Breakfast Smoothie

Lately, I have been on a smoothie kick for breakfast. Its fast and filling so its perfect for me to make and run out the door with. 

Whats in my breakfast smoothie?

-1 cup water

-1 scoop Pro-V 60 Vanilla Ice Cream protein powder

-1 big handful of baby spinach

-1/2 banana

-1 handful strawberries/blueberries

Its so easy, just throw it in the blender, pour in a cup and go!

I usually only have them for breakfast because of the amount of sugar and carbs in the fruit but depending on your activity level/goals this would be a perfect smoothie for any time of the day. 

Riley is 5 Months Old!

Last week our little girl was five months old! So much has happened this month that I couldn't fit it all on the chalk board. She has developed such a little personality and always has so much to say, even though we cannot understand her. She is holding her own bottle, starting to sit up unsupported, she has become very aware of her surroundings (recognizing people, sounds and the direction noise comes from) and she has started eating baby food. (See my blog post for homemade baby food here)

Holding her own bottle.

 So excited because her feet finally touch the ground in her jumper!

Her daddy had to put together her high chair so we could start introducing baby food!

I just had to throw this picture in there because its so cute. She was cracking up laughing at her daddy. 

Riley before her first time eating baby food & her first bite of baby food. She is still not too sure about it but once she gets the hang of it I think she will love it!

Homemade Sweet Potato Baby Food

I am very excited to share my experiences as I venture into making all of Riley's baby food. I decided to make her food myself for a few reasons; first, because I can make sure there are no preservatives or added ingredients and second, because it is way more economical which is important since we are only on one income. I bought four large sweet potatoes that were on sale for 68 cents a piece at HEB. 

First, you need to peel, dice and wash the sweet potatoes. 

 Then, pour the your sweet potatoes in a pan. Make sure your pan is lined with foil and greased with some kind of non-stick spray. Cover with foil and cook for about an hour on 350 degrees. The sweet potatoes should be very tender when you take them out. I do not advise boiling any of the produce you plan to turn into baby food because it takes away some of the nutrients.

Pour your sweet potatoes in a bowl and blend with your hand mixer until they are creamy like mashed potatoes; then, place about half of the mashed sweet potatoes in a blender with 1/2 cup of water and blend until they're the consistency you want. Repeat with the other half of the sweet potatoes then spoon into a clean ice tray, cover with foil and freeze. 

Once they're frozen, break apart like normal ice cubes and store in a freezer bag. Take 1-2 cubes out at a time and allow to thaw in fridge before feeding to your little one. 

Help a Little Boy in Need!

Okay guys, typically I wouldn't do this, BUT my cousin in law reached out to me for some help spreading the word about a boy she babysits who is in need of some help. 

This sweet little boy is suffering from a neurological disorder and is in need of four treatments that cost around $3,500.00 that their insurance will not cover. My cousin in law, Brittany, owns an online boutique specializing in little girls accessories. She will be donating a portion of all of her sales to help this boy and his family. Please visit her website A Dash of Glitter and find some goodies for the little girls in your life and to help a little boy in need!

7 WEEKS OUT

So these are my numbers for week 7! Ive lost three pounds and 4.25 inches!

As you can see, I hold more fat on my left side than my right so its a struggle to get it all looking some what symmetrical but hopefully when I am at my goal it will all even out. Several people have asked why I show myself in a thong instead of just the usual bathing suit bottoms...well...because my butt is one of my trouble areas & I want to show exactly what it looks like at every step in the process. TJ is looking great! he cut his body fat from 10% last week to 8% this week and dropped from 223lbs to 215lbs. He is leaning out a little faster than we want because we would like for him to be on stage at 215lbs but he hasnt lost any of his size so hopefully he can maintain 215lbs and just drop what little fat he has left.