I've lost 5 pounds!

Since Christmas I'm 5 pounds lighter. Since then my pants fit looser and I have tightened my belt to a hole smaller!

What is my secret? Nothing, just plain old eating right and trying to be active. With the new year I have been doing a health challenge that I headed up through Facebook. It is a healthy, simple, maintainable thing that consist of a new challenge each week for 8 weeks. Great things that are not fad diets or un-realistic. four weeks into the challenge what I'm doing is drinking 1/2 my weight in ounces of water each day. Walking at least 8,000 steps a day but I usually have that by lunch because of preschool. I typically get around 12,000 or more steps. Avoiding all carbonation which I don't like anyway and this week the challenge is doing 10 minutes of toning exercises daily.

Honestly, I think drinking water is what has helped me loose. Why? It keeps me more full so I eat less. :) Also, my body is more regular and hydrated so I feel better.

I am not the type to post pictures of myself in revealing workout clothes but for my sake I wanted some pictures of me today. I still have weight to loose (7 pounds to hit my goal) but I'm proud of myself especially because when I am pregnant I am 200 pounds!!! Yes folks, this 5'4" lady at 200 pounds... All I can say is it HURTS! The pictures do show my "loose belly skin" from pregnancy twice and huge babies but other than that I think I look decent.

learning to...

Dayton is working on listening. To help that skill improve when he listens he gets a puff ball in his jar and when it's full we go to the dollar store to pick a toy. He is getting a lot better! It is also much less frustrating to me when we have a system that he knows I stick to. When he doesn't listen he looses a ball and he doesn't like that! I'm so glad he is getting better and making good choices!

Dayton said...

"Look Mom, I'm a missionary!"

Sometimes the best update is...

Just fun pictures of day to day stuff! Enjoy!

I love to see the temple!

This Saturday we got to go to the temple with Nate, it was his first time. All of my family was there (except for Joe who is on a mission) and that was neat!  It was special to be that close to heaven with my family. I couldn't help but think of my first time going through the temple and how nervous I felt before hand. I remember that once I stepped into the temple I was immediately filled with peace. I am grateful for that memory and the peace the temple brings into my life. Although I still have a lot to learn about the temple I am grateful that I can go as often as I want to receive inspiration and feel love from my Father in Heaven. I always enjoy being in the temple with my husband and I am so grateful that our family is sealed for time and all eternity. That alone gives me strength in this crazy world! We are so proud of you Nate and excited for you to start your mission adventure and service in Texas.

Feeding herself

She thinks she is big! She wants nothing to do with me feeding her, ever!!! So meal time means disaster and bath at our house. I'm not going to lie I have to make a special effort to not freak out when yogurt is being flung across the kitchen floor, on my cabinet doors, and all over her hair but it is part of learning so I pretend it doesn't bother me. :)

New Best Friend

Dayton has a new best friend who lives at the top of our block, Lucas! They are the same age and will be in the same grade. They love playing with each other. In the past month or so we have gotten the boys together about once a week and they also take tumbling together at Sports Academy. I'm so glad D has such a good friend to play with and that he has a little sister who is just 6 months older than Rachel too. We love the Klc family!

House projects

Today I didn't teach preschool because it was a district furlough day. That meant I had a little time to do two projects I have been dreaming up since we moved in.

First project, our family wall upstairs in our big open space.

Second project, a reading corner for the kids. It still needs a cute cushion or pillows but it is almost done. I love the vinyl tree I got off amazon for $7 and I used the bench I already had and put books in the drawers.

Before:

After:

The quote came today in the mail and I was thrilled! It is perfect for a reading nook! The teacher in me is giddy!

Both projects in my large hall upstairs.

I love how they both turned out! Having things on the walls really helps it feel like home.

Kids

Just random photos off my cell phone that I wanted to blog. A side note that applies to some photos is that the kids are starting to enjoy playing together and it's refreshing! About half of the time they are happy and the other half entails fighting over a toy. They are in that phase of "If she has it, I want it!" And vise versa!
Also, D loves to take pictures of himself, me, or toys on my phone. Notice the shot of Mom decapitated, that is usually how his pictures turn out. It is fun to see him interested in taking pictures and being able to figure it out and do it on his own. Even if they are blurry and half a person.

There are many cute pics here I think!

A Dayton picture, lovely.

Cousins on a Saturday night when Lisa and Cord were up visiting. Dayton wanted to hold Talia.

Over a month ago...

Dayton hurt his toe and it was totally purple! We have been slowly watching his toenail and expecting it to fall off. It never did and never did until... Today!

After I clipped it off. Aren't our bodies just amazing? It totally healed itself.