Links

I figured it out... why didn't I think to just type in "link tutorial" on the Google Search engine?? Sometimes I baffle even myself. But I finally figured out how to link to another blog. I can type in the stuff I need to and be able to let people know where to find some of the GREAT idea's I get from the many, many, many Mom Blogger's out there who are interested and excited about educating their own children and other's!!! I have found so many great things and I am excited to be able to implement them into my life... both with my own kids and my daycare kids. Keeps me busy!! Though, I can get pretty preoccupied with surfing the web for more blogs about teaching young children in a home setting. I thought there would be sooooo many more of us, but I seem to find mostly those who teach in a preschool setting within an organized company or church. But the idea's they have are great... I just wish I had the access to their supplies.
Being a home daycare, I can't seem to find a grant or such to help off set the cost of new playground equipment, art supplies, or sensory table... we would love to have a light table... but at $290 a pop... it will take me a long time to get that money. I need a new rug in the family room (due to daycare wear and tear) and extend the hardwood in the playroom/classroom as the rug in there is getting worn fast... those are priorities before the "extra" supplies. Getting there is half the fun. Anyway.. off topic again!! :)
I am off to go to bed, as I have 4 boys who will be awake before I know it!!!

Weigh In

Well, the girls and I weighed in again today... I actually thought the scale was broken today. I got on and it said I was 154.5 lbs. No way. I haven't exercised at all, except running after the daycare kids, going to the pool and running and swimming after them there too :) But, I haven't been to the gym, or done my 30 day shred in probably 2 or so weeks. I just knew I was going to be gaining this week. So, I made Beth bring her scale over and we tested the two. Her's is 1 lb higher than mine. That being said, she said I probably still lost the 2 lbs, because mine is the scale we were using. Risa lost the same amount on my scale as well as Beth's, so I think it is safe to say I lost 2 lbs this week. YEAH!!! I am so happy.
I have had a stressful week, so I know that has something to do with it. I have been very anxious and not hungry. I have to make sure I don't forget to eat, or my body will go crazy again. I will keep making myself eat, just the right things and not the wrong. Or eating because it soothes the emotional stain we are all going through right now.
But for now, I will take the loss and be happy.

New Blog

I have started a new blog. It will be just about the Daycare. I am excited to have a place now for writing about Tot School, summer fun, and curriculum ideas. I can keep my family stuff for this blog and the school/kid stuff for that blog...
It is Kozy Kids Family Daycare... but I had to use kozykidslc.blogspot.com for my web address... I sooooo need to figure out how to add that into my post. I have some addresses and links under my blog list, but I want to be able to let people link from my post... if anyone knows how to do that... PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!

http://kozykidslc.blogspot.com/2009/06/getting-ready-for-summer.html

That is my first blog (and only so far). Hope everyone has a Great Week!!! Mine has started off great... a date night with hubby... both J & L's baseball teams made it into the post season playoffs, and my daycare kids love the new summer playroom!!! We go to the early, cheap movies on Wednesday and it is supposed to be hot this week... so lots of time at the pool!!! I think this week will pass fast!! Take care!!!!

Weigh In

I weighed in today........... 157lbs!!! WOW!! I am so surprised! I didn't think that I lost anything this week. I have been soooooo bad about exercising. Plus, I have been kinda splurging on some not so healthy foods. I know I should be eating better, exercising... but I don't feel like it!!!! I want to lie in my bed and sleep in the early morning and sit my (getting fatter again) butt on the couch at the end of the work day. ARGHHHH!!! I am so disappointed in myself. I feel like if I had just done some more exercising I could have lost at least a pound. Why do I do that???
So I will go to The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans... and try to get some inspiration, and maybe find a exercise buddy to chat with or just be accountable to. So when I hit that snooze button in the morning, I actually get out of bed instead of turning over because I will have to tell someone at the end of the day that I didn't work out.
I will get up right now, put the leash on the dog and get my butt off the couch. Then I won't feel so bad about not getting up this morning. I also need to look into healthy crock pot meals so I can have dinner waiting when the daycare kids go home, because I just don't have it in me to make a big healthy dinner after a long day. So that is what I will do. A short term plan... because I need to take it hour by hour from now on.

Summer Sadness

Summer is upon us and that means that the kids begin spending time with Mom and Dad at home. Most of the daycare kids Mom's are teachers and I won't see them until mid August. I will miss them terribly. After spending so much time with these children, 8 or more hours a day, 5 days a week... you really start to feel like they are family.
Yesterday was the last day for 4 of my "kids." I miss them already.
I Miss:
1. The Laughter!!
2. How they were in constant motion.
3. How they felt like this was their home.
4. The Snuggles
5. The Friendships they formed
6. The sound of my name from a 2 yr olds mouth
7. The Hugs... so many hugs everyday
and
8. "I Love You" said to me at least 5 times a day, everyday!!

I know they will have a great summer with their parents, and I will get them back in 2 months time, but for now I need to transition myself into not having all those things for the summer. I will spend my time giving and receiving love from my own 4 children and reconnecting with them after these long months of sharing with the daycare kids. I look forward to that.
But anyone who has worked with young children, knows what I am going through right now.

Tot School: Week in Review

Well, Tot School this week enveloped a whole lot of chaos!! We did so much outdoor stuff, I think that I was so water-logged by the weekend I didn't want to see water for a week.



Here the "Big" kids are teaching the Tot's how to go down the slide into the water pool. A fun time was had by all.

Here Little M was looking for her toys... she has a cookie that the kids hide for her and she goes and finds it... She loves it and is surprised every time she finds it. The Tot's love it and laugh and laugh each time she has that surprised look on her face.

I have been wanting to do this activity for so long. I keep reading it on different blogs... not sure which ones, sorry, but I loved it. We didn't have the right heavy weight paper, but we loved it anyway. The Big's & Tot's worked together to make the Shaving Cream Prints and then they made them into cards to send home on the last day of Daycare for some of them. The Big's wrote for the Tot's and they all had a great time. They also loved playing with the Shaving Cream after the prints were done.

We walked to the Community Pool in our neighborhood this week each morning. We all did a great job, and the Big's were a lot of help with the Tot's while walking. Especially on the way home, when all the Tot's were tired and hungry. That pool really wiped them out and they slept through everything each afternoon.

We have a big pool and a kiddie pool, we used both. The Tot's tolerated the kiddie pool, but wanted to spend the whole time in the big pool. We had upward of 8 Tot's that day (To 2 adults and a 16 year old helper) so we were able to take them in the big pool for a little while, but not long enough. They had a great time regardless!!

We also took the crafts outside this week. We had a field day and thought that the play-doh table would give the kids a nice quiet area to relax if they wanted to. It was great. We had a lot of great creations and a lot of fun was had. We also made Chocolate Play-doh, recipe from Preschool Daze, and I can't believe how much fun they had with it. Even the Big's loved it and played with it for a long time on and off throughout the day.

Here is the creation that A (28mths) made. I was very proud of him. Playing with the dough was great enough, but making this "monster" was even better!!

Lastly, here is shot of part of our field day. We also had horse shoes, bowling, badminton, and the water activities. We had a field day picnic and the kids had a blast. I am sorry to see some of my kids leave for the summer (their Mom's are teacher's), but will enjoy the low number of kids I will have and the ability to take them on field trips to the park, museums, & pool this summer. Plus, I will be able to spend some quality time with my own children and give them some of my undivided attention :)

Have a Great Week!!!!

Michelle

Weigh In

The girls and I weighed in today... I was very happy... I weighed in at 158lbs. YEAH!! I lost 3lbs from last week. I don't really know how though :) I went away and ate quite a bit. Not to bad, but food that wasn't really healthy. I haven't even been getting up in the morning to workout. I keep saying I will go to the Y, but don't happen to get there. It is across town and I wish I could get the energy to go because I know I will feel so much better, but I don't. After a full day with the daycare, I am beat at the end of the day. It is all I can do to go to the store for grocery. As you can see from the picture though, I am still hiding behind the kids. I got to stop doing that!!! I can't help it. Some habits are hard to break.

I finally found a picture of me from the party that was "all" of me. I couldn't believe that someone shot this one without my knowledge. But I am glad they did as I can see what I look like. I can still see that extra tire above my waist, but it looks so much better than it did a couple of months ago. I have to make that commitment again to wake up in the morning and get movin... but that alarm sounds and since I have no one really but myself to be accountable to, I just roll back over and say tomorrow I'll get up. So... I know tomorrow is Friday, but I am making the commitment to myself to get up and move... that bathing suit I have to wear in July and that bridesmaids dress I need to wear in September are laughing at me and saying I'll need a bigger size :)

Oh... and the picture of L and I was taken behind a netting... that's why it looks so foggy. Like I said, I am lucky to have found this one. I will take another one in a few weeks to see if that extra tire thins out a little. Hopefully it will.

Michelle

Last Day of School!!!

Well we made it... it was the last day of school for the big boys. They were raring to go and really had a great time in the water in the backyard. We did some games, water balloons, and even put the slide into the pool. I think that was the favorite. Although we had a great time... J decided that he wanted to go to the community pool (where you have to be 14 to go alone, he is 11). When I said No... he did the pout and I am so bored. Can you believe it... the 1st day of summer and he's bored!!! Well!!! I told him I had enough cleaning for him to do that he wouldn't be bored until August!! He quickly walked out the door and found something to do. We will have a talk tonight about boredom during summer vacation.

We have a lot of fun stuff planned this summer. We go to the Adirondack Mts. in NY with my sister for 2 weeks, we have some field trips planned for the daycare, and of course we will spend a lot of time at the pool and just hanging around with friends. I think that should be enough to last us until August 24th... Hopefully.

I'm Back

Well, we went to NY for my In-laws 50 wedding anniversary. It was a beautiful day, we helped celebrate with all my husbands family and had a nice time. We also had a sick husband, a sick 11yr old, and a puking 4yr old. We have been having a funny bug go through the daycare the last few weeks. The kids don't seem real sick, no fever or anything... just a little run down and tired. Well, they then, all of a sudden, puke or have diarrhea just about anywhere and everywhere. Then they are fine. Until it happens again about 2 to 4 hours later. For some of the kids it didn't come back, others it lingered around like that for 3 or 4 days. It was hard, because no one knew when it would strike or who. So we just went with it. Then we went away and it hit us too. Oh well, that is the life a daycare provider. It comes with the territory.
To say that I stayed on my "diet" I can say honestly, "Yes"... did I have cake, chips and a little extra wine... "yes," but that is what I have been telling myself, it's ok to indulge sometimes. Everything in moderation. I want to live a healthy, normal life. With exercise, healthy eating, and some fun sprinkled in there too. That is why I let myself enjoy the party food. Now that I am home, it is back to my 30 Day Shred, running after all my little kiddo's, and eating healthy. But hey... tomorrow is the last day of school... isn't that reason enough to celebrate :) Ok... maybe I won't indulge in all the ice cream sundae's the kids will be eating... but I will indulge in the fresh fruit I will have out also. I am happy with what I am doing right now... I think I can continue to do it and lose weight also.
When I was at the party, it was nice that people noticed that I lost weight since February (that was the last time anyone saw me and I was close to my highest weight ever... 174lbs). I felt good, and when I see them at the end of July I want to be even closer to my goal weight. That will make me feel even better.
I will try to get some photos posted of the trip, and I think I even have one of all of me... maybe :)

Day 5 of the Shred

I am on the 5th day of the shred... the kids at Daycare are actually noticing that my belly isn't as "floppy." How cute is that. I think my "floppy" belly was a comfort to some of the kids who would climb up on my lap during the day. Oh well, I think my arms will have to be enough from now on. "floppy" is out!!
I am actually feeling a difference with these 5 days down. I didn't want to get up this morning because I knew it was going to be such a long day... we go to Long Island, NY tonight for my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary. So I wanted to sleep, but I am glad I didn't. It was nice to get moving and know that even if I can't shred at the in-laws I got as much in before I left and I can take some nice spring walks there at night.
I am finding it hard not to get on the scale though. It took all my will power not to get on that scale this morning. I know it will just fluctuate each day... so I am hoping by next Thursday I will see some loss. At least a pound I am hoping. I think the slower it comes off, the better chance I have in keeping it off. I mean it took 2 years to put it on...
I am trying to eat like I would normally... not the "diet" kind of eating... just eating to be healthy and the way I would eat when I get to my target weight. I know I have to cut portions and eat more veggies... but I do indulge in ice cream or snacks with the kids sometimes. Running a daycare and having 4 young boys in the house... snacks and ice cream are always flowing :)
Well, I won't post again until I am back from Long Island... but I will post on how I did while away. Will power... I will keep repeating it to myself. Hey... maybe I will even take a picture with me actually in it?? Maybe :)

Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans Challenge

I haven't been bloggin for a while, been very busy getting our Spring Program for the daycare off the ground and hoping the parents loved it!!! I think they did. I would show the pictures, but I haven't asked the parents yet if they care to be in my posts.

Ok.. on to the "Challenge" I visited the blog... The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans and they are having this great challenge. I need to lose 10 to 15 pounds and really want to be held more accountable to someone besides myself or my sister. She has kinda been weaning herself off of the calling me and waking up, so I have been bugging her to get going. I hope she does. But for me, I think this is exactly what I need.

Ok, here I am with the family after my 8yr old made his 1st Holy Communion. I tried to get behind the little guy, but I didn't make it. I can't find any pictures of me... the WHOLE me. I am always behind someone, only the head shot, etc... I am tired of that and that is why I am going to do this challenge!!! I need to do it!!! For myself and my kids!

Here I am at least covered by that great big sweatshirt. I think one of my boys took this photo. If I had known I probably told him not to, but I am glad he did or you would have thought i never went on a family vacation. Sad really. I try to get more photos with me in them, so my children actually think I was a participant in their youth :)

I weighed in this morning... I was 161lbs. Wow... I can't believe I wrote it down. I think I will be doing the 30 day Shred w/ Jillian Michaels. I also go to the gym 2x's a week to do some cardio and they have Fittlinks... a strength training circuit thing for beginners like me. I also try to eat walk whenever I can. Mornings or at night with the dogs or a friend. Now that the pool is open... I hope I can swim a little too. I am exhausted just writing about it, but I am committed to doing this.

I want to lose at least 10lbs in this challenge... I will work hard to do it... and with the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans I think I can. I will try to provide a link, but if I can't figure it out you can click on their button on the side bar.