Just TRY not to smile

Seriously, I dare you.

Off to the Races

Yesterday we went to the Saratoga Races.  For about eight weeks, six days a week, Saratoga and the surrounding areas are flooded with tourists for race season.  Home owners rent out their properties for the summer and can usually make, in three months, their mortgage payments for almost the whole year!  There are lots of summer attractions in this area, but the biggest is the races.  So we figured we check it out.  A completely foreign experience to me.  After learning how the whole thing worked, we placed some two dollar bets.  Our fourth bet won, a horse I chose because of its name, Clip the Coupons. :o)  We won $8.10 which brought our net profit up to .10.  I think we'll keep our day jobs.

It was a people watchers paradise.  There were people who looked like they might be there to gamble their last dime, people who look like they come everyday and have it down to a science with chairs, food, and drinks, and then there was the crowd that looked like they could be the inspiration for the next ridiculous teen TV show (you know, the ones living off of their parents dime- or millions).

Monica did great.  She took a couple naps and charmed everyone we saw.  She's still not interested in anything she can't put in her mouth so I don't think she really saw the horses.  She happily munched on her finger, the baby Bjorn and she tried eat the camera.  Luckily, its too big to choke on.  It was a fun and different stay cation adventure.

5K!

This morning I ran my first 5K since Monica has been born.  I was signed up to do one on her four month birthday, but then I got the stomach flu. :o(  My time was 29:50 which was not my fastest, but I think pretty great for my post baby body.  My friend Breanna did it with me and I know I ran faster because she was there- thanks Bree!  I know you will enjoy this sweaty post race picture of me.

Many of you have known me from the time I sometimes mentally refer to as "before."  Some of you have only know me in the "after."  The time I'm referring to is when I weighed exactly 66 more pounds than I do now.  About six years ago I changed my life by eating less and moving more and I am proud that it wasn't just a yo yo diet and I that have been able to maintain my initial weight loss.  I am currently back at prebaby weight and have set a goal for myself to loose 20 pounds more by November.  I am foolishly putting this on the blog in the hopes that when I go to put that extra food in my mouth I will remember that I have an army of avid blog follows (probably just my mom) to help keep me accountable to myself.  Feel free to check up on me or especially to call me out if I start posting pictures of half eaten ice cream sundaes.

5 Months!

Monica turned 5 months old this week. I can hardly believe how much she has grown and changed. It really is true when everyone says to cherish these moments because they go so quickly. On her 5 month bday, we tried out the jumper again (before she just used to sit and swing). I put her in it and went to the kitchen, when I came back she was jumping away! Check out the video for proof.  She is rolling both ways now- sometimes she still gets stuck with an arm under her, but I know it won't be long before she is rolling around the house. I'm going to have to starting thinking about baby proofing!  She is super smiley and giggly (especially for daddy) and is as easy going as ever.  I have to remind myself how very blessed I am to be her mother.  Thank you Lord for giving me the best excuse to put off doing household chores!