Devils Millhopper Hike May 6, 2017

So this post is super delayed as we went hiking here in May but I want to start keeping up here again and wanted to share our experience!


Devils Millhopper is a state park here in Gainsville, Florida. Since being on my weight loss journey we have been doing a ton of hiking. I found Devils Millhopper just scrolling through state parks that had unique natural lush hiking trails. We live about 1 hour and 45 minutes away from the park but we knew we wanted to make the day trip to explore it.

Weight watchers week 1 & 2 update!

Weight watchers week 1 & 2 update:

I seriously can't believe I'm going into week 3 tracking on weight watchers! It's crazy how less stressed I've been about food. I've been feeling good and still losing weight even though I have done a complete 180 on what I was "allowing" myself to eat. I'm so happy with how things are going and my relationship with food is getting better everyday.

A big non scale victory has been being able to talk myself out of binging. Like on the verge of doing it, thinking about it for hours and then be so close to putting the food in my mouth and then throwing it out or putting it back. My mind is becoming stronger and I'm becoming more accountable to MYSELF.

I always hear people saying to just throw out the food that tempts you or just don't allow into the house. Well when you have kids it's different, I can't take away their snacks and I will not make them conform my weight loss food regime. They are only 5 and 3 and as kids they can have those type of things, they are just kids.

So back to the updates for my 2 weeks. Week 1 I lost 6.3 pounds and week 2 I lost 2.8 pounds.

My starting weight was on 1/13/17 at 255.6 and my weighin on 1/31/17 was 246.5 so I've lost a total of 9.1 pounds since starting weight watchers.


                                                               Week 1 weighin

Week 2 weighin 

Jade turns 5

Jades 5th Birthday!

On January 10th Jade turned 5, my oh my where does the time go? It's crazy because I still can remember the days I was pregnant with her like it was yesterday. She is very quiet and creative. She loves to color, draw, write and she loves little toys her current favorites are chubby puppies. Her 5 year well check is next week so I'll update her stats then :)

We celebrated the night of her birthday with cupcakes but had her actual Birthday party this past weekend. It was super fun and we got to make use of our new roof on our deck. We did a rainbow theme and she was super excited because we kept it 100% a secret!

I still can't believe she is half a decade old, it's so crazy. My baby girl is growing up!

Weight Watchers Day 1 & 2

January 18, 2017

Today was my second full day tracking with weight watchers and being back on my exercise routine since getting hurt last week. 

Eating wise, tracking my food has been super easy on the WW app. My first day I had 7 points left over, today I used every last one of my 42 daily points. I feel full and satisfied. I wanted to try weight watchers to build a better relationship with food. I have a problem with thinking I'm eating too much. When I'm 100% on track I get so focused on the numbers that I think that counteracts the whole reason I'm trying to lose weight. I want to lose weight to be healthy - mind, body and soul. So getting caught up in the numbers really messes with my head. I found myself getting upset in the morning and I weighed .5 more than I did the day before. Ridiculous right? But in my head to me it's a big deal and that's the mid set I'm trying to shift away from. I have a very all or nothing attitude. I struggle with binge eating and have for along time. Which coupled with my anxiety, depression, and then 2 pregnancies in 2 years is what led me here where I am today health wise. And honestly I was just lazy, I wanted a quick fix. I didn't want to do the work. I've come so far from that mindset in the past 4 months, I still struggle with it but my good days outweigh the bad. But now I need to steer away from the obsessing over numbers, calories, workouts, food etc and just focus on healthy habits. Being active, but not spending so much time thinking of when and how I'm going to workout and how long or how many calories I need to burn. To me that's not healthy either. I just want to find a happy medium, and LIVE life. I feel like I haven't been living, I've just been existing and I really want to enjoy my life with my family. That's the whole goal here. 

Exercise - I have felt so much better since last Thursday when I hurt myself. I had all intentions on getting back into my exercise routine on Monday but had a very emotional day and put it off. So Tuesday (also first day tracking WW) was my first day back to working out. I've been taking it easy and doing light cardio just because I'm nervous to get hurt. Hopefully if all goes well this week I will be incorporating my higher intensity workouts next week. 

On our walk today I was taking a photo of Cash and he just gave me the biggest smile and thumbs up. It really melted my heart a little bit. Ive been kinda down about my progress this past month but he showed me today that no matter how everything is going as long as I'm trying I should be proud. Him and jade both are always encouraging me to be better even though they don't know it and don't do it intentionally. It's really crazy how kids can do that. I need to star being proud of my accomplishments again even if they are small. My mentality has been so negative since Christmas that I've just been taking everything so harsh and I think that's one reason my progress has slowed as well. Definitely working on the mentality aspect hardcore this week so I can get back to being all positive. 

Weighin - I plan to weighin on Tuesdays. So I'm really hoping by next Tuesday I will be back at 250. I've been gaining and losing the same 10 pounds for about a month now. I'm so ready to get into the 240s and keeping up the momentum from there on for the next few months. 

In October I will be the maid of honor in my best friends wedding so my goal for then is to be 201. That will put me at 100 pounds down, it's a crazy goal that I hope is achievable. This summer I will be going up to New York to go dress shopping so I would like to be 230ish by then. 

Setting goals is very important for me, I feel like it gives me something to work towards! 

Cash : Age 3

Weight loss + weight watchers?!

So it's been awhile since I've updated here but this is going to become a regular thing as I feel it's important to keep up here for not only myself and family in the long run but also in case my weightloss journey can help anyone out there :)

On October 7, 2016 I fully commuted to a healthier lifestyle. I invested in myself and bought a program that cost me $100s of dollars. I wanted to have something to keep myself accountable. Unfortunately that system didn't sit well with my body and I was in extreme stomach pain within the first week so I decided to cut it out and just try healthy eating habits and exercise. I have tried to lose weight so many times and quit within the first month (hence why I shelled out money to "try" and make it harder for me to give up) but once I stopped using the system I was nervous my binge eating would creep back in and my mind set would go down hill. Thankfully I was able to keep my mind right and keep chugging along. I had saved my birthday money from September (I started making more conscious health decisions in September) and instead of eating out with it I saved until I had enough to buy a Fitbit without having to take a big chunk from our family needs. Now let me just start off by saying this Fitbit has been SO motivating. It is definitely worth the investment to me.

These past few months have been super trying, I've had good days and bad days but the good outweighs the bad and that's how I know I'm on the right track. I will do some more in depth posts about what I eat and my exercise routine :)

What I eat brings me to my next point, I decided to join weight watchers today just so I can learn healthier eating habits. I want this to be a lifestyle change and I know I need to work on my relationship with food so I thought this would be a great way to start. So today January 14,2017 is my first day of weight watchers. I get as of right now 43 daily points and 42 weekly points. I weighed in  alittle but over my lowest weighin from last week (last night was cheat meal, pizza night) so 254.7. I look forward to learning a lot in this new part of my journey.

Starting weight - 301.8
Lowest weight - 250.7
Current weight - 254.7

Here's a before and during photo (black outfit was taken last week)
before and during photos on my Instagram click here!

- Ivy 

Crochet baby carrier pattern **FREE**

I've been meaning to get back into my blogging and I've had lots of requests for this pattern so I figured this would be the best place to get it out there and give me that push to start blogging again!

My daughter absolutely LOVES this baby carrier. She is constantly toting her babies around and now she can still play, and carry other things while having her baby close! I've also made one for my niece and now my son is requesting one so his is up next :) These are super fast and easy to make, I can make one in about 1.5 hours.

You will need
• 1 skein of loops and threads impeccable yarn
• size k or 6.5mm hook
• scissors
• darning needle
• 2 buttons


This pattern was written out while making one for my son who is almost 3 so it should fit 2-4 years.

if you need it bigger just add a few stitches too the end, don't forget to lengthen the arm straps as well if your making it larger.


Waist strap

•Row 1 - chain 55
•Row 2- HDC across, ch 1, turn work
•Row 3 - HDC across, ch 1, turn work
•Row 4 - DC across, ch 1, turn work
•Row 5 - HDC across, ch 1, turn work
•Row 6 - HDC across, ch 1, turn work
•Row 7 - HDC across, ch 1, tie off



Top piece, attached to waist strap

Fold work in half, count 6 stitches over on each side and mark with stitch markers.

•Row 1 -  fasten yarn. HDC across to other stitch marker, ch 2, turn work
•Row 2 - DC across, ch 1, turn work
•Row 3 - HDC across, ch 2, turn work
• Row 4 - DC across, ch 1, turn work
•Row 5 - HDC across, ch 2, turn work
•Row 6 - DC across, ch 1, turn work
•Row 7 - HDC across, ch 1, turn work
•Row 8 - DC across, ch 1, turn work
•Row 9 - HDC across, ch 2, turn work
•Row 10 - DC across, ch 1, turn work
•Row 11 - HDC across, ch 2, turn work
•Row 12 - DC across, tie off



Arm straps (make 2)

•Row 1 - Chain 40
•Row 2 - HDC across, ch 2, turn work
• Row 3 - DC across, tie off


Sew arm straps into body piece. Attach button on back of waist strap onto the DC row. Attach second button to the middle of one of the arm straps keep support  ensure the arm straps don't fall down the shoulders when your child is wearing their baby.

Happy hooking!
- Ivy

facebook.com/mommadecrochetcreations

Cash Alexander 10 months old!

Cash Alexander 10 months old:

Weight - 22 lbs lbs

Length - 30 1/2 inches long

Diapers - Size 5

Clothes - 18 months!

So this little boy is a teething machine! He has gotten 3 more teeth since last month and he has one more on the top ready to poke through! He is still sleeping really well, 2 naps during the day between 2-3 hours each then he sleeps for 10+ hours at night time! I am so glad teething hasn't affected his sleep schedule because he is SO cranky when he is tired! He is a speed crawler, still crawling everywhere and getting into EVERYTHING. His new thing this past month is pulling his self up on any and everything including the stand up lamp which has fallen over onto him, the trash can which has also fallen over multiple times (I ended up moving it into the laundry room behind the door) He is so mischievous, and is a lot more hyper than Jade was. 

He's learned so much this past month it's insane. He is starting to catch onto things so that is really exciting. It's so fun to watch them learn new things and then be excited to do it. Everytime someone says "yaayyy!" he starts clapping uncontrollably and smiling and giggling, it is the cutest thing ever. I'm sad knowing that soon he's going to be walking and talking, becoming more independent. Soon he will not be my little baby anymore but I am so happy and feel so blessed to be able to watch him grow and learn everyday. Only 2 more months and then these updates will not be monthly anymore, I can't believe he will be 1 so soon!