Catch up.

Get ready, get set, and catch up. (Apologies for my lame blogging abilities.)

Just Checking In.

I promise I have some cute posts from Easter and the likes, but as we have had sick littles in our home this week, I have not gotten to uploading the photos.  I just wanted to "weigh" in on how things have been going with getting healthy. So I am about 3 1/2 weeks in, and I am weighing in every week. Thus far, I am down 7 pounds, which puts the weight loss number for each week at about 2 pounds, which is just where I want it. I had a sip of pop last weekend, and I will not be doing that again (it burned!) and I had a cheat meal (oh the fajitas from our favorite local place were divine!). I am still staying away from the processed sugars, although I have indulged in the frozen Tillamook yogurt once or twice, to help with the cravings. I want to get to the gym more, but I am okay with 3-4 times a week, and I think that number will allow me to keep things practical. I am only drinking water (as are my boys) and we keep our snacks to cheese, fruit, and veggies. Thank-you everyone for the kind words and support. They help so much and keep me motivated.

Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving

So my sisters and I love a good dose of the movie "Thirteen Going on Thirty", and love to frequently quote from the movie. One of our favorites as of late, especially as there will now be three sisters into their 30's, is the phrase "Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving". My sisters and I have always had somewhat of a struggle with weight, and last year, I had committed to try and be the healthiest me when I turned thirty. Well, as fate would have it, I ended up getting pregnant with Cora, and being postpartum on my thirtieth birthday. I would not have it any other way, honestly, but as my sister turns thirty (we are 10 1/2 months apart, so will be thirty for about 6 weeks together) in September, we have decided to go for the gold, and work to lose weight, and lose some weight while we are at it.

We have a little group on Facebook, and the ladies on there are all working on becoming the healthiest versions of ourselves. Each week, we make our own goals. My goal this week is to go without processed sugars (excluding whole wheat sprouted bread and my daily bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios), until next Monday. I am allowing myself one piece of chocolate on Sunday (Easter), should I feel the need to succumb, but it is really going to help me, as I am such a carnivore and need to get off of the massive amounts of sugar.

So here I recommit myself, so that I can be a healthier mom. I have been doing pretty well getting moving, getting to the gym 3-5 times a week, depending on the week, so working on my eating I think will help me make the bigger changes necessary, as they say getting healthy is 70% eating, and 30% from the gym.

*And feel free to provide tips or words of wisdom if you have been here.*

Going Private

This has been something I have been thinking about for some time. On April 18th, in one week, I will be changing this blog to a private setting. I think the world is full of a lot of goodness, but there is also a lot darkness is this world too, and as I share pictures of my littles, I would like to feel safe doing so. So if you would like to continue to read, please leave a comment with your e-mail, and know that your comment will not be published, so as to protect your privacy.

"Gotcha Day"

This will be short, but I realized tonight (long after Collin was asleep) that today marks the 5 years that we have been blessed to have Collin as ours. We love our little boy, loves the hilarious things he says and does, and are so grateful that we were blessed through adoption to have him as part of our family. So happy "Gotcha" Day, and know we will be celebrating tomorrow!!!

The power of words.

There is something I have been terrified of, long since before we decided to have children. I remember leaving high school, and being so happy that I would (hopefully) never have to be around those with insecurities or issues, that would choose to channel those feelings negatively,  and would then bully or pick on someone to feel better about themselves. This has proved mostly true thankfully, although there have been moments where I have witnessed even adults in some really sad and rather pathetic behaviors.

 I love these two boys. They may drive me absolutely crazy at moments, but they are just such incredible little ones. They are smart, kind, funny, and just two little boys that care immensely about those around them. These two were both fortunate to have had not only 2 very special siblings come before them, but a beloved special needs family member, named Barbara Perrie, that taught them at a very young age that we all are very different, but that each and every person is special. 

But both of these boys have had their first situation in the last 2 weeks of being teased. It scares me, as words, both written and verbal, are incredibly powerful. 

It broke something inside of me to know, that already, at the tender ages of 3.5 and 5, my boys have had unkind words said to them. I know the kids probably did not intentionally mean to be cruel or unkind, but the words still hurt their feelings. I literally want to cry just thinking about it, because I want these little boys to know how much I love them, and instill it in them in such a way that maybe those words will not hurt, or that they will realize that there are special and loved, despite whatever anyone says about them.

I started substitute teaching last week (I LOVED it!) but at the end of the day, two little girls brought me a note that had been delivered to them, with incredibly unkind words. I stood in front of that class, very near tears, as I had grown to just love these darling third graders, every one, telling them that words were powerful, and that I was incredibly saddened to see that someone had written those mean words. I think I was especially saddened that another student was probably hurting themselves, and decided to also hurt these two classmates. It brought my fears of what my kids will face daily, in school, to the surface. Will Collin be teased because he is adopted, or because he looks different then us? Will Jacob be teased for his delays, or how he talks, or perhaps again for those chubby cheeks? I will do all I can to build and shape my children, into loving and kind souls that treat others with respect, and hope and pray that they likewise make friends that will build them up, and look out for one another, just as these two do.

And hopefully, they will never feel the need to belittle or tease others around them. I just wish sometimes I could bubble and buffer them from the scary world we live in. 

Funny but oh-so naughty!

So a few weeks ago (right before Collin's 5th Birthday) we came downstairs to find this fine piece of art work on our wall done in a purple Sharpie (although I am still unsure exactly what it is supposed to be). Around these parts, we are typically pretty good about sniffing out when we are being told a story, and this time was no exception. Mike questioned both boys, each one blaming another. But you see, this little artist also signed his artwork, right off to the left there. Mike asked Collin "who did this?" Collin's response: "Jacob did it, see, C-O-L-L-I-N, which spells Jacob". 

Nice try big brother, nice try.