Keep Moving Forward

Kiwi, Banana, Orange Smoothie

2012-01-17T10:16:00.002-07:00

This morning I had planned on making this yummy Avocado Smoothie from Whole Family Fare. Totally bummed when my avocados weren't quite ripe and seriously disappointed because I was looking forward to a smoothie this morning. At that moment in my mind no avocados and no frozen fruit (beyond a few frozen banana bites) = no smoothies.

Enter light bulb moment. The beauty of smoothies is you can put anything in them! So I decided to try out my own little concoction and came up with this yummy dazzler ... honestly the most refreshing smoothie I have had!

Kiwi Banana Orange Smoothie

4 kiwis
half frozen banana
1 ripe banana
2 small spoonfuls of orange juice concentrate
4 ounces coconut water
cup of ice
handful of spinach

Blend and enjoy! So next time you are bemoaning not having the right ingredients ... step out on a limb and try something of your own. I am thinking that I will experiment with adding some type of protein next time. It was nice to use up my kiwis (I've never loved eating them as is ) and also my spinach that was starting to wilt. Added bonus is that my kiddos enjoyed their "Shrek Juice!"

My 10 Goals

2012-01-16T10:08:00.004-07:00

My cute kiddos got their faces painted for New Years

(not exactly the perfect pictures for goals, but it's New Years ... resolutions ... right?)

Money Saving Mom does an awesome link up of 10 goals each week. This year I am all about accountability so I jumped in with some of the items on my to-do-list. Getting things down on paper (or blog!) makes me more likely to make sure that I get it done. Call it mommy brain (or I'm-so-tired-my-3-month-old-is-having-a-growth-spurt-brain, but I am sure happy to link up with others and join back in each week. So here goes:

Family/Mothering Goals

1. Read to children every day

2. Start a calm basket

3. Family Home Evening lesson on Martin Luther King- talk about our dreams!

Personal

4. Create a life paragraph for Faithful, Fit, & Fabulous Challenge

5. Attend a Zumba or exercise class

6. Sign up for Better U Challenge

Home Management

7. Submit holiday rebates

8. Pay last of hospital birth bills

Business

9. Mail Mary Kay products

10. Blog about Bluum products (love these monthly gift boxes chock full of organic and super cool baby/mommy products - sometimes even full size!)

Menu Plan Monday

2012-01-14T14:27:00.005-07:00

We did fairly well with our meal plan last week and LOVED exploring new ways to add whole grain into our everyday diets.

The Quinoa and Parmesan Stuffed Tomatoes and Berry Oat Super Smoothie were HUGE hits. My two year old couldn't get enough of the Pumpkin Quinoa muffins either so we will be making those again this week.

This week's

is to eat at home more often. I definitely need to do this this week so that I can stay in our grocery and eat out budget this month!

Breakfast:

Baked Oatmeal (x2)

Pumpkin Quinoa Muffins

Scrambled Veggie Eggs and Toast

Avocado Smoothie

Mini German Pancakes

Lunch:

Sandwiches and Radish Chips

Spaghetti and Baked Broccoli

Organic Raviolis

Tortilla Pizzas
Macaroni and Tuna Salad

Dinner:
Guacamole Grilled Cheese with fresh fruit
Montreal Seasoned Chicken and Cheesy Cauliflower Puree
Avocado Chicken Parmesan
Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf
Cheesy Chicken and Rice in Crockpot
Spaghetti and Meatballs with Salad
Beef Stroganoff with Green Beans

Snacks:

Apples
Banana Nut Flax Muffins
Honey Wheat Crackers
Dish Cookie Pie

Find more great recipes at www.orgjunkie.com!

Food Waste Friday

2012-01-13T19:11:00.004-07:00

My name is Tara. And I am a food waster. There. It's out in the open. I pinch my pennies and clip my coupons, but then I forgot about the food I've worked so hard to obtain for so little. Until they end up like this:

Sad moldy grapes. Leftover spaghetti. Thawed salsa chicken that got vetoed for dinner. Lotsa black beans. Slimey pineapple. Stinky green beans. Mystery red sauce.

And the one that kills me ....

a leftover honey lime chicken enchilada

Seriously! How did that happen? We love those. I'm craving it right now. But, alas, that is why I need to

KEEP MOVING FORWARD!

I've admitted my waste and now I am committed to change. I love that Kristen, The Frugal Girl, does Food Waste Friday to keep herself accountable. Who wants to show the nastiness of their fridge? Not me! So I'll be linking up every week and hopefully won't have as much to share next week!

Quinoa & Parmesan Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes

2012-01-12T18:24:00.006-07:00

I discovered quinoa about two years ago when I tried it in a delicious soup my uncle made for us. I picked up a bag at Costco and since then have tried it in several recipes with great success. We make Turkey & Quinoa Meatloaf - a healthified meat-loaf that substitutes quinoa for bread crumbs - several times a month and my meat and potatoes husband also asks for more.

I am dying to try this No-Bake Recipe that uses quinoa flakes - protein for my kiddos and me in our chocolatey yummies - yes please! A lady in my neighborhood has tried it and her families loves it! I also have this Pumpkin Quinoa Muffin recipe on file for this week.

Here are some of the health benefits of quinoa -

Protein Powerhouse
High in vitamins, minerals and protein, while low in fat and calories
Internal Cleanser/Detoxifier
High in Calcium, Potassium, and Magnesium
High in Iron - Boosts brain power and energy
High in Vitamin B - keep those moods under control

Sounds awesome, right? It's been fun looking for more uses of quinoa as part of Food Network's weekly Healthy Challenge. This week's challenge was whole grains and quinoa is one of our definite favorites. We made the Quinoa and Parmesan Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes picture above. They were so cute and so easy! The concoction had a Mexican flair and taste that I loved.

Here is the recipe I modified. I took the suggestions from the comments and reviews.

Quinoa & Parmesan Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes

Modified from About.com

Ingredients:

1 tbsp butter
1 small yellow onion, diced small
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
4-6 Tomatoes

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium sized pan, sautee the onion and garlic in butter or olive oil over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, until onions are just soft. Reduce heat to medium low.

Hollow out tomatoes. Puree seeds and juice in the blender.

Add the broth, puree, and quinoa (I subtracted however much puree I had from the amount of broth I used). Cover, and allow to simmer until liquid is mostly absorbed and quinoa is cooked, about fifteen minutes.

Remove from heat, and gently mix quinoa to distribute any excess moisture.

Place quinoa mixure in hollowed out tomatoes. Season with salt to taste, and top with Parmesan cheese, or, for a vegan version, mix in nutritional yeast instead of the cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes at 350.

Makes 3 servings of vegetarian quinoa.

Linking up with Beauty & Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday :)

Aeropostale Puffer Jacket Sale

2012-01-10T09:41:00.002-07:00

Aeropostale has super cute puffer coats on sale for $20 (about $28 with shipping and tax). Regularly they are $119 so this is an awesome deal! Snag one for yourself or your daughter.

Shop through Ebates.com and get 3 percent cash back. I do all my online shopping through Ebates.com ... love getting money back in the mail. It is super easy.

Berry Oatmeal Super Smoothie

2012-01-10T07:16:00.005-07:00

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. So many yummy possibilities. Recently we've been trying out new smoothies. I eventually want to start juicing (just watched Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead), but a new juicer isn't in the budget yet. Last week's Food Network Healthy Challenge focused on breakfast and this week we are focusing on whole grains. What better way to transition than a breakfast smoothie that includes oats. I am a HUGE fan of oats and oatmeal. I became attached to it during my pregnancy when I was trying to avoid high blood pressure.

This morning we experimented with this delicious looking recipe for a Blueberry Oatmeal Super Shake from Life is Great. I was out of some of the ingredients so we substituted and added some of our own. Here is what we came up with

Berry Oatmeal Super Smoothie
(modified from Jordan MacVay)
Yields 4 cups.

1/2 cup ice cubes
2 very ripe bananas
4 ounces fresh blackberries
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1/3 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup coconut water

Place all the ingredients into a blender and blitz on high speed for a few minutes. Serve with optional garnish of banana slices and some frozen blueberries with a drizzle of honey.

As you can see - it was a great success! I think next time I will make sure the bananas and berries are frozen for a thicker texture. I LOVED that the smoothie contained so many ingredients that I could feel good about giving my children. The honey soothed their little coughs. The oats and peanut butter filled their tummies. And the fruits loaded them up with vitamins and minerals for the day. There aren't huge amounts of each of the ingredients in the smoothie, but it sure beats a bowl of sugary cereal! Plus they think they are getting a treat for breakfast - can't beat that. Here are some of the benefits:

Calcium, from the milk
Vitamin D
Potassium, from the banana & coconut water
Fiber, from the banana & blackberries & oats
Protein, from the milk & peanut butter
High Vitamin C, from blackberries

In addition you get all the health benefits from coconut water:

raises metabolism
boosts immune system
fights viruses
aids in digestion

I am participating in

Beauty & Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Food Network's Healthy Weekly Challenge

Private Selection Giveaway

2012-01-05T16:00:00.003-07:00

Occasionally, I review products for Bzzagent.com. What mom doesn't want products for free that make her life easier, right? Last month Bzzagent sent me coupons to try gourmet products from Private Selection.

Here's the 411 on the Private Selection line:

The entire Private Selection® collection has been reimagined, with new ingredients and hundreds of new recipes
Artisan-inspired products that have been carefully crafted with the finest attention to detail
Exclusively available in the Kroger family of stores
A complete range of food offerings, including Angus and deli meat, cheese, ice cream, breads, appetizers, desserts, spices, olive oil, chocolates, coffee, seafood, pasta and pasta sauce, cookies and frozen meals

We decided to try out their new line of pizza that just happens to have wood-fired crust. Doesn't that sound delish? Plus you don't have to tell my husband twice to go pick up the pizza - my kiddos are pretty big fans, too.

One night we were crazy busy and the meal I had been planning on fell through - just not enough time with three kids under the age of four. My hubby suggests pizza and I remember that we have the Private Selection Frozen Pizza in the freezer. BINGO! He pops it in the oven and in no time we have dinner. And not just any dinner - it really did taste gourmet. I have recently been to a local fine dining pizza restaurant and the Private Selection Frozen Pizza tasted just as good.

The thin crust was just how I like it and the ingredients did not taste like they had been sitting in my freezer. Best part - my kids gobbled it up. I only got a tiny sliver. I told my husband to take pictures before the kids finished ... but he just wasn't fast enough and this is all we got :). It really doesn't do it justice. It was a beautiful pizza (can frozen pizzas really be beautiful? Well, this one was as pretty as a pizza can get!)

It got a two thumbs up from my picky crowd and we'll definitely be trying it again.

You are in luck because I also got TWO COUPONS to try 1 FREE Private Selection Dessert and 1 FREE Private Selection Appetizer. There will be two winners and I will mail out the coupons :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received free product for review purposes. The opinions I have given are mine and may differ from others but were not influenced by the company or the free product provided.

FAVORITE Breakfast!

2012-01-03T11:31:00.004-07:00

Oatmeal is one of my breakfast staples. Growing up I enjoyed Quaker Instant Oatmeal . About a year ago, I started cooking more from scratch and found this 5-star oatmeal on allrecipes.com that I loved. I ate a lot of oatmeal during my pregnancies to help with my pregnancy induced high blood pressure. Oatmeal also has more great benefits:

High in fiber - keeps you regular :)
High in cancer fighting agents
Makes you feel full longer
Good source of carbs for energy (loved having a bowl before 5Ks)
Good source of vitimins
DELICIOUS :)

Fast forward to two months ago when I began the 8 Weeks to a Better You Challenge and cut all processed sugars and white flours out of my diet. Hard - yes. But totally worth it! I lost all of my pregnancy weight by the time my baby was 3 months old. This was huge for me considering I never lost all of my baby weight from my first two pregnancies.

Much to my chagrin my favorite oatmeal recipe was out as I typically drowned it in brown sugar. Lucky for me, I found this AMAZING recipe for Baked Oatmeal from The Enlightened Homemaker. I adapted it slightly to what I have on hand and this is what I make several times a week for me and the kiddos now.

The key to this recipe for me is grating the fruit. I tried it once with diced fruit and I just didn't like the texture. So now I grate the fruit on a plate and then pour it in along with the juices that came out. It makes it so sweet and perfectly flavored. I don't even use the whole amount of pure maple syrup anymore.

It's also important to allow it to soak over night. I wondered why so I consulted Dr. Google and found this article about why oats need to be soaked. The article explains it quite well, but the jist of the story is that soaking the oats over night breaks down the phytic acid in oats so that it doesn't block other important nutrients. I also liked the texture that it gave my oatmeal . Not to mention it is so easy to toss in the oven the next morning and we get a breakfast that fills us up!

So here is the yummy recipe:

Baked Apple Oatmeal

From Molly's Cookbook

1 C. whole rolled oats

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. sea salt

3 T. pure maple syrup (or less)

1-2 grated apples or pears

1 1/4 C. milk (you can use coconut or almond milk, but I just use regular)

Nuts if desired.

Cover and soak overnight in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 350 the next morning. Grease a glass pie plate. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into pie plate. Bake for 25 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Don't over bake. Remove from oven and allow to cool a bit. Serve with a little milk, whipped cream or yogurt if desired. I typically just eat mine plain and I love it! So does my two year old. But, really, the possibility for toppings are endless.

Enjoy! What are your favorite breakfast recipes?

I am taking part in the Food Network's Healthy January Challenge by eating healthy breakfasts this week :).

I am also participating in Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday :)

New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-02T20:06:00.004-07:00

My New Year's Resolutions are pretty typical. Health. Money. Home. Family. They are big and pretty encompassing, but I will be breaking them down into bite size pieces each month. I am participating in several link ups to help keep me accountable. Today I am linking up with Orange Autumn:

1. Lose weight from all four pregnancies :) (1 down ... three to go!)

2. Save 20 percent down for a new home

3. Organize and Declutter Home

4. Live in the present with my kiddos -be a better mom

Pretty big goals, eh? What I like about this link up is that each week we report on what we are doing to meet the goals. Here is what I have planned for this week:

1. This week I am focusing on menu planning. I am linking up with www.orgjunkie.com's Menu Plan Monday. I am sticking with mostly healthy meals and keeping an eye on my sugar in-take. (I just lost all my pregnancy weight for my last pregnancy during an 8 week no sugar challenge!)

2. I am creating a bare bones budget on Mint.com and eliminating online spending for the time being. I am also looking at ways to supplement my income online.

3. I am taking part in several decluttering challenge - see posts below! I am also hiring my sister to come get me in gear.

4. This week I am going to spend time with my kiddos outside and doing some artistic every day.

What are your New Year's Resolutions?

Giveaways

2012-01-01T21:54:00.004-07:00

I am a BIG FAN of giveaways :). I spend no longer than 15 minutes a day entering giveaways and typically win something fun every month. It's a fun way to try new things and not spend a dime. I especially love it when I find healthy giveaways like this one from Making Time For Mom where you can win an entire case of Gluten-Free Crunchmaster Multi-Grain Crackers!

I've been on a sugar/white flour free challenge for 8 weeks and I definitely feel better than I have in a long time. It is AWESOME to find products that fit in with that!

Clean and Organized in 2012

2012-01-01T13:36:00.003-07:00

This year I am participating in Clean Mama's Clean and Organized in 2012! We just had our third little one in September and boy oh boy do we need a major decluttering and organizing of our home sweet home. We are houses sitting in our in-laws basement apartment. With five in two bedrooms - we definitely need a bit more simplicity, too.

Here are my cleaning goals for January 2012

1. Make it a FAMILY affair.
Five people living in a home = five people cleaning in a home, right? We all know that mommy can't do it all - especially this mommy. My children are young - 4.5, 2.5, and 3 months. Obviously the three month old isn't going to be doing any cleaning, but he can join me in the Moby wrap and we can talk about how fun cleaning is, eh? I'll be posting about fun and easy ways to involve preschoolers and toddlers in cleaning.

2. Use It. Love It. Or Toss It.
Time for deep decluttering!

3. First Things First
Some things need to be done daily. Dishes. Laundry. Toys.

4. Practice Makes Perfect
Make family cleaning part of the routine.

What are your cleaning goals for this month? Join everyone over at cleanmama.blogspot.com for more cleaning tips!

Menu Plan Monday

2011-12-30T18:34:00.005-07:00

Happy New Year! Hello 2012 :). I am kicking of the new year with www.orgjunkie.com and the Food Network's weekly Healthy Challenge. This week's challenge is to eat breakfast every morning. Breakfast is my FAVORITE meal of the day and I'll be sharing some of my favorite breakfasts this week. I am also going to be doubling some recipes to use for later - now that I have three little ones - I need to make every second count :).

Making (and sticking with!) a Menu Plan is also my first goal for Organized Mom's 12in12 Challenge. Can you tell I need some accountability? I am excited to link up with so many great blogs and challenges this year!

Breakfast:
1. My favorite Baked Oatmeal by the Enlightened Homemaker (x2)
2. Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
3. Scrambled Eggs and Fruit
4. Breakfast Burritos
5. Tote in Hole
6. Green Smoothie Cups

Lunches:
1. Cheesy Beans and Rice
2. Mini Cheese Scones and Turkey Rollups
3. Cheesy Potato Soup
4. Chicken Nuggets and Veggies
5. Leftovers
6. Egg, Avocado, and Bacon Sandwich

Dinners:
1. Turkey Macaroni Bake (x2)
2. Baked Chicken with Montreal Steak Seasoning, Salad, and potatoes
3. Spaghetti with Ground Turkey
4. Turkey Black Bean Quesadillas
5. Hamburger on Rice
6. Turkey with Mashed Potatoes and Veggies

To try later:
Pumpkin Quinoa Muffins

What are some of your favorite recipes? Especially ones for kiddos!

Blessings

2011-12-16T23:39:00.004-07:00

It's been one of those weeks ...

misunderstandings
hasty words
sick toddlers
(let's just say projectile bodily fluids were a little too common at the beginning of the week)
last minute work emergencies
job changes
messy house
postal mishaps
lack of sleep
... let's stop there, shall we?

Each event by itself wasn't anything huge, but by the time they added up at the end of the week - I was drained. During the holiday season, I find myself wanting even more to be super mom so I was disappointed this week that my efforts just weren't cutting it.

A few articles that I read this week helped put things into perspective for me. Especially this one by Steady Mom. If you are feeling a little frazzled this week - READ IT! It was perfect at the beginning of the week, because it helped me to remember to choose peace over productivity more often. Sometimes my to-do list hovers so close to my face that I miss opportunities to bring peace to my home and to my little ones.

I love this quote from the article,"We're better off getting only one thing done in an atmosphere of peace than crossing off multiple tasks weighing fretfully on our shoulders." Amen sister! So if my single items this week was cleaning up projectile bodily fluids and snuggle sick toddlers - so be it!

Was I perfect at choosing peace, heavens no! But under the circumstances ... I think we took baby steps in the right direction.

I also LOVED this article by Like A Bubbling Brook. New motto - Don't Stir the Crazy Kettle! It made me laugh, but it also made me ponder more deeply how I can bring more peace to family and friend gatherings. Too often I accidently "stir the crazy kettle" with a joking remark or tone of voice not conducive to the positive relationships that I want to have.

The song below has also helped pull me out of the grumpy gutter this week, too. I heard it last year and loved it. Every once and awhile I come across it and it is always a beautiful reminder to look to Him who gives us the greatest joy and strength. It reminds me that the craziness and sleepless nights will mold me into the person I want to be if I humble myself and let them.

Blessings by Laura Story

We pray for peace

Comfort for family, protection while we sleep

We pray for healing, for prosperity

We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need

Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom

Your voice to hear

We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near

We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love

As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

All the while, You hear each desperate plea

And long that we'd have faith to believe

When friends betray us

When darkness seems to win

We know that pain reminds this heart

That this is not our home

What if my greatest disappointments

Or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy

What if trials of this life

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are your mercies in disguise

Here's a link to the youtube video ...
http://youtu.be/pGmKC34UZ68
my video player is so slow ... any ideas on how I can get videos uploaded or shared faster?

What are your favorite sources of inspiration?

From Pin to Practice

2011-12-15T16:15:00.004-07:00

Get Ready To Jump Into 2012!!!

Did this year fly by for you like it did for me?

I swear with each kiddo time speeds up that much faster! Next year my goal is to take things from "pin to practice!"

Here's what I mean by that. I am a researcher. I LOVE Pinterest. I love reading blogs. I love looking for the latest and greatest thing.

But do I apply them? Sometimes .... Too often I spend more time planning than doing. Meanwhile my sweet little kidlets are growing up too fast.

My Lily is a little planner, too!

So my goal for 2012 is to take one thing each week from my inspiration pins and put it into practice! Whether it is a yummy sugar free recipe, new cleaning tip, or activity for my kiddos.

I will do a weekly link up for us all to share what we have been practicing each week!

Who's in?

Part 3 - Kyler's Birth

2011-11-25T21:26:00.006-07:00

Part 3 – The Birth
On the morning of September 22nd, I went in for my appointment at 9 am. I completed the non-stress test and the baby was slightly less active than usual. My blood pressure was also getting higher. I was dilated to almost a four. My doctor asked me when he could deliver the baby and - for the first time – that day felt right. My only hesitation was that the baby was posterior. The doctor said that he could easily flip him with forceps, but only if I had an epidural.

I left my appointment and called all those who would be at the hospital. Johnny and I quickly got some lunch, drove home to pick up my birth bag, and dropped the children off at their cousin’s home. We checked into hospital room 122 around 12:30 pm. They took my blood pressure and started to hook me up to the monitors.

I warned them that I had small veins and that typically a phlebotomist had to place my IV. The first nurse laughed and insisted she could get my vein. After three tries, she was luckily called away to a different labor. By the time my permanent nurse, Jill, attempted the IV, my doulas Rebecca and Marianne had arrived.

I was so happy to see them! Rebecca got out her essential oils and immediately I felt calmer. The nurse was able to get the IV into my arm after her third try with the help of a warming pad. I was so glad that it wasn’t in my hands! When Rebecca and Marianne arrived, the tone of the birth changed. Before when the nurse was trying to place my IV, I was beginning to feel anxious as I had flashbacks to all that had gone wrong with my first labor. Just having Rebecca hold my hand and massage me with essential oils while the nurse placed the IV made me feel so much calmer.

I had been contracting all morning so when the pitocin started, the contractions demanded my attention pretty quickly. As Jill reviewed the hospital policies and paperwork with me, I could feel the pitocin kicking in and started deeply breathing through the contractions. Rebecca and Marianne left to grab a quick lunch. As soon as the paperwork was done, I asked to stand up so that I could rock through contractions. Jill was awesome and got me a tube top cloth to wear under my hospital gown so that the monitors would stay in place and I could concentrate on the contractions.

I decided to lean over and hang onto a chair while I was swaying to help the baby change from his posterior position as per Rebecca's suggestion. At this point, I was still chatty and excited. I enjoyed talking with my mom while my husband worked out insurance in the hallway. We laughed and I envisioned my little guy getting ready to make his descent.

The doctor came in a little later and checked me to find I was dilated to a five. He asked if he could break my water, but I wasn’t quite ready for that. I wanted to give my baby as much time as possible to switch positions. Johnny texted Rebecca to let her know that I was progressing.

When the doulas returned, I decided to sit on the birthing ball and rock back and forth. I listened to my hypnobirthing tracks as well. Rebecca and Marianne massaged my head and back as well as the trigger points on my ankles. At this point I was so relaxed and felt completely in tune with my body. It felt like the honeymoon stage of labor. I was almost concerned that my contractions had stopped because I wasn’t feeling them as intensely.

The doctor checked me an hour later and I was at a six.

Soon the contractions picked up and began to get intense. Rebecca counted to thirty for me during them which helped me to realize that they weren’t going to last forever. During the contractions, Marianne applied pressure to my arms, sides, and back which helped immensely. This is when my labor began to get noisy! But it really helped to make the low moaning noise and keep my jaw relaxed.

“Muscles send messages to each other. Clenched fists, a
tight mouth, a furrowed brow, all send signals to the birth-passage muscles,
the very ones that need to be loosened. Opening up to relax these upper-body
parts relaxes the lower ones.” ~William and Martha Sears

After awhile, I decided to stand up and I swayed with Rebecca during contractions. I only did this a few times before I felt like I needed to use the restroom. This should have been my signal that I was transitioning because that is how it happened with Lily! I went into the restroom and the contractions really picked up. When I came back out is when labor really began to get intense. Suddenly I felt very, very, uncomfortable and couldn’t decided if I wanted to rock, sway, or lay on the bed. I felt my mind go into panic mood and suddenly all I could think about was escaping the pain.

I got on the bed and Jill checked me to find that I was at a ten and fully effaced. My water also broke at this time. I can’t describe the feeling only that it was incredibly intense and that I was losing my focus. I was at the point of tears and begging for an epidural. Definitely the strongest I have ever felt the fight or flight instinct. When I shouted, “I CAN’T do this,” I remember Rebecca saying, “You ARE doing this!” That was a turning point for me. She didn’t tell me that I COULD do it, she told me that I WAS doing it and that was so empowering.

"Your biggest challenge isn't someone else.
It's the ache in your lungs and the burning in your legs,
and the voice inside you that yells ‘CAN’T’, but you don't listen.
You just push harder!
And then you hear the voice whisper ‘CAN’.
And you discover that
the person you thought you were is no match for the one you REALLY ARE."

Rebecca told me to talk to my baby. I regained a small amount of focus as I began whispering to my baby with my husband holding one hand and Rebecca holding the other ...

"The moment you think of giving up … think of the reason you held on so long."

The doctor, nurses, and baby team were rushing about the room preparing for the birth. Someone asked me to guess how many pushes it would be until I had my baby. I shouted out “TWO,” to which a nurse responded … “let’s make that ten. The doctor needs to get ready!” But my body knew what it wanted and I could not stop it even if I tried. With one instinctual push, my baby was out and I felt a rush of relief and excitement. The doctor barely had time to pull his gloves up to his elbows and catch the baby.

It was exhilarating. I felt like I had done the impossible. My legs were shaking, but the after pain was nowhere near what it had been with my other births – even with the epidurals. In moments, my babe was laying on my chest as the doctor stitched up a tear. Any pain I had felt disappeared as I held this sweet little soul to my chest.

“I know the pain I am feeling is only physical. I know it will not last.
I know that it will all vanish the moment you are in my arms.
I know that as I count your toes…
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10…
with each number my memories of discomfort, lack of sleep, aches and pains
will all fade away into a distant memory.
I will only feel the ecstasy of birthing you…of giving you life.” ♥ ~Mrs. BWF

The adrenaline rush that came after the birth was incredible. Kyler was born at 4:46 pm and the rest of the evening and into the night, I could not sleep. I could not believe that I was able to have the natural birth that I had wanted after almost five weeks on bed rest. It was amazing to be that I was able to keep my little one growing inside me a week longer than I had with my children when we had been concerned about me even making it to 36 weeks.

It was wonderful at the hospital to be able to feel fully present. That night I walked my baby to the nursery and was part of giving him his first bath, something I never got to be a part of with my other children. That moment alone was precious to me. I loved being up and out of bed and changing his little diapers.

Kyler’s birth reinitiated me into motherhood and has given me a completely different perspective. I am SO GRATEFUL to my incredible doulas, my family, and my doctor. For my next child, I will definitely be getting a doula again!

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop and look fear in the face.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Birth Story Part 2 - Baby #3 and Bedrest

2011-11-23T15:30:00.005-07:00

Early on in this pregnancy, I had planned on having my good friend Aubrey be my doula. She had a homebirth with her second baby and was in training to be a doula. It was perfect for our financial situation as Johnny’s work had just sold his department and his place with the company was uncertain. Aubrey would be able to gain experience as a doula and I would be able to have a doula. I visited Aubrey and her brand new little guy early on in my pregnancy and we talked for several hours about natural birth. She let me borrow Ina May's Guide to Childbirth.

I loved the book and learned so much from it. It became clearer to me that my body knew how to give birth to my baby ... I just had to let it. My body had grown this perfect little one all on its own, I could certainly trust it to deliver it as well.

In July, Aubrey found out that she would be moving to Arizona, but it just happened that I had an maternity massage appointment with Rebecca Overson soon after. I talked to her about their services as labor massueses and explained my doula situation. I was thrilled when she agreed to come down to Utah County as my doula. Johnny’s work situation had stabilized so we were able to put more money side for doula services and I am so glad that we did.

A week after talking to Rebecca, at 35 weeks, my blood pressure began to rise and it seemed like that we were headed down the same road with preeclampsia that I experienced with Lily and Cortland. The fact that it was happening earlier in the pregnancy added new concerns. My doctor immediately placed me on strict bed rest and started me on NST tests and appointments twice a week to make sure that the baby was still growing and doing okay.

My first goal was to make it to 36 weeks and then it was to have a September baby. At each appointment, my doctor said that it was almost time to “pull the plug.” My blood pressure remained borderline and, thankfully, the baby did great at each appointment. At the time, my dream of having a natural birth seemed to be unlikely. A magnesium drip and an induction were highly likely. Not to mention the worry of having a 35 week baby in the NICU.

I remember calling Rebecca telling her the news and feeling incredibly disappointed that I would not be able to have the birth that I had planned and slightly scared about what the next few weeks would entail. Rebecca assured me that she had experience with inductions as well as with mamas diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. After she told me that she had just attended an induction for pree-clampsia where the mother had gone without an epidural, I felt a surge of hope and possibilities.

When you change the way you view birth, the way you birth will change.”

~Marie Mongan, Hypnobirthing

I went online and began to look for natural birth stories to buoy my hopes. As luck would have it, I actually ran across one of Rebecca’s. Reading her words helped me to face my fears and be better prepared for whatever was to come. Here is an excerpt from one of her birth stories that touched me:

“If the very jaws of hell shall gape open after thee, it shall be for thy good and shall give thee experience.”

I am willing ...

When Christ went through his ordeal, he knew there was “no other way.” He trusted God and knew God’s plan must be fulfilled.

Tears streamed down my face as I realized I have lived my whole life in fear of so-called bad things happening to me, that could in fact, be the very things that I need to experience in this life to attain glory in the next. If that is the case, why would I shrink back from anything? In my attempt to avoid the fear and pain and discomfort that comes with mortality, I couldn’t help but see how I drew it nearer to me and caused more pain. In this new awareness I found myself saying, “Yes, I AM willing. I Am. So be it.” My heart burst wide open and all those fears just slipped away as I said YES to all of life.”

I decide from that moment on that “I AM WILLING.” I would do whatever was necessary to bring my sweet baby safely into this world. I continued listening to my hypnobirthing tracks and reassured myself that all would be okay. Interestingly enough, my next doctor’s appointment showed lower (but still borderline) blood pressure readings. I went to each appointment ready to have the baby if need be.

My mother took much of her sick leave to take care of me, Lily, and Cortland. My sister, Ada, came many days as well as my brother Conner and his fiance’ Ashley. My children loved having family over every day and I enjoyed being able to spend so much time with my mom and sister. I felt that I grew closer to my family and it was nice having them in our home.

My mom with my kiddos on Lily's first day of preschool

Rebecca was extremely helpful and sent me several articles with ideas of how to naturally reduce blood pressure. I made sure that I was fully hydrated, I ate lots of protein, used essential oils, and meditated every day. I will be doing another blog post on all the things that I think helped reduce my blood pressure and how I am going to incorporate them into my next pregnancy.

Nothing is Impossible.

The word itself says, “I’m Possible”

Audrey Hepburn

As I grew closer to 39 weeks, my doctor asked to set an induction date, but I told him that I would like to wait as long as my numbers remained borderline and the baby was doing well. The doctor had previously scheduled me for an induction on the 19th, but agreed to do a NST and blood pressure monitoring instead.

When I arrived at the hospital, I discovered that he had not cancelled it and they were expecting to induce me rather than do the NST and blood pressure checks. The nurses were shocked when I requested the NST and blood pressure check before the induction. They were even more shocked when I decided not to be induced when there was no change in my blood pressure or the baby’s activity. I had done the 24 hour urine collection and blood tests for pre-eclampsia just a few days prior so I didn’t feel the need to push the induction since my results were okay.

Up to this point, I had been having contractions on and off since 32 weeks. Starting at 37 weeks, I had many false alarms where I contracted for several hours at 5-8 minutes apart. In fact, after several of my NSTs, the nurses expressed that they would be seeing me soon based on the frequency of contractions I had during the tests.

To Be Continued ...

Kyler's Birth Story Part 1 - Why I decided to go natural

2011-11-23T09:54:00.006-07:00

When I started writing Kyler’s birth story, I realized that a lot of the emotions I felt were tied into my other pregnancies as well so I wrote everything down. The complete story is so that I have a record of my journey toward choosing a natural birth. If you just want Kyler’s birth story skip to Part 3. I benefited from reading other’s natural birth stories online so I thought that I would share mine as well.

Let me preface this by saying that I am DEEPLY GRATEFUL for each one of my children, no matter how they got here. I know that I am so lucky to be their mother and that they are worth every second of pregnancy and labor/delivery. I have learned positive things from each of my pregnancies. I am grateful for technology, doctors, nurses, and doulas for their help in my journey!

I’ve been pondering the idea of a natural birth for a few years. At my very first pregnancy’s prenatal appointment, I picked up hypnobirthing literature and was intrigued. My husband and I were devastated when our first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage at 11 weeks. After a night of contractions and hemorrhaging I ended up in the Emergency Room where my then doctor performed an emergency D&C with me still awake and propped up on a bed pan. The experience left me fearful of the pain and what could happen during a pregnancy.

We were thrilled to quickly get pregnant with our daughter Lily soon after and had a fairly easy pregnancy until about 35 weeks. I went into the hospital several times with contractions or thinking my water had broken. After several of these visits, at 37 weeks my blood pressure began creeping up and by 38 weeks I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. My new doctor induced me at 38.5 weeks and while I was happy to walk away healthy and with a healthy sweet babe, the labor was less than ideal.

I was admitted to the hospital in the afternoon, but the induction didn’t start until midnight. The nurses tried repeatedly to place an IV and failed until finally they had the anesthesiologist come and place it. By the next morning I hadn’t gotten much sleep and I was exhausted. I drifted off briefly after I got the epidural, but woke up when the nurse said the baby’s heart rate wasn’t doing what they wanted it to do and I might need an emergency c-section. Luckily, the baby’s heart rate returned to normal and it was soon time to push.

At this point my epidural had worn off almost completely. I felt intense pain and felt the need to push, but the nurse said that I needed to wait 45 minutes for the doctor who was in a c-section. When the doctor arrived, I pushed for almost two hours ineffectively with the nurse telling me I was doing it wrong. My sweet Lily finally came after I agreed to let the doctor use forceps and I ended up with a tear up to my uterus.

When she was born I felt utterly defeated. It hurt more after than it did before. I was exhausted and begged for more pain medication. Because of the magnesium, Lily had some breathing problems and had to spend two hours in the nursery before I could spend much time with her. All in all, it wasn’t the experience I had hoped for, but I was deeply grateful for my sweet baby girl.

When we got pregnant with Cortland, I knew that I wanted a different birth. It was my goal to be better prepared should my epidural not work again. I borrowed Hypnobirthing CDs and books from my sister and booked prenatal massages for myself. I met Rebecca Overson, owner of Salt Lake Prenatal Massage, and was encouraged by her natural birthing perspective. At my last prenatal massage, she sent me home with massage tips for my husband to use during labor.

My blood pressure rose again at 38 weeks and I was induced with Cortland a few days later. The doctor gave me a choice of doing NSTs and monitoring my blood pressure or being induced before it developed into pre-eclampsia. Worried about having a repeat birth experience, I choose to be induced. All of our family was out of town so it was just Johnny and I during my labor and delivery. I listened to my hypnobirthing tracks and labored as long as I could on my own. I got the epidural after I dilated to a 6 and Cortland was born just a few hours later with no complications. I was elated that I didn’t have to be on magnesium and that I didn’t tear, but I still felt like something was missing.

To Be Continued ....

Why I don't get much house work done lately ....

2011-11-08T21:49:00.004-07:00

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
... Sew on a button and butter the bread.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.
Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,Lullaby, rockabye, lullaby loo.
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peek-a-boo
The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo
Look! Aren’t his eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullaby, rockaby lullaby loo.
The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.
- Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

This sweet little man started social smiling last week! How can I not sit and talk to this darling face all day? Can't believe my little guy is almost six weeks old!

Products I LOVE: Moby Wrap

2011-11-05T23:22:00.002-06:00

Having a baby the third time around, I've learned that it is worth it to get high quality products that make my life SO much easier. Amazon.com was definitely my friend while I was on bed rest.

With my last two babies, I experimented with several slings and the Baby Bjorn. I LOVED the Baby Bjorn when my babies were older, but didn't love it as much with newborns who had no head control. The sling I bought just never seemed to fit right and it hurt whichever shoulder it was on.

So I surveyed my friends and many recommended the Moby Wrap Original 100% Cotton Baby Carrier, Chocolate.

When I first got it out of the package, I was daunted by this long length of fabric. Luckily, the instruction manual was super easy to read and after a few tries it was easier to put on then the Bjorn. Plus youtube.com has plenty of videos that were helpful, too, that you can check out here: http://youtu.be/HcIlGUCG6mE

In the above picture, Kyler was about three weeks old and we had a blast at Gardner Village. He slept the whole time snuggled up next to me. Most of the time he was deeper in the wrap, but I pulled it down a little for the picture. The wrap has been a life saver at home and at meal time as well. So nice to have my hands free and I know that it is beneficial for baby to be wrapped up against me.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T21:55:00.007-06:00

Something crazily amazing happened today ... my first Halloween with NO SUGAR! Luckily my kiddos are strangely attracted to the suckers and fruity candy which is easier for me to avoid. Now if they had baskets full of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups and Snickers ... that might be trickier. I may have to sneak a few and hide them away for my free day.

Our Halloween plans changed many times today. Over the weekend, Lily was getting over a cold and Cortland started running a low temperature and acting sick earlier in the day. I thought he was restarting the cold, but he was also saying that his mouth hurt ... low and behold he is getting in some molars - no fun! So instead of heading to my mom's to trick or treat with cousins like we normally do, we stayed close to home and trick or treated within the ward. We sure missed our cousins, though!

At first it was going to be just Lily and Johnny, but last minute Cort woke up so I decided to come with the boys, too. And I am glad that I did because it was our simplest and easiest Halloween!

Lesson learned. No need to stress - everything will work out!

Lily was both a butterfly and a dog this year for Halloween. We picked out the butterfly costume together online, but then Johnny found the dog jacket at the DI and just couldn't resist. So this weekend was full of costume changes for the Bean!

Lily wore her butterfly costume to preschool, but the accessories apparently didn't last long. Isn't her little friend darling in his dragon costume?

The puppy jacket made an appearance at Little Gym.

Cort has been terrified of his skunk costume all weekend and wouldn't put it on until he saw that Lily got candy when she had her costume on. After that he was all business. He waddled around in the skunk costume all night exclaiming, "AWESOME!" He was quite impressed that all these people were giving him candy.

It seems we have to work on our politeness ... at one house Lily told the people that our baby was cuter than theirs. I guess I should be happy that she is proud of her baby brother? I am pretty proud of him, too. Our little bumble bee slept all snuggled up in the Moby Wrap the entire time we were out. Such a good little babe!

Menu Plan Monday

2011-10-29T09:10:00.006-06:00

I am taking part in the 8 Weeks to a Better You Challenge. I'm just coming off a similar challenge with family, but I wasn't into it 100 percent since I was on bedrest and had a sweet little newborn for the majority of it. I am approaching 6 weeks post partum and starting to have moments where I am not completely sleep deprived ... so here we go!

Some of the challenge rules include no sugar and no white flours. This is big for us. I've been wanting to eat more "naturally" so I am hoping to learn a lot! I'll let you know how it goes.

I also need to get 7 hours of sleep a night (or probably day in my case) and exercise 45 minutes a day. My favorite challenge requirements are doing a random act of kindness every day and writing in a journal every day ... thus the blog!

A menu plan is definitely in order to help me steer clear of of sugars and fast food. Especially since I have a fun goal ... looking good for pictures at this BEAUTIFUL couple's wedding on December 28th.

Aren't they studding? Time to shed the baby weight so I can feel great during the holidays and celebrate this amazing day with them.

So here is my menu plan for this week incorporating more natural foods:

Breakfasts:

Whole Wheat Crepes with Berry Sauce
Smoothies
Egg Omelet
Homemade Granola
Whole Wheat Waffles

Lunches:

Salads

Sandwiches

Pear and Pomegranate Salad

Tortilla Pizzas

Dinner:

Whole Wheat Tortilla Burritos

Whole Wheat Macaroni and Cheese

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf
Beef Stroganoff on Brown Rice
Taco Soup
Halloween Dinner on the Free Day!

Snacks:

Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

Popcorn
Fruits and Veggies :)
Triscuits with cottage cheese and salsa

Wish me luck! What are your favorite recipes and snacks?

Coming Soon!

2011-10-24T22:11:00.001-06:00

I took a blogging hiatus July-September as we finished up our summer vacations and celebrate the arrival of this little bundle of fun. Stay tuned for lots of posts coming soon ... including the baby story!

Magic Touch Bag

2011-06-15T11:41:00.005-06:00

Lily loves to measure and pour so when I saw this science project that was simple and easy - I knew we had to do it!

Making the Magic Touch bag was a cinch. Here are the directions as per Jocelyn's blog:

Fill one large ziploc bag with the following ingredients:

cornstarch - 5 tbsp
vegetable oil - 1/2 cup
water - 1/2 cup
green and blue food coloring - 3 drops each (or more)

Seal the bag and allow your child to knead the ingredients together. Make sure you seal it really tight! Both of my kids loved watching the oil and water separate and seeing the different colors that formed. My two year old especially loved how it felt.

Digital Date Night Kit Giveaway!

2011-06-12T13:35:00.004-06:00

Ready for a HOT Giveaway? Romanticmarriages.com is giving away a Let's Get Soaked! Digital Date Kit. I've looked at the ideas and printables and, let me tell you, you and your hubby need this for your next summer date! Just to let you know how sassy it is, I was telling my husband about some of the date ideas (including the sexy date invite) and he got so distracted he almost went out of turn at a four-way stop. The date ideas are that much fun!

Here's a little sneak peak:

You can enter in the ways below. Be sure to leave a comment for each one!:

Leave us your favorite date night activity and a way to contact you

Like Romanticmarriages.com on Facebook

Twitter about the Giveaway

Subscribe to Keep Moving Forward With Me :)

Now here's a little more info about Romanticmarriages.com from their web-site:

RomanticMarriages.com will spoil you and your husband with date kits meant to strengthen your relationship all year long.

RomanticMarriages.com also created the Loving Wives Club to provide women with 10 months of romancing. Each month you receive a new Smart Date to help benefit your marriage.

What is a Smart Date? Each month has a new and unique theme. It includes:
an invitation or visual to print from home,
the date's scenario,
the "plan",
Smart Date hints which includes ways to give him Attention, Admiration and Appreciation that go long with the theme.

So who are the Loving Wives Club?

We are a national organization of women who believe it is smart to have an "intentional" date night with your husband to keep him emotionally close, connected, and committed. Studies now prove that a man who is emotionally connected to his wife helps more with the house and the kids as well as meets more of his wife's needs.

While a date night is about going out and having fun together, a Smart Date Night is about having fun while you build stronger "key" connections with your husband that in turn benefit you.

*******

Little Helpers

2011-05-24T16:07:00.004-06:00

Since attending the Power of Moms Retreat, I have working on being more in tune with my children. It's too easy to get wrapped up in what I have planned and miss the opportunity for moments that are even better!

Today I pulled out a new coloring set for them to work on. John and I substituted in Lily's Primary class on Sunday and I noticed how many of the children were coloring in the lines and so focused. My Lily was coloring as quickly as she could with no rhyme or reason (John later told me that she colors fast because they get to play with toys as soon as they are done!) I thought I would give her more coloring opportunities at home. She colored for a moment and then went on to other things. I was happy when she returned to her markers a little later and then I discovered this ...

My first reaction ... oh my word what a mess! And then I laughed because I got exactly what I asked for. I had been wanting to see her color more focused and she was definitely more focused on making each finger a different color! After she finished and we took the picture, she decided to wash it all off on her own anyway. No harm done!

Another of my goals from the retreat was to include the children more in my daily tasks of cooking and cleaning. I was really impressed by April's, one of the organizers, passion for working with her children. I've been wanting to make pizza with the kids for awhile, but just hadn't had the time to make the dough until I saw this great idea! A tortilla crust is such a great idea!

It was so fast and easy! Lily did a great job and did everything on her own except for putting it in the oven. Cort even helped with the cheese! It was fun and they actually ate more than if I had made it!

Power of Moms Retreat

2011-05-23T06:11:00.004-06:00

This weekend I attended a Power of Moms Retreat up in Park City at the Eyre's beautiful home. It was A-MAY-ZING to be able to spend from 9 to 5 with 92 other incredible women who also wanted to be the best mothers and home managers that they can be. The organizers weren't kidding when they said that we were in for a feast!

I took seven pages worth of notes in my day planner. It took two days to even give my husband a brief synopsis in between taking care of our cute kiddos. I plan on breaking it down and blogging my favorite concepts, systems, and pieces of advice - so be on the lookout over the next few weeks!

I carpooled up to Park City with two other women from the Orem/Provo area. It was like getting in two bonus sessions of the retreat. I think there is great power in talking with other moms who are positive, yet also realistic about motherhood. That may be one of the biggest take away messages that I received at the retreat - that I am not alone and that there are other mothers experiencing the same thing I am.

The questions I am pondering individually and with my husband this week is:

What Do I Need to Thrive?

What Does Our Marriage Need to Thrive?

What Do Our Children Need to Thrive?

What do you think? What do you need to thrive? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Craft Hope Project

2011-05-09T07:52:00.014-06:00

I discovered this A-MAY-ZING craft blog a few months ago - Craft Hope - through my cute friend Angela. Angela was also one of my roommates in college and you can see from her blog that she can make darling things!

Anyway, I am not the expert crafty type, but I am always trying to find ways to incorporate more charity and giving into my and my kiddo's lives. Do I succeed a lot - oh no - but occasionally I happen upon a project that is perfect for us. Threading pony beads on craft elastic was a perfect starting project for my little ones and a great way to serve. We kept it pretty simple, but lots of awesome crafters have donated ADORABLE bracelets. Check it out!

Craft Hope shares handmade crafts with those who need them most. They've sent newborn kits to Africa, scarves to Haiti, and now they are collecting handmade bracelets to send to orphans in Russia.

The statistics they shared were staggering:

Every day 5,760 more children become orphans.
Approximately 250,000 children are adopted annually, but…
Every year 14,050,000 children still grow up as orphans and AGE OUT of the system.
More than 1 million orphans are waiting for a home in Russia.
In Russia, 60% of girl orphans become prostitutes and 70% of male orphans become hardened criminals.

Broke my heart. After college I had planned to serve in orphanages in Russia or China, but life had other plans and I met my honey instead. These little ones still hold a place in my heart. Of course, they need donations for money, food, clothing, etc. But what I love about this project is that it is something that is just for each little girl to call their very own. That is special!

This project was so incredibly fast and easy! Just a quick trip to the store for the beads my little girl picked out and then half an hour out of our family get together on Mother's Day. Many hands make light work, right? I love that this is a project that everyone from the preschoolers to the grandparents can do and enjoy. Even the men got involved! In fact, they were the best at tying the knots onto the beads so the bracelets didn't fall apart. It was a good feeling to be serving together as a family - definitely something we want to do more of.

I 100 perecent recommend doing this with your family! It's a great project for little ones! I plan on making some friendship bracelets on our car trips over the next month (that totally take me back to junior high - love it!). Whether you can do a few or a lot, you will definitely have fun with your family! My daughter was so excited to do it for the little girls who had no mommies or daddies. In fact, she was quite sad when we had to drop them off at the post office instead of taking a trip to Russia to see the little girls.

So head on over to Craft Hope and check out the details! The project goes until June 15th. They are also now collecting hand made blankets for tornado victims in the South.

I am participating in:

What I Made Wednesday

It's all about perspective

2011-05-05T14:51:00.003-06:00

Last post in January? Yikes! It has been awile. Since January my main job has been to nourish and grow this tiny little canteloupe sized baby who is now 20 weeks along inside of me (in about four hours I go in for the BIG ultrasound ... am I excited? MAJORLY!)Add to that my two toddling munchkins, handsome hubby, and a freelance writing/social media gig - it's been busy. But you know how that goes. What mom doesn't?

So why am I up at 4 am instead of sleeping ... didn't I just mention that I have two toddlers. Yep, definitely should be sleeping. My daughter snuck into my bed around 2 am and just can't seem to keep those cute little toes warm unless they are jabbed into my back occassionally. After a few little jabs, I am awake and my mind starts wandering.

Boy oh boy do I have lots to think about. It is time to move forward in a big way. My main squeeze came home from work last night and announced that his department had been sold. That's rock my world news - this little canteloupe would really like health insurance. We don't know until the end of the month if he will be absorbed into the company or if he will be laid off. Pretty big ifs, eh?

News like this sends my mind into overdrive. The company he has been working for has been good to us and quite stable through these rocky years. Steady insurance = happy campers in my point of view. Crossing my fingers they'll keep us, but preparing for that big ugly word ... unemployment. yuck.

Fortunately it's not my first ride on this roller coaster. As I grew up my family faced unemployment several times. I remember my mom finding creative ways to make ends meet. Cleaning the dance studio in exchange for lessons. Delivering phone books. We were pros at little side jobs. It worked and, probably more importantly, we kids worked.

So here I am thinking, typing, and planning in the early hours of the morning as my little family sleeps. You know the questions that come with unemployment ...

... How can I help my husband find another job?

... How long will our savings last?

... How do I navigate insurance (SHUDDER?

... How can I best support my husband?

and the big one ....

.... why us? why right now?

Tonight as I thought about these questions, I kept coming back to the movie Soul Surfer. Saw it a few weeks ago with my mom and I LOVED it. Fantastic message. This quote stands out to me:

"I don’t know why terrible things happen to us sometimes, but I have to believe something good is going to come out of this."

Perspective. That is what the movie gave me. You know the scene where Carrie Underwood shows the up close picture of the walnut and the fly eye. Sometimes we are too close to be able to see things for what they really are. We're looking at this portion of our lives through a microscope while God has the whole span of our lives in HD on the big screen projector.

(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/)

Right now we are drifting quickly to the Impact Zone, but there are more waves coming. Maybe better waves, better opportunities for growth for our little family. Or, who knows, perhaps we will be part of the lucky few absorbed back into the company.

So I am counting my blessings. It is only the potential loss of a job. In the past year, we've faced the loss of loved ones, health problems, car troubles, etc. From each trial, we've learned, we've grown. What do I need to learn from this potential situation? For starters, I'm taking in the rest of the great messages from Soul Surfer.

The best thing I can do for my little family right now is bring peace. This baby in my growing tummy doesn't want to live inside one stressed mama. And good thing that toddler yoga book came in the mail yesterday ... because I might need it more than the kids!

What tips do you have for facing unemployment? I would love to hear your stories. Post links to your blog posts if you have them!

CSN Giveaway

2011-01-24T14:21:00.002-07:00

Ready for the CSN.com giveaway? Who is going to win $40 to spend at one of their many wonderful web-sites! I've been shopping on CSN.com for a year now and each product I have purchased has been high quality and perfect for my family.

So let's get to the good stuff .... CSN.com has given me a $40 gift certificate for one of my lucky readers. With over 200+ CSN stores including children's items, home decor, cookware, etc. - you're going to want to win this giveaway! Whether you need new Tupperware, Melissa and Doug puzzles, gardening equipment - they have so, so many things to chose from!

Here is how you can win. First and only rule is that you be a resident of the United States or Canada.

1. Leave a comment! That simple. I just need to know how to contact you.

For extra entries you can:
1. Go to csn.com or one of their many affiliate sites and let me know what you might want to spend $40 buckaroos on!
2. Follow my blog
3. Blog about this giveaway and leave a link
4. Become a fan of my new facebook page! (Keep Moving Forward With Me)

Pretty simple and easy four ways to enter! The giveaway ends January 31st at midnight MST. I'll email the winner and they'll have 24 hours to respond.Happy shopping!

Friday Favorites

2011-01-20T18:00:00.002-07:00

1. Loved this blog from the first time I read it. She set a big scary goal to raise $15,000 for the National Down Syndrome Society in honor of her daughter Nella's 1st birthday .... the total is continually growing and up to .... $77,000! Check out this awesome video about her experiences with Nella here: Way to set big girl goals! One woman can make a difference.

2. I'm a foodie at heart and loving these ideas of what to do with a crockpot full of BBQ Chicken from the Wholesome Mommy. Can you say Sweet Baby Ray BBQ Chicken all week long .... YUM!

3. And I am loving the FREE date/romantic kit that the ladies over at romanticmarriages.com are giving out this month! Their theme is "I'm Spending More Time on You" and the ideas are super easy, and darling. Your hubby will love it!

Project 52: Glimpse into Motherhood Week 3

2011-01-20T15:20:00.002-07:00

This week I wanted to be a mom who was present, who lived in the moment. So when my daughter looked at me with her big brown eyes and asked if she could go play in the snow - I said YES. You see, I want to be a YES mom when it comes to learning experiences, to special moments. There are many times where I need to say no for safety or other reasons, so I am trying to say YES to happy moments and opportunities for my kids and I to learn and grow together.

My Lily LOVES the red umbrella she has with her in the picture. She twirled all over the backyard with it. I'm glad I left the dishes in the sink, the laundry in the dryer, and didn't even pause to make sure her hair was done ... she loved playing outside and it made her day.

I also recently saw this Youtube video and I LOVED LOVED LOVED it. I want more moments.

CSN Giveaway coming up!

2011-01-18T13:05:00.002-07:00

I love CSN.com. With thousands of products and stores to choose from there is something for everyone from modern dining room furniture to this adorable slide I got my littles for Christmas:

Believe me - they are still playing with that cute slide every day. And whenever the cousins come over it is always occupied.

Check back in soon for the giveaway! In the meantime, what would you spend $40 on at CSN.com?

More ways to use fruits and veggies ...

2011-01-16T13:56:00.003-07:00

Remember my goal this week? Get 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Who knew it was going to be so tough? Definitely need to work on this one more! I had one day where I knew for sure that I had gotten all my servings in plus all the water I was supposed to drink for one day ... and you know what? I felt FABULOUS! It made a huge difference. Lucky for me, I am taking part in a Better U Blog Challenge where I HAVE to eat 5 fruits/veggies a day to get points for big prizes. So hopefully here's to more fabulous days!

One way I am getting more fruits and veggies is by using the Food Dehydrator my hubby got me for Christmas. I love it! I had a banana and some kiwis that I knew weren't going to be eaten over the weekend so I cut them up and tossed them in the dehydrator. Voola! Snacks for the kiddos on the go next week and no food waste. Win-win.

Glimpse Into Motherhood: Week 2

2011-01-15T15:40:00.003-07:00

I read somewhere this week that at the end of our lives we won't look back and wish we'd spent more time at work, more time on the computer, more time watching TV, etc. So I asked myself, what do I want more time for and how can I make it happen?

I want more happy, peaceful times with my kids. I want them to have memories of working hard and playing hard. I want to make my home a safe haven for learning, experimenting, and growing.

So this week I tried to embrace more perfectly the learning moments that come with imperfect timing, the priceless interruptions. I read a quote over at 71 Toes that I just love:

INTERRUPTIONS

"When you are exasperated by interruptions, try to remember that their very frequency may indicate the value of your life. Only people who are full of help and strength are burdened by other persons' needs. The interruptions which we chafe at are the credentials of our indispensability. The greatest condemnation that anybody could incur - and it is a danger to guard against - is to be so independent, so unhelpful, that nobody ever interrupts us, and we are left comfortably alone."

-Anonymous
from The Anglican Digest

Long story short, I LOVE this photo of my daughter, while my son was sleeping we read a darling book about snowflakes and then we made our own. So simple, yet so memorable. And she was SO HAPPY. I want more moments like that!

Tot School!

2011-01-11T10:01:00.009-07:00

We had lots of fun at Tot School this week! Lily is 3 (43 months) and Cort is 1 (18 months).

We read Snip, Snip, Snow by Nancy Poydar. Lily especially loved it. I highly recommend the book. It had cute instructions at the end on how to make your own snowflake. I love it when books come with art suggestions, too! It was a perfect book for a snowy afternoon.

After Lily made her snowflake, she wanted to color it and made a beautiful creation!

Another favorite of both kids is the Melissa and Doug Food Set. As we speak, Lily has a notebook and pen and is drawing up a menu for a lunch she wants to make me. I love toys that encourage imagination!

One of Lily's favorite things to do is paint. I am going to collect some different textured items for her to use as brushes next week. Any suggestions?

Cort loves his magnet sets! He is enjoying the LeapFrog Fridge Farm Magnetic Animal Set and the Leap Frog alphabet as well.

Lily also went ice skating for the first time this week! She loved it and had so much fun. She used something to hold on to for awhile, but then ventured off on her own. She did such a good job. Within five minutes she was yelling faster! We will definitely go again!

Next week I want to do more winter learning activities. What are some of your favorites for toddlers?

Project 52 - Week 2 Fruits and Veggies!

2011-01-10T10:12:00.005-07:00

Here we go on Week 2 of Project 52! Fifty-two weeks of personal goals. This weeks goal should be easy peasy, but I know that I am not reaching it. The goal:

5 Servings of Fruits and Veggies a day!

I think it is going to come down to tracking, planning ahead, and trying new things. Don't get me wrong, I like fruits and veggies ... it's just easy to reach for my husband's fudge or kid's crackers sometimes. You know what I'm talking about ... those sweet and salty cravings.

I got off to the right start on Saturday by purchasing a basket full of fruits and veggies from Bountiful Baskets. (fantastic co-op. huge basket of fruits and veggies for 15 bucks and you can also buy the yummiest bread you will ever eat!)

This morning I decided to go big - pumpkin puree, blackberries, and bananas!

... which resulted in this! Frenchy Pumpkin Toast. Now you have to check out Amy's site. Her Super Healthy Kid's blog is full of great recipes for parents and their small ones. You'll definitely want to click on the link ... her pictures are much prettier than mine!

So .... game plan for the rest of the week. Fruits and veggies get to be my snacks. In fact, I think a cucumber is calling my name as we speak.

Win a FREE Valentines Day Kit!

2011-01-10T09:41:00.001-07:00

Romanticmarriages.com is giving away a free Valentines Kit on facebook called: "This Year I'm Giving You the Chocolates!" Their kits are so romantic and so much fun! All you have to do is like their facebook page and go to the discussion tab where you will see the giveaway. Grab your honey and come up with your own definition of love - post it to be entered to win! The entries are low right now so be sure to sign up! They will give away a kit once they've hit 200 entries.and go to the discussion tab where you will see the giveaway. Grab your honey and come up with your own definition of love - post it to be entered to win! The entries are low right now so be sure to sign up! They will give away a kit once they've hit 200 entries.

Project 52: Glimpse into Motherhood Week 1

2011-01-06T15:45:00.002-07:00

Just found another Project 52 that I am loving! It is Simply Modern Mom's Project 52: Glimpse into Motherhood. Her goal is to help us capture those sweet mommyhood moments and improve our photography skills as well.

So here's mine for this week! It's my sweet little 17 month old on Christmas morning. He was all tuckered out after a morning of playing with his cousins. Think 5 kids 17 months old to 4.5 years old - it was busy, busy, busy. My little man snuck away from the hustle and bustle and found the softest place that he could to crash - this little stash of teddy bears of my grandmother's. Love the relaxed posture, love the chocolatey face of a toddler who just discovered their stocking on their own, and love his sweet little mile.

Project 52

2011-01-05T13:16:00.003-07:00

Have you heard of Project 52? It is right up my alley and what I needed to get my goals organized! Remember last year when I decided to pick a new goal every week and post on how it was going? Sadly, I fizzled in my efforts soon after sorting. That is why I am SO looking forward to the accountability of this link up!

Plus, I never had my goals typed up on the computer. I had them written down and I am pretty sure that my daughter turned them into an art project.

So here it goes ...

I'd like to stick with my four original categories -

spiritual,

health,

family,

home/finances.

I've started off with January and February and will be updating it as the year goes on!

January
2. FAV - Fruits And Veggies - are we getting enough?
3. The B word - Budget! How I am tracking this month and if we stick to it!
4. Reading with children - I love to read but don't do it near as often as I should. How can I set up good reading habits for my kiddos.

February
5. How can I serve my extended family more and better relationships?
6. Getting enough outside time with myself and my kiddos!
7. I want to create my own family wall with pictures, favorite quotes, etc.
8. Making the most of family meal time

March
9.
10.
11.
12.

April
13.
14.
15.
16.

May
17.
18.
19.
20.

What are your weekly goals for this yeare?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-05T13:12:00.002-07:00

Reading Classics Challenge

2011-01-01T22:12:00.003-07:00

I LOVE to read. As a child, I constantly had a book with me and as an adult one of my favorite college courses was on Jane Austen. Seriously, I wouldn't have missed that class for the world!

When I saw a Reading the Classics Reading Challenge, I knew that I had to link up! I also noticed that several people were doing ready alongs with their kiddos so thought would be a perfect matchup for me.

This year I am going to start reading C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia to my children during lunch time. I remember reading the idea on a blog and I loved it. I want my children to grow up loving to read just as much as I did! So starting tomorrow, we're having lunch with C.S. Lewis!

I'll be adding more of my favorite classics as the challenge continues, but I thought I would start with the basic lunch time reads with my littles!

What is on your classic reading list this year?

No excuses!

2010-12-28T19:43:00.003-07:00

Skinny Me is inspiring me to start now with my weight loss and other New Year's Goals. I loved this poster that she had on her sight. It's definitely time to move past excuses. So here are my goals for this week:

1. Go to Zumba ... seriously ... this is going to be fun.
2. Do My Fitness Coach on the Wii 3x this week
3. Take the kiddos for a walk at least once
4. Drink 8 glasses of water a day

What goals do you have this week?

CSN Slide Review

2010-12-28T10:41:00.002-07:00

The Little Tikes Jr. Slide from CSN.com was a HUGE hit this Christmas. Easily the top toy played with this year. With four children between the ages of 18 months and four years old at our party - the slide always had a line!

My husband was a HUGE fan of the assembly. After spending an hour assembling doll furniture, he was beyond thrilled to open the slide box and just have to unfold it. Can't get any easier. The folding feature makes it super simple to store as well.

From the mom side, I like that it is easy for my 18 month old and three year old to use. No injuries so far! It is also easy to clean and doesn't take up too much space in my living room. My sister in law noted that it was nice that the slide doesn't just drop off at the end dumping the kiddos on the floor. Definitely a good feature!

At $41.99, it was worth the price! It appears sturdy and will be fun for the kiddos for years to come. Currently it has five stars on CSN.com.

New Year's Resolutions

2010-12-16T17:09:00.003-07:00

My mantra for this year is Simply, Fortify, Purify. This concept stood out to me while watching General Conference last October. I think my focusing on these three words, 2011 will be a more peaceful, happy, and productive year!

My good friend Andrea is amazing! She has five young children, is always learning, and is gorgeous to boot! She has a personal blog as well as a great blog called All About Kids that has TONS of easy and educational ideas for young children. She is the inspiration behind my resolutions this year.

Spiritual
1. Do 12 Temple Sessions
2. Have Lily learn the 13 Articles of Faith
3. Read Book of Mormon by June
4. Read D&C by July
5. Read Old Testament by December
6. Read scriptures, pray, and mediate six days a week

Physical
1. Win Trost Family Biggest Loser
2. Exercise five days a week
3. Run 3 5Ks
4. Go to Zumba twice a month

Personal
1. Attend Power of Moms Conference
2. Attend a Blogger Conference
3. Create family motto and picture wall
4. Make a t-shirt quilt

Read
1. Mothers of the Prophets
2. No Limits: The Will to Succeed
3. Last Child in the Woods: Saving our children from nature-deficit disorder
4. 21 Days to Christ

What are your resolutions this year?

Something to talk about week 6 ....

2010-11-15T18:10:00.001-07:00

I am linking up to Live to Be Inspired - Something to Talk About - Week 6. My sister did her post in list format this week so I am going to steal her idea because I've been reading and loving lots of good stuff!

Here's what I am loving this week:

This post from the Brave Girls Club. If you haven't read it yet, get out your tissues. I love her honesty. It touched my heart and spoke to my soul - literally! I think we all could use a little TLC.
This restaurant, the Blue Lemon in Highland and Salt Lake. Their motto is pure clean food with a twist and it is yummy! We make the trip at least once a month. My toddlers love the sweet potato fries and I love trying something new every time. Current fave is the hummus plate.
These printables, Carisa over at 1+1+1 has been my life saver since my babies turned into tots. Full of fun, educational ideas for the littles. Oopsy Daisy has a fantastic Thanksgiving packet as well!

Groupon saves me money!

2010-11-12T17:08:00.005-07:00

I love getting a good deal. A few years ago, I could use the IHOP coupons that came in the mail and a few restaurant coupons from the Entertainment book, but there weren't many restaurant deals I could get excited about.

This year it seems as if the Internet has exploded with deal a day web sites that are full of fantastic restaurant, entertainment, and online shopping deals. Best part - they are to YUMMY places that we already love to go to. We're talking Jason's Deli - delicious organic food. Pizza Pie Cafe - anyone remember Craigo's in Rexburg - yep same yummy recipes improved! Blue Lemon - more local gourmet food that is to die for! The list goes on and on.

Here is one of the sites that I have been using a lot! Stay tuned for more great sites ...

Groupon: Recently I've gotten $50 for $25 at Gap, $100 for $35 at Picaboo (book publishing) and $50 for $25 at Hapari - hello new swimsuit for 2011! It's super easy. Sign up for their daily deals via email, Twitter, or Facebook. Snag the deal and enjoy! They have deals a day for cities all over the United States. So head on over and check it out at Groupon.

Day 6 - Outside Challenge!

2010-11-10T12:26:00.003-07:00

Almost a week ago I challenged myself to get out and get moving more with my kids. Boy oh boy have we tried! In fact, as we speak my three year old is out in her rain boots digging holes in the ground as snow flakes fall around her. It's a beautiful sight. She is happy. It is worth it.

I would be out with her instead of watching from the window if my 1 year old wasn't fast asleep.

I've learned several things in this journey so far.

1. It pays to be prepared. I try to keep my kiddo's outside gear in one place so that when the moment is right we can be right out the door instead of allowing the grumpies to sneak in while we search for socks or mittens.

I learned that lesson on our California vacation last month. Boy howdy was I happy to have Lily's rain boots and a change of clothes after we hiked through Fern Canyon - a gorgeous place unlike anything I have ever seen. They filmed portions of Jurassic Park there. It was amazing! Having her rain boots on enabled her to go splashing through the water and have a ball.

2. It is fun to say "yes." I think my daughter was shocked to today when she asked me if she could go outside and I said yes. Million dollar smile followed right behind that look of shock.

CSN Review

2010-11-05T15:21:00.002-06:00

I am excited to do another review for CSN.com. Since my last review they have added even more new stores including a new one for fitness equipment.

Every time I get on their sites, I literally can be sucked in for hours especially with Christmas fast approaching. Their websites have everything from dining chairs to this darling little slide that I am tempted to get and review for my 3 and 1 year olds.

Stay tuned for the review!

21 Day Challenge

2010-11-05T14:58:00.003-06:00

I was inspired by two blogs this week! My cute friend Emily from BYU-Idaho posted this quote on her blog:

"For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin-real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment you have and remember

that time waits for no one.

Happiness is a Journey! "

-Souza

These words struck a chord with me especially with all the events of the last few months. We've been wading through lots of situations, trials, and blessings. Some goals have been put on hold or abandoned, but after reading this quote I am ready to get back to it and keep moving forward!

While blog browsing, I came across the 21 day challenge by Rhonna Designs. So each day for the next 21 days I am going to be blogging about my new goal!

My goal this month is to:

Get outside and get moving with my children!

My family is suffering from too much screen time still. I am also training for a 4 mile run on Thanksgiving Day with my family so why not take care of two goals at once? At first I considered making less screen time my goal, but I decided to focus on getting outside instead. I recall from my C.S. Lewis class in college that in order to rid ourselves of certain vices we have to first replace them with something else worthwhile. I hope that as we get outside, exercise, and enjoy nature - we will more naturally have less screen/electronic time.

So today I am

ENVISIONING

where I want to be in 21 days. I see myself ....

healthier

happier

more full of joy and life

I see my children with cheeks rosy from exercise

eyes full of wonder at the world around them.

And I also see myself crossing the finish line of the 4 mile race!

And I don't think that I am going to have to ask this one twice to join me outside! She LOVED spending every day on the beach, in the Redwood Forest, etc. while we were on our California vacation. In this picture she is holding an adorable fluffy little caterpillar.

Biggest Loser 2010-2011

2010-11-03T17:52:00.002-06:00

My Aunt Melanie came up with the genius idea to do a Trost family Biggest Loser competition over the holiday season. Didn't take long to convince me! I've been looking for more motivation to lose the rest of this baby - and just plain laziness - weight. I have about 25 pounds that I want to lose before we get pregnant with our next baby - a tall order I know! Our competition will last 12 weeks.

Here are our before and after photos:

Johnny decided to go for a realistic before with food in his mouth.

So what is my game plan? Today I moseyed on over to sparkpeople.com and started a new profile. In the past I have tried Weight Watchers, but haven't followed through so I am going for the free option this time! Here are a few of the goals I established:

Track food every day. This is a big one as we are in the midst of holiday season. My arch nemisis the Trick or Treat bucket has gotten me every day this week. All those little Kit Kats add up! Typically when I start to deviate from the health plan I just quit tracking for the day and call it a loss - not today! I fessed up and adjusted my meal plan for the day. Only 2 fat grams over. Not bad!
Drink 8 glasses of water a day. Success for the day at least!
Run a 4 mile race on Thanksgiving Day. I am running to raise money to support the Huntsman Cancer Institute in honor of my Grandma Kimball. There will be a post coming on this!
No eating out. This is huge for Johnny and I. During the summer we limited eating out and had some great weight loss! August brought some stress and trials and we turned back to our fast fatty weights which resulted in regaining that weight. But we are back on the band wagon and have been fast food free for 10 days.

And that is just the beginning! What are some of your favorite weight loss tips?

Something to talk about ....

2010-10-25T13:03:00.007-06:00

Have you linked up to Something to Talk About over at Live to be Inspired yet? If not, you need to! It is a fantastic weekly link up where you can share anything positive or inspiring- whatever makes you smile. This week Cami posted a yummy Hawaiian French Toast recipe that I am dying to try. Head on over and check it out!

I REALLY needed a vacation. I mean really! Ten days traveling down the California coast appeased my insatiable travel itch for at least a little while. This coastal trip has been in the works two years since my brother was called to the Santa Rosa California Mission. We've poured over maps, researched hotels and restaurants, and crossed our fingers for the best. After all, traveling for 10 days in the car with four kiddos under the age of four isn't always a walk in the park.

But this time it was! The clouds parted and we had beautiful, perfect weather during the entire trip. Not too hot and not too cold. My two little ones did pretty good and it was the least stressed I have been in years. No kidding. We had a few moments here and there, but mostly it was just as I hoped it would be (minus Broc, Cami, and Ti ... next time, next time you guys! We missed you too much! I did drink hot chocolate every morning in Cami's honor, though).

We had some crazy times .....

Some fantastical times ...

Some laughing times ...

And plenty of time for dreams

Something to talk about ...

2010-10-11T10:43:00.001-06:00

My brilliant sister, Cambria, over at Live to be Inspired is starting a fantastic link up inspired by President Monson's talk from the Relief Society Session. You all remember the story about the dirty laundry and windows, right?

I want to give women something to talk about other than each other's flaws or mistakes. other than who did or didn't do what this week. or who did or didn't have homemade cupcakes at their 1 year old's birthday party. i mean, seriously? we are all smart & talented women, yet we all have been guilty of conversations like this at one point or another. conversations that have no point other than judging others in order to make ourselves look better. often times we spend way more time tearing each other down than we do building each other up.

So Cami is encouraging us to blog about anything positive or that we are grateful for. She has a great list of starter ideas over at her blog that you can check out. She is doing a link up party Monday at 8 am MST. Join in the epidemic of positivity!

So here I go ....

I love this song by Sarah McClachlan. I remember the first time I saw it during the Opening Ceremonies if the Sydney Olympics - it was amazing! I've listened to this song a lot these past few months as I've learned to appreciate more of the simple, ordinary days that I am given. When I hear this song I will always think of my Grandma Kimball. During our many conversations the past two years, she has taught me a lot about motherhood and life in general.

This song reminds me to be grateful and to be happy!

Enjoy!

Conference Link Up

2010-10-04T07:46:00.003-06:00

1. Favorite Speakers? Jeffrey R. Holland, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Henry B. Eyring, President Thomas S. Monson

2. Favorite talk? President Uchtdorf. I loved the tree analogy. It's perfect for where I am in my life right now.

3. Favorite hymn sung during Conference? Redeemer of Israel is always one of my favorites ... one of the few I can play in Hymns Made Easy :).

4. Who wore the best tie? Totally missed the ties this time, but I do think President Monson wore a nice red one during one of the session.

5. Do you think conference had a “theme”? Simplify, Purify, Fortify - that is our new family motto for the next six months. There was also a lot about agency, choice, and listening to the Spirit.

6. Share a few of your favorite quotes (paraphrasing is fine).

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them," Mother Theresa, as quoted by Pres. Monson

We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become. -- Richard G. Scott

Be MOVED with compassion. -- Barbara Thompson

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication --- Leonardo Da Vinci as quoted by Dieter F. Uchtdorf

The Internet can be a heartless chamber of isolation -- Dieter F. Uchtdorf. I am taping this name tag to my computer. Lots of good can come from it, but when I spend too much time on it ... it becomes the Heartless Chamber of Isolation!

7. Something that made you smile during conference.

Loved, loved, loved President Monson's window washing story in the Relief Society session.

8. Any evidence that your children paid attention?

I really wanted to be prepared for conference this year since I have two kiddos ages 3 and 1. I solicited all of my friends on facebook and even put in a call to my dear friend Melissa who just wrote an article about the topic for the Church Magazines. A few things worked really well. We hung the general authority insert from the last conference Ensign on the wall. With each new speaker, Lily find the new picture and put a sticker on it. This was especially popular with my nieces when we watched with them as well. She also enjoyed coloring and painting the print outs. I was able to listen fairly well with her a little more occupied.

9. If you had to give a talk in General Conference (don’t faint, this is hypothetical), what do you think you’d speak about?

It would be cool to share humanitarian aid stories. I loved reading so many of the beautiful stories from around the world when I interned at the church magazines.

10. What are some of your post-conference goals?

Daily family scripture study. I loved the story of the family who decided to consistently read three verses a day. One by Dad. One by Mom and one repeated by every child who could talk, but not read yet. We are starting that today!

Less media.

I also want to speak more positively of others and be more grateful. Cambria over at Live to be Inspired is doing a fantastic link up each week on this very topic that you should check out!

So what about you? Any goals in particular? Favorite quotes? Thoughts in general?

Going through changes .....

2010-09-28T15:28:00.002-06:00

Memo to self: making goals like less TV time and less stressful Sunday mornings = a life so crazy you don't have time to worry about those things anyway! We've had a doozy of a month and a half here. There's been change, change, and even more change!

I actually laughed when I saw that one of my Sunday School lessons was on Job in August - because I sure needed it! We had a few weeks, though definitely not as trying as Jobs, that felt like one thing was going wrong after another.

Remember the meal, where Job is eating with his family and one messenger after another comes telling him about a different hardship that has befallen his family (Job 1)?

... and then there was a water leak that caused hidden mold and lead to the retiling and carpeting of our basement apartment ...

... and then my husband broke a toe in his bone that requires him to be in a boot with limited activity until Halloween ...

... and then my sister got in a car accident (no injuries) ...

... and then my missionary brother got kidney stones ...

... and then one of the fridges went out ...

... followed by a toilet ...

See where this is going? Literally that kind of a month. But it really made me look at all that I am grateful for. We've had a place to stay while the basement is being renovated, I still have a husband, my sister didn't get injured, my brother received an honorable release to come home and be with us before our grandmother passed away. As my grandmother would say, so many silver linings!

My favorite silver lining was being able to go up to Park City with my grandmother, sister, and mom. My Grandma Kimball fought off cancer for a year and a half, but then was diagnosed with a childhood form of leukemia. I am working on a post about her - what a wonderful lady!

But I am back, recommitted, and ready to move forward. It was a bittersweet seven weeks, but I feel like we've come out the better for it. I miss my grandmother terribly, but I have hope and peace in the gospel.

Bye Bye Television

2010-08-06T05:09:00.006-06:00

He did it.
My husband unplugged the television.
Not quite as dramatic as cutting the cord, but semi-permanent for the time being
considering I can't really get behind the entertainment center.
Nor would I want to because I am pretty sure a colony of dead and live spiders live there.
Just sayin'.
I've been humming and hawing over the idea for a LONG time.
But then the kiddos get sick
and they need to rest
and watching favorite movies and television shows are classic sick time and keep them nice and cozy on the couch.
And then there is the week after they get sick where they are still tired and I am a zombie ...
got to have the tv for that.

And then I rationalize that at least it's educational.
No Tom and Jerry here.
When I held something up to my eye the other day, my three year old very seriously told me that it wasn't a periscope.
What three year old knows what a periscope is?
A three year old who loves Diego and the mermaids who are the heroes of the ocean.
To be honest I had to google it myself.
I thought it was spy glass thing a majig that pirates might use.
I was wrong.
It's what they use to see on a submarine.
Just ask my three year old.
She also knows all about howler monkeys, red eyed tree frogs, and leather back sea turtles.

But when my husband checks what we've been watching during the day just for fun
and sees that the netflix channel was on for 10 hours ...
(10 HOURS)
Time for a change.
Sometimes Lily turns a show on from Netflix
(no commercials - that makes it a little better, right?)
and then plays with it on in the background.
So the 10 hours isn't complete zombie ville on the couch.

Seriously, the first thing Lily, my three year old, says in the morning is "Milk and Movie time."
Lovely, lovely.
That totally makes for Internet and ice cream time for Mommy.
Or blogging and bon bons ...
take your pick.
We're a couple of technology junkies who need our fix to get the day started.
But is it good for us?
Perhaps not.

To be fair, I've slowly cut back our television time.
My husband and I never watch in the evening anymore.
And in the mornings I've made it a rule that we have to eat breakfast, get dressed, read scriptures, and help clean for 15 minutes before the television gets turned on.
Some days we even make it until 11 am.

But it's hard when you have a gal who is savvy with electronics.
In my next home, the television is going to be happily hidden away behind doors of a chic entertainment cabinet.
But for now ... there it is larger than life staring my three year old down.
Our cable is actually out.
But that doesn't stop her.
She knows where to find the Netflix disk.
And how to put it in the Wii.
Did I mention she is an expert with the Wiimote?

So it's tough love today for me and her.
No more television for a week.
I don't know who it will be harder for.
Me or her?

Stay tuned!
I am betting the first few days we have withdrawals, but then it will be SO MUCH BETTER.
We'll be creative.
Paint.
Dress up.
Cook.
Hide and Seek.

Design Rut

2010-07-27T14:47:00.006-06:00

I apologize for the lack of posts lately. I've been hauling myself out of a rut. A blog rut. A design rut. A routine rut. For all intents and purposes - A LIFE RUT. Do you ever get that way? Where you wake up one day and look around and ask yourself, "is this what I really want?" Now, I am not talking about my husband or my littles. They are not up for grabs! I KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that a life with them is what I want.

'Cause who could resist a cutie like that?

But how do I want to live that life? A few posts out there in the blogosphere have really got me thinking. Like this one by Misha Thompson about the difference between being busy and being full. Do you know the difference? I tell you what - lately I have been a busy momma! Sometimes I plan, plan, plan to the brim and forget that I need to be live, live, living - not too caught up in the Martha-like details. I like how she distinguishes living by priorities from living by pressure. I also liked idea of shaping my life each day by intentional choices. Choices that should revolve around these darling little faces:

And than there was Shawni's post on Holiness in Motherhood. Shawni is sister-in-law to a fantastic girl I worked with on the newspaper at BYU-Idaho. I stumbled upon her blog and I am so glad that I did. Her kids are older than mine so I love to look ahead at what life can bring.

She wrote about a session at a motherhood retreat she attended where the presenter said,

“No one wakes up in the morning and says, ‘I want to be unholy today’ Jen said,” but the path of least resistance can certainly take us there. We must make holiness a conscious choice.”

Can I relate - oh yes! It's easy to turn on the TV. It's easy to open the lap top. Oh so easy to send my little family into a technology induced coma. But is it best? (probably depends on my sanity and the sleep I got the night before ....).

I liked how she talks about simply looking for those holy moments. Or adding holiness to our more stressful moments by thinking of what the Savior would do. Today I found holiness in naptime as I rocked this sweet boy to sleep.

Did I want to sell my three year old to the circus because she kept waking him from his nap by pushing water melon in through the crib bars - oh yes - (she insisted he was hungry and that he hold her to get him some food. I guess she speaks grunt-ese). But instead of being too annoyed, I decided to step back and enjoy the moment of rocking him back to sleep. Already he is so big and just recently he decided to give walking a try. He won't be my baby for long.

So what do my ramblings mean? They mean I am making conscious decisions to prioritize and revitalize my life, my relationships with my family, my faith, and my home. I will definitely keep moving forward.

What does it mean for the blog? You'll get to join me on the journey! Lots of new things ahead, including:

Extreme Basement Apartment Makeover

My dear and talented sister over at Live to be Inspired has generously accepted the challenge of revamping my poor kiddos bedroom that is sadly in need of lots of help. As we speak, my email of delightful before pictures are reaching her in Colorado where she will whip up a design that is both fabulous and functional. How do I know this? Because she made my cultural hall wedding reception look like a not cultural hall wedding reception on a very small budget. My biggest wedding regret is that we didn't get more pictures. It was gorgeous. To die for. Loved it. But I digress ...

She recently made this for her sister-in-law's bridal shower. Gorgeous, no? So stay tuned for the Toddler room makeover. It will not disappoint.

2. Scripture Power!
A huge goal I have is to teach my toddlers from the scriptures every day. I have found lots of fabulous and free materials. Many good things to share!

And that is just the start of my new rut-less life. Stay tuned!

CSN Black and Decker Juicer Preview ....

2010-07-14T12:09:00.006-06:00

I love shopping online so when CSN contacted me to review one of their products, I happily obliged. For the next hour .... okay several hours ... I was blown away by the literally thousands of quality products that CSN and their affiliate sites offer online. I first let my mind wander over to the bedroom furniture sets and came across this darling sleigh bed by Ashley Furniture that I would love to have for my daughter.
Look at all that storage! Never mind that it is adorable. Didn't hurt that it was 50 percent off with free shipping as well.

After browsing the whimsical and delightful furniture selections for little girls, I brought my head down out of the clouds and focused on finding something a tad more practical to review. With over 200+ stores to meander through, it wasn't hard.

I finally settled on this little beauty: The Black and Decker Citrus Mate Plus. We're trying to eat healthier, more organically and I have been dying to try out making our own juices.

Check back in soon for my review!

The power of dirt

2010-07-09T09:13:00.005-06:00

This post by Simple Mom and this post by Amy at Super Healthy Kids really got me thinking about the importance of outside time for my little ones. For us it has been way too easy to be sucked inside with our air conditioning and electronic traps. The other day, I opened the back door to take the garbage out and these two little adventurers followed me.

My daughter wanted to pour her leftover water in the dirt. After she decided to shovel some dirt onto the concrete, my son decided to join her as well. I think it was his first time in the dirt -as you can see THEY LOVED IT. Besides the shovel - they only played with dirt, water, and rocks.

Lily found several rocks and decided to make a "rock museum."

Amy recommended a book that I am excited to try: Last Child in the Woods, Saving our children from Nature Deficit Disorder, by Richard Louv.

I recall reading about this book as well from another blog in the last month. It is sad how far removed even my children are from nature sometime. Too scheduled. Too electronically entertained. Too confined. The joy they felt as they basked in the sunshine, squished in the dirt, discovered rolly pollys, etc. was highly apparent. And they didn't need me to tell them what to do (except I did try to keep as much as possible from Cortland's mouth!)

Some of the benefits Simple Mom cited for children playing the dirt are:
1. Dirt can actually make you feel happy - apparentlythere are types of bacteria that are naturally found in soil which activate the neurons that produce serotonin – a key chemical in many bodily functions, as well as a natural anti-depressant.
2. Dirt is great for kiddos' immune systems.
3. More playtime outside = less childhood obesity.

Check out her post for more benefits and ideas for what to do with your children outside!

As part of more outside time, we hiked to Battle Creek Falls in Pleasant Grove - it was easy even for our three year old and very pretty!

Lily saw the boys finishing and asked me if she could fish, too. I told her that she needed a fishing rod like they did. No problem for her - she spent a few minutes searching the trail for the perfect long stick and went and stood right next to them to fish. When they lifted up their rods and tapped the water, she did, too. Toddlers are so observant!

I am loving this hiking backpack. It was perfect for us.

We spent about 45 minutes just sitting and enjoying the two falls and playing in the shallow water.We packed simple snacks for the kids as well.

Lily decided to pretend she was a bird. Cort also mimicked the water fall and kept raising his hands in the air and pushing them down.

They both loved getting wet, muddy, and dirty. This was a hands on hike!

Living a better story

2010-07-07T09:38:00.003-06:00

This post by Corey Allan of Simple Marriage really got me thinking today. How am I living my story? Is it a boring story? Am I true to my character? Would I want to read about myself? Am I living too much vicariously through others?

Lots to think about!

Mr. Allan asked his blog readers to ask themselves 5 what if questions. Here are mine:

1. What if I lived in a home that was comfy, welcoming, and company ready? You know, the kind of home you put so much love into that you feel loved yourself when you come in?

2. What if I ran a 30 minute 5k? May not seem big for some of you, but I am no runner!

3. What if I reached my goal weight before I had my next baby?

4. What if I had an article published in a magazine?

5. What if we paid for at least 50 percent down on our first home?

Step 2 is going to be to work toward those goals. Just thinking about some of those things gets me excited. It's fun to imagine and work toward a healthier, more well-rounded, happier me.
What are some of your what ifs?

Tackle it Tuesday - Cloth Wet Wipes

2010-07-06T11:24:00.005-06:00

5 minutes for mom hosts a fun link up every week called Tackle it Tuesday and I am joining in. I am hoping it will be a good way for me to tackle some household projects I have been procrastinating and hold myself accountable.

Cloth Wet Wipes are something I have been researching, but putting off for a long time. Before my first baby was born, my mother in law told me how my some of my sister in laws made their own wet wipes out of a homemade solution and a paper towel roll cut in half. Intriguing, but again, I never got around to it and Costco wipes seemed a pretty good deal at .02 a wipe!

Fast forward to baby #2 and a three month period where it see med like me and my kiddos came down with every flu, cold, etc. under the sun. It was bad. No fun. It ended with a flu and diarrhea that left my poor little ones with awful diaper rash. It was so time consuming wringing out wet wipes so they wouldn't burn their little bums.

Around this time, I read a post by Carisa (who hosts the fabulous Tot School as well as other fun sites). She has a darling little girl just a few months older than Cort. For her daughter she decided to go cloth. Carisa wrote a fantastic post about her first year of cloth diapering giving oodles of great advice for newbies like me. Now cloth diapering intrigues me for a "go green" and financial stand point. Not sure if I am ready to jump on that boat quite yet, though.

But back to the cloth wet wipes. These seemed ideal since I was washing soap out of wet wipes for every diaper change. In fact, my mom recommended just using soft wash clothes to clean their bums when they had diaper rash.

Carisa recommended these cloth wipes from BabyKicks and the wipes solution from Squishy Tushy.

I was ambitious that day and got on and ordered what I needed to make wipes solution. It was so simple! Squishy Tushy had excellent service and the shipping was pretty fast.

My excitement to try something new waned and my little container of wipe solution cubes sat on my counter top for about a month.

Enter Tackle it Tuesday.

My wipes supplies

I saw my little container of wipe solution cubes and thought, "why not!" A few weeks ago I had bought a big spray bottle. Now I was just missing the wipes. I browsed several cloth diapering sites and saw that many people made their own. Why not? I found a stained t-shirt that I was going to throw out and decided to repurpose it. I cut it into squares and was ready to go.

The container for the the wipe solution said that it was fast and fuss-free. Boy were they right! All I had to do was dissolve one cube in 2 cups of warm water. I bottled it in my spray bottle and was ready to go for my first diaper change. What I love is that the solution is made of natural, gentle ingredients and it smelled good, too!

Now for a pretty important part - what to do with the wipes after the diaper change. For now I am using an old cookie bucket. All you experts out there - is it better to do a dry or a wet bucket? I followed advice and sprinkled baking soda in so it didn't get too stinky. How do you wash the wipes? As their own load? Questions, questions.

We'll see how it goes. Round 1 of cloth wipes was a success. Maybe I'll even try cloth diapers eventually. What are everyone's favorites?

Fostering Joy!

2010-06-28T13:17:00.002-06:00

This is the face of pure contentment. One little boy + one juicy plum = messy, gushy happiness.

My goal this week is to create a more joyful environment in my home. We all know how the old saying goes, "if momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!" As I've said before, I am too easily stressed about stupid, silly things. Those plums in the picture above ... oh yes ... quite easily could be stress triggers. Gushy purple plums on my carpeted kitchen could be a disaster. But it was nothing a towel underneath the Bumbo couldn't handle. And my little guy was in pure bliss!

So here is what I am working on this week to add more joy and peace to our home:
1. Family Scripture Study and Prayer EVERY DAY.
2. Less television time
3. An artistic, physical, and outdoor activity for my little ones every day

I'll let you know how it goes!

Until then ... enjoy these pictures of more pure joy ... we went boating with family on Saturday. Lily loved it. She's my girl. She shouted for more bumps, bigger waves, etc.

Cousins

Even I got in on the phone. I love boating!

I love this picture because Lily and her cousin would look over at each other after every bump and laugh. Joy is better shared, don't you think?

And this little man celebrated his first boat ride with a deliciously long nap.

Fruits of my labor ...

2010-06-24T12:16:00.002-06:00

Remember way back in April and May? When we were just starting plant our gardens? It seems to take so long for the fruits and veggies to grow, but when they do - very worth it! You can see my cilantro in the above picture where my daughter is digging. It was my first plant to produce. Love having fresh cilantro!

Hello Early Bird tomato! The nursery said these tomatoes would start producing by the 4th of July. So far I've counted four actual little tomatoes and I've seen the beginnings of about 12 squash/zuchinni. I'm envisioning toasted tomato sandwiches ... zuchinni casserole ... all without leaving my home. Yum!

Poor little strawberry. The next day I came back and something had already taken little bites out of it! Luckily, Lily and I saved the next one and ate it immediately ourselves.

And then there's the honeysuckle monster. My biggest producer in the yard. I can't even count the number of times I've pruned it since Spring. It just keeps growing!!! Lucky for it, it smells DIVINE right now. Such a dizzying summer aroma that I can't get enough of. You are safe for now honeysuckle monster, but just you wait!

June's Date Night

2010-06-22T13:18:00.006-06:00

Back during Love Week I told you that I would blog about the big date night I was planning. Here it is!

I decided that my husband and I needed to try something new for our date nights ... and maybe even actually take a date night. Typically we get stuck in the dinner and a movie rut. Father's Day provided the perfect opportunity to surprise him. I arranged for a babysitter from 3:30-8:30 pm (a big things for me. I hate leaving my little people more than a few hours).

Clas Ropes Course in Provo had a Father's Day special complete with four hours on the course, a BBQ with smores, and an optional canoe ride down the Provo River. I sprung for it all. Keep in mind - I had just run my first 5K earlier that day. I must have been feeling adventurous!

We arrived just a teensy bit late and they put us in a group with another couple and a Dad with his two preteen kids. The first few activities were typical leadership/bonding/problem solving activities. You know, the one where you both have a rope tied around your wrists and you have to figure out how to get untangled from each other without taking them off? I swear I have done it a dozen times at Girls Camp, but we still couldn't figure it out. No worries, it was much more fun doing it with my husband!

For the next activity, we had to swing from one platform to the next. All of us. Without touching the ground. But first we had to figure out how to get the rope over to us. Johnny saved the day by sacrificing his shoes and using the laces/shoes to lasso the rope over to us. This is where the real fun began. I danced A LOT growing up, but typical sports were not my thing. I am missing whatever type of coordination I needed to be successful. Like the coordination needed to swing across an open space holding onto a rope.

I figured that I was an adult now, how hard could it be? So I grasped the rope, took a running leap, and landed right on my thigh not too far from the first platform. For my second attempt, I stood on my husband's back (lucky man), and got a higher grip before I leapt across. I almost made it. In fact, the other guy in our group tried to pull me in, but I ended up pulling HIM in instead. Oops. Sorry random man. Our boy scoutish leader took pity on me and allowed me to stay on the platform. Whew!

Next, we had to figure out how to get our team members across a series of boards and stumps without touching the ground. It involved moving the boards around and was quite tricky!

My hubby is on the far right helping the little boy to safety.

And then came our favorite part! The part I was worried we would never get to because it took us so long to finish the bonding activities.

First we took a ride on this giant swing. You held on to a rope and your team mates hoisted you to the top. The hardest part was holding on until the very top. It was such a rush when you let go.

Next we went rock climbing. I am still attempting to figure out how people balance their feet on the itty bitty rocks.

And here we are are sitting and waiting for our turn to go down the zip line. Lucky for us, you get to climb to the top of the zip line pole. I saw lots of kiddos doing it and even a cute Grandma named Earlene doing it. It took Earlene awhile to get up there, but I figured if she could do it, so could I. So I scaled a wooden pole balancing my self on these much too small metal staples. But it was worth it because the zipline was lots of fun!

To conclude the evening, we canoed down the Provo River to Utah Lake. BEAUTIFUL! It was so relaxing and our arms definitely got a work out!

My honey on the dock.

All in all - a fantastic evening. What did I learn?
1. My kiddos will survive for an evening without me.
2. It's good to try new things and step out of your comfort zone.
3. Anything is fun with my Johnny.
4. My body can do hard things.
5. It's worth it to plan date nights!

5K - Tips and Tricks!

2010-06-21T09:54:00.002-06:00

We did it! We ran/jogged our first 5K! And the best part is - WE LOVED IT! We are hooked. And that is saying something, coming from me. I am not a runner/jogger. Wasn't thrilled about it prior to having kids and still wasn't convinced after I had kids. Until I began seeing pictures of all my friends on facebook and in blog land completing 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons, marathons, Iron Man's, Ragnars. And - dang - they looked good! Most looked pretty happy, too. So I decided to give running a 5K a try - but just once.

I solicited advice from the experts - my running friends and family - and took as much of it as I could. Here are a few of their tips:

1. Clip your toe nails the night before - check! No toe nail problems race day.

2. Don't drink too much water while running - check!

3. Eat healthy during the week - check!

4. Go to bed at a good time the night before - thanks honey for getting up with the kiddos!

5. Eat an energy bar on the way there/eat a good breakfast.
I ate my yummy little oatmeal and had a banana - definitely gave me good fuel for the race!

6. Always make a goal -
I haven't even ran outside since high school unless you count chasing my toddler. I did train some on the treadmill. So I didn't set my goal too high - 45 minutes. MY BIG goal was to finish and LOVE it so I would want to go again. This was definitely achieved. I did push myself, I finished at 45 minutes, and I kept my heart rate up somewhat. Now I have a time to beat!
7. Start at the back of the crowd so you don't feel bad when the super fast people pass you.
We did do this and since the race had chips it worked fine for us.

7. Run in actual sports attire.
I went to Runner's Corner and bought myself a runner's skirt. Can't begin to say how much I love it. It is SO SO SO comfortable. Much better than my mommy capris. I did wear just the race t-shirt, but I may be brave and get a nice running shirt next time. I splurged on running socks, too, and they made a huge difference. No sweaty feet or blisters which my sister had problems with - the blister part.

8. Bring a small piece of candy, protein bar, or Shot Blok for the seocnd mile.
I bought some Shot Blocks and they were yummy! All three of us enjoyed one at the second mile and I definitely pushed it at the end.

9. Relax, enjoy the run, and don't stress
Done and done. We loved it! Ready to push ourselves even more next time.

10. Invest in a good sports bra
Wouldn't have even been running without this. After nursing two babies ... definite must.

Some helpful pieces of advice that I will try next time
1. Make sure your shoes are a half size bigger than normal.
So I was running in my sister's old cheerleading shoes. They seemed to be work fine and they were definitely a half size bigger. My ankles were sore the day after the race so I perhaps I will invest in some nifty little running shoes.

2. Always breathe in and out on your left foot (when your left foot hits the ground).
My sister and I may or may not have had little chatting breaks as we speed walked ... during my next official 5K I will focus on this more.

3. Do twenty minutes of stretches.
Major OOPS! We were so busy talking about how excited we were to do our first 5K that we completely forgot to stretch. Definitely felt that the first mile. Our poor bodies.

4. Get some great music.
I did have my IPOD, but not with music that I loved. Next time when I am running by myself I am sure that I will utilize it more.

5. Run with a watch so you can pace yourself
Definitely wish I had remembered my watch. I think I would have pushed myself a little bit more if I had known my actual pace.

5K - Give me the low down

2010-06-14T09:20:00.003-06:00

On Saturday morning I am going to be running through your gardens. And I need your help so that I want to do it again!

Several months ago I made the goal to run a 5K. I downloaded a training plan and even did some of it - though I should have done much, much more! But I vowed that I would run/walk the 5K no matter what. No excuses.

I picked the Running with Angels 5K at Thanksgiving Point. Afterall, running through the gardens should be fun, right? Proceeds go to Women's Services at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. I spent lots of time there when I was in the Eager Trial so I can concur that it is a good cause!

After I decided to run, my sister decided to join me. So we will be running together - even better! We start at 8 am and I am kind of excited!

I've seen dozens of pictures on facebook and blogs of friends who finished their first half marathon on Saturday. Seriously! Awesome! They are my inspiration. I am definitely in need of advice since I have not been the running type up until now. So please give me some comment love today!

Here are some things I have been wondering about ....

1. Do you eat anything special before or after? At any certain times?

2. What do you wear? I do have my expensive, but oh so worth it sports bra, but are shorts and a tee fine for a 5K?

3. How early should you arrive?

4. What do you take with you? Do you run with a water bottle? IPOD? anything special?

5. What do you wish someone had told you before your first run?

Do tell! It is a simple 5K, but I want it to be a good experience so I am inspired to do more!

Thanks in advance!

15 minutes and the kitchen sink

2010-06-13T19:44:00.004-06:00

Carlos Porto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You can do anything for 15 minutes.

I first heard this phrase from the Fly Lady when I was in college. I was taking post-baccalaureate classes at Brigham Young University to get me ready for a master's degree in a completely different field. I jumped from Journalism to Marriage Family Human Development. In order to better my chances of getting into the program, I took a Work and Family class. It opened my eye to the role of seemingly mundane and repetitive household tasks.

And it definitely made me a better room mate. I remember going back to my apartment and cleaning the entire kitchen and living room as I baked a quiche in the oven. It was strangely fun? And oh so different than my face-paced student and journalistic lifestyle where I lived on Western Family Mac and Cheese and did the bare minimum of picking up after myself and doing clean check this week.

I still remember the sense of accomplishment I felt as I looked around the room and inhaled the delicious aroma of my quiche. And the best part - it didn't take that long! Fifteen minutes to a half hour per room and I was done.

So I looked more into this Fly Lady character. She had lots of advice about keeping your home clean, getting organized, and even losing weight. All was informative and some I have gone back to over the years (I still subscribe to the emails). But I always have come back to the: you can do anything for 15 minutes.

In fact, I drove one of my roommates nuts because I would set my phone alarm for 15 minutes and rotate between studying, cleaning the apartment, reading, typing, grading papers, etc. But it helped me stay awake during the hours and hours of reading that I ended up doing for grad school.

Now, I know there are times in life to buckle down and just get things done. In fact, my husband is that kind of a person. No 15 minute timer for him. But my hope is that by starting early and doing 15 minutes here and there on a task, that when the time comes to buckle down - I'll have the toughest behind me and I'll be able to accomplish my task fast! No matter what it is!

This line of thinking has been beneficial for me as a new mom and a mom of babies and toddlers. In fact, sometimes when I am pregnant or when I have a newborn - the goal is that I can do anything for 5 minutes! Because that is sometimes all I have with little ones needing diapers changed, sippy cups, and lots of loves and kisses.

And it is amazing what you can accomplish in 15 minutes. Emptying the dishwasher, starting the laundry, picking up toy - it is all doable. And it has helped me to feel less overwhelmed - especially in that new mommy stage.

The 15 minute attitude has spilled over into other aspects of my life as well. 15 minutes to get ready or do something for myself like paint my nails. 5 minutes to drink water every hour. 15 minutes of peace and meditation. 15 minutes of pure fun with my children.

Awhile back I was reading an article from the book Helping and Healing Our Familes. The article is titled "The Family and the Kitchen Sink" by the Jeff and Juanita Hill Family. Now this was a fun article to read because Jeff Hill was one of my graduate instructors. Talk about a man with a can-do attitude. For this man the sky is the limit. He encouraged us to do things we did not think were possible and was always asking, "why not." He seems to do an excellent job at juggling many capacities between family and work - that is actually his area of expertise.

Carlos Porto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In his article, he talks about how after every meal each member of the family was required to help mom and dad clean up for 10 minutes. He said, "it doesn't matter if you want to do it, you just do it." The article continues with their grown children citing what they had learned from the experience growing up. They learned to work together, to have fun working together, to sacrifice, and that many hands make for light work. It also provided the parents time to talk with the children while they worked.

We have decided to implement this in our family and we have been having success with it. The kitchen is oh so much cleaner when my husband, my three year old, and I dig in and just clean for 15 minutes. And a cleaner kitchen means that we are more likely to want to cook the next meal their rather than eat out.

What family traditions do you have that help your family keep the home clean and work together?

Trying Out Breakfast on a Stick

2010-06-10T08:24:00.004-06:00

Carlos Porto, freedigitalphotos.net

I'm always looking for yummy. kid-friendly breakfast ideas. My almost three year old has her mind made up about how the morning should go .... milk and movies. She is a milk addict and will not start her day happily without it.

So the more fun and nutritious I can make breakfast - the better! Amy, over at Super Healthy Kids, recently posted about Breakfast on a Stick. Seriously, you need to go check out her pictures! Her's look yummy, fun, and nutritious. A dead camera battery prevents me from showing you how our's turned out.

The idea is simple. Cut up your favorite bread into fun shapes, like stars, and layer it on a skewer with your favorite fruits. Amy posted a yummy recipe for french toast and I did pieces of waffle from Trainer Momma's recipe since I had a batch made up in the freezer. So easy, so yummy. We added blackberries and strawberries as well.

My three year old loved putting the pieces on herself, all by herself. She flew it around the kitchen like a rocket ship for about 10 minutes before devouring it. Success!

Why I am Not Losing Weight ....

2010-06-09T09:39:00.004-06:00

How my poor dehydrated body feels! Like it is in Goblin Valley at 97 degree heat!

It's amazing what you rlearn when you become in the habit of keeping track of certain things. For example, you're supposed to drink 8 8oz cups of water a day or two liters. Never thought I really had to keep track of this because, duh, it is water and I drink water throughout the day. No biggie, right?

WRONG!!!!

I decided to see how much water I drank when I consciously was thinking about it during a typical day at home. I filled up my handy dandy water mug from the hospital and put it in the fridge. To get my two liters in, I would need to drink two of them in a day. I drank water when I felt thirsty and when I reminded myself up until about 1 pm (the time nap time and craziness hits when my three year old decides not to nap). And then I just drank it sporadically throughout the day. By the end of the day I discovered that I had only drank one liter!

The next day was even worse, I didn't fill up my mug until 11 am and then it was only half empty by the end of the day.

Big eye opener for me! No wonder I am tired. No wonder I have an hard time losing weight (although my love of chocolate and butter might have something to do with it, too). No wonder I am hungry all the time (we often mistake thirsty cues for hunger cues).

So today, I am going to hit by two liters! One by lunch and one by bed time. I'll let you know how I feel. I bet it will be a lot better!

Recap of Love Week!

2010-06-07T10:02:00.003-06:00

I obviously didn't get in as many posts as I would have liked, but it was a very nice week of showing more appreciation and love to my husband. And I found that, even more than the fun date nights and big meals, what really meant the most to him was my change of attitude in certain situations.

Blame it on lack of sleep for three years, lack of planning, or just plain a case of the grumps - but I tend to get stressed rather quickly at certain times. You know those times, when I think I am running late, the kids are crying, or something is just not going as planned. I too quickly get grumpy and start stomping around muttering things under my breath and snapping at whoever dares ask me a question.

So this week, I made a huge effort to not get stressed as often. I would ask myself, "what is the worst that can happen?" Is it worth it to be on time if my family gets there grumpy and stressed, probably not! Basically I worked like the dickens for the best possible outcomes, ie on time, well planned, etc., and then adapted more flexibly if something didn't go according to plan.

For example, the Sunday clothes I packed for my little one this weekend on vacation were way too hot for the weather. So the little dude went to church in a onesie and shorts. Didn't even phase me past two seconds. Would I have preferred a spiffy, cool Sunday outfit -oh yes! But was it worth worrying about since there wasn't anything I could do, nope!

Perhaps that was the best present I could give to my husband last week - a calmer, more happy wife. Was I perfect? Not really. I still had my moment trying to get sunscreen on the wiggliest three year old in the world. But was I better - probably by a long shot!

Solving the date night dilemma - Day 1!

2010-05-30T22:25:00.002-06:00

This week it is all about my husband! Time to focus on him and make sure he knows how much I love him!

Today I am focusing on planning weekly dates for the rest of the month. We have kiddos who will be turning 3 and 1 in the next two months. For some reason I have the hardest time getting babysitters. Is anyone else like this? I always wonder if babysitters really believe me when I tell them that my little girl really will chase a birdy halfway down our street before they can blink.

So this week I am overcoming that fear and getting babysitters. We just got called to teach Course 15 for Sunday School so hopefully I get acquainted with some great teenagers. Or I'll cross my fingers that some aunts or cousins are available!

Here is the game plan. Four date nights in June. Two will be at home after the kidlets are sleeping and two will be out on the town sans kids. In fact, I am planning this for Father's Day - a 3 hour ropes course and a hot dog roast up the canyon. Sshhh ... don't tell! The second out on the town date will be to the temple - a goal we've been working on this year.

As for the in-home dates - that is where the fun begins! There are some great online resources if you are lacking in the creativity department or just have a mommy brain that is drained like I do sometimes. One indoor date night will be courtesy of the Loving Wives Club. I bought a membership very inexpensively from Utah's Real Deals. It is an online service that you can access anywhere. Each month they send you ideas of how to romance your husband through admiration, appreciation, and lots of affection. The ideas are based around a theme each month and they are SO MUCH FUN. I will be posting more on what the actual date will be and how it went later on in the week.

I am also having lots of fun going through the oodles and oodles of date night ideas from the Dating Divas. Each week they post a myriad of ideas for date nights ranging from dates revolving around a popular on television show, to exercise nights, to Pac-Man nights, to simple walks around town. These are my kind of gals! Look for another post this later n the week, too!

Well, tomorrow I will be busy as can be with Memorial Day, but I can't wait to get back on and talk more about how the week is going as I dote on my husband. How do you keep the spark alive in your marriage? What have been your favorite date nights?

JUNE! Week's Goal

2010-05-29T17:32:00.002-06:00

My Main Man and Little Diva

June is here, well almost! That means summer. Swimming. Playgrounds. Popsicles. Boating. Fun!

Has this year flown by for anyone else? I feel like one of my kiddos is pressing down on the fast forward button of my life remote control from Bed Bath and Beyond and Beyond and Beyond like in that movie. Seriously, when did my little guy decided he could move from sweet babiness to toddlerhood? This week he began crawling EVERYWHERE. He looks adorable. And now he is pulling himself up to standing. Soon it will be walking. Sigh. I have two toddlers now.

So I am getting a head start on this week's goal. And it is a good one!

This week is all about my husband. The man who brings home the bacon. Takes too many night shifts with my little insomniacs. Handles the stressful car crises. Our all around super man. Too often I get caught up in my momminess and I probably don't give him the love, credit, and admiration that he definitely deserves.

My goal this week is to put him back in place as King of his Castle. One of my friends made an important observation in a discussion last week. She said that too often we expect our husband to be the leaders in the home, but then we don't follow him. Can't have a leader without any followers, right? This made me think of the times when I asked him what he preferred among two options, but really just wanted him to pick what I preferred. Know what I mean? Not good, my friends, not good.

So this week I am pulling out all the stops. And I promise that there will be some good posts. We're talking ideas from Dating Divas, the Loving Wives Club, and oodles of good advice that I will be implementing. Afterall, I did teach a Marriage Prep Class at BYU. High time I walk the walk that I once talked about, eh?

What do you do to make your husbands feel loved and appreciated? Join me on Monday for lots of fun!

Friday Favorites

2010-05-28T09:20:00.003-06:00

What a week! I promise I'll get back to the goals on Monday. I also have a great post about buying an new car coming up since that is what has consumed all of my time the past two weeks. But until then here are a few of my favorite links of the week ....

1. Carisa over at Lil Ladybug did a great post on Cloth Diapering. My little dude is 10 months so we probably won't switch at this point, but I did love reading more about Cloth Wiping. Unfortunately we have lots of little rashes this year where the kids have been sick on and off. So tired of rinsing out wet wipes. Can't wait to try it out.

2. Learning how to make some cute ruffle streamers for Little Diva's birthday party next month over at How Does She.

3. I made the yummiest Baked Creamy Chicken Tacquitos from a recipe over at Our Best Bites.

4. In the process of planning a LOST date with my hubby thanks to the Dating Divas!

5. And I really want to make this darling Can Can Skirt for Little Diva from Sewing for Scarlett.

Breaking the Tuesday Streak

2010-05-19T08:46:00.004-06:00

As I posted yesterday about my goal of no take out for the week, Tuesday dinner was looming menacingly in my mind. You see, I usually do pretty good getting dinner on the table Monday night. But for some reason on Tuesday I lose steam and inevitably end up calling my husband to request Rumbi's or Kneaders on the way home.

Thus I was DETERMINED to get a yummy, delicious dinner on the table to prove I could break the streak. So instead of this:

My sweet hubby and littles were eating this:

(Photo from Good Things Utah)

Ever since I saw Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas on Good Things Utah last March, I have been hooked on them. The recipe is the perfect blend of spiciness and sweetness. We can't get enough. The recipe is from The Phe Mom Enon blog. And they are right - it is ROCK YOUR WORLD yummy!

I added some Corn on the Cob and fresh Watermelon to round off the meal. The littles enjoyed their slices in the tub. My husband thought cutting a slice each for the would suffice ... nope ... my two year old easily polished off five small slices. And the 10 month old wouldn't let us pull his away.

It felt fantastic to break the streak and surprise my husband. It just took a little planning ahead. In fact, I started dinner right after the littles nap - at 3:00 pm. I sat them in their little chairs and told them that they would be my sous chefs for the day. The baby enjoyed playing with cans and my little girl was an excellent lime squeezer. Still, with all the distractions younguns bring, we wrapped up at about 5:00. But that is okay! Because it was delicious! We enjoyed an early meal and my husband was able to enjoy his right when he got home. This made for an earlier bath for the littles and an earlier bed-time hurray!!!

Planning ahead definitely helped! I knew that I had all the ingredients. I had my fresh fruits and veggies from my favorite coop - Bountiful Baskets.

So how do you meal plan? What are you secrets to success? Great minds must think a lot because my sister over at Live to be Inspired to a fantastic post on this topic as well with lots of great tips.

I'll leave you with two more of my favorite meal inspiration sites.

supercook.com

and

orgjunkie.com

Supercook is a fantastic site where you can input all the ingredients in your pantry and it will search many of the popular recipe sites and give you a list of things you have the ingredients to make. It is great in a pinch.

Orgjunkie hosts a great Meal Planning link up every Monday. I like to spend time browsing through the linkys for fun new ideas.

This Week's Goal - No Take Out!

2010-05-18T11:15:00.003-06:00

This week's goal may seem quite simple, but it is going to take some work! I recently started using mint.com - a fabulous web-site that downloads and categories your balances from your bank account every day. You see, I've tried to budget before and we set up a great budget. But then I forget to put in the balances every day or I keep track in my head ... you see where that heads!

Mint.com is fabulous because it does that for me AND it sends me an email when I have exceeded my limit. Imagine my surprise this month when I discovered we are already $91 over our eating out budget for the entire month of May and we are only on the 19th.

So meeting this goal of no eating out and take out requires one big thing - MENU PLANNING! Which I actually try to do every week over at my other blog .... savvydivasanddudes.blogspot.com.

It also requires follow through. And last night, I was happy to say that I did. I whipped up a quick dinner, full of perishables I might add, and picked up my husband from work. We took our yummies to the park and had a marvelous time. Our makeshift Cafe Rio salads were perfect for using up the delicious pork my sister in law had made the night before plus I was able to use up my own cilantro, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and limes. I also roasted some potatoes, carrots, and onions.

It was a lovely evening! We shall see what Tuesday brings!

The little diva with her sassy new haircut.
And Daddy got a work out in as well pushing the swings!

This little guy is finally on the move and figuring out the basics of crawling.
He is adorable to watch.

And he thinks that everything is edible. No fun for mommy.

Faith, Focus, and Flexibility

2010-05-12T12:47:00.000-06:00

view from the Huntsman Cancer Institute courtesy of my uncle Al

It may appear that I have lost focus in the past week or so, but I've been digging in in real life and haven't had time to blog about it. This past week up to today has been a good lesson in maintaining focus while being flexible and having faith.

My husband and I had a wonderful date to the Draper Temple on May 1st. My awesome sister watched the two little ones for us. It was wonderful to be in the temple with my husband and doing our family work. We were going through for some of the family names that my mother in law had discovered. I felt the Spirit so strongly and felt more peace seep back into my life. And we would definitely need the peace! For as soon as we got back to my sister's, my three year old vomited all over my husband. Thus began the week of the flu! First the three year old, then the 10 month old, and then my poor husband. But I emerged unscathed!

It was my first real experience with the flu and toddlers/babies - thank goodness! We survived and soon learned that the diapers were the way to go and the kids lived in them the rest of the week. Less clothes = less laundry. During this experience, I learned to better manage my time and really look at what absolutely had to be accomplished. Lots on the to do list fell by the wayside. Some things we did do such as our garden that is now growing, but weeding the rest of the yard fell by the wayside. Other projects were put on hold as I cuddled little ones and read lots of stories.

Wednesday night brought some difficult news. My darling Grandmother, who successfully battled cancer through chemo just months ago, was just diagnosed with a type of leukemia. Now my grandmother is as perfect a lady as there is. She is cheerful, kind, fun, athletic, and a hard worker. My heart just broke knowing what she would have to go through again.

On Sunday, I was able to spend Mother's Day with her and my Mom. What a gift! It was my pleasure to sit by her and laugh with her and watch her enjoy what she loves best - her family.

And then today, I was able to talk to her on the phone. Again, what a gift. As we talked in our short conversation she taught me several things without knowing.

1. Several times she said, "family is everything." She is right and has lived that philosophy. She expressed so much gratitude for her family and told me how much she loves us.

2. Speaking of gratitude, here is a woman who has so many reasons to complain, but was so grateful for every little thing. For the nurses. For her family. For the medication. For her soft blanket. For the beautiful view. What an example.

3. Look for the silver lining. I think that her happiness goes along with her gratitude. She sounded genuinely happy and grateful on the phone. You could hear it exuding from her voice.

What a doll! I look forward to visiting her soon.

To sum up, the last week and a half have not been what I planned, but I have been able to see what is truly important and adjust my priorities accordingly, because family is everything!

Header Giveaway!

2010-05-12T10:10:00.000-06:00

Heaven knows I would love some help with blog design! Berries and Cream is doing a giveaway for a free header for a blogger and a fellow blogger mommy of their choice. Wouldn't that be nice!
You can enter here.

Friday Favorites

2010-05-07T16:45:00.001-06:00

Let's face it .... I love checking out blogs and ideas. It gets my mind running .... so many projects to do! I've decided to start Friday favorite to share some of the fun things I have learned ...

I love being frugal! The Grocery Cart Challenge posted a dish detergent recipe that I think I will try. She's tried many and this is what finally has worked for her. Plus she says it is tons cheaper than even the dollar store detergent. Worth a try!

And boy oh boy do I love giveaways. Make and Love It has been having some fantastic ones lately and they always have darling tutorials. This week they are doing a giveaway with the cute company Mini Me Baby Gear

And how fun is this ... make your own Match the Memory Game online. For free!

A recipe for homemade yummy Artisan Bread .... I'll take that too!

Tutorials

2010-05-05T09:32:00.000-06:00

For a tutorial for ADORABLE felt flowers that I am dying to make ....

And these hanging flower balls!

Action Plan for 5K

2010-05-04T11:40:00.000-06:00

This 5K is sneaking up on me way too fast! I am starting this training program IMMEDIATELY :). So tonight when the hubby gets home I will be doing this as my workout today:

Brisk five-minute warmup walk.
Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

It is a two month training program and I have about seven weeks. But some training is better than no training right? As long as I am moving forward!

So here is a question for any of you runners? Where do you buy your running attire? Best shoes? Sports bra? Favorite thing to fun in?

Tipping the Scale

2010-05-03T18:28:00.000-06:00

Over the weekend I bought one of these babies .... a Biggest Loser Food Scale. It has already come in handy once today. Can't wait to use it more!

Feeling crafty ....

2010-05-03T10:25:00.000-06:00

I can't wait to make this from a tutorial by Frenchy. I saw these all over the Women's Expo at UVU this weekend and I'm dying to have one.

And for my husband to make this:

Knock-Off Wood has a great tutorial at the link above. Can't wait to show you the finished products! I've been looking for a bench for our front room and couldn't find one that I liked for a good price. When I saw how easy the tutorial was, I knew it was the one!

Week Five - Water and Walking!

2010-05-03T08:26:00.000-06:00

This week we are back to fitness to jump start the beautiful month of May. This week is dedicated to the W's - mainly walking and water.

My sister over at Live to be Inspired is a smarty pants and already googled why water is so important. Here are her findings:

We’re made out of water—Between 60 to 70% of your body is made from water. Your blood, muscles, tissues, and other parts are your body are basically water as well. Because so much of our body is made from water, it only makes sense that we need to drink a lot of water to keep our bodies running properly.
Other drinks can’t keep you hydrated—Caffeinated drinks—especially sodas—actually make you even thirstier after you drink them. That’s because the caffeine acts as a diuretic, leading to more urination and more dehydration. Simply put, soda and other drinks just can’t hydrate the body like water does. That’s not to say you should stop drinking these beverages altogether, but don’t use them as substitutes for your daily water intake.
Lack of water causes fatigue—Dehydration is one of the top causes of severe fatigue. So, if you aren’t drinking enough water, you’re probably tired all day long, and you might not have the energy to exercise, causing you to stay tired and out of shape. Don’t rely on caffeine to give you an energy boost, but instead, start drinking the recommended 8-10 glasses of water every day.
Water is necessary for good digestion—Remember earlier when I said your body is made out of water and that it needs water to run properly? Well, this goes for digestive functions as well. If you’re dehydrated, your body won’t be able to break down foods as effectively as it normally does. Poor digestion can cause a wide range of problems, from constipation to severe abdominal pain.
Water helps blood circulate properly—Water is a necessary ingredient for proper blood flow in the body. As you drink more water, oxygen levels in your bloodstream will increase, leading to better circulation and improved overall health. Good blood flow can help increase your energy levels and burn more fat.
Toxins get flushed out by water—Your kidneys act as a filter. But for them to work as they should, they need to have plenty of water intake. By drinking the recommended 8-10 glasses of water each day, your kidneys will do their job more effectively, and your body will also expel more harmful toxins from the digestive tract.
Water helps you burn fat—Drinking water can help you stay skinny in a few different ways. First, a lack of water actually slows protein synthesis—the muscle building function in your body. So, if you want to burn fat and add muscle, your body needs to be fully hydrated. Also, staying hydrated ensures that you don’t confuse thirst for hunger, causing you to overeat and gain more weight.

My two favorite points from her findings: water is necessary for energy and burning fat! Definitely would like to see some improvement in those areas. I'm a decent water drinker already, but I don't keep track so this week I will keep track and see if I am really getting as much as I should!

On to walking .... awhile back I mentioned that I wanted to do a 5K in June and it seemed so far away. Now it is next month - YIKES! Time to really get moving. The 5K I have chosen to do is the Running With Angels 5K at Thanksgiving Point. I'll be writing more about why I chose the race itself in a another post ... something to look forward to. So it is June 19th - about six weeks away! This week I'll be posting my jump start training schedule and how I am going to prepare.

But for now I'll be walking with this little buddy ...

Online Parade of Homes Eye Candy!

2010-04-27T19:33:00.000-06:00

I LOVE visiting Parade of Homes with my sisters and moms. I missed it last year, but I am greatly anticipating this year. Imagine my excitement when my sister over at Live to be Inspired posted about an online Parade of Homes with Poppies at Play.

They are on day two and the homes don't disappoint! Lots of ideas! Enjoy!

Adding peace to Bedtime?

2010-04-27T17:29:00.000-06:00

Sleepy time has never been our forte'. Our first was never a great sleeper and ended up sleeping in bed with us until just recently when we finally moved her back to her big girl bed. Luckily, our second seems to like his crib and sleeps relatively well in comparison. But, still, we are having lots of trouble with both kiddos sleeping through the night in the same room. Lately we'll have one decent night (with only one or two wakenings) and then we'll have a night like last night .... with one or the other one up about every 45 minutes :(. Needless to say it is exhausting.

We've tried to be consistent with bedtime routines, but definitely could be better. We're thinking an earlier bedtime is in order for deeper sleep, or so say the many sleep ladies. A few nights a week Johnny doesn't finish work until 6:45 pm making dinner 7pm. So by the time the kiddos are ready for bed .... it is later than we had planned and they are getting their second wind.

So I decided to try an idea I read from LaDawn Jacob, a sweet lady in our ward who has lots of kids who turned out great. She served dinner earlier for the kids and then later for her husband on days that he worked. At first I wasn't keen on the idea, but the more I think about it ... the more I want to try it. And so I did tonight.

The first good thing about feeding the kiddos at 5 pm is that I know that dinner will be ready for sure when my husband gets home. I even have time to do the dishes! The kiddos little tummies are full and happy. When daddy gets home he can eat and play with the kids and then it is off to bath and bed. Hopefully it will go much smoother and it will bring a little more peace to our home in the evenings. I will let you know!

Move over Eggos ....

2010-04-26T11:38:00.000-06:00

Always looking for new recipes. Especially mostly healthy, yummy recipes. And when they are mostly healthy, yummy recipes, that I can freeze AND that my kidlets love. Definitely a keeper!

I made a batch of Trainer Mom's Whole Wheat Pancakes today and now I have a yummy ziploc full in my freezer. My nine month old and 2 year old gobbled theirs up as quickly as I gave them to them. And I topped mine just like her's with a little bit of peanut butter and a lot of blackberries. Can we say, YUMMY! And very filling, too. I only had one square and I feel like I had a meal. Plus the smell of cinnamon wafting throughout my home ... pure joy!

And because I know you'll want to make them now ... here is her recipe:

Whole Wheat Waffles

2 cups whole wheat flour

4 T canola oil

3 T sugar

½ tsp sea salt

3 tsp baking powder

3 eggs

2 cups skim milk

2 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients and bake on a waffle iron (make sure you douse it with non stick cooking spray first!). Enjoy :)

This Week's Goal: Peaceful Pondering

2010-04-25T21:37:00.000-06:00

To wrap up the month of April (can't believe it has gone by so fast!), my last goal of the month is centered on taking time to ponder and create peace. So much of life is on the go and a bit too rushed. I am looking for more peace in my own life and peace for my children and husband as well.

So how does one develop this in a week? How does one get peace since it is not something you can pick up at the grocery store and insert into your life? This week I am going to do my best to create a peaceful environment for my family where they can ponder and relax.

One of my favorite places to visit on a trip back to Boston was Walden Pond. This photo does not do it justice, but it gives you a general idea.:

We were the a pair in a small handful of people who were visiting that day since it was before the official touristing season began which added to the peace and quiet. We visited Henry David Thoreau's tiny cabin where he lived on Walden Pond (forgive my six month pregnancy chubbiness : ).

All my inspirational quotes for the week come from Henry David Thoreau. I believe peace will come as I simplify and work in the direction of my dreams!

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.

How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.

If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.

Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.

So there you have it! What can you do this week to take time out to ponder and bring peace to your life?

Week of the Children

2010-04-24T17:06:00.000-06:00

This week it helped immensely to have a plan! If I have activities planned out for my littles, I am more likely to stick with them instead of turning on the television. Ideally, I would love to create an environment that is conducive to learning and growing and playing happily ... that is in the works and will be another week's goal most certainly. I want to fill their little minds with boat loads of happy thoughts, experiments and possibilities ... that is childhood after all, no?

One site that I love and visit often is Tot School. Carisa is a fantastic lady with a background in early childhood education and three darling children. She has fun and educational ideas for the toddler years and each week other blogs link up with their ideas as well. I highly recommend it! We link up often.

Without further adieu .... here are some of the activities we loved and learned from this week.

It is a happy talent to know how to play.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
American writer
1803-1882

And play we did! We spent many hours outside in the rain and sunshine this week. Lily helped me plant squash, zucchini, and daisy seeds. She loves to dig. As I work, she skips, runs, jumps, twirls from one side of the yard to the other. And this darling little boy just peacefully sits and drinks it all in.

Lily cherishes her outside time, her time to just be. One thing I hope to engender in my children is an intimacy with nature. Spending time in nature whether it is watching the clouds roll by, listening to the wind in the trees, or counting petals on a freshly bloomed flower - all these activities seem to soothe our souls and help us slow down. There is something simple and elemental about being in nature so I am glad our week included it!

This momma loves a deal! I was able to get discount tickets to Discovery Gateway, a delightful children's musuem downtown. It was a bit too crowded for my taste at first, but later in the afternoon it calmed down. My Lily loved learning about air and wind at the above exhibit. She would place a colorful ball in the tube and then shut it and watch in awe as it shot up the tube and across the way. Each time she would shout, "where are you going?" She did this for at least a half hour. I love the air blowing through her hair.

My little man knows just what to do with flowers. For him it is all about texture. Often it is the softer the better!

I love the tenderness of little mommy Lily. She adores baby dolls. She feeds them, rocks them to sleep, takes them on walks, and loves them all over. Here is she putting five babies to bed while her daddy watches. It's lovely how the ability to mother is so innate and present in the littlest of ladies.

Yep, Cort loves textures. He was in heaven with in this cork sandbox with mommy making sure none made it to his mouth. Scooping, dropping, feeling.

And we cannot forget the balls. Every little boy loves balls and must have one for each hand.

Spontaniety was a good less for this week as well. We were out looking at homes and drove by a dinosaur museum. Lily shrieked with joy and asked if we could go? Why not!

This was a good opportunity for me to practice letting her know the rules of the museum and then letting her explore and have fun within those parameters. Sometimes I think I am too quick to tell her what she should be playing or how she should do something. It was fun to watch what she was interested in and make it a fun experience for her.

And have I mentioned that my almost three year old is a budding artist! She loves anything to do with creating so I am try to provide her with more opportunities. I recently bought this fun bingo daubers which she is loving.

Week 3 and Recap

2010-04-19T11:55:00.000-06:00

Some weeks you move forward slow and some weeks you move forward fast. Whatever the speed ... it's forward, right? I'm pleased with my first two weeks of goals.

If you recall, my first week's goal was keeping track of what I eat and how much I exercise. It is much easier to know where you have room for improvement when you know where you are already at. I have been exercising more and eating lots more fruits and veggies!

Last week, it was out to the yard and garden. Some improvement there. Proud to say that for the last four weeks, I have had the garbage can completely full and overflowing thanks to all my pruning and weeding. Surprisingly, it is a little therapeutic working out there with my little ones. Now I can't wait to see the roses blooming, pick and eat juicy raspberries, and cook with my fresh cilantro.

This week my focus is on home and family. The TV monster has bitten our family. My little ones LOVE cartoons A LOT. The addiction spiraled out of control starting in January when we were sick with bronchitis, colds, flus, you name it until mid-March. My 2.5 year old wakes up asking for milk and movies. Sigh. That's what happens when the entire family is so sick and miserable for so long ... unfortunate habits form.

Lily, the 2.5 year old, loves learning new things so I am focusing on planning more activities for her and Cort, the 9 month old, this week. More accurately, I guess, I would like to create an environment that fosters learning and having fun - without the TV.

To prep for the week I went to the library and got this book:

I've been wanting to check it out for awhile. Fun writing, beautiful pictures, and lots of possibilities for learning about food, geography, and reading. We'll even be attempting our own apple pie. Lots of A activities are planned for this week as well. More to come!

and this book has become a funny favorite ....

Sandra Boynton is fabulously funny and I don't mind reading her books over and over and over again. My daughter has them memorized after only a few readings. So fun!

Progress in the garden

2010-04-15T10:23:00.000-06:00

So far, I've kept with my goal and spent time every day in yard. The beautiful Spring weather calls to us everyday anyway. I don't have to ask my two year old twice if she would like to join my outside. Here is a sneak peak at one very small section of the yard that I worked on yesterday.
This is my view when I open up the basement apartment door. Behold the honeysuckle bush! And it was even bigger before I got the pruning shears out last week. It spilled over the rocks and onto the staircase to the side. Definitely still needs to be shaped more, but oh how I love the smell of honeysuckle in the summer! I also need to cut down the basil plant in the concrete planter area. To add to the herb garden, I put seeds in for these little friends .....

Can't wait to have my own fresh cilantro! Yum! And I learned something new yesterday - I never knew that coriander was just dry cilantro. Looking forward to lots of yummy salsas and Mexican dishes this summer and fall.

This is a view of the other corner. Not sure what the tall plant is. Time to cut it down! Just below the tall dry plant is a start of a ground cover rose bush. Can't wait for that to fill in that area. It will smell divine with the honey suckle. You can see that I still have some weeding to take care of and I can't decide what flowers to put in the green planter. Any ideas?

And here are the rocks. Not sure what I want to do with them, but I do need some time of a barrier to keep the bark and dirt from spilling on to the concrete. Again, ideas?

Last, but not least .... here is my little helper who loves to plant seeds. She is perched on the stairs in order to escape the scary "snorms."

After working down below, I started clearing some areas in the upper yard. My little one brought out a blanket for herself and her baby. I couldn't resist taking a break to lay in the sun with her and just enjoy the gloriousness and warmness of the day. It was heaven.

I love how the next two pictures capture the moment for me. Do I look perfect in my pony tale, makeup-less, just been working in the yard for an hour state? Nope. But you can see the happiness in our eyes and I love that. I love my bean!

Snorm

2010-04-13T22:27:00.001-06:00

Meet Snorm the worm. Today while the little dude was napping, Mini Diva and I spent the early afternoon out in the yard. While I was pulling the garbage can in, I noticed at least half a dozen worms on the ground. I called her over to see them. My normally curious tot was wide eyed and most definitely not excited to see them. Strange because she has examined many other insects up close before.

I asked her why she didn't like them. She told me that they wanted to jump up in her mouth and that they wanted to squish her. Where she learned this I do not know. Later, when it was time to go inside, Mini Diva was paralyzed with fear because of the worm on the doorstep. She would not pass it. Now the flying bees and the running spiders - those are perfectly harmless, but apparently appendageless worms, or snorms as she calls them, are armed and dangerous.

Nevertheless, we spent a beautiful post-rain few hours outside. I was able to toss more rose bush branches in the garbage as well as take down the cloth awning from the gazebo that had ripped. I also spent time in the vegetable garden area and found some carrots and green onions that had survived the winter. By the end of the week I should have cilantro, lettuce, broccoli, rosemary, and squash planted. Can't wait!

First Giveaway!

2010-04-13T11:23:00.000-06:00

Everybody loves a giveaway! Springtime is here and it is time for some fresh scents. I am giving a beautiful .25 fl oz bottle of one of three Mary Kay perfumes. You can enter up to four times! Leave a separate comment for each entry please. Giveaway will end April 16th 2010 at midnight. I will only ship within the United States.

How to Enter
1. Leave an entry telling me which fragrance you would like: Bella Belara, Journey, or Belara

Bella Belara® is more than a fragrance – it’s a beautiful feeling. The exuberant floral fruity perfume captivates immediately. The senses are first treated to a delectable medley of apricot and red nectarine. At the heart of this women's perfume, dew-covered rose petals and Moroccan jasmine unfold, while a delightful mix of creamy blonde woods and cool moss linger.

Journey: A light, translucent blend of sheer, floral notes. Beautiful top notes like ice mint, watercress and water lily are layered above wild freesia, apricot musk and beachwood accents.

Belara: A light, translucent blend of sheer, floral notes. Beautiful top notes like ice mint, watercress and water lily are layered above wild freesia, apricot musk and beachwood accents.

2. Follow my blog on Google

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4. Tell someone about the giveaway on facebook and post the link.

Happy Spring!