no really, truly, Reallllly try. So once again, here's an update on life here in Virginia Beach with the Hammarbacks :)

I guess I must start with Bauer. He's a vivacious 18 month old now! I can't believe he's halfway to two! This kid has completely stolen our hearts. He's walking, running, talking, and doing all the things he enjoys..for example: Chasing the kitty cats, bike riding, chasing the kitty cats, watching Sesame Street, and Mickey Mouse, working puzzles, building with blocks, chasing the kitty cats, chasing mommy, chasing daddy, laughing, high-fiving, laughing while chasing kitty cats...etc. He's  blast. Now, when I say talking, Bauer really doesn't say a lot in actual "words." I guess at this point, some would be worried, but I"m not. I know he'll start chatting away in his own time, and he does, its in his own gibberish language though. :) And while I'm looking forward to him talking more, I'm enjoying this little phase of his life. He does still say Mama and Daddy and fish. He thinks everything is a fish. If you ask him what a cow says, he'll say BOOOOOO :) its so cute.  He knows pretty much all the animals as far as pointing them out on the IPAD (Which he loves) but he doesn't say the words yet. We know he'll start doing it in time!

Hub is currently working at a new company where he started a few months ago. Hankins and Anderson. He loves it so much more than his last job. He works in Town Center which is a great area for shopping and dining and he loves the people he works with. He even has a great office on the 12th floor with an amazing view. He actually took me up there a few weeks ago for a little date night. We had dinner and went comet watching :)

I also recently started a new job. I'm still with CHKD but I'm now working at a Doctor's office instead of Pediatric Surgery at the hospital. It's actually the Dr's office where Bauer goes as a patient. I really like it, and the best part it, I'm only working part time! 730am to 1130am! Its a great change because I get to pick up Bauer from school and spend the rest of the day with him! Oh yeah, did I mention we started Bauer at a new school? He now attends Courthouse Montessori School In Virginia Beach! He absolutely loves it. He transitioned really well, and we noticed almost right away that he was "talking" more! He loves his Teacher, Mrs. Tina. She has been there a long time and she works great with Bauer. I love picking him up everyday and seeing a big smile on his face as he runs to me! Oh the little things.

I've also recently started a new program called Couch to 5K. Its a program that starts you in interval running and allows you to work your way up to a 5K. I've never been a runner and its not necessarily something I've always wanted to do, but for some reason, I thought I'd like to run a 5K and scratch that off my bucket list. I've actually really enjoyed running and its a great stress reliever. I've been sleeping better and have more energy. I haven't lost really any weight, but I'm trying to eat better and add in some other exercise through the week...that's been my biggest downfall. Im really buckling down though!

Last weekend I went with one of my best friends, Hope, to Florida! I was actually going down there for a wedding for some close friends, but while I was there I couldn't pass up going to DisneyWorld! It was also my birthday, so it was a great way to spend it! We had so much fun, the whole weekend was incredible. Hope and I hadn't seen each other in almost a year and it was something we both really needed. I also got so spend a tiny bit of time with one of my other best friends, Shaylynn :) Mama is having twins any day now!! So excited to meet Cohen and Elsie! I'll be heading back to Roanoke soon for a friends wedding shower and hopefully to meet the two new additions :)

That's all for now..looking forward to more updates soon!

Flash Forward

Blogging fail. Epic Fail. I haven't blogged since April? I will continue to forever blame this on the fact that my laptop hasn't been replaced. It died almost a year ago, and that was the easiest way for me to blog. Now that I have a ONE year old (How time flies!) I don't make it upstairs very often just to sit down and blog. I promise that I'm going to try to start blogging again....starting NOW. Its official. I will do my best to make this happen. In the mean time...I'll be shopping for the perfect laptop!

I would like to take a moment to update you on Bauer. A year ago...he was this:

Now, he is this!

This has been one of the best years of my life. The Best! I love my baby boy! He's not a baby anymore! He's sneaking his way into Toddler-hood. I hope I'm ready for this....We celebrated his birthday party at Jeter Farms in Botetourt. We had  ball....here are some highlights :)

22, 23, 24

Hello, again :) I suppose we will continue to play catch up!

Bauer will be 6 months old this week! I can't believe it!

You love almost every single food we have given you..except for green beans. But you still eat them as long as mommy gives you some sweet potatoes with them :)

You love bananas, carrots, peaches, sweet potatoes, pears, squash, peas...I know I'm probably leaving something out :)

You can hold your own bottle and feed yourself. You're still working on sitting up straight but you can sit up on your own..with a slight lean:)

You're trying to crawl. Mommy is amazed at how hard you try to get up on your knees and crawl. Time to babyproof this place!

STILL NO TEETH...you have been gnawing and chewing on your fingers and drooling for over 3 months now and we haven't seen the first sign of a tooth. I'm positive you'll get it this week while you're staying with your grandparents in Roanoke..of course!

Sometimes you laugh so hard, you can't catch your breath. Its hilarious.

You love Elmo, Nemo, and Hop.

Your hair is growing back in so fast...I'll miss my little bald man :)

We love you sweet boy..you continue to amaze your daddy and I everyday!

Lucky Girl.

I can't believe I've lived in Virginia Beach for three years! I guess I have to officially start calling myself a resident! I moved here on Saint Patrick's Day 2009. It was on a Wednesday. I wasn't going to come down until Saturday (Lee was already here and had been for 2 weeks!) but, I couldn't wait and decided to surprise him! On my drive here, I thought, "Oh No! It's Saint Patrick's Day, he's probably out having fun with some work buddies!" When I showed up, I snuck in the house and up the stairs to happily find my sweet husband to be playing on the computer.. (Shocker!) I couldn't have been happier to see him! What an exciting time...to start our life together in a new city. Newly engaged, planning a wedding, getting married, and no idea we'd be having a precious baby boy in just a couple of years! I consider this day a VERY lucky day indeed. Its always going to have so much history behind it :) Here are two big reasons why I'm so LUCKY! :)

19, 20, 21 :)

Thank you for playing catch-up with me :)

I have a 5 month old now.

He's HUGE.

He eats bananas, carrots, peaches, and the occasional lemon.

He's 19lbs and 27 inches long.

He wears size 6 month-12 months..it varies.

He giggles and laughs and rolls over.

He's still sitting with assistance.

He's teething. He should have a tooth ANY DAY NOW.

He's amazing.

I love him :)

You are now officially updated! :)