weight loss journey

It's been a long time since I've posted on here.  A lot has happened, good and bad. But that's not why I'm posting. I wanna talk about the journey my husband and I are on to change our lifestyle. To be in better shape and be healthier for our kids. In January Kenny and I decided that we were going to have a weight loss challenge.  He's obviously winning because thanks to the Big Man upstairs men are built to lose weight faster. I've been working on not feeling resentful. Lol. But truthfully,  since we've made this change I feel better. My body feels better. I have more energy and I'm starting to feel confident in myself again. Recently all I have been doing is changing the way I eat. I don't work out. I don't like to and quite frankly I don't want to. Just by changing my diet alone I have lost 14.4lbs. Kenny has lost 20lbs. Just by changing what I'm eating and being conscious of how much of something I'm putting in my body.  You really don't realize it until you start tracking.
Last night I had my brother and SIL over for dinner and she said something that stuck with me, "if you don't work out you're not going to reach your goal." Then we started talking about sagging skin and me having no boobs. Lol. But the work out thing really started to bug me. Not because she said it but because I started to think it might be true. I honestly don't care if I have saggy skin or no boobs. But I do want to be healthy. For my kids. They deserve to have us around for a long time and they also deserve a good role model.of fitness.
So this morning I woke up 4:35am and decided to go for a run. I ran .19 of a mile. I only burned 230 calories. And I was slow.  That run kicked my ass. Kicked my ass so hard that when I got home I threw up. But the entire time I was running. I didn't walk and tried not to slow my pace. I'm completely out of shape. I was wheezing, my legs were burning and I felt like I was going to vomit. Guess I saw it coming.... lol. But the entire time I thought about my girls. What kind of role model I want to be for them. I don't want to be the fat mom or aunt. I just want to be. I want the girls that are in my life to feel confident and beautiful. I've been facing the struggle too long of not feeling those things. I'm on a mission. For the women in my life and for myself.
I'm not committing to continuing to run. But I am going to try. I'm going to put forth effort. It's not an easy win and I'm still struggling with my body and how I look but I feel good that I'm trying..
-S

Scariest Moment of Our Lives

On July 6th 2011 the scariest event of my entire life happened... my 10 month old son had what I now know is a Febrile seizure and stopped breathing. It was extremely unexpected and terrifying. On Tuesday after work we were all home as we normally are and everything seemed fine. Kalani was hot but we all were... it was a beautiful day and Kenny and I don't have air conditioning so we honestly didn't think any of it except that he was hot. He was playing and was happy. There were no other signs of illness. We put him to bed as usual and he woke up what seemed every hour on the hour. He was crying and just wasn't very happy. At 11:30pm I got up with him to rock him and attempt to put him back to sleep, he was so hot. His skin was hot to the touch so I decided it was time for a cool bath and some Tylenol. When we put him in the bath he cried so hard that he vomited. I thought at this point it might be time to go to the hospital, I called my mom and she reassured me that babies gets fevers and don't feel good. There was no need for the emergency room, just watch him close and try to get his fever down. We continued to struggle to get the fever down as well as getting Kalani to stay asleep. It was the strangest thing, after the bath I noticed that he would startle himself and cry. His body would jerk as if something had caught him off guard and scared him. He did this probably four times. At 5:00am he woke up and I wanted to give him a bottle and attempt to put him to sleep so I could get ready for work and while I was rocking him he did the same thing where his body jerked as if he were scared but there were no tears this time, his body went stiff and his eyes rolled in the back of his head. His breathing became extremely shallow. I ran into the kitchen holding my son's dead weight in my arms, crying calling his name trying to get him to respond, my husband ran into the kitchen and took my son from my arms. I ran as fast I could to my bedroom to get my phone. I called 911, Kenny had Kalani on the couch and was trying to get him to respond... nothing, there was no breath and his lips were turning blue. I instructed Kenny to breath into Kalani's mouth for him as I was on the phone with 911 operator, Kalani finally drew in a breath. His eyes were hazy, and he couldn't fixate on anything. We began to check his mouth and throat for anything blocking his airway and waited for the paramedics. Staying calm at this moment was the hardest thing I have ever done. I was terrified. What was happening to my baby? The paramedics arrived 5 minutes after I called 911, 6 gentlemen piled into our living room and began looking at our son. When they arrived Kalani had been breathing steadily so there was no need of any treatment for that, they explained to us that it sounded like Kalani had had a seizure due to a high fever. They took his temperature and it read 104.1. They instructed us that we needed to go to the hospital to find out where the fever was coming from and just to make sure that he was ok. Kalani and I rode in the ambulance and Kenny followed. We arrived at the ER and the doctors took a few tests and came to the conclusion that Kalani had in fact had a Febrile Seizure that he had a slight case of pneumonia and an ear infection. They gave him some antibiotics and made sure they got his fever down and sent us on our way. We were home by 8:30am and Kalani was doing well. Very exhausted and not feeling well but breathing and functioning.  

Sleeping with Daddy

He slept for hours, recuperating from his extremely rough morning! The feelings in my stomach were hard to describe, although it was all over and my son was home with me safe in his father's arms, I had this fear in the pit of my stomach. Will this happen again? What would have happened had I not been holding him? Will this cause damage in the future? There were so many questions and all the information we received from the ER was still questionable... yes he had a seizure, will he have another? We don't know... maybe? The only thing they could tell us was that he had a Febrile seizure and they are common for infants ages 6 months - 5 years. It was scary but he was ok. Yesterday Kenny and I took Kalani to our pediatrician for the follow up from the ER. Turns out that he does not have pneumonia or an ear infection, he has the flu. One thing is certain, he did have a Febrile Seizure. They are TERRIFYING but the doctor has reassured us that although they are horrible to witness they rarely have any consequences. He spent 45 minutes talking to us and explaining different scenarios. He also spent time with us explaining what would need to happen if this happens again. I feel much better and way more prepared for this to happen again although I pray it doesn't. The love you have for your child is indescribable and the feeling that you might lose that child is terrifying. Today Kalani is much better! Almost back to his normal self! Still weak and a little frustrated that he's not as mobile as he would like, but all in all is on the road to recovery!!

Later that day - 7/6/11

"A parent's love for their child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path." - Agatha Christie

Our 2nd Wedding Anniversary - 7 years together

Getting Some 7/4/09

The first day I met my husband was the WORST day of my 18 year old life! It was so dramatic... here is the listing of the events...  First, I let my friend bleach my very long black hair which then turned orange and then we tried to bleach it again which (SURPRISE) didn't work, then we tried to cover up the orange with an Ash based brown. Oh yeah good times! Turned my hair perry-winkle blue, almost a grayish purple. I called my friend Mary (who was a hair stylist) and explained the MAJOR damage I had just done to my hair. She politely agreed to fix it. I went to her salon and had all of my hair cut off. It was short! Really short and while she is cutting off all my hair, my then boyfriend (Kenny, coincidentally enough) calls and breaks up with me. "I'm too young blah, blah, blah," than while he is breaking up with me I get call waiting. I ask him to hold his dear John letter for a moment so I can take the call. He agrees. It was my then work firing me from my job because I didn't get my TB shot prior to switching positions. I started to sob, there wasn't anything else that could have gone wrong that day. It was 12pm and I had to go to work (at Target) by 2pm. I was closing that night. Little did I know that I was destined to meet the man of my dreams that day. I had just finished getting my hair reconstructed and had to go to work. I was still emotionally damaged just from all the grief that I had endured that day. I go to the bathroom where I cry because I think I look like a boy with my short hair... I look in the mirror and attempt to collect myself. Take a deep breath and walk out onto the floor. Waiting by the cash register was a tall good looking guy. I look at his name tag, "You're name is Kenny?? I F$#@^*% hate that name" He smiled, "Well actually my name is Kenneth." I was hooked from that instant. That was the precise moment I decided that I liked him! I liked his humor, his smile, and the way he looked in his khaki pants!

 Our flirtation increased over the next few months and it became a challenge for me to get this guy to go out with me. Every chat we had he seemed interested but wouldn't ask for my number or take me up on any advancements. He was my boss and was insistent that he didn't date any one from Target. FINALLY in late November 2004, I got him to agree to go out with me. We disagree on how the next part of the story goes because he claims that I tricked him into thinking that I was moving the next day and that's why he agreed to go out on a date with me. But that's not true! I told him I was moving to Phoenix, which I was, and I told him I was going on a trip to Phoenix, which I was.. just for that day! *Wink* We went out on our first date December 1st 2004.  I had to pick him up because he didn't have a car. We dined at restaurant on food that he hated but still paid for and then rode the max downtown Portland and walked on the waterfront! We shared our first kiss on the Max on the ride home and I knew that I wanted to see him again. This guy was amazing... he was funny, handsome, and was all in all a good guy. I was never one to date good guys. I wanted a guy that treated me like garbage. Like every 18 year old girl does. I convinced myself that this was just going to be fun until I moved to Arizona, not to get too attached because I was moving and I wasn't going to get played. Two weeks into our hanging out and having fun we were in Kenny's bedroom (the computer room at his parents house) and the cutest thing I have ever heard a guy say came from my loves lips, "So are you my girlfriend or what?" This was exactly what I wanted to hear, we hadn't labeled anything or even suggested it but deep down I wanted that, I wanted to be his and only his, I wanted to be the girl for him. That night he sang "If I only had a brain" ... as he was serenading me with this song I started to cry, I didn't want to move. I didn't want to leave this new found love... this true love. I knew at that precise moment in time that this was the man I was going to marry. He was it for me. There was nothing left to search for. He had everything I wanted.

 Five glorious years later we finally tied the knot. Our wedding was beautiful, a fairytale. But most importantly it was a seal of our love in front our family and friends and most importantly God. We promised our whole lives to each other. The good & the bad. Two years ago I married my best friend and soul mate. Looking back on our many adventures it still amazes me how much life we have left to live. How much love we will continue to share, and all the things we've yet to learn about one another. This journey together is remarkable and look forward to the many more years to come. I love you Kenneth Andrew Christian... you are my Prince Charming, my one and only special someone. Happy Anniversary. I will forever love you.

Every Year

"Every year that I'm with you

has been better than before;

It's hard for me to even think 

how I could love you more.

Every year you've graced my life

Has been full of happiness;

I love your caring face, your voice,

your tender, sweet caress.

Every year when this day comes,

I'm filled with love and pleasure;

Happy Anniversary, Love,

My joy, my delight, my treasure."

- Joanna Fuchs

Kenny's 28th Birthday Bash

This Memorial Day was different from any other that I have celebrated with my husband. For one, we had Kalani this year which was a first! But, usually we have a big party because it's my Dad's birthday May 27th and Kenny's the following day. This year I didn't even get to see my dad on his birthday, which was sad. We still had a big bash for Kenny though! The party was my gift to Kenny since we bought a new car this weekend and because we've really been trying to save as much money as we can! So because this was my gift to him I wanted to make it absolutely perfect! On Friday after work I went to Winco and did the grocery shopping for this Mexican BBQ that I was attempting to pull off! Everything was made from stratch! I wanted to put everything I had into it! I made Carne Asada Tacos, Chicken Tacos, Black Bean Salad, Guacamole, Salsa (my mom made this), and of course Cupcakes! 

Carne Asada



Cup Cakes

The Bbq went great! Everything went as planned and the food was amazing! It was great to see all of our family and friends in one place. We of course had to watch the UFC event that was on and the fights were pretty good!

After the Bbq and the Fights were over Kenny and I decided that we were going to hang out with our buddy Justin and have a bon fire over at his place! We were out until 2am, which is very unlike me and Kenny, but it was so fun to get out and party a little! We hung around the fire, drank a few beers, Kenny played Flip Cup which was very entertaining to watch, not to mention Kenny explaining to his teammates how to win! LOL! He's quite the comedian when he's had a few! You could tell he was having a good time!!





Memorial Weekend was a success! Hope you had a magical birthday Husband! I love you! 

"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

My First Official Mother's Day



Anticipating Kalani

 Mother's Day this year was different, I am now a mother! Honestly, I forgot that I would be included this year! I was so busy thinking about my mom and Kenny's mom it totally surpassed me that this year it was me that was going to be celebrated! LOL!
The gift of motherhood is unbelievable and honestly I feel that I am thankful every day for it! When I was pregnant I knew that I was going to love my son but you really have no idea, the over flowing love you have for this little person. I'm away from him for mere hours and I can't wait to have him back in my arms!


Kalani & Me 5/7/11

 This year my son and husband completely spoiled me and surprised me on Friday with beautiful flowers, a CD that I wanted, and a wonderful card! Not to mention my husband took me out on date night! Kalani had a cold so the rest of our weekend was filled with family, runny noses, boogie wipes, and lots of cuddling!


Me & My Mama



Being my first Mothers day I wanted to touch on what my mom means to me. She is my best friend, we talk about everything. She is always there for me when I need her. She is that voice in my head that is telling me to choose the right path. I want to be that for Kalani, I want to be his rock. To me Motherhood is such a blessing and should not be taken for granted. The day Kalani was born was one of the happiest days of my life! I will forever treasure that day! So even though Mother's day is to appreciate all that we do as mothers it should also stand as a reminder to us how blessed we are that God has given us these wonderful gifts, our created miracles.



Our First Picture



Happy Mother's Day to all my friends and family! Enjoy your miracles! Sending Love...



"There is no way to be a perfect Mother, and a million ways to be a good one." - Jill Churchill



April 2011

Hello Friends & Family. The purpose of this blog to keep everyone up to date as to what's been happening in the Christian Household! 


Christian Family 2011

 So a lot has happened recently and Kenny and I have been struggling to keep up it seems! My dad recently received a job at Tyson Corporate and has moved to Fayetteville Arkansas. My brother and his little family also moved there this Monday to persue a career with Tyson as well! I'm so proud of both of them! It takes a lot of stones to pack up and move across the country to persue your dreams!


David & his little Family





Grandma & Grandpa Vigil with Peanut & Snuffy



Kalani is crawling all over the place! He can crawl on his knees but prefers to army crawl! He apparently thinks that it's faster! He said his first word this week! UP! LOL! Kenny and I are convinced he knows what it means because he's constantly pulling himself onto the furniture saying, "Up! Up!" He's also started walking the furniture lately! Cheyenne is already a pro at this and I'm thinking that he was pretty jealous of her mobility so he's trying to jump on that train! We recently had our first Easter and Grandma & Grandpa Christian got Kalani a baseball bat! We've been practicing for Spring Training 2011.

Spring Training 2011

Since we live in the Northwest there really hasn't been a lot of opportunity to get Kahuku outside on many adventures but recently we had our first trip to the park... Man our kid loves the swing! When we put him in it he just laughed and laughed! He enjoyed the sunshine although I'm not quite sure he understood why it was so bright and warm! He had never seen it before! LOL!



Swinging



There really isn't anything new with Kenny and myself, I've lost 100lbs which is pretty awesome! But other than that just trying to juggle, family, friends, work, and all the changes that we are going through as a family. Until next time...



You don't choose your family.  They are God's gift to you, as you are to them.  ~Desmond Tutu