The Biggest Loser

Something occurred to me as I was shoving Oreos in my mouth for breakfast and my baby was watching, quite fascinated: I have bad eating habits, and he's starting to notice. Although I feed him organic oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, he's eventually going to catch on that's not what mommy eats, and want in on the fun food.

I am making a change, and I am insisting my husband help me.

We watch tv's Biggest Loser religiously. It's a reality show in which 20 obese contestants go on a hard-core eating and exercise plan in hopes of being the "biggest loser" and winning $250K. It's inspiring and informative to say the least. Although we're not in the kind of health trouble the contestants face, we need to make some changes.

So, I checked out Jillian Michael's, (the trainer on the show), book, "Making the Cut," and have a jump-start health plan for us to start next week. Bear in mind, I said health plan, not diet. To me, that means cutting out my Paula Deen casseroles, (oh, the humanity!), and injecting more fresh foods and lean meats. I'm going to make a point to schedule exericise and time to plan out healthy meals and snacks.

Alas, I might never have Jillian's abs and hiney. My husband wisely said he couldn't tell a difference, though. However, we have to start taking our health seriously and set up our little kiddo with a healthy future.

So, things might get cranky at our house for the month of October. Good-bye, my loves:



Hello, getting my butt kicked:

10 Secrets to a Happy Marriage

I got this e-mail from one of my college mentors. I added some of my own...

10 Secrets to a Happy Marriage

1. God has you here to serve one another. Love acted out is serving.

2. Women need respect and nurturing. Love your wife so she knows you'd lay your life down for her. Continue to date her and admire her. Share a hobby - find something you can do to have fun together.

3. Laugh often.

4. Be patient. Love crumbles quickly under the weight of unmet expectations.

5. Spend more time trying to fix yourself than your spouse.

6. Keep short accounts. The Bible says, "Do not let the sun go down while you are angry." Make it a habit to forgive.
7. Determine up front that divorce is not an option
8. Learn about love languages. Not all people show love or receive it the same way. You want a back rub and your spouse wants a clean kitchen. The love languages are fairly simple: acts of service, time, physical touch, gifts and words of affirmation. Learn them. Love is better received when it's in the language that person speaks.
9. Words of affirmation are a love language for all men.
10. Men are born to be leaders. He cannot lead unless she gives him the confidence to do so. If you love your husband, build him up. Confident men do not seek love outside the home.

This is all good advice, but there are a few more secrets:

1. For the love of all that is holy, put the toilet seat down so that your 9-month pregnant wife does not fall in.
2. Farting is never appropriate or welcome in bed. No wafting the covers if "it was a good one."
3. Doing the dishes is just as romantic as flowers, but we still want both.
4. There's nothing sexier than your man coming home with a box full of cheese fries.
5. Wives: don't be afraid of a little hot wax, that's all I'm saying...

Lessons with Dad

My Dad's in town to visit his grandbaby and try to slip him Diet Coke when I'm not looking. He also tried to give him honey, and much drama ensued. My son will, no doubt, have his first sugary treat with my Dad and I will be powerless to stop it.

But, that's not why I'm writing.

A funny thing happened last night. I put a box of Dad's favorite gourmet cookies in the guest room for him. I had not opened them, or let my husband know we had them. Is there anything better than a brand-new box of cookies?

My Dad's first response?

"Here, Sara Sue, have a cookie!"

Why? Because it has become his automatic response, after 30 years of being a Dad, to give to his kids first, and then himself. Me, I'm just now starting to learn that. Dad has had lots of practice after:

-Abandoning his hippie ways to provide for his family

-taking two girls on countless vacations when it would have been easier to leave our cranky hineys with Memaw (my sis and I would fight a lot on roadtrips. What else was there to do?)

-helping us with homework and inventing fun games to play together even though he probably wanted to veg on the couch after a long day at work

-sending those same two girls to college and paying for it all, even when a certain daughter went to an expensive private school

So, as I sat and noshed on my Dad's cookies, I thought it would be great if all parents were that selfless........including myself!

Having it All

The recent nomination of powerhouse Sarah Palin has been an exciting event for women everywhere. Although I am stoked at the possibility of change in government and a woman in the White House, my more selfish nature is a little overwhelmed by watching her balance 5 children, a husband and an incredible political career. Have I mentioned that getting to the grocery store is a major ordeal for me these days? How in the world could I take on government corruption as well??



I am still adjusting to the many changes that have come since December 27th:

What I would like to buy:


What I actually spend my money on:




How I would like to look while at home with my baby:




How I actually look while at home with my baby:



Message to Sarah Palin: Stop what you're doing, you're making me look bad!! (And, well, keep up the good work...I actually think you're a studmuffin even though just looking at you makes me tired!)

My Favorite Mommy Quote

"If you bungle raising your children,
I don't think whatever else you
do well matters very much."

-Jacqueline Kennedy