Learning a lot

Almost two weeks ago, I began a 30 day health/fitness challenge.  My reasoning was simple - I just wanted the motivation and accountability to get back on track and make sure I am in shape for Cancun in a few months.  I did NOT realize, however, that as part of the challenge, we'd be asked to go at least the first 14 days dairy and wheat free.  I thought she was crazy and I did not know how I was going to do it.  But now, 12 days in, I've learned so much. 

I don't want to continue to be dairy and wheat free.  That I know.... I miss my creamer in my coffee, I'm eager for a big pasta dinner with garlic bread, and I'm itching to bake something.  Anything!  But, I sure have realized why she wanted us to do this.  My stomach is flatter than it's ever been {well, since having kids, I should say!}.  The other night, we made lettuce wraps and I used Bayou Bourbon, as always.  I thought I was doing good because I skipped the noodles we serve on the side, but I didn't realize the sauce has wheat in it....and my stomach was so bloated that night.  Crazy.

Jarrod has welcomed some of the changes with me.  We're not eliminating both from our diet, but we both realize now that we should cut back a lot.  We're switching to almond milk, corn tortillas instead of flour (most of the time at least), skipping the cheese, etc.  We've tried new foods over the last two weeks - spaghetti squash and quinoa, to name a couple - and I've started drinking green tea more.  Little changes that will benefit us in the long run, for sure!

On top of the nutrition changes, I'm being held accountable for my workouts.  I started taking yoga (loved my first class!!) and lifting weights.  My heart rate monitor just died, but I'm excited to get a new one because watching the 'calories burned' increase during a workout is so motivating!  I definitely recommend everyone workout with one.

I weighed in at the beginning of the month so I could track my progress, as well as taking my before pictures and measurements.  I'm planning to do more pictures and measurements on Sunday, the end of my dairy/wheat free days, and then again at the end of the 30 days to see what kind of a difference I made in the course of the month, but as of this morning, I have lost 7.2 lbs this month!  Crazy to think that is almost half of what my goal was for the next three months.  Can't wait to buy myself a new bikini for the beaches of Cancun!

Date Night!

On my list of 30 Things, I had a 'Mommy/Son' date.  I've been wanting to start these for a while; in fact, Jarrod and I have talked about how we want to do Mommy/Son and Daddy/Daughter dates with the kids, and I knew putting it on my list would be a good way to get them going.  I hadn't planned anything, but then a couple weeks ago, I won tickets to see Guess How Much I Love You from the local news station.  Since it was just two tickets, we decided this would be a great chance for our date!  

We were both so excited about our date.  Gavin talked about it all week, and we made it a big deal!  He picked out his bow tie, and helped me pick out my outfit.  And then, yesterday came...and tragedy struck.  The tears wouldn't stop as my babies were sleeping in their beds and I watched the coverage of the Connecticut school shooting.  I was going through the emotions as a parent, trying to imagine the immense pain those mothers and fathers were feeling.  And, I was going through the emotions as a teacher, thinking about my old classroom, imagining what I would've done had this happened in my school.  It was an emotionally draining day, and I couldn't pull myself away from the coverage.

But, then this little guy woke up, and I had to turn it off.  I was glad to turn it off and focus on him.  I pulled him into my lap and squeezed him so tight and told him how much I loved him and all he said was, "I can't wait for our date!"  ::melt.my.heart.::

 

When Jarrod got home, Gavin and I hurried into the car and headed south toward the theater.  It was rush hour, the highway was wet from the rain, and there was an accident tying up traffic, so we were late.  :(  But we made the most of it, looking at Christmas lights along the way and holding hands as we ran across the parking lot into the theater to catch the last 40 minutes or so of the play. 

For much of the play, Gavin sat on my lap.  I love that he's still so little that those seats don't work well for him; they still fold up on him no matter how hard he tries.  I held him so close and watched him, mesmerized by the puppets on the stage and listened to his questions and observations.  I had to wipe away tears a few times, because I just felt so darn lucky that I was spending the evening with such an amazing little guy.  

After the lights came back on and we were heading out, Gavin said, 'This is the best date ever!  Thanks for bringing me here, Mom.'  Seriously, I have the sweetest little boy.  We walked around the lobby and looked at the Christmas decorations, then headed outside to see the sculptures outside.  We giggled together as we had to crawl across the seats to get into our car because the car next to us had parked so close that we couldn't get in our side.  So many little things that made the night so memorable.  We ended our date at TCBY.... 

We finished up our ice cream and laughed together as we realized it had started raining again and were likely going to get drenched running to the car.  It was getting later and later, but I really wasn't in any rush to leave.  I was enjoying our night so very much.  I am the luckiest.

Finally, we arrived home a little before 9, and Gavin fell fast asleep!  I can't wait for our next date....I'm hoping to do these at least a few times a year now.  And I'm so excited for when Riley is a little older and Jarrod can start his dates with her.  Such special memories!

Wordless Wednesday

What a difference!

 Nine months in................................Nine months out!

Me and My Girl

Yesterday, I chaperoned a field trip with Gavin's class to a 'farm.'  {I say 'farm' because it really wasn't a working farm at all.  They'd been learning about farms this month, and they took a trip to one of the preschooler's grandparents' house.  They had a big barn and lots of property with horses, donkeys, a duck pond, and dogs/cats.} 


So, I dropped Gavin off at school, ran a quick errand, and then came back and waited for them to be ready so I could follow the school van to the farm.  While we were waiting, I nursed Riley in the car and then let her play with the steering wheel.  And of course, took some pictures! 

Wordless Wednesday

Questions for Gavin

I found this cute little interview for me to give to Gavin on Pinterest, so while he's sitting here playing with his Cloud Dough (another Pinterest find), I thought I'd ask him the questions...

1. What is something Mommy always says to you? 'Thank you'

2. What makes Mommy happy? 'When I get Riley distracted so she doesn't cry.'

3. What makes Mommy sad? 'When I have a timeout.'

4. How does Mommy make you laugh? 'When you go la la la la' {And for the record, I have NO clue what he's talking about.}

5. What was Mommy like when she was a kid? 'Hmm...I don't know.'

6. How old is Mommy? '30.  You just turned 30.'

7. How tall is Mommy? '30 inches.'

8. What is Mommy's favorite thing to 'Play with me!'

9. What does Mommy do when you're not around? 'You mop!'

10. If Mommy becomes famous, what will it be for? 'For playing soccer really good.  Woo hoo!  Go Famous Mommy!'  {He cracks me up...I hate playing soccer.}

11. What is Mommy really good at? 'Soccer, and baseball.'

12. What is Mommy not really good at? 'Football.'

13. What does Mommy do for her job? 'Take care of Riley.'

14. What is Mommy's favorite food? 'Grapes.'

15. What makes you proud of Mommy? 'Um, not really anything.  Actually...you play with me fair.  That would make you famous, too.'

16. If Mommy were a cartoon character, who would I be? 'A girl Smurf'

17. What do you and Mommy do together? 'Play games and do puzzles.'

18. How are you and Mommy the same? 'We both have short hair.'

19. How are you and Mommy different? 'Yours is a different color than my hair.'

20. How do know Mommy loves you? 'Because I'm super smart.'

21. Where is Mommy's favorite place to go? 'Chuck E Cheese!  Because that place is amazing!'

 

30 Things

I decided I wanted to make a list of 30 things I want to do/accomplish while I'm 30.  Really, it's just another way for me to make a list and check things off.  Because I'm a dork like that.  :)  But...here is my list, full of both big and small tasks.  Let's hope I can do it...

1. Learn to use my new sewing machine and make something special for both kids
2. Crochet Riley a hat
3. Complete C25K - Couch 2 5K  
4. Plant an herb garden (or at least one herb!)
5. Create a collage in Photoshop Elements
6. Make from scratch - a pie, a cake, and brownies
7. Have a Mommy-Son date
8. Cook a turkey
9. Collect letters to spell PATE for our kitchen
10. Get a facial
11. Take the kids to the beach
12. Write a letter to myself to open when I'm 40 {cute idea...but I'm scared I'll forget to open it when I'm 40...still going to try!}
13. Figure out how to make a DVD of my Flip videos
14. Go to a drive-in movie
15. Send at least two 'snail mail' letters/cards each month {thanks for the inspiration, Lauren!}
16.  Pay for a stranger's meal in the drive-thru lane
17. Give up pop for a whole month {just have to figure out a good month to do that...}
18. Go on a family picnic
19. Create a survival kit
20. Attend a baseball game
21. Organize all our photos - huge task!
22. Read a 'classic' book
23. Publish another blog book
24. Play in the rain with Gavin {and Riley if she's old enough when this occurs}
25. Start Skyping with friends
26. Go 'camping' in the backyard
27. Repurpose something...anything
28. Send someone flowers
29. Learn to make bows for Riley
30. Watch our wedding DVD with Gavin

Girls' Night Out

Last weekend, I was thrilled to enjoy an evening out with some great ladies for an ornament exchange.  It was tons of fun, but of course, my 'little lady' had to accompany me.  Before we left, Gavin snapped a picture of the two of us.

Wordless Wednesday

Right now...

I saw this on another blog, and thought I'd copy it...

Right now, I am:
Watching - Brides of Beverly Hills
Eating - nothing...
Drinking - water
Wearing - PJ pants and a hoodie
Avoiding - cleaning the bathroom 
Feeling - excited about my team meeting tomorrow morning
Missing - Jarrod; he's been hunting for the last three days
Thankful - for two sleeping children
Needing - a good night's sleep!  I don't sleep well when Jarrod's gone.
Thinking - of all the things I should be doing instead of blogging
Loving - the lights of the Christmas tree...I love this time of year! 






 

A-Z

I saw this on another blog and thought it was a great idea, so I'm borrowing it.  It's giving me something to do while I lay here during naptime, wishing I could breath through my nose so I could sleep comfortably while the kiddos nap...Oh well...that's what coffee's for, huh?

a {age} 29

b {bed size} queen

c {chore you hate} folding laundry

d {dogs} one needy lab, Shirley

e {essential start to your day} coffee and a little computer time

f {favorite color} so many...really liking pink at the moment

g {gold or silver} definitely silver...or white gold

h {height} 5'3"

i {instrument you play} played clarinet for a year, wish i knew how to play the piano

j {job title} mommy and wife...aka financial planner, house cleaner, nurse, teacher, chef, cheerleader, chauffeur, etc., etc., etc...  And also a proud Tastefully Simple Team Leader!

k {kids} two, Gavin and Riley

l {live} NW Arkansas

m {maiden name} Peters

n {nicknames} don't really have any...Linds calls me AJ, Sara calls me JP sometimes, Jarrod likes to call me Fun Cop to annoy me...

o {overnight hospital stays} only when having my babies

p {pet peeve} oh so many...

q {quote} 'Bloom where you are planted' because it's what helped me adjust to the idea of moving away from our families, and 'Dream it. Believe it. Work it.' [among others!]

r {righty or lefty} righty

s {siblings} Megan, Tyler and Briana

t {time you wake up} sometime between 5:30 and 6:30am

u {university attended} University of Toledo and University of Dayton

v {vegetable you hate} celery, but there are many others I say I hate because I don't want to try them

w {what makes you run late} potty breaks and diaper changes

x {xrays you've had} dental xrays, when I broke my ankle, and probably when I broke my thumb but I don't remember that

y {yummy food} chocolate, pasta, bacon, grilled pizza...so many!

z {zoo animal favorites} monkeys and polar bears

If you steal this idea, comment so I can check your blog out, too!

Just have to accept it...

As a mom of two kids now, there are some things I realize I just have to accept.

1. Gavin might be watching more tv than normal...but until we are into a better routine, sometimes the tv is what we both need!
2. Riley might just have to cry.  Sometimes Gavin needs me just as much as she does, and I can't always put her first.  It's hard to hear her cry, but I'm Gav's mommy, too.
3. Some days, I might just have to cry, too! :)
4. I'm drinking more caffeine while nursing Riley than I did when nursing Gavin.  I gotta do what I gotta do!
5. I'm going to wipe even more butts...
6. Just when I think they're both asleep and I can take a shower, one of them will wake up.

I'm sure I'll come up with more things to add to this list, but no matter how long the list gets, it's all worth it.  I wouldn't trade places with anyone!  Even on the roughest days, when I haven't showered, eaten or sat down...even when Gavin is driving me up a wall...even when Riley won't let me put her down...I am so thankful I'm a mommy of two and that I get to stay home with them every day.  

Rehearsal Day

Friday was the rehearsal day, and the only day we saw rain.  We went in the morning to help decorate the reception site, and Gavin kept himself busy with his trains!  

Friday night we went to the rehearsal dinner at Aunt Pat's house.  Gavin loved playing in her huge yard with the dogs.  He was so tired and so dirty when we left! 

 Gavin with Aunt Ashley and Memaw 

By the time we got back to the hotel and gave Gavin a bath, he was in bed WAY past his bedtime.  Not a big deal...we were on vacation right?  No, not with Gavin.  Late bedtime means bad night of sleep.  So, at 4:15, we were up.  Fun stuff.  I tried really hard to get him to lay back down, and he did doze off for maybe 30 minutes, but not long.  I got him to at least stay on the bed so I could rest until 6:30 or so, but we knew right then that he would be in bed at his normal time for Saturday!  

Anniversary Plans

I can't believe it's been five years since we exchanged vows in front of all our family and friends!  I love you, Jarrod!  We've had five years of ups and downs, lost some pretty amazing people, added to our family, and moved to two different states.  I wouldn't have wanted to spend my time with anyone else.  I'm looking forward to a nice dinner in tonight - crab cakes, spicy broccoli, and caesar salad!  Yum!  And maybe, if we're lucky, we'll even be able to stay up for a movie after Gavin goes to bed.  :)  Yes, we are that old...  Happy Anniversary!

Playground Prize

Thanks to a little regression, we've started using a reward chart for Gavin for pooping on the potty.  It was really good timing on Sunday when he filled up the chart and earned a trip to the playground!  It was almost 80 degrees and gorgeous so we had a great time on the playground.  I was really happy that it was on a Sunday so Daddy could join us.  

Gavin likes to pretend these days, so he was pretending to have an ice cream shop and Daddy was ordering some ice cream from him. 

Here they were playing Hide -n- Seek.  Can you see Gavin hiding in the bottom left hand side of the picture? 

 Another reason I was glad to have Daddy there with us...I got to be in some of the shots with my favorite little guy! 

 For someone that complains so much about taking pictures, I was pretty impressed with this shot he got.  I love that you can see me in Gavin's sunglasses.

My two handsome guys! 

And just for fun - I snapped another shadow pic of my belly. 

 On the way home, we stopped at the gas station and Daddy ran in for a newspaper.  Gavin asked me to take our picture, and this was the result.  :)