Brag Alert * Brag Alert * Brag Alert

So it's time for a Brag Alert. I have FINALLY got back into the 130's!!! (139.5lbs to be exact) That is 16 pounds down in 16 weeks. Yeah for me!! Now for the back story.

About a month before the Run Through Redlands I was at my heavest. (156 pounds) I sat there are looked at the scale thinking omg....I am closer to 160 than 150 and besides that, 156 is the heavest I have EVER been. So I knew the Run Through Redlands was coming up and that would be a good excuse to exercise. I really wanted to do the 10k but thought I should just do the 5k because I knew I could do that. But a good friend gave me some great advise. She said "If you want to do the 10k then do it. There is no excuses. Too many mamas sit there and make excuse after excuse to why they cant do stuff. We need to set goals and accomplish them." That advise kicked my butt into gear. I decided that I would do the 10k and that I WOULD get into the 130's again. I started running at least 3 days a week and started eating 5-6 small meals a day. Well, I am so very pleased to say that it took 4 months (16 long weeks of only losing a pound a week) but I have accomplished both goals. I did the 10k (6 miles), in fact I have ran 8 miles since then and I am now 139.5 pounds. And I am not stopping there. Now that I have reached these goals it's time for me to set some more. So here is is: Out there for everyone to see and keep me accountable for.

I WILL:

1 Get down to 135lbs. (and stay there)

2. I will run the half marathon in the Run Through Redlands 2011.

Thanks for listening and for all the support and the affirming comments. They have kept me going for sure!

Early Birthday Party for Toby

So I tried to walk into Olivias room today only to have the door slammed in my face. I opened it and again and was promptly notified that a party for Toby was in the works and I needed to stay out till she was ready. So a minute later she calls Toby and me in. She had quite the set up. Her table set for two with plates and forks, two of her purses stuffed full of trinkets, and her purple leopard print party hat in hand. As Toby came in, she put the hat on his head (complete with neck strap) and told him "Happy Birfday Tobo" They both glowed with happiness...smiling with their entire faces...I'm sure I had the same sort of smile on my face. Then she told him that he had 2 presents to open. She pointed to the first one and said "This one is from Jesus, and this one is from Mary", she said pointing to the second one. Playing along I gasped, "Jesus and his mom came to Toby's party to give him presents?" Logically she told me yes and instructed Toby to open them. As he took one toy out after the next she says "Wow Toby...Jesus knew exactly what you wanted." I had to chuckle at that one. Then came the present from Mary. As he took the toys out of that one she said to me "Mom...Mary must have went shopping in my closet." Toby played this off every bit as much as she did, gasping with surprise with every "new" toy he pulled from the bag.

I LOVE that their imaginations go together so well. They always play along with each others crazy stories and always add new crazy things so whatever they are playing. I know it wont always be that way...but I sure enjoy watching it while it lasts!

So next came the cupcakes. Still wearing the purple jaguar party hat, Toby pulls up and sits at her table. She brings him over a play cupcake and pretends to fill a little glass with something from her little kitchen faucet. "This is pink lemonaide" she tells him. And follows with "Toby, just pretend this hat is a Geo hat and not a jaguar one" (Toby keeps telling me he wants a Team Umizoomi party and Geo is one of the characters on that show) Next she demands "Mom, lets sing" So we sang the Happy Birthday song as loud as we could. Toby sang too, and blew out his invisible candles. And not two seconds after he blew out his candles does Liv say "ok...my turn" So brief...so sweet. And everyone gets a turn right?

This is one of those moments I would love to have gotten on tape. So I can play it over and over when they are older and remember their sweet imaginations. I love these times and I LOVE that I get to stay at home with them to spend these times together with them. It's time like these that make all their craziness worth it. I love these kids...and I love being Olivia and Toby's mom.

4th of July

We had a wonderful 3rd and 4th of July up in Lake Arrowhead. Kevin's Aunt has a house up there so we just sat around, hung out with family, walked back and fourth to the lake, and ate, ate, ate. It was a wonderful weekend.




Can you tell the water was FREEZING?!?!?

Olivia's Birthday

We celebrated Olivia's 4th year of life by having a birthday donut,

a purple jaguar party on Saturday,







And the traditional trip to the American Girl cafe on her actual birthday. Needless to say she had plenty of spoiling and a very special birthday weekend!

Olivia at 4

I cant believe this girl...my baby girl...is going to be 4 on Monday. I LOVED 3. Had to be my favorite year with her. Although I'm sure I will love this year even more.

Side note: I am not one of those moms who is glad that her children are growing and entering new stages of life. I am the opposite. I would keep them small forever if I could. I know it is more work but I can protect them now. (and boss them around) I know where they are and what they are doing at all times...and I love that. But enough about me. This post is about Olivia Addsion.

Olivia is the most caring and observant child I know. She truly cares about the people she loves and has the strongest empathy only to mine. She is so affirming. She notices the little things I do and praises me for them. Like the other night, I stayed up way after everyone went to bed so I can clean. The first thing she said to me when she woke me up was "Wow Mom, you cleaned your room and our playroom and there are no more dishes in the sink. It looks great mom" And when I leave and go play bunco, the next morning she always wakes me up and says "Did you have fun with your friends at bunco?" She really does truly care and I love that about her. She is magnetic. I love to watch her and be around her. She is so cool without even knowing it. She is beautiful inside and out. She tells me that I am her best friend 20+ times a day and is constantly asking Toby is she is his best friend. When he says no, she gets bummed but when he says yes, she runs over to him and gives him the biggest hug with the sweetest smile of relief of her face.

She loves her stuffed animals so much. She has to have one with her where ever she goes and 10 in her bed with her when she goes to bed. She has to have a Mommy and Baby everything. Always in pairs. During her "Livy Time" (Her room time while Toby's napping) I can hear her "animals" talking to each other. The mom is always telling her baby to "make good choices" and sometimes the mom tells her babies that she is cranky. Makes me laugh so much to hear the words I say used in her play time.

Her and Toby have become super good friends this year. She helps him do everything that he cannot, and now he finally lets her. I really cant believe that they get along so well being together for 10+ hours a day. But they do. They play all day and I love when I catch them just sitting there talking. MELTS MY HEART.

She is such a big helper for me while I am babysitting too. She is just a good helper period. She loves to do stuff for us. She always looks so proud doing it too.

I love you so much Liv...I have enjoyed everyday of the four years I have had with you. You ARE my best friend and I couldn't ask for anything more!

New Things this week

Well...last week...im a little behind.

Toby decided he wanted to be potty trained (Finally!!!) I have been trying to potty train him for almost 6 months now. He would always go pee (when I took him) but would never poop on the pot. So last Monday he yelled at me "I'm Peeing!!!" I didn't get what he was saying till he grabbed his little package so we ran to the bathroom and he went. And that was it...the entire day...he told me every single time he had to pee and even when he had to go poop! So I was super stoked. And feeling very relieved...it has been a long and frustrating road since Olivia was potty completely trained in 3 days.

But then on Wednesday (a whopping 2 days after telling me he needs to go) I hear the toilet seat drop. Now this normally means that he is trying to get the tooth paste out of the medicine cabinet, so I yell at him to get out of the bathroom. But much to my surprise he yells back at me "Mom, Im peeing all myself" I didnt believe because he had never even pulled down his pants by himself. So I go heading twords the bathroom only to find him walking out of the bathroom, shorts all twisted around but back around his waste, with the BIGGEST and proudest smile. HE DID IT! All by himself. And has ever since.

Now part of this makes me very sad. My baby doesn't need me anymore. But then I think of his sister...who has been potty trained for a year and a half and still wants me to go into the bathroom with her while she pees and then I start to feel very thankful for his independence. I love how different my kids are. And all this is perfect timing because this same week:

I started babysitting my cousins baby Connor. He is 4 months old and a moose. (17lbs to be exact.) Reminds me so much of Toby when he was that age. Big beautiful round face...eats and smiles all the time. I love having a baby in the house again. I forgot how tiring it is though. How much they eat, pee, and sleep. And how you feel like you are going all day but actually get very little done. But it's ok. I know I have to build my baby stamina up and then we can accomplish much more. Olivia LOVES "Baby Connor" She doesn't leave his side most of the day. When she eats, she requests that he sits in his carrier next to her in the kitchen. During her "resting time", when he is getting tired of my face,I call her back in the room and he stops fussing immediately. I think he really does like her! Its so cute, she has taken on the mommy role quite fast. Every time I leave the room I come back to her in the fridge trying to get a bottle for him. When I ask her what she's doing she tells he "He's freaking out, he wants to eat" And the first day we were watching him, literally an hour after he got here she looks and me and sighs. I said "Whats the matter?" She says to me "Babysitting is tough" She's so funny, but she really is such a big help. I'm going to miss her when she goes to school in August...I think Connor and Toby will too.

Bunch of Firsts

May 1oth- Kids have their first dentist appt. They both did amazing and got all good reviews from the dentist. They even said that Toby's thumb sucking hasn't done that much damage!! (...and I thought they were going to yell at me.) Toby sat there for 20 minutes while they scraped his teeth and Liv took x-rays and everything. They amazed me, and the dental hygienists how well they did. Here they are pumped and ready to get their teeth cleaned.


We also planted out first tree in our backyard. An orange tree. Even though I know it will make my allergies crazy, I LOVE how they look and can't wait till it starts producing fruit. The kids had a blast helping dad dig and water. I never could have imagined how much I would love this kind of family stuff. I get all mushy thinking about all the fun new stuff we are going to do as a family. Here they are in all their helping glory!




I have been feeling super crafty lately so I decided to make Olivia a pillowcase dress. Turned about pretty good if I do say so myself. I love it and was happy she did too.