School's Out Scream and Shout

It has already started. This morning the smell of sunscreen was in the air and the endless chatter of Disney channel shows echoed through the house. Bikes were being washed, tires were being inflated, and the day was being planned.  All of this was done by 8:20 and they still had 4 more hours of school to attend before calling it quits for 2 months.  It's a bitter sweet day for me.  No more sack lunches to prepare, no more planners to sign, class websites can be un-bookmarked off of our computer, no more alarm clocks, no more book reports or Chinese flashcards and no more harassing about daily homework.  At the end of all that comes questioning that chores are done, endless bickering, constant messes, constant choas, incessant pleas to go to the pool, "I'm hungry", "none of my friends are home" and let's not forget those dreaded words "I'm bored" (like nails on a chalk board I tell ya).  But despite all this, my goal is to enjoy it.  I watched several kids from our neighborhood graduate this week. These are kids that when we moved into this neighborhood were the same age as my Asher right now. Now they are graduating and preparing to leave home for college and missions.  That time went so fast, and my kids will grow and be leaving just as fast.  So this summer I want to hug them a little tighter and enjoy their noise a little more because it will all end a little (a lot) too soon. And this post is for me to read when the days are a little too long and little too tiring. I love my kids!!

helper

I miss my blog.  I really do. It is such a great way to document our family.  I refer back to it so often.  I hate making goals, I fail way too often.  But I want to do better. Do I dare make a goal to do better on my blog? My stomach twirls just thinking of saying it out loud (or publicly documenting it). But here goes nothing......my goal is to blog more than I did last year. oh wait......I only blogged 8 posts last year? Well this goal shouldn't be too hard then :)

I had to make cookies for our Great To Be Eight program in primary tomorrow and Ainsley wanted so desperately to help.  I am horrible and I cringe a little when my kids want to help in the kitchen (or in the laundry room, or with crafting, or with washing the car) I wish with my whole heart that I savored those moments with my kids to teach them these necessary skills, but it just takes sooo much longer and creates such a huge mess. I was ready to tell her to go watch a show when I realized how much TV (is it considered TV if it's on the iPad?) Ainsley had been consuming this last week (massive amounts) I relented and accepted her help.  It went okay, it was a mess and it took so much longer than it should have, but now, at 11:00 at night, and looking back at the experience, it was fun!  She rolled the dough in the powder sugar for me (we made these delicious and easy cookies) and even though she was doing less rolling and more squishing I pushed aside my annoyance and let her go at it.  She did about 6 cookies and then was distracted by the batter bowl.  I let eat to her eat up while I quickly finished the rest of the cookies.  

"no more pictures, until I put more lipstick on"

note to self: Make a goal of letting your kids help in the kitchen more.Time flies way to fast and I will miss it someday, I know I will!

wednesday #3

This was hard to post, there is a good excuse though. Let's just say Aunt Irma and the communists are in town (have you seen the show "IT crowd"?, you won't get the joke if you haven't, ask me about it) and there is always weight gain when they are in town.

I bowled......

a 138!! That is pretty good for me, I am lucky to break 100.

Pictures are taken at the Ladies neighborhood bowling league, which I am not a member of, but was filling in for a friend.

Can you tell I am trying to catch back up with my photography, a picture a day is my goal. I slacked off when I was pregnant and I feel that my limited skills are disappearing.

Also on my weight loss, today was a little harder. My neighbor brought me some yummy birthday cake over last night, I had three bites and had to throw the rest of it away (face down, so I wouldn't be tempted-hahaha) with me, once I start it is hard to stop. I also had a cookie and a handful of plain m&m's (see I started, and now I can't stop) tomorrow will be better, maybe I will even make it to the gym.

Wednesdays! #2

22.4 to go

curious?

wednesdays!

Okay, it has taken me ALL day to get the guts to do this. I thought of it yesterday, and I keep arguing back and forth if I want to do it. Hopefully knowing that I am putting my successes and failures on the web will give me enough motivation to stick to my goal.

Here is the plan. Every Wednesday I am going to post my weight loss (or gain). Just so you know I want to loose 25 lbs. (that is a lot, I blame it on my first baby). I am not putting my starting or ending weight (I am not that brave) just -1 or +1 that type of thing. This isn't too bad there isn't that many people that read my blog right?? Okay so here I go....................Be sure to check back in next Wednesday, maybe even let me know you are there so I know that I am accountable to someone.

I did It!

On Thanksgiving I finally ran my first 5k. I have wanted to do this for awhile, but have always chickened out. It was a blast, and thanks to my friend Rebecca, I ran the entire way. It was slow, I finished in 34.16 minutes, but i did it and I am proud of myself. whoo hoo, go me!