What weight plateau??

     Well folks, I am proud to report that stopping any form of sugar and white flour going into my body has done the trick! I am back to losing and it's a great feeling let me tell you! I am weighing in at 180.5,which is a GRAND Total of 34.5 lbs-- which is close to having lost the amount of weight I would have on me carrying Cam around on my back!!!With that said I am very happy that my efforts are being rewarded greatly!!! This week was not too hard the only day that I was forgiving to myself was Mother's Day--  Starting with at church they gave the Mother's on the way out of Sacrament meeting a cute little gift bag with a Hersey's chocolate bar w/ almonds! And a magnet with the beautiful quote :"There is nothing in this world as personal,as nurturing, or as life changing as the influence of a righteous woman. All women have their divine nature both inherent talent and the stewardship to mother"--Elder M. Russell Ballard--  And with that said I really feel honored to be able to be the mother to my loving, sweethearts Dax, Cam and Goose! It was a near 5 year struggle to get Dax here but now my body sure knows how to get pregnant on it's own and for that I thank Heavenly Father. I have several close friends and family members who have not been able to conceive and I know from experience Mother's Day is not up there on the top of their list of days they look forward to, So dear Friends hang in there!! I know all of you will be able to have the chance to become Mom's yourselves, I love you and know that when the time is right (which unfortunately isn't sometimes when WE want it to be) it will happen and you will be AWESOME Mothers!! Don't get down, find joy and peace in the process--xoxoxo Candice

The delayed weightloss Update :)

I had to add these..These are pictures that the boys took of each other! Cam's picture he took of Dax might be my favorite :)

Cam's official squinty eyed-smile!

Dayton's official B-day photo in front of the cake! The PB cup cake with chocolate ganache was F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!!! Amazing!! And no biggie to make :)

Goose is wondering "Why do you have the camera Dax...Momma's going to get mad"!!

Okay totally slacked on the weight loss update...I haven't fell off the wagon or anything ( if that's even how the saying goes) I have continued my workouts 5x a week, eating pretty sensibly blah blah blah--But I hit a plateau a couple weeks ago and tried to keep my cool--SO as of today I am 184....Yep if you read the last post I was a pound heavier than that..Boo!I keep reminding myself that in the last 6 months I have lost 30 lbs and  I do feel like clothes are fitting looser, so that 's the good thing. I decided my body had figured out my plan and has decided to secretly plot against me so what have I done to combat it's plans? I started as of Thursday--No sugar, No white flour, only protein, fruits/veggies, LOTS of H20 ( which on day 1 there was a suprise birthday party for a neighbor..can we say chocolate cake and I didn't succumb!!!) and I think I need to change up my workouts! I have been doing the Zumba Toning instead of just regular Zumba--It's Zumba with 3lb. weights and Holy Crappers!Does it kick my booty!! I have tried to continue my struggle with running......I am at a 13.40 mile...Yeah and about 5 days ago my knees have started to give me grief :( So I am trying not to cry into a half gallon of cookie dough ice cream, Wish me luck!! No really I am feeling really good and even though I am not enjoying my afternoon cocktail i.e. a fabulous ice cold Diet Coke, I am doing good and good I mean not feeling deprived and taking out my frustrations on the boys :) I have realized I am a total "boredom" eater! I eat out of there's nothing keeping me occupied which I scoff at cuz' half the time I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off so go figure :) Mexico is also looming over me like a raincloud--Not that I'm not excited I just am not ready to walk around in my bathing suit sans a cover-up -...So really hoping to lose even 8-ish more lbs before the trip.....With the weather warming up here it's easy to keep really busy with my boys loving their Easter bikes and us going on walks everyday and mentally the warm weather has been really refreshing!!SO Mother Nature please keep it coming:) and a side note to the testament of how long this winter has been..The snow pack on Mt Timp,  here in Provo hasn't even begun to melt....Flooding is not a possibility its a reality this year!! Any who, I plan on trying to do what my girlfriend Becca does and update every Saturday on what's happening! I do believe the positive comments are huge in continuing weightloss success!!......Current photo below :P

 Im feeling good, just ready for a little tan to hide the cellulite!! Sorry but that's the truth....a tan hides inperfections--So on monday Im visiting the spray-booth :)

Happy Birthday Dayton!!

It's my dear sweet Husband's 33rd birthday today!! I wanted to tell him how much I love him and how happy and lucky I feel to be have him to spend my life with!! Last night I reminded Dax it was Dad's bithday tomorrow and his reply was "Mom, we gotta go to the store and get him a toy"-- What's perfect about that is Dayton is a total kid at heart & I bet money whatever Dax would have picked out it would have been his favorite present :) Dayton is the kind of person who since we have been together ( almost 11 yrs) I think I've seen him in a bad mood maybe twice! He is always quick to drop whatever he is doing when either myself or our boys need his help :) He always been right in the thick of it with me changing the poopey diapers, wiping runny noses, starting laundry ( and is the first to grab a basket to fold while we watch a movie at night). He is Mr.Fix-it and if a toy or something breaks Dax reassures me "Dad will fix it"-- I love you Dayton and hope today feels like a extra special day!!xoxo-- P.S. Im making a new Reese's PB Chocolate cake with ganache--wish me luck it turns out perfect!!

Hmm...Dax says Dad opened this....

So had a good laugh at my eldest son, I opened our drawer that has treats in it sometimes and this is what I found :)

Upon asking Dax "What happened Dax...it looks like a crazy rabbit or something got ahold of this box and ate it's way to get to the krabby patties"-- He calmly replied " Daddy opened it Mom!"-- And to that I asked "Are you sure buddy?"-- Then he said "I think it was Goose"-- trying not to laugh I asked how could the baby get into the drawer it's way too high up-- He then said Goose pushed a stool over and climbed up :)-- I'm thinking "Yeah Dax..that's totally what happened"-- Well..I asked a third time and truth set him free--"I did it Mom"--And I said That's what I thought and assured him I was not mad and thank you for telling the truth :)-- This is the first time he's ever "fibbed" and I'm hoping he sees that telling the truth isn't scary :)

And just cuz' they're adorable here is pictures I took this morning of the boys sitting together-- Notice Cam's smile...Yeah that's his picture smile--pretty hilarious! And Gus looks like he's staring into the sun--***I am so lucky to have these cute faces looking at me day after day!!***

Gus inner dialogue: "oh it's sooo bright....Is that you mom"

Weightloss Update #1

Sorry this is a little delayed :) I am happy to report I am doing pretty good! Had a minor setback with being sick the last week so tonight's Zumba class will be my first workout since last Friday ( over a week ago) I know I have lost a little ground....Meaning getting back to the grind may be a little rough this week, Waking up tomorrow at 5:30 am is gonna kick my bum, But I will prevail!!!! I have actually really missed my workouts, It has become my 'ME" time :) And like I've said I truly believe I am a more patient, happy go lucky Mom with regular exercise. This week with being so sick ( I hadn't been that sick for some time) I let the boys kinda do whatever and it feels much better to not only be better of course but to get back to our semi-set schedule :) And mostly Im sure Dayton is much happier to have a wife back! I kinda get the blues when Im sick so I was not very forgiving to myself this week and seemed to try chew myself up & spit me back out! Im also attributing the "crazy, irrational thoughts" to the monthly reminder I am a woman :) SO lots of crazy talk this week....Thanks Dear for puttig up with me!On a happier not,  People have definitely been complementing me on my weight loss  more & more but I am a horrible complement receiver..I am trying very hard to be better and just say "thank you" and not start saying the "Yeah..but's"--  And also all of you gals comments were Awesome!! Thank you so so much :)

Last week at my sister-n-law Caitie's baby shower--Im feeling pretty slim..mind you Im standing next to a gal ready to give birth at any time :) 

This is my "glamour shot" from our family photos a month ago :)

The scale has been kind-- Im clocking in at 185-186 so I have lost about 4.5 in the last 2 weeks :) The only thing that Im hoping to change is to see more change in my hip-thigh area...That's my "problem area" Im still wearing my good ol' size 14-16 pants and yeah it's  nice to pull them out of the dryer and put them on ( I used to HAVE to hang all jeans to dry if I ever had any intention to put them on :) I would really like to just wear sz 12..Is that so much to ask :) So I gonna keep on the grind! Mexico in here in 9 weeks!! So still plenty of time to reach some milestones in this weightloss game!!!

The Birthday Cake pictures!!!

Mom has to give a little taste so he knows what exactly this round thing is in front of him.

Yummy....and it feels so weird in between my fingers!

I could get used to this........

My parents ( well...my Mom) Thinks she's an artist and painted on my tummy!

Utter chaos!! And hmm...what's that tingle......SUGAR RUSH!!

The fun was over once Mom decided I needed a bath in the kitchen sink!

As you can see my baby LOVED his mini birthday cake! He was hesitant for like 30 seconds then went wild once he tasted the chocolate :) I was a little worried that he might get sick since he doesn't really eat any sweets besides fruit but no problemo He was in hog-heaven!! As you can see it was like Zoolander in the coal-mine,,You could pretty much see just a pair of blue-eyes looking up at you :) Thanks to My parents, Aunts, Grandmas, cousins for making it to the Big event!! Happy Birthday my son, We love you :)

My Baby is 1 yrs. old today!!!

Gus Michael Gardner- day 1

One month old!

Crossing over the border- 3 months old in Mexico

Brothers- 4 1/2 months old

Hooray! 6 1/2  mon. old

Disneyland  8 1/2 mon. old

Disneyland- Dad proping me up against a wall :)

Winter 2010

Christmas Eve

11 mon. old- Just before my haircut!

Today!! 1 years old!!

      Today is a bittersweet day at the Gardner House! Our baby Goose is 1 today :) I can't express how fast this year has gone by! It really feels like we brought that little guy home from the hospital yesterday. He has been such an immense blessing in our home. We feel so fortunate to have this little boy for a son. He is always Happy and is so loving and tender. His brothers love him so much and really make it their goal in life to get him to smile and laugh :) Dax especially, He's always trying out new faces & sounds to see what he will do! Cam continues to try to ride him like a pony...We continue to explain that he's a baby not a stuffed animal. He gets his 1 year old check up in Saturday so I don't have official stats but if I were to guess he's topping in at around 25 lbs--Too heavy to carry for long :) He's sporting clothes that are 18 mon--some 2T but only cuz' I need to just break down & get him a few things...With him being a Spring baby & the other boys being Summer kids there is like a season of clothes at his size I never had to buy :) He is a fast crawler and he has super-power hearing, We can be as sneaky as possible to open the laundry room door or my bedroom & before you know it the lil' stinker is right on your heals! He loves solids (finally) really likes Little Cesar's pizza we discovered the other night....Not that that will become a normal dinner for him :P He is saying a couple words here & there which is really exciting to us! Today Dayton walked into the kitchen when I was feeding him lunch and plain as day said "Dad"-- We starting cheering and laughing-He loved it!! I gave him a haircut about a month ago I just couldn't wait any longer it was probably the "hair-dresser" in me but I couldn't take the uneven mullet one more day!! I shaved it with a number 4 to just take off the really long stuff & low and behold it's coming in white!! My little "toe-headed" son..who would guess he's a 1/4 Hispanic :) Or that I'm his Mom-- Had a couple people ask me if he's a nephew!!
     We are having a birthday party on Saturday Night so pictures of that little baby covered in cake are sure to follow!! We LOVE you Goosen!!! Happy Birthday!! xoxo


P.S. Will post weight loss update this weekend, doing good even though I succumbed to a box of Hot Tamales and a Free Blizzard from Dairy Queen :)