Milestone #2

Ok as I have mentioned I have been working on weight loss. I initially said well actually have haven't said on here but back in january I set my goal to lose 30 lbs. I am now down 22. I was just invited to join this 12 week biggest loser group with a neighbor that starts Monday (1 meeting a week,) so i think i'm going to up my goal to 40 lbs loss. I have a few reasons. First, 30 seemed so out of reach anyway since i've only ever dropped less than 10 lbs at a time since I've been married. Weight loss has been a struggle. but i've found what works for me and i'm going with it. Second I said before I started 30 i'd be happy wiht but 40 would be amazing. Third I have said for YEARS (since before Sadie was born and we were poor in college) if I can get back down to my goal weight we are going to Hawaii. Ben agreed and over the years i keep mentioning it and he just thinks Yeah Whatever. it's never happened. Well in Jan I said after 30 we're going...ok whatever well now that's only 8 lbs away. but i want to go for the full 40. Plus I'm running out of time for this season already (I've moved on from Hawaii and want to go on a cruise) so we'll go next summer. And finally my big thing is teaching myself a lesson in good old self discipline. It takes disapline not to eat those brownies i love so much, or whatever it may be, it also takes discipline to get to the gym in the am and on that treadmill after the kids are in bed (ok more the treadmill than the gym :) ) anyway i just want to prove to myself i can do it :) i just shared the long version.... . Anyway after 10 lbs I bought new work out clothes. I was tired of looking frumpy at the gym in stretched out stained old tee shirts (seriously they were the old navy ones from 4th of july like 2000-2003 :) and the same pair of capris everyday from 3 years ago. since i go every day i just feel gross (probably doesn't help that i don't get a shower until like 1-2pm :)

So for my reward after the next 10 lbs was a nice hair cut/ color (i set these said rewards before beginning the weight loss back in january) so last night I went. I first told the colorist (foil highlights) that they don't often show up in my hair the way i like, maybe cause the curls?)so she said she'd do thicker and a carmel color. I thought she knew how to make it show up well. Well after my color while it was still in the towel i went to the haircut lady, and the color lady went home. I couldn't see any color at all. I could see if if i held the mirror right next to my head but anything more than 3-4 inches away it was non exsistant. so now i have to go back. I'm nervous. I don't want to be annoying but I need results. a drastic change. Ugh. Ben told me not to get highlights...i should have listened :)

so back to the salon i go. i shouldn't complain i guess i do get to sit alone and read for a bit :) so i got a little side tracked the point of the post was to say how nervous i am to go back and have them redo my hair. I'm not that way... but i don't want to pay for nothing right?!

not sure what my 30 lb reward will be now i'll have to think of something fun....

Sadie Soccer

Ok Sadie's soccer season was actually pretty funny. She cried once to me because she didn't like it when her coach said "go get good and dirty". Her coaches were husband and wife, Sandy and Brandy. She LOVED Sandy. He said she makes him wish he had a little girl. Sadie would say things like Oh do you think my coach will think my shirt is cute, or my pony tail pretty??? Who cares about the actual sport right we've gotta look good. The best part of the season was the PARTY! She could get dressed off and act cute :) One time when sadie was the goalie she just stood there and watched the ball roll slowly by SLOWLY. the only time she ever touched the ball was to throw it in....if it wasn't muddy. I think we'll be sticking to ballet :)

Kyle Soccer

I guess I should post some soccer pics now that the season is FINALLY over :) besides Kyle earned this post with his tooth :)

So can I just say soccer was the bane of my existance! Kyle's coach wanted to do 2 time a week practices...not at an elementary school like everyone else but he moved it to the high school. The field was like a swamp, it was too far away to sit in the car and let the kids watch a movie, and there was nothing for the kids to do- except run the track. I had to bang on the school doors a few times for a bathroom rescue from the janitor (all the elem. schools have port a potties for this reason). Kyle did enjoy it though, for the most part. He is an inside guy. Always has been. So sometimes he just didn't want to go just because it's being outside. He played defender lots which he did well at!

Now on to baseball!!!

EVOO

So I guess if you don't watch Rachel Ray you're not up on the cool cooking lingo- EVOO is not some strange cooking product it is actually Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I learned this the hard way- not from a tv show but by asking someone in Fred Meyer, who asked someone else, who took it to the Grocery dept. Manager who had no idea, but don't worry my question was answered by a nice lady walking by that watches Rachael Ray. As I was walking away from the group of employees another walked up and one of them said You'll never guess what this lady just asked for. I turned around and jokingly said haha I don't want to hear you telling that story to everyone :) he said I'm going to. I wanted to die :) That's what I get for trying new recipes :)

Kyle

SO 2 stories about Kyle. The first is kinda funny. Kyle has been really into his cap gun pistol the past few days. Playing out in the woods with Zach. He knows it's strictly and outside toy. We went to walmart yesterday. I wasn't paying any attention to Kyle as he is usually behaving I don't need ot worry about him. We get in the front of the store (by the clothing) and he whips out his cap gun and fires it before I could stop him (he later told me he thought it was empty) You should have seen everyone turn startled. i'm surprised people didn't slam to the floor. It was so loud. Good thing this Walmart doesn't have security we would have been told to leave I'm sure. I quickly did the "responsible" thing and took the gun and told him not ok but inside i was trying not to laugh :)

Second story. Let me preface it with 2 things. 1. last night I got a text from ben saying his phone was about to die and it won't recharge. He was ordering a new one and wouldn't have it until thurs. ok no biggie. 2. Recall all the stories I've shared about The Daniels Family Teeth. We have a thing with teeth.

We went to soccer practice. I seriously considered skipping. I'm so sick of it. 3 nights a week, and 2 games on Saturdays. I'm over it. (ben hates when i say that :)

but we went cause it wasn't raining out. :) Well usually i just sit and watch kyle. This time Zach and Sadie were running with some friends around the track so I was following to keep tabs on Zachy. When I was 1/2 way around another mom was running towards me. THinking Oh kyle probably just has to go to the bathroom or something. She says Kyle is pretty hurt, he got kicked in the mouth with a cleat and is bleeding pretty good. So the friend i was with takes Maddie and i take off running to see what's going on. Totally just expecting a fat lip. There are parents huddled around, and the team looking around in the grass. Kyle looks up at me crying i see in his mouth. A MISSING FRONT TOOTH. Not expecting that. I had to play that off but it took all I had not to gag :) ok not really but it did make me a little weak in the knees. ewwwww. the team was looking for the tooth, but no luck thankfully it's just a baby tooth but it's nasty. He's ok now (wants to quit soccer :) ) but of course i couldn't call ben cause i have no idea what hotel he's at. though i have called several in the phoenix area :) so tomorrow we'll be heading to the dds office again :) ben should have been a dentist I've decided. at least it wasn't a broken bone :) how much is the tooth fairy going to have to shell out for that one :)

All Crafted Out

Well for some reason I felt the need to take on another sewing project last night. So I put together this apron it's reversible- I bought the pattern on an etsy shop my friend recommended. I think it turned out pretty well. I think I"m done sewing for awhile :) And yes I'm still in my night gown in the picture ...that's not the point you're supposed to be looking at the apron :)

Zach's car caddy

So Ben has been out of town since friday and for some weird reason lately I've been finding fulfillment in crafty things. That will end real quick the next time I try to sew and I break a needle like 5 times for no reason at all and my project gets stuck in the machine. this is why i don't sew. But i do have an apron i'm hoping to start tonight.

anyway Zach LOVES his cars. When we're out he'll use the top of my diaper bag as a street cause it has a zipper down the middle as if it's a road. He always has an armful of cars, or a backpack or bucket. I saw this tutorial here and thought he'd LOVE This. Thankfully it was pretty painfree and I think it turned out pretty cute! I'm impressed with myself :)

Maddie the Mother

I overheard Sadie singing Maddie a song, like she often does. She'll make it up as she goes usually. She'll start out singing quietly but then she becomes so overcome by emotion it gets loud. She tells me Maddie is just so cute she can't help it.

Here's what I heard "Maddie will be a mom. A mother. She will have babies. And they will get bigger and bigger and bigger." She caught me looking at her while she was singing (it's funny to watch with the dance moves/hugging her while gritting her teeth) and she stopped singing and said "Well she will you know mom" Then turned back to Maddie in her babyish voice and said "do you want to hear more songs .... maddie look at me, do you want to hear more songs, do ya do ya do ya ?! (each time getting louder and more opera-like).

Well I'd say it's pretty obvious why Maddie loves her so much :) wouldn't you?

Who DOESN'T Cry Over Spilt Milk?!

So on Friday morning I opened a brand new gallon of milk. I went to the gym Friday night (Ben watched the kids....well he claims they "watch themselves") anyway that's another topic. On Saturday morning I saw an empty jug of milk on Zach's bedroom floor. I just figured he got it from the kitchen before it went out to the recycle bin. later I went in there to put laundry away and his floor was SOAKED. NOOOO i thought. Last summer he spilled a sippy cup of milk in there without me knowing, and i thought there was somehow a hidden dirty diaper in there. It is a pain in the neck. I shampoo/steam the carpet about 5 or 6 times then pour this baking soda stuff on it. Anyway so his floor is soaked. I think I got it pretty taken care of. Monday I come downstairs from gettting the kids dressed and he's BEHIND the couch with the jug of milk (another one) 1/2 gone. He was pouring it out behind the couch. So i begin the process again. On Tuesday I thought my house still smelled, ben couldn't smell anything. Wednesday morning it is PUNGENT. My house smells like a dirty diaper. It is WRONG. I searched all over the family room and found another corner that was "stiff" from milk being dumped there. So again i go on with the shampooing/baking soda. This time it's not working. I think cause it sat??! Not sure. I have now cleaned it about 6-7 times, have a fan blowing on it with baking soda poured on top. On the way to the gym this morning I smelled the smell and thought I stunk from being on my hands and knees scrubbing this morning. I get to the gym and realized it really was a diaper not me :) (that could have been embarrassing :) )Any ideas? I read about this stuff sams' club sells called ODOBAN i think i might go there and get it. In the mean time if you come over to my house- i'm not answering the door.

I've heard before that you can say whatever you want about someone as long as you follow up with "Bless his or her heart" - that makes it OK - :) well.....Zach.......bless your little heart :)

Office Makeover

So I've let my creative juices flow (now I'm all out. I don't have many of those juices :) ) and redid my office. Ok well it's really the landing at the top of the stairs but it works. In the before picture it isn't really before because technically before I didn't have a bookcase and my desk was there. Then I got a printer (it had to finally happen) and that started my makeover. I wanted something a little girly, (hence the pink) and classy- we have lots of black in the house so i thought that would tie the white furniture in well. So here's the before:

and here's the after:

I covered the magnet board and magazine files with fabric. it works ok i think. I'm trying to decide on something for my plain white chair. i don't want it to be too crazy. I was thinking about maybe painting the 3 rungs on the back black. Then taking some of the pink fabric and making a chair pad. Too much? Any suggestions?

Happy Thought

Ever have days where you just want to crawl in a hole and never come out again. That may be extreme. Maybe I'll just stay and hibernate for a few months....or years. That's how I feel today. But I was looking at pictures, took this one on sunday and it made me smile which is saying a lot today :) . actually i took like 20 but this is the only one everyone's faces are actually pointed at the camera. Maybe soon I'll get one that my kids aren't shirtless, and in jammies :)

Exercise According to Kyle

Here is a conversation I had with the kids on the way to the gym this morning

Sadie: Mom don't treadmill at the gym you can treadmill at home. That will waste our time.

Kyle: Yeah but you might want to try it because their treadmills might be pretty sweet like the one you saw in Costco.

Me: Well they are a little nicer than mine, but they don't make me exercise any different than mine does at home. I won't treadmill here I'll wait and do it at home.

Kyle: What exercise machine is the best and hardest?

Me: I'm not sure ... good question

Kyle: You might want to figure that out so you can lose more weight.

Me: True. I think it's different for each person.

Kyle: How much weight have you lost?

Me: 16 lbs. (i could have said 100 ... he has no concept) :)

Kyle:well you should probably treadmill 2 times a day. It will go faster for you.

Good thing I have such a good fitness coach. Who need a personal trainer when you have a 6 year old?!