34 in 34 by 34 (AKA my new catchy weight-loss goal)

So I turn 34 this year.

At 29 I was not scared of turning 30 in the least. I didn't feel 30. I don't think I looked 30. Thirty didn't sound old.

But for some reason, thirty-four seems...old.

I'm finished with the having babies part of my life. I'm in the home where I will grow old with the man I love. I'm seeing new wrinkles on my face every day, and so it goes without saying that I'm feeling every bit my age. And, well, that just plain sucks.

Could it be because I'm not in the best shape? Can I blame my thyroid? Perhaps the pure exhaustion of raising 4 boys? Sure, probably all of the above. Regardless, I want to feel better and losing weight will help I know.

So because it just seemed to work out this way, I couldn't resist...

My goal is to lose 34 pounds by my 34th birthday. Which happens to be exactly 34 weeks from now! Crazy right?

So as I share my weight-loss journey with the world, cheer me on. Ask how it's going. Share your tips/recipes/success stories. Remind me to workout and to skip the dessert or second glass of wine. I CANNOT do this alone. And I CANNOT wait to post my success story on my 34th birthday!

{Be sure to follow along on Facebook, Instagram and MyFitnessPal}

On Milestones and my Last Baby

Time is moving full-speed ahead, barreling towards Nolan's 1st birthday much more quickly than I had anticipated. In the last few weeks and months he has accomplished new things, reached new milestones and developed his own spirited personality.

Nolan's Newborn Photo Session Feb 2014 Photo credit: Little White Whale Photography

Family Photo Session Nov 2014 Photo credit: Bellissimo Photography

Nerium Night and Day Cream Review

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has noticed their Facebook newsfeed being overrun with Nerium information. Before and after photos, product deals, representatives sharing their financial goals being met and cars being earned. Part of me wanted to hide every person who continually posted these status updates...but the other part of me was definitely intrigued. When I was contacted by a friend of my husband's who sold Nerium, asking if I would be interested in giving it a try for 30 days risk-free, I figured "why not?"

I posted on Facebook that although I was skeptical, I was excited to try the "miracle in a jar"...a product that was given in swag bags at the Oscar's, Emmy's and Billboard Music Awards. As I waited for my products to arrive, I got a private message from a Facebook friend who cautioned me about the safety of the ingredients in Nerium, particularly the Oleander. I reached out to the distributor, sharing the info I had received, and she was able to ease my fears with a lot of research that seems to indicate the opposite. See video below:


A few days later my products arrived in the mail: two sleek pump bottles with clear instructions. I was anxious to get started on my new skin care routine, and even more anxious to see if I would have the amazing results I had seen plastering my newsfeed. Results like the below:

• The pump bottles were what I would expect an "expensive" skincare product would like and feel like. I only keep a few things out on my counter in my bathroom because I don't like clutter (everything else gets shoved into the vanity drawers) and this was something that I didn't mind keeping out.
• The day cream bottle was white and the night cream a dark gray. This made it easy to distinguish between the two.
• The consistency of the creams were silky, not oily feeling, and light to the touch.
• They both smelled fresh. Weren't overly perfumey or medicinal.
• Once applied, it left my skin feeling smooth. It wasn't too heavy (like a mask) but did feel like it was being absorbed deep into my skin.
• Didn't feel like it stayed "on top" of my skin where I would be worried about it rubbing off onto my sheets or clothing.

My New Years Resolution? To start 2015 with a bunch of "F" words...

I couldn't come up with a single resolution, because I have too much that I want to work on throughout the year, so I stuck with a theme..."F" words:

1. FAITH - As my kids get older, I want to make sure they are exploring their faith in a way that is meaningful. Ricky and I have made it our goal to attend mass every week despite our reluctance to do so with 4 small children in tow. When we do go, our time is typically spent tag-teaming for bathroom trips or diaper changes or wrestling with a squirmy/noisy baby. We often look at each other afterwards and say "what's the point?" We rarely get a chance to truly listen to the readings or homily and leave feeling disappointed and frustrated...which I'm pretty sure is NOT what the purpose of church is supposed to be. However, I realize that the point is that our kids see that even though it isn't "easy", we still make the effort to be present. An important lesson all around.
   
   
2. FAMILY - As Nolan approaches his 1st birthday (OMG, seriously?!?!) it is not lost on me that time truly does go by way too fast. We spent the better part of 2014 trying to find our footing from all of the life changes we endured (living separately, the move, baby #4, getting settled into our new home). Now that we are finally planting our roots, I feel like we can take a deep breath knowing none of that is on the horizon for us this year. I want to focus on the fun. The making memories. The spending more time together...unplugged. Things as simple as family dinners every night, trying something new once a month, or special one-on-one "dates" throughout the year. I want my boys to understand the special bond that is family.
   
   
3. FITNESS - Because obviously. I'm really excited about the goal I'm setting for myself this year. I'm definitely one who is motivated by list-making and project-naming (see: Body After Baby). Next week I will be sharing my 2015 weight-loss goal (and the cute little tagline that comes along with it).
   
   
4. FRIENDS - I've always been a quality over quantity type person when it comes to the friend department. Even so, I am constantly blown away by the amazing friends that have been placed in my life. I am so very blessed indeed. Just like one wants a relationship with a significant other to bring out the best in you and make you a better person, that is also how I know I have good friends surrounding me. Each one of them possesses something that I aspire to be. I want to be extremely thoughtful like my bestie, Audrey. I want to have the strength and composure that Kelly has, the roll with the punches sense of humor like Abby. I want to be faith-filled and patient like Kristin, and carry the confidence to be exactly who I am - nothing more, nothing less - like my friend Maddy. All in all, I want to make sure that each of my friends knows just how important they are to me. If I make them feel that way, then I know I'm being a good friend in return.
   
   
5. FINANCES - I know, a boring way to wrap this up... But with a "big" family like ours, and all of Aiden's medical stuff, money is often on the forefront. I am lucky to be able to stay home with the kids, although it hasn't always been easy - both financially and mentally ;) - but we've made it work. Ricky is a saver...and I balance him out by being the spender in the family...opposites attract, right? But in all seriousness, we have worked really hard to do things the right way. We followed Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University plan starting early on in our marriage which helped us establish some solid money habits. But as our family grew, our savings dwindled. In short, this year we hope to get back on a good track. Save more. Spend less. Give more. Worry less.