The Honest Truth

This is a post I've been thinking about doing for awhile but 1.) I wasn't sure I wanted to share so publicly and 2.) I knew I wouldn't have time to provide regular updates so I kept it on the back burner. Now that we are back from our trip and ready to get back into a daily routine, it is time to share! 

I hope that anyone else having this same struggle will know they are not alone and will find motivation through my successes.  

So, the honest truth, is that losing weight after baby #3 has been HARD! With the first two babes, the weight was off within 6-8 months. Even when I gained weight in college, I would start running and watch my diet and the weight would fall right off. Now we are 27 months later and I am 20 lbs from my pre-baby weight and 30-35 from my goal weight. 

Every Tuesday I will post an update on my weight loss, workouts, diet, struggles, etc. I not only want to lose weight but I want to be fit and toned. So far this year, I have lost 12 lbs (it was 15 before vacation!) and 12+ inches. The last time I was measured was in the spring so my guess is that my inches are much more now - my clothes agree! 

I am going to use My Fitness Pal to track my calories and % of fat/carbs/protein I am eating. It is the easy to use and free - win, win. My username is StephanieLDodd if you want to follow me. For my workout routine, it will include a mix of spinning, running and weight training. 

So, follow me along on my weight loss and fitness journey! 

xo,

Stephanie 

Our week at HHI

Summer vacation 2015 has come and gone! 

We enjoyed a sunny, hot week on the beaches of Hilton Head Island, SC after a couple days in Charleston. We spent the week catching waves, making sand castles, riding our bicycles and relaxing. Well, relaxing as much as you can with three kiddos! For the first time in many, many years, I did take a book to the beach AND I read it! 

Can this be my view every day?  

 Wondering how I was able to read a book with a toddler? This helped along with naps on the beach.

This little girl couldn't get enough of the ocean and "surfing" on her boogie board.

 If I were an interior designer, this would be my inspiration! I need to live someplace that has palm trees and spanish moss. And warm weather year round.

 Ready for a morning bike ride. He did not leave my side most of the trip which was the complete opposite of his oldest sister who was too busy with her cousins to need mommy!  

 This was the vacation of the "sparkly eye toy" aka Beanie Boos. They were everywhere and the girls wanted them all! 

 Evening crabbing. 

 We had some amazing food in HHI! We visited our usual favorites and found a couple new spots that we loved. Skull Creek Boathouse is hands-down our favorite place to visit in HHI. The food is amazing and so is the ambiance. We stopped here when we got into town for lunch and sat outside. After our drive from Charleston, it was good to enjoy a cold drink and kick off our beach week! 

Who wouldn't love this view? 

Entertainment included. 

 Tuna three ways - I dream about this meal! Amazing. 

We almost always go to Skull Creek twice during our visit. Trip #2 was less than perfect (understatement!) - as we were walking in a thunderstorm hit making the outside unavailable, creating a 3+ hour wait, and making us very wet. Thank goodness the drinks were flowing and the company was fun! The kids were troopers and still had a great time! 

Another favorite is Santa Fe Cafe. How beautiful is the painted dessert soup presentation? It tastes just as good. 

 We, also, tried a new restaurant that we LOVED called Poseidon. The food was so, so good and it is across the street from our plantation. It is owned by the same company that owns Skull Creek so we weren't surprised it was delish. The restaurant has a decent size indoor area and a large outside seating area along with a big bar. It is covered with fans and TVs. Upstairs is a 21+ bar and there is a raw bar. It is located across the street from the new Shelter Cove community park. I enjoyed the pickled beet salad and seafood bisque - both were wonderful and big portions. Other things around the table that got rave reviews were the fish and chips, smoked fish dip and mussels. 

And I couldn't end this post without giving a big THANK YOU shout out to my in-laws for making it happen! This year's beach vacation was extra special because we celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. We celebrated with a delicious dinner at our beach house prepared by Downtown Catering. If you are in the area and want to host a dinner party, I highly recommend them. The staff was easy to work with, they had the best menus (in my opinion), and were the most affordable.

Auggie was not happy when we told him he could not have a cupcake before dinner! We all got a good laugh out of his reaction. 

I am going to do a separate post about our trip to Charleston. So many good things to mention and share!  

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer and making lots of memories! Have a great week! 

xo,
Stephanie