Butterfly to Ladybug: "You have to be nice to me or you can't be my sister! You have to be a brother!"
?!
Thursday, May 31, 2012
girly girls
Butterfly has taken to changing her clothes multiple times a day and always insists on the fluffy skirts, glitter, sparkles and general pink prissiness whenever possible.
Ladybug, who I generally think of as more of a soccer playing/jeans and tshirt/hands in the mud kind of tomboy has been showing her own girly streak lately. Over the last two or three weeks, her and I have been having some great one-on-one time and she's been more affection, giving me lots of hugs and surprisingly gentle sweet little kisses. But the real girliness came out yesterday when I retrieved a toy they haven't played with in awhile, their make up kit. Originally given to Butterfly by her auntie, this kit is amazing. The "mini-play makeup" kit comes with its own bag and a full assortment of brushes but the best part--no makeup. Everything is pretend. The eye shadow and blush compacts are colored sponges so they can play all day without my neurotic panicking about staining the carpet or them having a reaction to a product. So the two girls take turns doing each other's make up or delicately applying mine with a tender and sweet touch. Especially Ladybug likes to gently tap the blush brush onto my cheeks and then carefully smooth the eyeshadow brush across my "eyebrys". She's adorable.
And Angelbaby is a shameless flirt. She flirts with her daddy, her grandpas, her uncles and most especially little boys. Her face lights up with a beaming smile, her happy cheeks puffed up into proud circles, her eyes twinkling with adorable mischief and then she coyly looks away. She loves church because she gives her flirty smile and flashes her pretty eyes at all the other baby boys and then they coo and giggle at each other.
She's also taken to doing the most adorable wave. Her eyes will focus on me and I can see the recognition come with a huge smile. Then she lifts her hand up and out with her palm down and flutters it open and closed, beckoning me to come. How can I resist?
And as for me, on the other hand, I tried out a new class at the gym: boxing. I think I'm in love! What a great work out, I loved the focus, the adrenaline, the power. The instructor was surprised it was my first time and suggested I'm a natural. I reassured her I grew up with a truckload of brothers. :) unfortunately, the class will not be taught again until the fall schedule! :(
Ladybug, who I generally think of as more of a soccer playing/jeans and tshirt/hands in the mud kind of tomboy has been showing her own girly streak lately. Over the last two or three weeks, her and I have been having some great one-on-one time and she's been more affection, giving me lots of hugs and surprisingly gentle sweet little kisses. But the real girliness came out yesterday when I retrieved a toy they haven't played with in awhile, their make up kit. Originally given to Butterfly by her auntie, this kit is amazing. The "mini-play makeup" kit comes with its own bag and a full assortment of brushes but the best part--no makeup. Everything is pretend. The eye shadow and blush compacts are colored sponges so they can play all day without my neurotic panicking about staining the carpet or them having a reaction to a product. So the two girls take turns doing each other's make up or delicately applying mine with a tender and sweet touch. Especially Ladybug likes to gently tap the blush brush onto my cheeks and then carefully smooth the eyeshadow brush across my "eyebrys". She's adorable.
And Angelbaby is a shameless flirt. She flirts with her daddy, her grandpas, her uncles and most especially little boys. Her face lights up with a beaming smile, her happy cheeks puffed up into proud circles, her eyes twinkling with adorable mischief and then she coyly looks away. She loves church because she gives her flirty smile and flashes her pretty eyes at all the other baby boys and then they coo and giggle at each other.
She's also taken to doing the most adorable wave. Her eyes will focus on me and I can see the recognition come with a huge smile. Then she lifts her hand up and out with her palm down and flutters it open and closed, beckoning me to come. How can I resist?
And as for me, on the other hand, I tried out a new class at the gym: boxing. I think I'm in love! What a great work out, I loved the focus, the adrenaline, the power. The instructor was surprised it was my first time and suggested I'm a natural. I reassured her I grew up with a truckload of brothers. :) unfortunately, the class will not be taught again until the fall schedule! :(
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
cranky
and now for some rambling thoughts...
During Sunday's Relief Society lesson the discussion turned to the increasing disrespect of the younger generations, a topic I regularly resent because a) I belong to one of those "younger generations", b) I'm raising one of those younger generations and c) it's so whiny and unproductive. But some good thoughts came out of it and it moved me further on a recent train of thought. The women commented how so much of the increasing disrespect is related to a breakdown of the family. I've never considered my family to be breaking down but it did get me thinking...
Our girls are pushing the boundaries lately of being rude and I'm trying to figure out why. I think it's a combination of their age, the influence of friends and changes in their schedule. But I also thought about how much Daddy has been gone the last few months, never for very long but there were a lot of nights Daddy had to study or has been away on trips. I think they feel his absence and it shows up in their attitude. But more than him actually being gone is perhaps because of me. At the end of the day, I am worn out. Especially if Daddy is gone, there are some days when I don't get even a few minutes break from my kids. And I love them, being at home with them is exactly what I wanted! But on some days, by the end of the day, I'm worn out and more cranky than I should be. I'm not as patient and loving, I just want them to go to bed. If I'm not careful and intentionally work at resetting myself, I get short with them, which just fuels the cycle of crankiness and rudeness.
I also know myself well enough to know that I will be cranky if I don't get enough sleep (lately, AngelBaby is waking up in the middle of the night again, I suspect teething?), if I need to eat (sometimes it sneaks up on me, like when meals are late because we're meeting up with someone else or something unexpected takes precedent) and if I don't make it to the gym that day (I think it's partially because I crave the anxiety release I get from physical activity but also because I get that brief break from my kids and get to do something I enjoy/be with other adults while I know that they are being taken care of).
on a related thought: I'm trying hard to better understand my kids. Especially because we seem to be at odds more and more often lately. With Ladybug, I'm struggling. I'm still searching for the best way to communicate with her and discipline her and am hoping that it gets better with age and as she is more able to reason through a problem. With Butterfly, things are getting better and better. It's a balance because I do see some negative influence from friends or other kids but she is always my sweet at heart, gentle and emotion, eager to please little girl. But one realization that has really helped (as obvious at it may seem) is that we've figured out that many of the times she gets in trouble is because we need to communicate better. I get mad at her for not minding me but she thought she was trying to help. For example, she is giving the baby toys and I asked her to leave AngelBaby alone since she's being too rough or overstimulating her. But she keeps at it because she really does want to help. So her and I are talking through it more and trying to figure it out.
During Sunday's Relief Society lesson the discussion turned to the increasing disrespect of the younger generations, a topic I regularly resent because a) I belong to one of those "younger generations", b) I'm raising one of those younger generations and c) it's so whiny and unproductive. But some good thoughts came out of it and it moved me further on a recent train of thought. The women commented how so much of the increasing disrespect is related to a breakdown of the family. I've never considered my family to be breaking down but it did get me thinking...
Our girls are pushing the boundaries lately of being rude and I'm trying to figure out why. I think it's a combination of their age, the influence of friends and changes in their schedule. But I also thought about how much Daddy has been gone the last few months, never for very long but there were a lot of nights Daddy had to study or has been away on trips. I think they feel his absence and it shows up in their attitude. But more than him actually being gone is perhaps because of me. At the end of the day, I am worn out. Especially if Daddy is gone, there are some days when I don't get even a few minutes break from my kids. And I love them, being at home with them is exactly what I wanted! But on some days, by the end of the day, I'm worn out and more cranky than I should be. I'm not as patient and loving, I just want them to go to bed. If I'm not careful and intentionally work at resetting myself, I get short with them, which just fuels the cycle of crankiness and rudeness.
I also know myself well enough to know that I will be cranky if I don't get enough sleep (lately, AngelBaby is waking up in the middle of the night again, I suspect teething?), if I need to eat (sometimes it sneaks up on me, like when meals are late because we're meeting up with someone else or something unexpected takes precedent) and if I don't make it to the gym that day (I think it's partially because I crave the anxiety release I get from physical activity but also because I get that brief break from my kids and get to do something I enjoy/be with other adults while I know that they are being taken care of).
on a related thought: I'm trying hard to better understand my kids. Especially because we seem to be at odds more and more often lately. With Ladybug, I'm struggling. I'm still searching for the best way to communicate with her and discipline her and am hoping that it gets better with age and as she is more able to reason through a problem. With Butterfly, things are getting better and better. It's a balance because I do see some negative influence from friends or other kids but she is always my sweet at heart, gentle and emotion, eager to please little girl. But one realization that has really helped (as obvious at it may seem) is that we've figured out that many of the times she gets in trouble is because we need to communicate better. I get mad at her for not minding me but she thought she was trying to help. For example, she is giving the baby toys and I asked her to leave AngelBaby alone since she's being too rough or overstimulating her. But she keeps at it because she really does want to help. So her and I are talking through it more and trying to figure it out.
last week...
time for another week in a nutshell...
Daddy was gone the whole week so we tried to fill it up best we could but allergies/possible cold are getting the best of me so it was not our best week.
most exciting was Butterfly's end of school festivities.
less exciting activities include the gym and working in the yard (I planted lupines, so pretty! I needed something besides my trees and bulbs now that I've pulled out all the plants I don't like. except the stubborn raspberries that I've tried to kill several times now. They are apparently indestructible and yet, don't produce berries so they're useless.)
also fun: Bunko! I love my bunko group and it's always such a blast.
yep, that pretty much sums up the whole week. onto the weekend!
Daddy made it home late late Friday night so we had some very happy girls when they woke up and got to cuddle their daddy. It was a wonderfully long and lazy day of cuddling, playing, baking, honey-dos and helping Daddy in the garage. We got to visit some old friends with their adorable two week old baby and had a fun family movie night. On Sunday we took a long drive after church, winding up into the mountains where the girls were ecstatic to discover lingering piles of snow.
Monday was a fantastic day. It started with not near enough sleep and misbehaving children (which always means cranky mom). Fortunately the girls eventually got over it in time for our Memorial Day adventures. We joined grandma and grandpa for a brief trip to the cemetery (along with half the valley--the usually quiet, somber rows of headstones were full of family and color, it was a great sight to see). The girls ran around discovering the headstones and decorations, especially drawn to balloons or pinwheels.
Then we had a picnic lunch at the state park and the girls got to try their hand at fishing. The fish weren't very cooperative but the girls loved it. They bounced around, jumping and climbing and stealing tastes of grandpa's bait (fortunately just bread and cheese). They of course whipped off their shoes and socks and pranced into the water, we only had one brief mishap when a fully clothed Ladybug slipped and fell, getting more wet than she planned. AngelBaby happily played with her grandma and auntie, nibbled on all the great fruit we offered her and flashed her bright smile at everyone and everything she saw.
In the evening we went to an 80s themed surprise birthday party for a close friend. The girls had a blast. The party was held at an incredible home with a built in theater, complete with ticket taking booth, movie posters, small stage and twinkling lights in the ceiling. The huge backyard boasted a swing set and outdoor bbq area. We feasted at the bbq and donut bar, rocked out to 80s music, swapped stories of the birthday boy and participated in a trivia game (how well do you know the birthday boy) and much to our surprise, with a few lucky guesses we won!
Daddy was gone the whole week so we tried to fill it up best we could but allergies/possible cold are getting the best of me so it was not our best week.
most exciting was Butterfly's end of school festivities.
less exciting activities include the gym and working in the yard (I planted lupines, so pretty! I needed something besides my trees and bulbs now that I've pulled out all the plants I don't like. except the stubborn raspberries that I've tried to kill several times now. They are apparently indestructible and yet, don't produce berries so they're useless.)
also fun: Bunko! I love my bunko group and it's always such a blast.
yep, that pretty much sums up the whole week. onto the weekend!
Daddy made it home late late Friday night so we had some very happy girls when they woke up and got to cuddle their daddy. It was a wonderfully long and lazy day of cuddling, playing, baking, honey-dos and helping Daddy in the garage. We got to visit some old friends with their adorable two week old baby and had a fun family movie night. On Sunday we took a long drive after church, winding up into the mountains where the girls were ecstatic to discover lingering piles of snow.
Monday was a fantastic day. It started with not near enough sleep and misbehaving children (which always means cranky mom). Fortunately the girls eventually got over it in time for our Memorial Day adventures. We joined grandma and grandpa for a brief trip to the cemetery (along with half the valley--the usually quiet, somber rows of headstones were full of family and color, it was a great sight to see). The girls ran around discovering the headstones and decorations, especially drawn to balloons or pinwheels.
Then we had a picnic lunch at the state park and the girls got to try their hand at fishing. The fish weren't very cooperative but the girls loved it. They bounced around, jumping and climbing and stealing tastes of grandpa's bait (fortunately just bread and cheese). They of course whipped off their shoes and socks and pranced into the water, we only had one brief mishap when a fully clothed Ladybug slipped and fell, getting more wet than she planned. AngelBaby happily played with her grandma and auntie, nibbled on all the great fruit we offered her and flashed her bright smile at everyone and everything she saw.
In the evening we went to an 80s themed surprise birthday party for a close friend. The girls had a blast. The party was held at an incredible home with a built in theater, complete with ticket taking booth, movie posters, small stage and twinkling lights in the ceiling. The huge backyard boasted a swing set and outdoor bbq area. We feasted at the bbq and donut bar, rocked out to 80s music, swapped stories of the birthday boy and participated in a trivia game (how well do you know the birthday boy) and much to our surprise, with a few lucky guesses we won!
Friday, May 25, 2012
end of school
today was Butterfly's first last day of school.
On Monday, she went to her last gymnastics class. I really wish I could have stayed to watch and see how much she has progressed but with a two year old monster and a 8 month old baby in tow, we would have been too noisy/distracting and probably too distracted to pay attention. (more argument for spacing your kids.) But when I arrived to pick her up, she raced to meet me and proudly showed me her trophy. I suspect they are leftovers from a competition that she wasn't able to go to (I figured I'd wait until she was old enough to enjoy it more, plus we were already double booked). But she is so proud of her cute little trophy and carries it around beaming with pride and has to show it to every person who walks in the door.
On Wednesday, we went to her preschool for the Spring Sing. The invitation had said they would sing a song or two but it was so much more and so adorable. I wish I had known it would be a whole hour program because I definitely would have gotten a babysitter for the cranky 2 year old and tired baby and would have taken a video camera so daddy could see it too. They talked about each month, highlighting an activity and preforming a song. She was bouncy and crazy, definitely not at her best for paying attention and following directions but she loved singing and preforming the songs. Her amazing teacher also did a spotlight on each student and talked about how friendly and happy our little girl is and how she loves to be the special leader. She gets so excited and loves to pass out materials and be the teacher's assistant. Then we had snack time and she eagerly invited her sister to come sit with her and share their treats.
And then today was her official last day. I wanted to do something to make it special but quickly realized that she doesn't really understand. When I said it was the last day of school she seemed to accept that but later continued talking about seeing her classmates next week or more things she would do at school. (I'm sure this will change in future years). When I picked her up from school, her teacher gave her a book that she had made for each student with assignments, pictures of activities and all sorts of wonderful treasures from her first year. What an incredible thing to do for each student!
On Monday, she went to her last gymnastics class. I really wish I could have stayed to watch and see how much she has progressed but with a two year old monster and a 8 month old baby in tow, we would have been too noisy/distracting and probably too distracted to pay attention. (more argument for spacing your kids.) But when I arrived to pick her up, she raced to meet me and proudly showed me her trophy. I suspect they are leftovers from a competition that she wasn't able to go to (I figured I'd wait until she was old enough to enjoy it more, plus we were already double booked). But she is so proud of her cute little trophy and carries it around beaming with pride and has to show it to every person who walks in the door.
On Wednesday, we went to her preschool for the Spring Sing. The invitation had said they would sing a song or two but it was so much more and so adorable. I wish I had known it would be a whole hour program because I definitely would have gotten a babysitter for the cranky 2 year old and tired baby and would have taken a video camera so daddy could see it too. They talked about each month, highlighting an activity and preforming a song. She was bouncy and crazy, definitely not at her best for paying attention and following directions but she loved singing and preforming the songs. Her amazing teacher also did a spotlight on each student and talked about how friendly and happy our little girl is and how she loves to be the special leader. She gets so excited and loves to pass out materials and be the teacher's assistant. Then we had snack time and she eagerly invited her sister to come sit with her and share their treats.
And then today was her official last day. I wanted to do something to make it special but quickly realized that she doesn't really understand. When I said it was the last day of school she seemed to accept that but later continued talking about seeing her classmates next week or more things she would do at school. (I'm sure this will change in future years). When I picked her up from school, her teacher gave her a book that she had made for each student with assignments, pictures of activities and all sorts of wonderful treasures from her first year. What an incredible thing to do for each student!
Monday, May 21, 2012
last week...
daddy was gone most of the week :( and the rest of it is kind of a blur. but it was the usual chaos and adventures including...
more time at the gym.
check up with the foot doc. unfortunately I had all three kids in tow. unsurprisingly, the baby was the most well behaved. the other two insisted on taking off their own shoes and having our very patient doc examine their little scrapes and bruises too. (for my own medical update, I'm pretty much as good as it's gonna get. the nerve damage was unfortunate but mostly recovered. I still feel some weakness but I'm miles better than where I've been. and I can wear cute shoes now.)
lots of playtime at home. I love love love the warm weather and we've been playing outside a lot lately. our back patio usually looks like a curious crime scene with all the chalk outlines of sprawling bodies interspersed with flowers and rainbows.
AngelBaby's new favorite sound is a combination kiss and raspberry. (make me melt cute!)
Ladybug's favorite movie lately has been Mulan. and since I bought and installed a child lock for the entertainment center that I can't open, we've watched it A LOT. (I finally unscrewed the door handles in order to remove the child lock.) Now I catch Ladybug wandering around with that forlorn angst singing "reflections". oh, and fighting bad guys.
we found another tv show that the girls love called "bo on the go". it's not as learning oriented but it's very activity oriented. the girls will run, jump, stretch, etc. with the character and I'm finding it to be a great way to help burn off their crazy abundant energy.
spent time working in the yard (I'm trying to convince myself that I like gardening. It hasn't worked yet but my yard is slowly looking better, less wild and overgrown.)
spent a few nights at my parents' house to hang out with my kid sister before she moves to Florida to work for the giant mouse again. But since this time the move has no return ticket, we threw her a surprise going away party/shower. The girls helped pick out some things for her new kitchen and we had a backyard bbq with her favorite foods (hot dogs, chicken nuggets and sushi). It was fun to meet her friends, especially her new roommate, and the girls loved playing with their cousins.
We got to spend most of Sunday with daddy (hurray!). Between finishing his dissertation and work commitments (including spring conference season), the girls have been missing him a lot lately. So we invited grandma and grandpa on a picnic and drove up into the mountains. Daddy grilled Italian sausages, we watched the eclipse, briefly waded in the water and mostly just relaxed in the shade of the beautiful forest while the girls ran around playing with sticks and jumping on tree stumps. AngelBaby giggled and grinned and cuddled. Our picnic turned out pretty fantastic, especially dessert (brownies+marshmallows+chocolate chips+graham crackers+bananas, wrapped in foil and grilled, sort of a s'mores/banana foster).
and now onto another busy week...
more time at the gym.
check up with the foot doc. unfortunately I had all three kids in tow. unsurprisingly, the baby was the most well behaved. the other two insisted on taking off their own shoes and having our very patient doc examine their little scrapes and bruises too. (for my own medical update, I'm pretty much as good as it's gonna get. the nerve damage was unfortunate but mostly recovered. I still feel some weakness but I'm miles better than where I've been. and I can wear cute shoes now.)
lots of playtime at home. I love love love the warm weather and we've been playing outside a lot lately. our back patio usually looks like a curious crime scene with all the chalk outlines of sprawling bodies interspersed with flowers and rainbows.
AngelBaby's new favorite sound is a combination kiss and raspberry. (make me melt cute!)
Ladybug's favorite movie lately has been Mulan. and since I bought and installed a child lock for the entertainment center that I can't open, we've watched it A LOT. (I finally unscrewed the door handles in order to remove the child lock.) Now I catch Ladybug wandering around with that forlorn angst singing "reflections". oh, and fighting bad guys.
we found another tv show that the girls love called "bo on the go". it's not as learning oriented but it's very activity oriented. the girls will run, jump, stretch, etc. with the character and I'm finding it to be a great way to help burn off their crazy abundant energy.
spent time working in the yard (I'm trying to convince myself that I like gardening. It hasn't worked yet but my yard is slowly looking better, less wild and overgrown.)
spent a few nights at my parents' house to hang out with my kid sister before she moves to Florida to work for the giant mouse again. But since this time the move has no return ticket, we threw her a surprise going away party/shower. The girls helped pick out some things for her new kitchen and we had a backyard bbq with her favorite foods (hot dogs, chicken nuggets and sushi). It was fun to meet her friends, especially her new roommate, and the girls loved playing with their cousins.
We got to spend most of Sunday with daddy (hurray!). Between finishing his dissertation and work commitments (including spring conference season), the girls have been missing him a lot lately. So we invited grandma and grandpa on a picnic and drove up into the mountains. Daddy grilled Italian sausages, we watched the eclipse, briefly waded in the water and mostly just relaxed in the shade of the beautiful forest while the girls ran around playing with sticks and jumping on tree stumps. AngelBaby giggled and grinned and cuddled. Our picnic turned out pretty fantastic, especially dessert (brownies+marshmallows+chocolate chips+graham crackers+bananas, wrapped in foil and grilled, sort of a s'mores/banana foster).
and now onto another busy week...
fitness
Over the last few years, the numbers on the scale were creeping up. Especially with the arrival of three beautiful girls in a short amount of time. After baby three I checked in for my postpartum, acknowledged my weight and moved on. Three months later I weighed in again and realized I was gaining. The numbers are going the wrong way! So this is where i got motivated.
I'm realistic. I know what I look like. I accept my age, the fact that I've had kids, that I have an over-active and insatiable sweet tooth, etc. It's not that bad. But it's not what I want. and I also know that if I work on it now, I can prevent it from getting worse. So I began working out, researching and developing better eating habits.
I'm now down 25 pounds (which is 8% for me) in about 4 months. It's not earth shattering but it makes me happy. I feel fantastic and motivated. It's going to keep getting better. My goal "weight" is 10 pounds away. But I use the quotes because it's not about the numbers on the scale, it's how my clothes fit. So the pounds give me a way to track it and see progress but the real goal is to have smooth lines in my size 8 jeans.
So this soon to be excessively long post is about what works for me. and I didn't intend to post any of it except that I've been asked about it. I'm not an expert and the more I learn, the more I know every one is different and the rules change depending on age, abilities, body type, time, etc. I don't want to be one of those people that try something for a month and then write a book about it, assuming they know everything. But here's some things I've learned...
1. There's no great secret. And any program, book, website, etc. that tries to sell you "the secret doctors don't what you to know", is just trying to get money. Weight loss is the simple math of balancing calories. A calorie is a measurement of energy. So it's an amount of energy taken into our bodies through food and out of our bodies through exercise. To lose weight, the output must be greater than the input.
2. calorie counting and food journal. I met with a trainer and using their fancy program, determined that for my age and height (and that I'm a nursing mother) a goal caloric intake should be 1750-1900 per day. That means I can eat 1800 calories of junk and still lose weight but I won't be healthy or satisfied. If I go under that goal range, I risk pushing my metabolism into a starvation zone and it will latch onto all the calories it can get, rather than burning them properly. So skipping meals or eating less than you should does a lot more damage than good. I need to eat 1800 ish healthy calories a day to meet my weight loss goal of 2 pounds a week (the trainer I spoke with stressed that's my limit for healthy weight loss. Slower than that and I may get discouraged but faster than that and I'm more likely to gain it back. Remember, slow and steady wins the race.) I started a food journal to help me track it and learned to pay attention to the number of calories in the foods I eat. Plus, if I'm forcing myself to write it down (I use an app for my smartphone called "calories counter"), it makes me think twice about if I really want to eat it enough to write it down. Or at the end of the day, if I've got more calories available to eat, then I don't feel guilty having a snack. If I'm at my limit and still hungry, then I know I need to be more careful in choosing foods that will keep me satisfied.
3. when to eat. The idea of small meals more frequently is true. At night we are going several hours without eating and our metabolism shifts into a "starvation mode". To end this, eat within an hour of waking up. And then space smaller meals throughout the day every 3-4 hours. For me, this looks more like breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, evening snack.
4. what to eat part 1. portion control. I'm definitely guilty of over eating--I like food and I'm a fast eater. I've tried to limit my portions by being aware of the calorie count, eating more slowly (taking a drink of water after every two bites--for some people this will upset their stomach but it's something that works for me) or being more aware of portion sizes. For example, instead of my plate being half pasta, a quarter chicken and a quarter vegetables, switch it around so I have the biggest helping of vegetables. or try to make more than one vegetable. This is especially important to boost fiber intake (the average intake is 10 grams/day. the recommended intake is 25 grams/day. If you have digestion issues, this may be your culprit.) Snacking is good but that's especially when I struggle with portions. It was recommended to me that I never eat from the bag/box. Put appropriate portion sizes into zip lock bags and put the rest away! Don't eat absent mindedly which means forgetting to enjoy it or eating more than you should. So I only eat sitting in the kitchen (not walking around the house/on the phone/on my computer/etc. I need to work on not snacking while i drive and chew gum instead.). I also try to always drink a full glass of water before having a snack.
5. what to eat part 2. I've increased my veggies and reduced (not eliminated) my starch carbs. here's are some of my favorite superfoods:
a. oatmeal (carbs is what gives you long lasting energy, especially important if exercising. So this has become my favorite breakfast.)
b. whole grain goldfish crackers (it's human nature to snack! so have good snacks around. the reason whole grain is always better for you is because it will last longer in your body, so you feel satisfied and because it's less processed, it's cleaner eating)
c. string cheese (also a good protein snack)
d. yogurt (I prefer carbmaster because of the bonus protein or greek)
e. salads (dark green lettuces have more nutrients and I always add grilled chicken and dried cranberries. Instead of dressings, I usually squeeze an orange over it.)
f. fruit (watermelon and cantaloupe has the fewest calories. I also like keeping a bowl of grapes in the fridge. Position your good snacks in front on the higher shelves, where you are more likely to see and reach for it.)
g. spinach smoothies (about a cup of frozen fruit, half cup milk, cup of spinach and a cup of yogurt--you can't taste the spinach! So I'm getting bonus vegetables and I love smoothies. It's not as healthy as some recipes I've read but it's something I like and feel like is a treat. I drink one almost every day.)
h. protein shakes. (my favorite is the chocolate Premier Nutrion brand from Costco. watch closely for sugar content in other brands. This is my "go-to" if I need something quick.)
i. baby food veggies. (even though my family is pretty good about eating vegetables, we can always use more. I've started mixing baby food squash or sweet potatoes into our favorite recipes for bonus nutrients. I use those two because they don't affect the favor of most recipes. I've heard cauliflower is another good veggie but I'd have to cook and puree it myself and I already have baby food in the pantry.)
j. water water and more water.
6. clean eating. I researched cleanse diets and found them to be bogus. They are based on the idea that we take toxins into our bodies (through processed foods) that our body, in order to protect itself, wraps them in fat. But if you lose weight, you have to cleanse to get rid of the toxins. This is not true. Our body comes well equipped with its own toxin-filtering system as long as we don't bog it down (the worst culprit is soda--8 oz can prevent your kidneys from functioning properly for 2 days--or so says articles I read. I don't know the science behind it but it makes sense to me.) Most cleanse diets work because they are done on a limited calorie intake, which is obviously cause weight loss. But if it's not healthy, it won't last. (For example, HCG has been phenomenally successful. Of course! It's a 400-600 calorie a day program! Most people lose a huge amount and then when they return to their normal diet/calorie intake, they put a portion of the weight right back on. My personal opinion, HCG can a good way to kickstart if you have a lot to lose but it's very risky to your metabolism and won't work on it's own.) Back to cleansing, the way to do it is eat clean and drink a ton of water. by "clean eating", I mean avoid processed foods and ingredients. which segways well into...
7. make good choices. Last week, I turned my back on my heath consciousness and indulged in my favorite desserts, candy and treats. and by "indulged", I mean went crazy. We were on vacation and then celebrating. And then this week, full of guilt and depression, I got on the scales. Guess what? I didn't gain. If my body is healthy and active, I can have occasional desserts, especially if I choose wisely. For example, instead of a crunch bar, I'd rather have a homemade cookie. Instead of a snickers, I'd rather have molten cake. "clean desserts" are made without fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated-anything, etc. If I made it in my own kitchen with good ol butter, sugar, eggs, etc. then I know it's clean and healthier than something full of ingredients I can't pronounce. All in all, I think I lucked out last week with my sugar binge (which has made me disgustingly sluggish) but it was encouraging to realize that if I'm healthy and active, I can have my favorite (well chosen) desserts.
8. fresh breath. I've got a killer sweet tooth and a serious "pop and I can't stop" problem. so one of my little tricks is to have a snack and then brush my teeth or chew gum. I have to get the taste out of my mouth and replace it with that wintery freshness or I will just keep craving the sugar or salt.
9. working out. I started going to the gym as a way to deal with my postpartum anxiety. It's slowly addicting though and is an essential part of my fitness plan now. I'm lucky because I have the time to dedicate to it and not everyone does. I prefer classes because it gives me a certain time to be there, rather than a "I can fit it in later" and because I like getting to know the trainers. I find teachers and trainers that I like because they help me stay motivated. I've found three in particular that I feel drawn to their personality, I like their teacher style and class format and I know their encouragement helps me keep going. Plus, then I feel more accountable to them. They notice when I miss a class. So I found these three teachers and I go to as many of their classes as I can. I go to a weight lifting class twice a week (building muscle for that toned, well sculpted look. plus for every pound of muscle, your body can burn an extra 100 calories in a day), pilates twice a week (love the anxiety release I get from it, plus the toning) and my real push is my cardio (that's the way to lose weight). I do to zumba and dance trance, step aerobics and spin classes. I love to dance so that's just fun. It might not be as effective as pushing out seven miles on the treadmill but I enjoy it more so it helps me stick with it. I didn't like spin at first, after my first class I was concerned I wouldn't be able to sit for two days! But it's growing on me. And I've finally come around to my arch enemy of fitness--running. I've always hated running because it's boring and hard on my joints. But I pushed myself to do it anyway on days that I can't find another cardio based class and slowly, hate melted to dislike and what's this? now I might actually...like... to run? *gasp* don't tell anyone okay?
as a side note about eating: carbs after cardio and protein after weight lifting to feed your muscles properly.
10. healthy goals. I read several articles on different body types which broke down what the types are called, the challenges of each, etc. But most important, is to have realistic, healthy goals. A girls built like Beyonce is never going to look like Taylor Swift (and be healthy). So I find trainers that look like the same body type as me and I ask them about their calorie intake and fitness regime. I thought it would be awkward but they're always happy to share (especially since that is, in fact, their job.)
So I'm not an expert. I'm always looking for new recipes, trying new classes and working to keeping myself motivated. (when I hit my goal weight, I'm buying a new swimsuit. I'm also trying to hit that goal because then I will qualify for a better rate on life insurance.) But I'm trying. I'm better than I was when I started and I feel great.
I'm realistic. I know what I look like. I accept my age, the fact that I've had kids, that I have an over-active and insatiable sweet tooth, etc. It's not that bad. But it's not what I want. and I also know that if I work on it now, I can prevent it from getting worse. So I began working out, researching and developing better eating habits.
I'm now down 25 pounds (which is 8% for me) in about 4 months. It's not earth shattering but it makes me happy. I feel fantastic and motivated. It's going to keep getting better. My goal "weight" is 10 pounds away. But I use the quotes because it's not about the numbers on the scale, it's how my clothes fit. So the pounds give me a way to track it and see progress but the real goal is to have smooth lines in my size 8 jeans.
So this soon to be excessively long post is about what works for me. and I didn't intend to post any of it except that I've been asked about it. I'm not an expert and the more I learn, the more I know every one is different and the rules change depending on age, abilities, body type, time, etc. I don't want to be one of those people that try something for a month and then write a book about it, assuming they know everything. But here's some things I've learned...
1. There's no great secret. And any program, book, website, etc. that tries to sell you "the secret doctors don't what you to know", is just trying to get money. Weight loss is the simple math of balancing calories. A calorie is a measurement of energy. So it's an amount of energy taken into our bodies through food and out of our bodies through exercise. To lose weight, the output must be greater than the input.
2. calorie counting and food journal. I met with a trainer and using their fancy program, determined that for my age and height (and that I'm a nursing mother) a goal caloric intake should be 1750-1900 per day. That means I can eat 1800 calories of junk and still lose weight but I won't be healthy or satisfied. If I go under that goal range, I risk pushing my metabolism into a starvation zone and it will latch onto all the calories it can get, rather than burning them properly. So skipping meals or eating less than you should does a lot more damage than good. I need to eat 1800 ish healthy calories a day to meet my weight loss goal of 2 pounds a week (the trainer I spoke with stressed that's my limit for healthy weight loss. Slower than that and I may get discouraged but faster than that and I'm more likely to gain it back. Remember, slow and steady wins the race.) I started a food journal to help me track it and learned to pay attention to the number of calories in the foods I eat. Plus, if I'm forcing myself to write it down (I use an app for my smartphone called "calories counter"), it makes me think twice about if I really want to eat it enough to write it down. Or at the end of the day, if I've got more calories available to eat, then I don't feel guilty having a snack. If I'm at my limit and still hungry, then I know I need to be more careful in choosing foods that will keep me satisfied.
3. when to eat. The idea of small meals more frequently is true. At night we are going several hours without eating and our metabolism shifts into a "starvation mode". To end this, eat within an hour of waking up. And then space smaller meals throughout the day every 3-4 hours. For me, this looks more like breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, evening snack.
4. what to eat part 1. portion control. I'm definitely guilty of over eating--I like food and I'm a fast eater. I've tried to limit my portions by being aware of the calorie count, eating more slowly (taking a drink of water after every two bites--for some people this will upset their stomach but it's something that works for me) or being more aware of portion sizes. For example, instead of my plate being half pasta, a quarter chicken and a quarter vegetables, switch it around so I have the biggest helping of vegetables. or try to make more than one vegetable. This is especially important to boost fiber intake (the average intake is 10 grams/day. the recommended intake is 25 grams/day. If you have digestion issues, this may be your culprit.) Snacking is good but that's especially when I struggle with portions. It was recommended to me that I never eat from the bag/box. Put appropriate portion sizes into zip lock bags and put the rest away! Don't eat absent mindedly which means forgetting to enjoy it or eating more than you should. So I only eat sitting in the kitchen (not walking around the house/on the phone/on my computer/etc. I need to work on not snacking while i drive and chew gum instead.). I also try to always drink a full glass of water before having a snack.
5. what to eat part 2. I've increased my veggies and reduced (not eliminated) my starch carbs. here's are some of my favorite superfoods:
a. oatmeal (carbs is what gives you long lasting energy, especially important if exercising. So this has become my favorite breakfast.)
b. whole grain goldfish crackers (it's human nature to snack! so have good snacks around. the reason whole grain is always better for you is because it will last longer in your body, so you feel satisfied and because it's less processed, it's cleaner eating)
c. string cheese (also a good protein snack)
d. yogurt (I prefer carbmaster because of the bonus protein or greek)
e. salads (dark green lettuces have more nutrients and I always add grilled chicken and dried cranberries. Instead of dressings, I usually squeeze an orange over it.)
f. fruit (watermelon and cantaloupe has the fewest calories. I also like keeping a bowl of grapes in the fridge. Position your good snacks in front on the higher shelves, where you are more likely to see and reach for it.)
g. spinach smoothies (about a cup of frozen fruit, half cup milk, cup of spinach and a cup of yogurt--you can't taste the spinach! So I'm getting bonus vegetables and I love smoothies. It's not as healthy as some recipes I've read but it's something I like and feel like is a treat. I drink one almost every day.)
h. protein shakes. (my favorite is the chocolate Premier Nutrion brand from Costco. watch closely for sugar content in other brands. This is my "go-to" if I need something quick.)
i. baby food veggies. (even though my family is pretty good about eating vegetables, we can always use more. I've started mixing baby food squash or sweet potatoes into our favorite recipes for bonus nutrients. I use those two because they don't affect the favor of most recipes. I've heard cauliflower is another good veggie but I'd have to cook and puree it myself and I already have baby food in the pantry.)
j. water water and more water.
6. clean eating. I researched cleanse diets and found them to be bogus. They are based on the idea that we take toxins into our bodies (through processed foods) that our body, in order to protect itself, wraps them in fat. But if you lose weight, you have to cleanse to get rid of the toxins. This is not true. Our body comes well equipped with its own toxin-filtering system as long as we don't bog it down (the worst culprit is soda--8 oz can prevent your kidneys from functioning properly for 2 days--or so says articles I read. I don't know the science behind it but it makes sense to me.) Most cleanse diets work because they are done on a limited calorie intake, which is obviously cause weight loss. But if it's not healthy, it won't last. (For example, HCG has been phenomenally successful. Of course! It's a 400-600 calorie a day program! Most people lose a huge amount and then when they return to their normal diet/calorie intake, they put a portion of the weight right back on. My personal opinion, HCG can a good way to kickstart if you have a lot to lose but it's very risky to your metabolism and won't work on it's own.) Back to cleansing, the way to do it is eat clean and drink a ton of water. by "clean eating", I mean avoid processed foods and ingredients. which segways well into...
7. make good choices. Last week, I turned my back on my heath consciousness and indulged in my favorite desserts, candy and treats. and by "indulged", I mean went crazy. We were on vacation and then celebrating. And then this week, full of guilt and depression, I got on the scales. Guess what? I didn't gain. If my body is healthy and active, I can have occasional desserts, especially if I choose wisely. For example, instead of a crunch bar, I'd rather have a homemade cookie. Instead of a snickers, I'd rather have molten cake. "clean desserts" are made without fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated-anything, etc. If I made it in my own kitchen with good ol butter, sugar, eggs, etc. then I know it's clean and healthier than something full of ingredients I can't pronounce. All in all, I think I lucked out last week with my sugar binge (which has made me disgustingly sluggish) but it was encouraging to realize that if I'm healthy and active, I can have my favorite (well chosen) desserts.
8. fresh breath. I've got a killer sweet tooth and a serious "pop and I can't stop" problem. so one of my little tricks is to have a snack and then brush my teeth or chew gum. I have to get the taste out of my mouth and replace it with that wintery freshness or I will just keep craving the sugar or salt.
9. working out. I started going to the gym as a way to deal with my postpartum anxiety. It's slowly addicting though and is an essential part of my fitness plan now. I'm lucky because I have the time to dedicate to it and not everyone does. I prefer classes because it gives me a certain time to be there, rather than a "I can fit it in later" and because I like getting to know the trainers. I find teachers and trainers that I like because they help me stay motivated. I've found three in particular that I feel drawn to their personality, I like their teacher style and class format and I know their encouragement helps me keep going. Plus, then I feel more accountable to them. They notice when I miss a class. So I found these three teachers and I go to as many of their classes as I can. I go to a weight lifting class twice a week (building muscle for that toned, well sculpted look. plus for every pound of muscle, your body can burn an extra 100 calories in a day), pilates twice a week (love the anxiety release I get from it, plus the toning) and my real push is my cardio (that's the way to lose weight). I do to zumba and dance trance, step aerobics and spin classes. I love to dance so that's just fun. It might not be as effective as pushing out seven miles on the treadmill but I enjoy it more so it helps me stick with it. I didn't like spin at first, after my first class I was concerned I wouldn't be able to sit for two days! But it's growing on me. And I've finally come around to my arch enemy of fitness--running. I've always hated running because it's boring and hard on my joints. But I pushed myself to do it anyway on days that I can't find another cardio based class and slowly, hate melted to dislike and what's this? now I might actually...like... to run? *gasp* don't tell anyone okay?
as a side note about eating: carbs after cardio and protein after weight lifting to feed your muscles properly.
10. healthy goals. I read several articles on different body types which broke down what the types are called, the challenges of each, etc. But most important, is to have realistic, healthy goals. A girls built like Beyonce is never going to look like Taylor Swift (and be healthy). So I find trainers that look like the same body type as me and I ask them about their calorie intake and fitness regime. I thought it would be awkward but they're always happy to share (especially since that is, in fact, their job.)
So I'm not an expert. I'm always looking for new recipes, trying new classes and working to keeping myself motivated. (when I hit my goal weight, I'm buying a new swimsuit. I'm also trying to hit that goal because then I will qualify for a better rate on life insurance.) But I'm trying. I'm better than I was when I started and I feel great.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
playing pretend
I have two little girls with tons of energy and wild imaginations. I absolutely love watching them play and am so excited and happy that they've reached a stage where they can actually play together, rather than just fight over toys and drive each other crazy. They especially love to play outside. So I cuddle AngelBaby, sitting in the porch swing, enjoying the sunshine, while my two crazy girls run around together.
One favorite is the way they do laps around our large yard, pretending to be Rapunzel and singing from the movie, "I could go running, and racing..." In the movie, the song continues, listing several other verbs but they don't know what they are. So they just repeat those two until they get to the last line where they stop, throwing their arms out wide and shout, "that's where my life... be...gins!!!!" My neighbors probably don't appreciate the volume, but they are so dang cute.
Another favorite, which probably causes more concern among my neighbors, in when they take turns being Abinadi. Abinadi is a prophet from the Book of Mormon who became a martyr when he refused to recant and deny God. So the girls take turns pretending to lock each other up, tying them to the pillar and setting them on fire. I'm not sure why they latched onto this story as a favorite, especially because I feel like martyrdom is a little sophisticated for their understanding. But at least they know he's the good guy and that God will "get the bad guys".
And then there's the spur-of-the-moment, evolving-as-they-think-of-it kind of pretending that we do all day long. Like tonight, when I was the beautiful mermaid being forced to sing for the dancing pirates and be in their show. Why pirates? "because we're on a boat. and you have long hair." said Butterfly. obviously.
One favorite is the way they do laps around our large yard, pretending to be Rapunzel and singing from the movie, "I could go running, and racing..." In the movie, the song continues, listing several other verbs but they don't know what they are. So they just repeat those two until they get to the last line where they stop, throwing their arms out wide and shout, "that's where my life... be...gins!!!!" My neighbors probably don't appreciate the volume, but they are so dang cute.
Another favorite, which probably causes more concern among my neighbors, in when they take turns being Abinadi. Abinadi is a prophet from the Book of Mormon who became a martyr when he refused to recant and deny God. So the girls take turns pretending to lock each other up, tying them to the pillar and setting them on fire. I'm not sure why they latched onto this story as a favorite, especially because I feel like martyrdom is a little sophisticated for their understanding. But at least they know he's the good guy and that God will "get the bad guys".
And then there's the spur-of-the-moment, evolving-as-they-think-of-it kind of pretending that we do all day long. Like tonight, when I was the beautiful mermaid being forced to sing for the dancing pirates and be in their show. Why pirates? "because we're on a boat. and you have long hair." said Butterfly. obviously.
Mother's Day
I heard another quote recently that I thought was a beautiful sediment (and so appropriate for Mother's Day, especially for me), "when a man that treats his wife like a princess, its proof that he was raised in the arms of a queen".
and another new favorite, "grandmas are like moms with frosting."
what a great day. and I am so blessed to have such an incredible family! I've got the most amazing husband and wonderful (although regularly monstrous) children. And to make life just so much sweeter, I've got an incredible mother and mother in law. I could write endless praises of each of them, despite lacking the writer's touch that could fully capture how wonderful these women are and how much they mean to me. My mom is truly one of my very best friends and I have an incredible relationship with her. And my mother in law is an amazing women and I feel so blessed to have such a great relationship with her too. I can't imagine life without either of them and I depend on them so much. Especially since having kids (and particularly in the last year) I think about how often I call for advice, friendship, support. How often I ask them to watch my kids or get to share a playdate with them. It's so much that I could never thank them enough and often wonderful how I can be regularly more appreciative of all that they do. I am SO blessed to have such amazing ladies in my life.
Today was a good day. The baby slept great last night, the kids were sweet and cuddly this morning. My parents had spent the night and we had invited my husband's parents over for breakfast as a joint family celebration of Mother's Day. Unfortunately, breakfast ended up being much later than planned so the girls got rather cranky as the morning went on and eagerly went down for naps. But despite that, we had a great time. Husband and his sister took charge in the kitchen, making a fantastic breakfast of eggs benedict and fruit. Then we had our church meetings where the theme was honoring motherhood (complete with a chocolate-and-caramel-covered-pretzel treat). The Primary sang a musical number during sacrament meeting and Butterfly got to participate (for the first time!). She happily bounced up the aisle to join the rest of the children and then fumbled into her spot. She didn't sing much of the song and actually looked a little confused but was happy to be performing with the rest of the kids and eventually caught on to the singing. She scurried back to me with an eager, make-me-melt hug that makes me want to capture and savor the moment forever. Maybe if I squeeze her tight enough, I'll never forget just how amazing it is in that moment of sweet perfection. AngelBaby was sweet and charming, cooing and giggling up a storm in our last class and after church, Butterfly presented me with an adorable paper flower that she made in Primary. Husband left church for the airport so we didn't get to spend the evening with him but my parents stayed to play. My dad made dinner, treating us to crab pots and we stuffed ourselves on the delectable food. (my favorite is the crab, the girls' favorite is the shrimp.) Then we played through the evening, running around in the backyard, playing with toys and watching movies until I reluctantly put my beautiful girls to bed.
and another new favorite, "grandmas are like moms with frosting."
what a great day. and I am so blessed to have such an incredible family! I've got the most amazing husband and wonderful (although regularly monstrous) children. And to make life just so much sweeter, I've got an incredible mother and mother in law. I could write endless praises of each of them, despite lacking the writer's touch that could fully capture how wonderful these women are and how much they mean to me. My mom is truly one of my very best friends and I have an incredible relationship with her. And my mother in law is an amazing women and I feel so blessed to have such a great relationship with her too. I can't imagine life without either of them and I depend on them so much. Especially since having kids (and particularly in the last year) I think about how often I call for advice, friendship, support. How often I ask them to watch my kids or get to share a playdate with them. It's so much that I could never thank them enough and often wonderful how I can be regularly more appreciative of all that they do. I am SO blessed to have such amazing ladies in my life.
Today was a good day. The baby slept great last night, the kids were sweet and cuddly this morning. My parents had spent the night and we had invited my husband's parents over for breakfast as a joint family celebration of Mother's Day. Unfortunately, breakfast ended up being much later than planned so the girls got rather cranky as the morning went on and eagerly went down for naps. But despite that, we had a great time. Husband and his sister took charge in the kitchen, making a fantastic breakfast of eggs benedict and fruit. Then we had our church meetings where the theme was honoring motherhood (complete with a chocolate-and-caramel-covered-pretzel treat). The Primary sang a musical number during sacrament meeting and Butterfly got to participate (for the first time!). She happily bounced up the aisle to join the rest of the children and then fumbled into her spot. She didn't sing much of the song and actually looked a little confused but was happy to be performing with the rest of the kids and eventually caught on to the singing. She scurried back to me with an eager, make-me-melt hug that makes me want to capture and savor the moment forever. Maybe if I squeeze her tight enough, I'll never forget just how amazing it is in that moment of sweet perfection. AngelBaby was sweet and charming, cooing and giggling up a storm in our last class and after church, Butterfly presented me with an adorable paper flower that she made in Primary. Husband left church for the airport so we didn't get to spend the evening with him but my parents stayed to play. My dad made dinner, treating us to crab pots and we stuffed ourselves on the delectable food. (my favorite is the crab, the girls' favorite is the shrimp.) Then we played through the evening, running around in the backyard, playing with toys and watching movies until I reluctantly put my beautiful girls to bed.
Happy 30th
to my amazing, extraordinary, talented, brilliant, secretly-superman, gorgeous husband. We celebrated.
part one was operation birthday bench. Around Christmas I came up with the idea for his birthday present and began planning. I had to sleuth out details of how he wanted it, embezzle from my own budget to fund it, sneakily arrange for bids on the project and finally, coordinate the work to be done while we were wandering around in Zions for a few days. So that upon our return, his birthday present was waiting for him. It was a garage workbench, complete with cabinets, extra electrical outlets, a sink and a 15 feet of counter space. I had the help of some very talented men, including a close friend who installed the cabinets and made the counter and my dad who played electrician. It turned out pretty awesome and I definitely surprised him. There was a little bit of initial hesitation but the more he gets to explore it and get his tools and such into the now organized space, I think he likes it and he's pretty excited about it.
part two, commence celebrating. His birthday was Friday so we kicked off with chocolate chip waffles, smothered with strawberry sauce and whip cream. (My "strawberry sauce" is from when I made freezer jam last week but I intentionally make some of it into a sauce for pancakes, desserts, drinks, etc.) Then we surprised him at work with a lunch party. He works with his parents and the company is still rather small and intimate, all of which we regard as close friends. So his mom generously arranged most of it and I just showed up with a herd of overly excited girls and dessert (reese's peanut butter cup cake and ice cream). The office entry was decorated with an enormous "30", spelled out with thirty bags of chips and we feasted on deli sandwiches and desserts. Knowing his serious popcorn addiction, his parents gave him a counter top size, theater style popcorn machine (which we quickly put to use) and had taken the girls shopping to pick out a bag full of odds and ends for his new workbench.
Then the celebrating had to be put on hold since he left right after work to attend our ward's Father/Son Campout. But he returned early Saturday afternoon to help me with some "honey-dos", reorganizing the garage and setting up for the evening festivities. We invited friends and family to join us for a backyard BBQ to celebrate his birthday and graduation. (he's actually rather humble about it all but I love to brag about him and we always love a good excuse for a BBQ.) It was a fantastic night with the usual chaos to get things underway and then an evening of fun, spent with some of our favorite people and a boatload of tasty food. It meant a lot to us to see the friends and family that were able to come and we had such a blast. The kids ran around like crazy, we got to visit and chat with friends and family (I always wish there was more time to spend with everyone individually, especially since some family are people we don't get to see very much) and all in all, it was a beautiful night for lounging in the backyard and celebrating my amazing husband.
part one was operation birthday bench. Around Christmas I came up with the idea for his birthday present and began planning. I had to sleuth out details of how he wanted it, embezzle from my own budget to fund it, sneakily arrange for bids on the project and finally, coordinate the work to be done while we were wandering around in Zions for a few days. So that upon our return, his birthday present was waiting for him. It was a garage workbench, complete with cabinets, extra electrical outlets, a sink and a 15 feet of counter space. I had the help of some very talented men, including a close friend who installed the cabinets and made the counter and my dad who played electrician. It turned out pretty awesome and I definitely surprised him. There was a little bit of initial hesitation but the more he gets to explore it and get his tools and such into the now organized space, I think he likes it and he's pretty excited about it.
part two, commence celebrating. His birthday was Friday so we kicked off with chocolate chip waffles, smothered with strawberry sauce and whip cream. (My "strawberry sauce" is from when I made freezer jam last week but I intentionally make some of it into a sauce for pancakes, desserts, drinks, etc.) Then we surprised him at work with a lunch party. He works with his parents and the company is still rather small and intimate, all of which we regard as close friends. So his mom generously arranged most of it and I just showed up with a herd of overly excited girls and dessert (reese's peanut butter cup cake and ice cream). The office entry was decorated with an enormous "30", spelled out with thirty bags of chips and we feasted on deli sandwiches and desserts. Knowing his serious popcorn addiction, his parents gave him a counter top size, theater style popcorn machine (which we quickly put to use) and had taken the girls shopping to pick out a bag full of odds and ends for his new workbench.
Then the celebrating had to be put on hold since he left right after work to attend our ward's Father/Son Campout. But he returned early Saturday afternoon to help me with some "honey-dos", reorganizing the garage and setting up for the evening festivities. We invited friends and family to join us for a backyard BBQ to celebrate his birthday and graduation. (he's actually rather humble about it all but I love to brag about him and we always love a good excuse for a BBQ.) It was a fantastic night with the usual chaos to get things underway and then an evening of fun, spent with some of our favorite people and a boatload of tasty food. It meant a lot to us to see the friends and family that were able to come and we had such a blast. The kids ran around like crazy, we got to visit and chat with friends and family (I always wish there was more time to spend with everyone individually, especially since some family are people we don't get to see very much) and all in all, it was a beautiful night for lounging in the backyard and celebrating my amazing husband.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Zions
With graduation behind us and his birthday approaching, it seemed like perfect timing for a quick getaway. I'm a firm believer in having both family vacations and just mom-and-dad vacations, but this trip was somewhere in between. We left the big girls with grandma and grandpa while Husband and I took our AngelBaby for a few days of much needed relaxation in Zions.
We left on Sunday and arrived late at our hotel in Hurricane (having realized it was considerably more affordable than staying in Springdale, despite the extra 15 minutes of driving). AngelBaby surprised us with an uncharacteristically fussy night (which unfortunately turned out to be her standard for the trip). The cold bars of the crib provided by the hotel startled her in her sleep so she spent most the night cuddling me in our bed. Then congestion and an upset stomach snuck up on her. But despite her nighttime fussines, she did great during the days. She was her happy go lucky self, with broad smiles and sparkling eyes for everyone we met.
On Monday, we took our time getting ready, having breakfast at the hotel, scouting out the town for the best slurpee flavors and making our way into Zions National Park. (for the record, the best slurpee flavor is mountain dew, followed closely by blue raspberry and classic red. however I did see an orange fanta and I'm excited to try that out sometime.) We started at the Museum, wandering the brief displays and watching the introduction movie. The view outside was fantastic and the weather was perfect. We rode the park's shuttle, holding a wide eyed AngelBaby on my lap as we mulled over our hiking options.
We decided on the Emerald Pools and settled AngelBaby into the kidpack. Our "kidpack" is a Dueter comfort III hiking pack, bought on REI dividends years ago. At the time, we suspected it was more than we needed; it's large and comes with all sorts of fancy features but it's proven itself to be a very worthwhile investment, especially since our kids get big so fast and can ride comfortably for much longer than they could in most packs. This was AngelBaby's first time in the pack (I've always carried her in the sling) and after a few adjustments for her tiny size, she settled in and rode quite contentedly. She loved hanging onto the thin straps that held her shade cover in place and she rewarded every other hiker on the trail with a broad, happy grin. I loved it, her smile is contagious. She smiled at them, they smiled at her and I smile because it's just so dang cute. The Emerald Pools were fun, especially the cool misting of the waterfalls and the Snickers bar that we shared as we hiked. We lounged at the upper pools for a picnic lunch, chatting with other hikers and letting AngelBaby take a short nap. She slept surprisingly well in the pack, with her chubby cheek smushed against the padding of the pack in front of her.
We took the shuttle further up the canyon to the Sinawava Temple and hiked to the mouth of the Narrows. We deemed it too cold to actually play in the water but the views were beautiful. We found the squirrels to be especially aggressive and mean on this hike, pestering and begging hikers for food (who stupidly fed them or tried to pet them, despite warnings. dare I admit my perverse satisfaction when these people get bit?)
Having had our fill for the day, we drove back to Hurricane to search out some dinner and settled on the Sports Grill for some tasty burgers. Then we relaxed at our hotel, watching a movie and cuddling our baby, relishing the one-on-one time with her.
Tuesday was spent in the park again and dedicated to Angel's Landing. This is one of the more challenging hikes in the park but so rewarding. The hike is only five miles round trip but covers a great deal of elevation, as demonstrated by the highly photographed "Walter's Wiggles" (a series of switchbacks) and the fact that the last half mile is guided by chains for hikers to use as they scramble and climb to the top. We actually made good time, hiking rather quickly. We chatted with other hikers occasionally, especially to AngelBaby's many admirers (many jokes were made about her having the best seat in the house). AngelBaby did great until the last twenty minutes when she began to fuss and protest her captivity. I was glad Husband carried her, the steep climb at the end would have made me nervous but Husband confidently carried her up. The view at the top is stunningly beautiful and we lingered there enjoying the sunshine, having some snacks and playing with AngelBaby. She slept most of the way down the trail and all the way to dinner (Lupita's Mexican restaurant which I would not recommend to anyone. They lure people in with the promise of dollar tacos on tuesday and then tell you it's only a lunch special. But instead of leaving, we ordered food that turned out to be disappointingly tasteless. The service was good but the food was bland.)
After dinner, we visited the hotel pool, which turned out to be nearly bathtub temperature. AngelBaby wore a solemn, wondering expression as we carried her into the water and took turns playing with her. Slowly, she warmed to the task and eventually began slapping at the water, which caused her eager smile to return. Then she grinned and giggled her way through a quick dip in the hot tub and all the way to bed that night.
This morning, we resigned ourselves to packing up our stuff and driving home. Until then, I loved our conversations as we drove and hiked. Our busy lives lately have left little time for us to just relax and enjoy each other's company so this trip really was fantastic for that. We talked about our kids, his work, things we've been reading, philosophies, family, goals, etc. We laughed and joked and it was wonderful. As we drove home, I could feel the mood shift. We drew closer to home and it was if the rainy cloud of reality crept upon us, bringing reminders of the stress and responsibilities that awaited us. (mostly him. for me, it's more just chaos and responsibilities.) But as is life with the highs and lows and it simply makes those stolen moments that much sweeter.
We left on Sunday and arrived late at our hotel in Hurricane (having realized it was considerably more affordable than staying in Springdale, despite the extra 15 minutes of driving). AngelBaby surprised us with an uncharacteristically fussy night (which unfortunately turned out to be her standard for the trip). The cold bars of the crib provided by the hotel startled her in her sleep so she spent most the night cuddling me in our bed. Then congestion and an upset stomach snuck up on her. But despite her nighttime fussines, she did great during the days. She was her happy go lucky self, with broad smiles and sparkling eyes for everyone we met.
On Monday, we took our time getting ready, having breakfast at the hotel, scouting out the town for the best slurpee flavors and making our way into Zions National Park. (for the record, the best slurpee flavor is mountain dew, followed closely by blue raspberry and classic red. however I did see an orange fanta and I'm excited to try that out sometime.) We started at the Museum, wandering the brief displays and watching the introduction movie. The view outside was fantastic and the weather was perfect. We rode the park's shuttle, holding a wide eyed AngelBaby on my lap as we mulled over our hiking options.
We decided on the Emerald Pools and settled AngelBaby into the kidpack. Our "kidpack" is a Dueter comfort III hiking pack, bought on REI dividends years ago. At the time, we suspected it was more than we needed; it's large and comes with all sorts of fancy features but it's proven itself to be a very worthwhile investment, especially since our kids get big so fast and can ride comfortably for much longer than they could in most packs. This was AngelBaby's first time in the pack (I've always carried her in the sling) and after a few adjustments for her tiny size, she settled in and rode quite contentedly. She loved hanging onto the thin straps that held her shade cover in place and she rewarded every other hiker on the trail with a broad, happy grin. I loved it, her smile is contagious. She smiled at them, they smiled at her and I smile because it's just so dang cute. The Emerald Pools were fun, especially the cool misting of the waterfalls and the Snickers bar that we shared as we hiked. We lounged at the upper pools for a picnic lunch, chatting with other hikers and letting AngelBaby take a short nap. She slept surprisingly well in the pack, with her chubby cheek smushed against the padding of the pack in front of her.
We took the shuttle further up the canyon to the Sinawava Temple and hiked to the mouth of the Narrows. We deemed it too cold to actually play in the water but the views were beautiful. We found the squirrels to be especially aggressive and mean on this hike, pestering and begging hikers for food (who stupidly fed them or tried to pet them, despite warnings. dare I admit my perverse satisfaction when these people get bit?)
Having had our fill for the day, we drove back to Hurricane to search out some dinner and settled on the Sports Grill for some tasty burgers. Then we relaxed at our hotel, watching a movie and cuddling our baby, relishing the one-on-one time with her.
Tuesday was spent in the park again and dedicated to Angel's Landing. This is one of the more challenging hikes in the park but so rewarding. The hike is only five miles round trip but covers a great deal of elevation, as demonstrated by the highly photographed "Walter's Wiggles" (a series of switchbacks) and the fact that the last half mile is guided by chains for hikers to use as they scramble and climb to the top. We actually made good time, hiking rather quickly. We chatted with other hikers occasionally, especially to AngelBaby's many admirers (many jokes were made about her having the best seat in the house). AngelBaby did great until the last twenty minutes when she began to fuss and protest her captivity. I was glad Husband carried her, the steep climb at the end would have made me nervous but Husband confidently carried her up. The view at the top is stunningly beautiful and we lingered there enjoying the sunshine, having some snacks and playing with AngelBaby. She slept most of the way down the trail and all the way to dinner (Lupita's Mexican restaurant which I would not recommend to anyone. They lure people in with the promise of dollar tacos on tuesday and then tell you it's only a lunch special. But instead of leaving, we ordered food that turned out to be disappointingly tasteless. The service was good but the food was bland.)
After dinner, we visited the hotel pool, which turned out to be nearly bathtub temperature. AngelBaby wore a solemn, wondering expression as we carried her into the water and took turns playing with her. Slowly, she warmed to the task and eventually began slapping at the water, which caused her eager smile to return. Then she grinned and giggled her way through a quick dip in the hot tub and all the way to bed that night.
This morning, we resigned ourselves to packing up our stuff and driving home. Until then, I loved our conversations as we drove and hiked. Our busy lives lately have left little time for us to just relax and enjoy each other's company so this trip really was fantastic for that. We talked about our kids, his work, things we've been reading, philosophies, family, goals, etc. We laughed and joked and it was wonderful. As we drove home, I could feel the mood shift. We drew closer to home and it was if the rainy cloud of reality crept upon us, bringing reminders of the stress and responsibilities that awaited us. (mostly him. for me, it's more just chaos and responsibilities.) But as is life with the highs and lows and it simply makes those stolen moments that much sweeter.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
graduation
Seeing my smokin hot husband graduate was an incredible experience. I'm so proud of him and all the work he has done. He excelled in his coursework and his dissertation was a well done, impressive quality, contribution to the field. He has high standards for himself and I know he pushed himself hard in this process. But most impressive to me is that he managed to raise a family, be diligent in his church calling and thrive at his job (with significant management/leadership roles) at the same time. He really might be superman.
My parents arrived early to save our seats while we dashed down the canyon with a car full of little girls (all dressed in black in red of course). Husband left earlier with his dad while his mom helped me wrangle girls. We arrived at campus, found a sweet parking spot (Ladybug is my parking good luck charm--I always find the best parking with her in the car) and herded the girls inside. The bounced around and explored our seats as we waited for the processional to begin. The professors entered, followed by the graduate students and then bachelor students. My handsome husband looked so distinguished in his black and red robes. However, little Butterfly disagreed. They watched eagerly, searching for him and cheering when they spotted him, with an adorable "Daddy!" chorus to get his attention. Butterfly turned to Papa and asked, "He looks like a girl, why is he wearing a dress?" :)
We settled into our seats as the graduation began. It took a few tries and a brief meltdown from Ladybug before we found the right combination of toys and snacks from my magic bag to keep them happy and quietly content. I didn't get to hear much of the professor awards or the first speaker but the student speaker was fantastic. Then the presentation of the diplomas began. Husband was about two-thirds of the way through the pack and I thought I would burst with pride as I watched him approach the table and then step forward to meet his professors. He received his diploma and then two professors stepped to each side of him to drape the graduate robes across and lift them over his head for the hooding. Then he preceded down the row of professors for more congratulatory handshakes. I am so, so proud of him.
After the graduate students were finished, they continued with the BS students and soon, the recessional. There was brief happy chaos as we gathered our things, found Husband and gathered outside for some family pictures. The girls spotted a U statue and headed straight for it, wanting to climb and play in this perfect picture spot. Then we (Husband, me, the girls, both sets of parents and Husband's sister) went out for a celebratory dinner at a Japanese steakhouse. The girls thought the hostess was Mulan (our latest Disney movie obsession) and loved the fish tank. The food was fantastic and the girls were well behaved as we celebrated our way through the meal.
Finally, we headed home with our overly tired girls and spent the evening cuddling, watching movies and making a quick trip to the ice cream shop. What a fantastic day.
My parents arrived early to save our seats while we dashed down the canyon with a car full of little girls (all dressed in black in red of course). Husband left earlier with his dad while his mom helped me wrangle girls. We arrived at campus, found a sweet parking spot (Ladybug is my parking good luck charm--I always find the best parking with her in the car) and herded the girls inside. The bounced around and explored our seats as we waited for the processional to begin. The professors entered, followed by the graduate students and then bachelor students. My handsome husband looked so distinguished in his black and red robes. However, little Butterfly disagreed. They watched eagerly, searching for him and cheering when they spotted him, with an adorable "Daddy!" chorus to get his attention. Butterfly turned to Papa and asked, "He looks like a girl, why is he wearing a dress?" :)
We settled into our seats as the graduation began. It took a few tries and a brief meltdown from Ladybug before we found the right combination of toys and snacks from my magic bag to keep them happy and quietly content. I didn't get to hear much of the professor awards or the first speaker but the student speaker was fantastic. Then the presentation of the diplomas began. Husband was about two-thirds of the way through the pack and I thought I would burst with pride as I watched him approach the table and then step forward to meet his professors. He received his diploma and then two professors stepped to each side of him to drape the graduate robes across and lift them over his head for the hooding. Then he preceded down the row of professors for more congratulatory handshakes. I am so, so proud of him.
After the graduate students were finished, they continued with the BS students and soon, the recessional. There was brief happy chaos as we gathered our things, found Husband and gathered outside for some family pictures. The girls spotted a U statue and headed straight for it, wanting to climb and play in this perfect picture spot. Then we (Husband, me, the girls, both sets of parents and Husband's sister) went out for a celebratory dinner at a Japanese steakhouse. The girls thought the hostess was Mulan (our latest Disney movie obsession) and loved the fish tank. The food was fantastic and the girls were well behaved as we celebrated our way through the meal.
Finally, we headed home with our overly tired girls and spent the evening cuddling, watching movies and making a quick trip to the ice cream shop. What a fantastic day.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
new stuff
AngelBaby can sit all by herself. Silly as it is, it's a big step. She looks so much bigger, sitting up, playing with toys, as if she's closer to being a toddler than a baby.
She also mastered baby food and has turned into a happy, eager eater. And just in the last two days, she has also taken to baby puffs, her first finger food.
She also mastered baby food and has turned into a happy, eager eater. And just in the last two days, she has also taken to baby puffs, her first finger food.
quote of the day
Butterfly got in trouble at dinner last night. Nothing huge but she was reprimanded and she sat quietly, her little heart breaking. Then she tearfully asked, "are you going to tell my grandma?"
oh you precious girl.
oh you precious girl.
30th birthday bucket list
I have 15 months until my 30th birthday so to further commit myself, I shall now reveal my "bucket list", or my goals to be accomplished before my 30th birthday.
1. be debt free (minus the house...and husband's student loans)
2. get down to my wedding weight and maintain
3. Hawaii
4. a cruise
5. a triathlon...that's gonna take some work. I may regret writing that. But I hope training for a goal will help me maintain my working out motivation.
6. get back onstage (even just once). I haven't done anything since college--singing/dancing/acting/tech. it doesn't really matter what because it's not about the display of talent (or lack thereof) but about being part of something like that again. I miss it.
7. take classes. I'd like to start a master's program but that might a little too ambitious for our current situation so I'd settle for classes about cooking and parenting.
8. read 6 great American novels. I'm a little disturbed about our society's obsession with Twilight and Hunger Games. Are we so desperate for entertainment that we've forsaken truly great literature?
9. climb something big. yes I know I lack specifics. My best ever was a 10D (not impossible but not too shabby for a casual rock climber) and then I got pregnant and haven't been since (five years). And the ratings don't mean much because it's hard to be consistent. I'd like it to be multiple pitch and to really challenge me. As in, can't open the fridge door the next day because I'm so sore.
10. visit at least one historical site that I've never been to before. has to be out of state and can't double with #3 or #4.
1. be debt free (minus the house...and husband's student loans)
2. get down to my wedding weight and maintain
3. Hawaii
4. a cruise
5. a triathlon...that's gonna take some work. I may regret writing that. But I hope training for a goal will help me maintain my working out motivation.
6. get back onstage (even just once). I haven't done anything since college--singing/dancing/acting/tech. it doesn't really matter what because it's not about the display of talent (or lack thereof) but about being part of something like that again. I miss it.
7. take classes. I'd like to start a master's program but that might a little too ambitious for our current situation so I'd settle for classes about cooking and parenting.
8. read 6 great American novels. I'm a little disturbed about our society's obsession with Twilight and Hunger Games. Are we so desperate for entertainment that we've forsaken truly great literature?
9. climb something big. yes I know I lack specifics. My best ever was a 10D (not impossible but not too shabby for a casual rock climber) and then I got pregnant and haven't been since (five years). And the ratings don't mean much because it's hard to be consistent. I'd like it to be multiple pitch and to really challenge me. As in, can't open the fridge door the next day because I'm so sore.
10. visit at least one historical site that I've never been to before. has to be out of state and can't double with #3 or #4.
good morning
Butterfly wakes up cheerfully and is my early riser. She wanders upstairs with a smile and will cuddle for a quick minute before she's ready to play. Ladybug is the opposite. She wakes up slowly, needing time to cuddle in her blankets and adjust into the world of wakefulness. With an armful of blankets, she will climb into my lap and stay there until she's fully awake and something can distract her away from me (usually her sister begging her to play).
When AngelBaby wakes up, she wakes up peacefully. She plays with her binky and runs her hands along the lace edge of her crib bumpers (made by Grammy, so cute!). I watch her on our baby video monitor, relishing in just how sweet this kid is. Eventually she starts to call for me, a sweet happy coo. I sneak into her room and she rewards me with a huge smile. Even though the smile is hidden behind her binky, I can see her round cheeks lift up into happy puffy roundness and her eyes light up as if I just gave her the world. I slip my hands under her, lift her up and cuddle her to my chest. I can guide her chubby arms around my neck and she immediately latches on, squeezing with all her baby might. She buries her face into my cheek and neck and nuzzles me for a sweet cuddle. Then she leans back, looks at me again with those happy eyes and then nuzzles into the opposite cheek for another snuggle. Every once in a while, I even get a third cuddle hug from her before she pulls back, drops the binky and begins to chatter and coo, asking for her breakfast.
good morning.
When AngelBaby wakes up, she wakes up peacefully. She plays with her binky and runs her hands along the lace edge of her crib bumpers (made by Grammy, so cute!). I watch her on our baby video monitor, relishing in just how sweet this kid is. Eventually she starts to call for me, a sweet happy coo. I sneak into her room and she rewards me with a huge smile. Even though the smile is hidden behind her binky, I can see her round cheeks lift up into happy puffy roundness and her eyes light up as if I just gave her the world. I slip my hands under her, lift her up and cuddle her to my chest. I can guide her chubby arms around my neck and she immediately latches on, squeezing with all her baby might. She buries her face into my cheek and neck and nuzzles me for a sweet cuddle. Then she leans back, looks at me again with those happy eyes and then nuzzles into the opposite cheek for another snuggle. Every once in a while, I even get a third cuddle hug from her before she pulls back, drops the binky and begins to chatter and coo, asking for her breakfast.
good morning.
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