Oh me, oh my...

I'm having a terrible time coming up with reasons I shouldn't buy this dress.  I'm kind of head over heels for it.

I think I'm going to have to go try it on tomorrow, and hope that I look TERRIBLE in it.  But then there's that awful possibility that I'll love it even more in person.

Feel free to tell me that it's hideous - it will snag - your weird great aunt owned a similar one - anything to change my mind.

BDEM:  Admitting this is a bit embarrassing, but I don't think I have really scrubbed my house since before Christmas.  Today I feel like I am finally caught up - sinks and toilets are sparkling, all floors are mopped, everything dusted and the house is vacuumed.  Sigh.....if only it could stay this way forever.  I suppose ten minutes will do!

Water:  72 oz. (Holla!)

Isn't it Amazing...

how some toys are just a passing trend - and others seem to stay forever?  Jude got these for his birthday yesterday and spent all morning playing with them.

He was so excited when the "war" was over and only one good guy had died.

I explained that he didn't have to be dead, after all...it was his imagination that was controlling the whole event. He just stared at me like I was the biggest idiot and said, "But Mom, he was shot then a tank ran him over."

Point taken.

Thank you, dear soldier, for sacrificing your life for the sake of your fellow men. If I knew how to blog taps...I totally would.

BDEM: The long hot shower after this morning's miserable workout. How is it possible to love and hate exercise sooooo much at the same time??

Water: 60oz

"It was the best birthday EVER!"

Jude had the greatest day - and couldn't stop saying, "Thank you for the best day ever, Mom and Dad!"  I don't think it gets much sweeter than that!

Happy Angry Birds Birthday, Jude!  

BDEM:  Jude was Mr. Detail when it came to making the cupcakes.  He literally stood over me and discussed every single aspect of each color of angry bird.  "Well, that's good Mom, but it's not really right..." or, "He kind of looks like the red guy, but he's missing hair."  

I also loved how all morning he wore his new black hooded angry birds blanket around the house.  It was the gift from his sisters.  He kept telling me that his blanket was the bomb.  I was so excited that he loved it so much - and was also wondering where he picked up the phrase, "the bomb."  When I finally asked where he learned it he said, "Um, I don't know - he is just the big black bird that blows up the pigs."  

OH.  The blanket actually IS the bomb.  

Water:  60 oz.  Finally getting back on track.

Tomorrow is a BIG Day

Good thing we've got BIG balloons to celebrate with!

Happy 5th Birthday, Jude-a-tude!!

Seems like only yesterday you looked like this:

You handsome little devil, you!  

You are the smartest, sweetest, most creative little guy I ever did see.  I can't help but blush when people tell me what a great kid you are, because I feel so proud to be your mom.  Love you!!  

BDEM:  Sitting quietly with my husband in a very special place.  

Water:  MAYBE 20 oz.  It seems like I totally forget water when I break my schedule.  I also have a pounding headache.  Perhaps the two are related.  I'll drink a bit and see if it helps.  I'll say 32 oz just to be optimistic - including what I'm about to drink.  (I WILL regret this choice in three hours when the water returns and wakes me up from a dead sleep)

A Good Man

You know that phrase that says something like, "Behind every good man there is an even better, more thoughtful, well spoken, considerate woman that you don't think he deserved that was obviously out of his league - perhaps it was a shotgun wedding.."?   That's paraphrasing a bit - but I think it's pretty close.  There are so many days that I feel like my situation is completely reversed.

We've had a rough few weeks around these parts.  As I've mentioned, Claire has not been the easiest lately.  As of today, she has her third ear infection in less than three weeks. (All of our kids get them when they are teething).  It's been getting me down - only because I really thrive on keeping up with all of my daily chores, etc.  If I fall behind, I tend to get a bit stressed and overwhelmed.  I understand her constant need to be held, but it has still been hard.

I was super frustrated and I told Rob it was probably best to not come home for lunch because he'd only find a huge mess and a super grumpy wife.  What did he do?  He brought home my favorite salad to cheer me up.

What a good, good man.

Thanks, babe - you are always there to pick me up when I am at my worst.




BDEM:  Cranky, screaming, face-scratching Claire just kind of collapsed on my shoulder tonight as I rocked her to sleep and sang to her.  Then she took her chubby little feverish hand and placed in on my cheek.  It was almost like an apology, and it made me forget (at least for a minute) about the overwhelming day!  


Weight: -4.1 total
Water:  46 oz.

A Good Laugh

I'm sure a lot of you have already seen this, but my kids have been laughing at it for the last twenty minutes.

I think the announcer's reaction is probably my favorite.  Absolutely speechless!


BDEM:  Twas' a lazy Sunday round these parts.  Sometimes a lazy Sunday is just what I need!  


Water: 48 oz

Reevaluated

I am not giving up my goal of losing twenty pounds.  I am, however, extending my schedule a bit.  When I originally set the goal, I thought I was giving myself PLENTY of time to get it done, after all - I just wanted to make it a goal that was accomplished - but not something I stressed over.  I figured I'd lose 20 pounds in ten weeks, easily. When I really did the math - I realized that losing two lbs/week is healthy, and doable.  But it requires a pretty strict regimen, which I spent all of last year following.

I don't want this to sound like I'm bailing on my plan - or that I don't think I can't do it.  I just don't want to stress myself out by knowing I only have "(blank) days left!"  I also have no idea where my body wants to be, so should I lose 15 lbs, but find that I've toned up, and feel like I'm where I want to be - I'll stay there.  All I know is I'm not there yet, but I'd like to be there by MAY 1st.

I'm also going to start posting my weight weekly instead of daily.  I still weigh myself daily - but I'll just bore you with that stuff every Monday.




BDEM:  Rob, Madelyn and I spent the afternoon at the local fitness center.  I got to run on a treadmill - which I LOVE, then we went swimming.  I was so happy to see that even though I haven't been running in ages, I actually ran longer and faster than I normally do.  High Fives to Insanity!  

Water:  40 oz (I'm falling behind on this goal, too - I need to step this one up.)

Weight - goal is to lose 2 lbs/week.  I am currently on target!

Well, that explains it.

I have been cursing my camera for years.  I think I recently mentioned how strained our relationship was...I say things like, "You NEVER focus!"  or "WHY THE HECK DIDN'T THE FLASH GO OFF?!"  But most of the time I just say, "OH MY GOSH!  I HATE THIS STUPID THING!"

So, yes, there are some problems.  Mark my words - the camera will be the reason I am forced to attend anger management classes.

After all these years, I am feeling a bit guilty because as it turns out the camera is actually disabled.  I assumed that when it started smelling like smoke after taking pictures it was probably because it was about to explode.  Now I feel like it was probably crying over all of my insults.

You see, the camera is actually colorblind.


I learned this when I decided to document the so-bad-it-should-have-been-on-TV moment of washing the one red shirt with all of the other whites.  Yes.  I actually did that.  I should also add it was a NEW red shirt.

Here's what the camera saw:

No, that's not even close to what the real laundry looked like.  I will actually have to throw away all of the whites that were in that load because it all just looks like cotton candy.  But Camera will never know that. It just sees that I took a picture of a boring laundry basket with boring towels.

Now I feel shame.  I should never mock the disabled.  I should never, ever mock stupid cameras that can't focus, don't flash, tell me my battery is low and shut down when I've just recharged it, and smell like electrical fires after each click.  That would just be a horrible thing to do.  Consider this my last complaining post...because I'm a changed woman.

BDEM:  We had a horrible night last night that involved Ella throwing up next to our bed - then sleeping in our room, so neither of us got any sleep.  I think I got about three hours total.  So at about 10am I curled up on the floor with a blanket that covered the vent, and slept UNDISTURBED BY CHILDREN for an hour while warm air came through the house - and then got trapped inside my blanket cocoon.  So wonderful!

Weight: -.1 (-3.7 total)
Water:  45 oz

They're not perfect....

...but they're done.  And only six years after I told my sister-in-law, Jessica, I was going to "go home and make them."

*rice and lavender bags - throw them in the microwave, then throw them under the covers so you climb into a warm bed.


Who knew that what took six years to get around to would only take twenty minutes to finish?!


BDEM:  Pulling out the old sewing machine.  I love that thing, and should use it more often.  I may not be great at making things, but the machine is great at making "me" time.  

Weight -.2 (Total -3.8? I think)
Water:  68oz

My Week

Has looked like this: 

So even three minutes of this felt like heaven!

Teething...it's the pits!

BDEM:  Rob took the older two kids roller skating for Maddie's school party, and I got to spend the night with my two little redheads.  Even cranky Claire seemed to enjoy the extra attention!

Weight: 0 - - Yes, I do blame you...fish and chips!   (Total -3.6)
Water:  60 oz

Oh, FINE!

Well, you've waited long enough.  I'll show you the new room!  The dresser took longer than we originally planned, so today is actually the first day I've had it all together.

I still have sheer white curtains ($4 at IKEA for TWO panels!) but we'll see if those get hung in the near future!  

Dresser Before:

Dresser After

We painted the room a medium grey, and replaced all the linens and pillows. We then painted the dresser and replaced the hardware. I found the knobs at Lowe's for under $1each - but they were gold.  So we sprayed them black to match the rest of the room. And last, but not least, we added the little lime lamp on the nightstand.  

My camera could not capture the colors of the room quite right, but the dresser and throw pillows are turquoise, the comforter is grey and white, and the coverlet is plum.  I'm kind of in love with it, and am so glad that Rob was on board from the start.  I had jokingly mentioned that I wanted to paint the dresser turquoise, and he didn't really respond - so I just figured I'd go with black.  Then I kind of made the joke again, this time with a link to a cool turquoise dresser I saw online, and he caved.  I think he's happy he caved.  I know I am!

So there it is!  Now what the heck am I going to hang over your heads to ensure you'll come and visit my blog again?  Any post requests?!


BDEM:  Getting my clothes back into the dresser.  All my clothes have been scattered for days on end, and being able to see the carpet again is fabulous.  I love a good, clean home.    


Weight -.6 (Total, -3.6)
Water: 40-ish oz

Finally!

I meant to post these forever ago, but then I got on my Christmas kick, and these were put on the back burner.  My sister in law, Jessica, is an amazing photographer and offered to shoot our family. So, without further ado I present for your viewing pleasure, 

Family Pics 2011

Thanks again, Jessica!  I absolutely love these, and can't wait to get them up in my house!

You can envy Jessica's blog HERE.

PS - she's good at everything.

PPS - seriously.

BDEM:  Rob and I snuck away for a few hours today and saw Breaking Dawn: Part .  Now, I never got into the books - and really wasn't that into the movies (I just started the series like a month ago) but I really liked this one....and so did Rob!  


Weight: -1.5 (Total: -3 lbs)
Water:  60 oz

Excited to Cook

There is very little that excites me when it comes to cooking.  I love to bake, and get really excited about new ideas there - but when it comes to cooking all of my efforts usually end in, "This smells yucky, Mom!" (I should add that I actually really enjoy cooking - and will probably have a great time once my kids are past the, "Can't we just have macaroni and cheese?" phase).

All that aside, I have been really excited to try quinoa.  Anything that I can add beans, corn and cilantro to is like a lunch made in heaven.  I'm really hoping it lives up to my expectations because I will eat it every day if I like it.  That is not a joke.  When I was dieting really strictly last year (btw - it seems to be a LOT harder this year?!) I ate the same meal for lunch every single day for three months straight.  I often even ate it for dinner.  Did I get bored?  Never.  I would gush over how much I loved the meal daily.  

But for some reason that meal just isn't grabbing me this time around.  (Could it possibly be the obvious? My body is sick of it?)  So I'm really hoping I can call quinoa my new best winter friend.  Huh.  Maybe that's my problem.  As I typed that sentence I thought, "Why is food your best friend anyway?"  Talk about some seriously deep issues! (I didn't mean that, food....I still love you - it's all for show.  I just tell the people what they want to hear.  Still BFFs?)

So have you tried this KEEN-WAH?  Is it the best thing since sliced bread?  I'll keep you posted.

BDEM:  Dinner at the in-laws.  My mother-in-law made the most delicious dinner in honor of the January birthdays in our extended family.  Six birthdays all together, three in my family alone.  Busy, busy!  Then we all just sat around and enjoyed being with family. It was a great night.  Thanks, Ross and Tammy! 

Weight: 0  (Total: -1.5...I think) Rob and I head into phase two of insanity tomorrow.  I'm hoping that'll kick this up a notch.

Water:  I said I'd try.  I did not try.  And now I am parched.  Sad - maybe 12 oz?  I'll hang my head now.  

Winding Down

I walked into Target tonight feeling chipper, alert and ready to get my grocery-shop on.  I walked out tired with my throat on fire!  How do these things hit so quickly?  So I immediately ran to grab some of this:

And if you'll be kind enough to forgive me, I'm going to shut down my computer, sit on the couch and hope that the cold cream cures me before my 7:30 am  meetings tomorrow morning.  

BDEM:  While checking out at Target, the lady behind me couldn't stop staring at the conveyor belt as I unloaded groceries.  I am very particular.  Boxes first,  then pastas, then cans, then produce, then meat/frozen foods,  then toiletry items, then bread then milk.  Some people think I am crazy - but it makes unloading SO MUCH EASIER!  Everything gets bagged with similar items. Anyway, the lady would NOT stop looking, and I was feeling the "YOU'D BETTER NOT MAKE ME WAIT" pressure, when she said, "You unload your groceries just like me!  Doesn't it make all the difference?  Where's my husband? (she starts looking around) 'LOOK HONEY!  SHE GET'S IT!'"  I should have gotten her number - I'm sure she could have been one of those surprise friends!

Weight:  +.5  (I forgot to weigh myself at the normal time, so I'll see if that changes anything tomorrow.  I usually weigh myself in the morning, before there is any food or water in my system.)

Water: Pathetic. Maybe 32 0z.  I was super distracted today.  I'll try harder tomorrow.

My Baby is 1!

Happy Birthday, little Claire Bear!

She hasn't been feeling very well lately, but we still decided to give her a little party to celebrate.  When it came time to make the cake, I really didn't have a lot of ideas seeing as how Claire doesn't really have any favorites.  We ran into the same problem at Christmas when Rob was programming a little dog that Santa left for Claire.  You go online, choose some of the things your child loves best, then it kind of personalizes all the songs/games towards your child.

I wasn't around when Rob did this, but in the end - here's what he chose:

So ever since Christmas we've been singing all about how Claire loves purple, hotdog-eating fish named Claire.

Naturally, it only made sense to make this her first Birthday cake.

It was ONE SLOPPY CAKE!  But it definitely served its purpose.

Happy birthday, little love!  Not a day goes by where I don't think about how unbelievably blessed I am to have you in my life.

BDEM:  Claire's Birthday was definitely fun, but Maddie was in charge of the bedtime story - something that Rob usually does, and her story was awesome.  Every night Rob lets the kids choose one thing - can be ANYTHING at all, and he incorporates each kids thing into the story.  But today Maddie did the same thing and ended up telling a story with the following items:
-Claire
-Birthday
-Pirate Zhu Zhu pets
-A shark
-Walking Clothes (obviously Jude.  I'm sure he'll try to make walking clothes out of paper tomorrow)


The story was amazing.  Got a little bit dodgy towards the end, but all in all, Maddie was a magnificent story teller!


Weight: -.7 lbs (total -1.7)  I'm pretty sure you can count on a + for tomorrow!
Water:  64 dreadful ounces