Long Time Coming

After almost 13 years, we are finally upgrading and finishing my wedding ring (thank you tax returns!).

Since we are renewing our vows July of 2013, we wanted to have my ring finished. I have a few temporary wedding bands, but it is just not the same without the one that you originally said your vows with.

I am so freakin excited. I get this ring tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After looking at loose diamonds, we realized it is cheaper to buy a diamond in a solitaire setting and have the diamond removed and set in my old wedding band.

My original wedding band has 8 princess cut diamonds on each side. Don't you think this radiant cut diamond will look nice as the main diamond?!

After 13 years you can see why I am so excited. You don't know how sick I am of people asking me if I have a wedding ring! Once we get the diamond in my old setting, I will post pics.

Hopefully that will be this week or early next week.

What a great way to celebrate March's arrival tomorrow. ~S

National Pancake Day!!

My son LOVES pancakes, so I figured we would celebrate today by having Pancakes for dinner.

Speaking of pancakes...if you live in Portland, OR, have you ever been to Slappy Cakes?

It is a great place to have a fun family breakfast or lunch. The griddles are built into the tables so you can create your own pancakes (different shapes, toppings). This is great especially if you all have different tastes.

We only go there about twice a year because for a family of five it can get expensive. I would highly recommend checking it out.

http://slappycakes.com/index.html

Will you be making pancakes today? ~S

Do your kids ever do this?

When I was little, I always wrote my mom and dad notes and left them various places to be found (on their bed, by the bedroom door, on the bathroom mirror, sink or their dresser).

It is simply lovely to find little notes around the house for us by my daughter Madeleine. ~S

When....

....you realize you have been listening and singing along to a song you hate :/

.....a friend is hurting and you don't know how to make it all better :(

.....you try on a pair of pants you have not worn in two years, and they fit :)

.....you eat something you shouldn't, but realize tomorrow is a new day :/

.....you do something that is out of your comfort zone :)

.....you get your hair colored/cut and feel refreshed and attractive again :)

.....you still get tingles when your spouse kisses you :)

.....you get flowers delivered from a friend :)

.....you get a call that your dad fell and had to get stitches again :(

.....you set a goal and accomplish it :)

.....you make someone smile :)

~S

Juicing..Blah, Blah, Blah

I have been juicing twice a day and eating something healthy and small (apple, a few green olives, etc.) for dinner just so I can take a pain pill for my herniated disk. Pain pills on an empty stomach do not mix. I have also had a cheat day once a week. It seems to be working good with my overall goal.

I have not started exercising yet as I was getting over bronchitis and now have to let my back injury heal. Not good. Especially since I have a yearning to start using the treadmill.

But, I have lost 30 pounds, so I'm not going to complain. At this point, I am just taking it day by day.

I feel so much better since I started being conscious of what I eat and staying focused on achieving a healthier lifestyle and attitude about food.

I am praying my back is better by this weekend and I can start walking :) ~S

Memories

Last night, I watched three couples' kids so they could go out and enjoy some quiet time on Valentines. We (and I mean me alone) made the kids pizza, cards for them to color for their parents, various games (pin the arrow on the heart, spin the bottle, candy relay, guess the hearts in the jar, etc.) and decorated cupcakes as well as gave them gift bags when they left.

I spent a week preparing, decorating the house and it was all over in two hours. I had a blast despite the noise level (LOL) and all those kids running around. The older kids helped me so much and I could not have done it without them. It was so worth seeing the parents gratefulness both when they dropped the kids off and picked them up.

But, my concern is...will my kids even remember that their mother did these neat things for THEM?

When I was little, my mom did all kinds of things for us, and while I do remember a lot of them, time has also let me forget the majority. That is sad.

I hope my kids remember that I was a fun mom, our house was always welcoming for other kids and families, and all the special things I did to make holidays and everyday life with them fun and memorable. I also hope I am a constant example of selflessness for my kids and that they learn to serve others by my example. 

After all, I do everything I do for them because I love them, want them to have a great childhood and look back and smile :) ~S

Exhausted

I have been exhausted lately and am really trying to make an effort to go to bed by midnight instead of waiting up for Matt to get home from work. But still, that is less than six hours a night.

Today, I got the kids to school, edited and went to work. I arrived at home just as the older kids got home and it was homework, play dates, dinner, bath and the bedtime routine. Now I am editing and grading as I have deadlines that must be met. Everyday it is like this and it gets exhausting, especially on the days that we have activities (Girl Scouts, piano, Lego Robotics, etc.).

It is interesting how you think that when your kids get older, life must get easier as they are not toddlers anymore and don't need that much attention. Wrong! It is just a different type of attention and needs that must be met.

When my kids were having a play date at my house with a friend today, I was in my bed resting for at least an hour trying to get some energy to stay up late and work tonight. I may have drifted off a few times during that hour.

What were my kids doing during that time? From the looks of it, playing house. Plastic dishes and food were in various spots, stuffed animals in chairs, baby dolls put to sleep in my linen closet, bedroom closet, bookshelves and drawers. I vaguely remember Ash sitting at my desk in my room a few feet away writing letters (this apparently was her job in playing house) and coming over a few times to have me help her write something.

Yep, I'm that mom. The one that climbs in bed and lets the kids run a muck in the house occasionally. Being a mom, wife, daughter, employee, friend, and sister is exhausting. But, I love every minute of it. I think everyone has days when for a sheer moment, climbing in bed with the covers over your head is just what the doctor ordered. ~S

Random Ramblings

1} Things I LOVE right now are...

I currently have Fusion, Spicy & Regular in my fridge (happy sigh).

This tea is wonderful for those of us who are obsessed with anything coconut. Add a few drops of Italian Sweet Creme coffee creamer (thanks Jennifer for introducing me to this) and you have a delicious bedtime treat.

I add some protein powder to one of these babies at night for dinner and it keeps me full for hours. Plus, it tastes divine.

2} I am throwing a kids Valentines party on Valentines so parents can go out with their hubby that night and not have to worry about childcare. Don't worry, I will be celebrating with my lover earlier in the day :) I am going to have dinner, dessert, games and crafts for the kids to do. It should be super fun and I can't wait.

3} Maddie's school has a Daddy-Daughter dance this weekend. How cute is that?! She is so excited to go. I will post pictures after the big day. I have a super cute dress for her to wear and can't wait to see Matt in his suit. Ooh laa laa.

4} I LOVE mornings right now. After getting the kids off to school and when Matt and Ash are still asleep, I drink some coffee and watch shows that I have taped on the DVR. Then, I crawl back in bed to cuddle with them and fall back asleep for an hour before getting up to work. So nice.....that is, if the kitten is not attacking my feet, hands or any other body part that moves the slightest bit.

5} The scale. Crazy, right?! I LOVE to see the numbers going down (even though I would love for them to go down faster), especially after all these days of hard work, healthy eating and will power. ~S

Baby Liam

I have gone to the hospital the last two days due to my friend's little baby who is still not able to go home :(

I feel so bad for my friend. She had a traumatic birth (to put it mildly), her baby almost died, and now the little guy cannot come home due to health issues (related to the birth).

It was so fun to hold him when he was two days old, but yesterday when I went to see him again, no one could hold him. I felt bad for his parents and my heart breaks for my friend. I know how it is to not be able to hold, take home, or have a healthy baby.

Please pray for baby Liam (don't you love that name?!) that he will be able to come home soon and his mom and dad will have strength. They need to get home soon to be with their other three kids.

~S

Feelin Better

I am feeling better today. Thanks for the calls (phone hugs) and support. This girl is loved!

I had one day (Tuesday) of a plant based diet (for dinner) and I juiced the other two meals, then went right back on the juice fast. Crazy, I know.

I have been averaging one pound a day loss. So far, my loss is 20lbs. I went 20 days last time. My goal this time (starting today) is to go 28 days. So I will have lost around 48 pounds by the end of February.

What's different? I am going to avoid fruits/veggies that I am allergic to. That should prevent an increase in my LS symptoms. Of course, I will take it week by week. If I have a flare-up again, I will have to abandon the fast.

I am excited to start run/walking this month as well.

I am determined to hit my goal each month and be done with my weight loss goals before summer so I don't feel so restricted when BBQ/Party/Birthday season comes :) Hopefully by then, I will be juicing twice a day and eating healthy at night (with one cheat day a week) to maintain.

In other news.....

I am working tomorrow so I can take Friday off. Matt has it off, the kids don't have school, so I want to do something fun as a family. Can't wait.

Now if I can get all my grading and editing done in time! ~S