Kennady's 2nd Birhday Party!

WARNING!!!! THIS POST CONTAINS A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF PHOTOS!!!!!

This year I had really high expectations for Kennady's birthday party because last year she was so sick for her party that everything I planned fell through. Kennady's actual birthday is this coming Friday but Jake has a work trip planned so we had her birthday party yesterday. I decided to go with a butterfly theme using blues and purples. I love rustic, shabby chic décor so I also used that style in her party. Some things I used were things I already had like the birdcage, the apple boxes, and the burlap and lace cloth. I made a few things like the ripped cloth and burlap backdrop, the happy

This that and the other

I officially start T25 tomorrow! I got it on Thursday and did the first workout on Friday to try it out. OH MY GOODNESS!!! It is hard! I had to switch back and forth between modified and regular and there really are zero breaks. My grandma came over for her medicine when I had about 2 min left in the workout and then I had the 2 min cool down to do also. She is so funny! She came and stood in front of me where I couldn't see the TV and started talking to me. After the workout I laid face down

Bored with workout...... T25 Here I Come!

I've been really discouraged lately because I haven't seen a significant difference in my weight or how my clothes fit. As I mentioned in my post here I'm a member of the Facebook group no excuse moms. One of the moms in this group posted her before picture at 160 lbs in January and she is down to 140 lbs now! I keep complaining to Jake that no matter what I do I can't lose weight and after

Getting Back into the Groove

I got bronchitis about a month ago and excuse or not, I couldn't do any cardio without coughing up a lung. I'm sure I could've figured something else out for my workout but I got discouraged and did nothing which only made me feel worse. I gained back my 3 lbs I lost. Jake on the other hand, hasn't worked out in years and just by counting calories has lost 30 lbs since November! It's so nice to see him feeling good about himself and he's already needing new pants again!

My "Tattoos" - A Post Inspired by Al Fox

I first read about Al Fox in an LDS church magazine at my parent's house. I was very inspired by her story and could relate to the "judgment" she described because of the person she used to be. If anyone is looking for an example of someone who is truly converted to Christ, Al Fox is THE example.

Although, as I wrote in my profile, I was raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I don't come from a family who has been in the church for generations.

Surprise surprise!!!

Jake and I knew we wanted to get married before we were surprised with the news that I was pregnant with AJ we just didn't know when. I've always been excited to get married but I wanted him to do it when he was ready. A few

I'm Back and a girl!

*the blog title comes from when I was little. I loved Patty Lovelace's song I'm That Kind of Girl but for some reason I called it I'm back and a girl. I would argue with my mom about what the song was called and I remember feeling so frustrated because she didn't believe me haha!

Puppy is home!

Since I made my goal yesterday to get my workout done as soon as I wake up from now on, I thought that it'd be a terrible start if I lounged around the first morning after making my goal. I did my 30 min workout on my elliptical. The workout is broken up into 2 minute intervals like this:

Organize, workout, and a shoutout to a great friend

I am on the go from the time the kids wake up until long after their asleep. So, in the morning, before Kennady wakes up and while my boys are getting ready for school I use that time to catch up on my DVR shows, read my scriptures, or craft ya know, just something for me. I feel like I could get a lot

Another Day

I am a fan of the shows the Bachelor and the Bachelorette but I haven't watched this season with Juan Pablo but I loved Sean's season so I recorded and watched Sean and Catherine's wedding this morning before taking the boys to school. It was a really pretty wedding and everything was great about it but really, it made me think about my wedding. I looked at my wedding pictures and thought I'd share a few of my favorite ones.

Week 1 Weigh in

As you've probably noticed, I gave my blog an overhaul, including a new name. I chose the name, REALizing Joy because I am a REAL mom, with REAL kids, a REAL husband, REAL weight issues, REAL setbacks, and REAL accomplishments. When I say REAL, I do so because I think a lot

Saturday is a special day.....

Saturdays are always busy in the Cockrell house. The kids are involved in sports every season and now that AJ is old enough to play sports we are running the boys everywhere. Luckily soccer hasn't started for AJ yet so we just have Noah's basketball games to go to. He has 2 of them every Saturday.