Working it all out

Not much has been going on, besides the fact that we are back to schedule and routine in our house, which is very much appreciated. I like having my timeline through the day and the kids do to. They know when they are able to play, go to school, nap, eat, ect... It helps them be structured as well as it helps me keep some sanity. I do miss Nathan though, but he is doing what he has to do.

Since the new year started up, my brother Barry started a collective group on Facebook for people that wanted the challenge to lose 10 pounds by February 18th. I joined as well as some of my friends. My other brother, Steven, decided it was time for some sibiling rivalry and started a biggest loser competition between us.... I guess he's telling us all that we need to lose weight. ;o) That starts up on the 1st of February, so I have some time to chill with that one, but I'm still trying to lose the 10 pounds by Feb. 18th. It's a good goal. I don't know if I'm more focused on the weight or how my pants fit, but either way, I believe I'm doing good.

Instead of working out every other day, I'm working out everyday and then in a couple of weeks I'm going to introduce a stricter diet/calorie plan to help. I decided I needed to make the excersise a habit and then add in the rest.... I seemed to be overwhelmed putting them both together. So, so far it is working. I'm sore and I desperately need a new mattress, but oh well. lol!

Last night Nathan finished blowing up my pilates ball and I was able to work with that a bit. It's a lot harder than it looks and Nathan just sat there and laughed at me, so I made him get down and try what I was doing.... he didn't laugh at me after that. So, he is going to work with me every night, so his health will improve too. It is a lot more fun to work together and keep each other motivated then have him just watch me and gauk.

Step 3, after I add in the calorie and diet plan for a good 2 weeks, is taking away my beloved Diet Pepsi.... I have to prepare myself to do this.... I've done it before, I have no problem stopping, but I need to be able to find something to replace it with, because we all know I'm not getting a good 8 hours of sleep right now. I can alreay feel the headaches coming on....

So, that is about it... Nathan is back to work, teaching.... Noah is back to school, learning, Eloise is back to taking a nap everyday at the same time, and Hazel is slowly getting over her cold.

Looking Forward

I'm excited for this new year. A lot of things are going to happen that I am WAY excited about. And I love that I can look forward right now and think of everything about to happen and sit in anticipation. I'm so thankful that I can't see the bad, which I'm sure there will be some bad with the good. Nathan and I were sitting last night, talking, counting our blessings in a way. We started putting a mental list together of what to expect this year, so let me share that with you. :o)

-Our niece Brielle will be baptized in about a month and a half.... I can't believe she is already 8!
-Our niece Lilly will be baptized in October, I can't believe she is already 8 too!!
-Noah will be graduating from Preschool and moving into Kindergarten, He is going to be 5! With the strides he is making with his reading, we expect him to be reading by himself by the end of the year. Mind you, we will still be reading with him, though.
-Eloise will be starting Preschool and turning 3 this year! Holy Crap! We also have a set expectation that she will be spelling and writing her name by the end of the year and able to recognize and put the sounds to each letter of the alphabet.... not too far fetched considering Noah was able to do this at 3 years old. Preschool will definitely be a big help with this expectation. It's easier to supplement the kids when they are excited to learn and Eloise hasn't hit that yet.... preschool will definitely help her motivation.
- Hazel will be making the big strides from rolling, to crawling, to walking this year and turning 1! It's hard to realize that my baby will be saying the words Mama and Dada before this year is up!
-Noah is starting up Piano lessons in a few weeks, or maybe this week, I have to call the lady, but holy crap, piano lessons!
-Another year for Noah playing Soccor and his introduction to playing T-Ball.
-Putting Eloise in dance or tumbling, so she can release some energy.
-Nathan and I celebrating our 8th year married! Always a reason to smile! :o)
-Nathan turning 34 and me turning 27! EEK!
-Celebrating all the many birthdays in the family, always a treat!
-VACATION! but where? We don't know yet, we just know we are taking one! LOL!
-BABIES!! Loads of babies coming!! So excited that Nathan's brother Bryan and his wife are expecting their 4th child, but their 1st boy!! Blankets here I come! :o)
-We (the kids and I) are crossing our fingers that Nathan will give in and let us have another pet. LOL! :o)
-Starting a garden! I am way excited about getting my garden on and enjoying all that comes from it. I'm hopeful that this happens, but I'm realistic in knowing that it will be only me that does this and without help from Nathan, it might not happen.
-Many...many...many parties :o) Oh yeah!!
-A New mattress?! MAYBE?! Oh PLEASE let this one happen! We need a new mattress!! :o)
-TAXES! I am always pretty excited about tax season and we're hoping for a nice return to help us get out of a little debt, which is another thing to be excited about this year, a little more out of debt. :o)

Nathan had some more things on our list, but they are more like personal goals and expectations for ourselves. And I'm sure we have left a few things out that will be remembered later, lol! What things are you guys excited about to happen this year?

The Burro

On Christmas Eve, early in the morning, a bunch of us headed out to the farm to see the new addition. My Grandfather aquired a Burro (a small donkey) and the animal is very calm and gentle, so of course the kids LOVE to go out and take rides on him. So, we all headed out to the farm and took about a hour exchanging turns with all the kids and then went back to my grandparents where my Grandmother made us all soup. We were all very grateful because it was freezing! It was so nice to be able to spend a little time with the family this way. The memories these cousins are making are priceless and the memories we are making for our children are priceless... for instance, when our nephew Owen gets bigger.... we will all be there to remind him when he picked up a frozen cow turd bigger than his head and threw it. LOL! Or the fact that the Burro slipped and fell on it's butt with Eloise and her cousin Emily on him and then Eloise didn't want back on him again. Or when the Burro was being put back into the field and our Nephew Taylor screamed because he didn't want to leave his new friend. LOL! Or my personal favorite, when Sarah didn't wear good shoes or a good coat out to the farm and after about 10 minutes proclaimed that maybe she should have worn something more warm, hehehehe! It was just an awesome way to spend time with each other. :o)Enjoy the pics!