Confession Time...

I have to make a confession.  As a crafty-sort of mom, I'm sad to say this... but I must...

I bought the girls' Halloween costumes this year.

Oh, the horror!

Actually, it was pretty horrible.  From dishing out the moolah, to realizing what pieces of trash I dished out all that moolah for.  It's crazy.  I could have made some pretty kickin' costumes for that dough.

But I was too lazy.  Too uninspired.  Too busy.

They didn't care, so whatever.  I still have to show them off, because they're still cute.  =)


Trick or Treat!!


Mermaid (not sure what she's doing here....)


Her fish face


Fairy in cowboy boots and upside down wings...


She was not into pictures


My Cheerleader


Definitely into pictures.


Copy cat LOL


Improved Fish Face  (damn, she's gorgeous)


My imp-girl who needs to remember she's 8, not 16.

So, in other news... I'm down 25 lbs as of today.  I had hit a plateau, a very frustrating plateau.  But I busted that plateau out of the water and I'll tell you how.  I don't recommend it.  It's called.... STREP.

Good grief, I wanted to DIE.  I lost 10 lbs in like 3 days.  Seriously.  It was awful.  Running a fever for 36 hours burns some serious calories that not being able to eat wasn't replenishing.

I woke up Sunday feeling OK, except for a scratcy throat, but everyone at work has been sniffling and snotting everywhere.  I figured it was just my turn.  We were going to go to my parents' house, so I took a shower and was nagging Bill to get ready to go.  I layed down on the bed to read and after a while thought, "I don't really feel that great."  Bill ended up getting called into work and I decided we'd stay home since I was starting to feel icky and didn't want to take my germs to my parents' house.  By the time I put the kids to bed, I was wallowing on the couch with fever.  Woke up in the middle of the night with my throat on fire.

My throat caused my doctor to say "Oh, God!  I'm not even swabbing that!"

A little advice... if your doctor ever prescribes a lidocaine rinse for your streppy throat, just leave it at the pharmacy.  Go get some Milk of Magnesia instead.  The lidocaine rinse is super thick and gagged me so bad I actually threw up - which you don't EVER want to do with a streppy throat.  Just trust me there, OK?  Gargle the MoM, it numbs you up a bit without gagging you.  Tastes better, too.

I'm feeling almost human today... I was able to work half a day, take a nap, and do Halloween.  I might feel almost normal tomorrow.  Hopefully.  I'm still having trouble eating.  Not because of my throat (not that it's all better, just a little better), I just have no appetite and everything tastes terrible.

So...

That's about it.  Hope you had a fun, fabulous Halloween!

Punkin Patch time! (and other miscellaneous news)

Today we made our annual excursion to the pumpkin patch.  The past 5 or 6 years, we've gone to the same pumpkin patch, but this year I decided we'd mix it up and go to a different place.  We went to Bobrook Farms, which is out in the area where I pretty much grew up.  I love it out there and it seemed like a good excuse to drive out there.  It's kind of odd to feel homesick for a place only half an hour away, but I do sometimes.  We wouldn't mind moving out there, but property out there is really expensive now.  And it would be a killer commute, gas-wise.

This new place had a lot of fun things to do...

A hay bale maze, which Zoe kept getting totally lost in.

A corn pit, which they would have stayed in the whole time, I think.



A sunflower maze, which was so crazy beautiful.



They also had a hay ride, but I think it's the one thing that I prefer at the other place we have been to.  This was just a 15 minute ride as opposed to 30 minutes, and not nearly as pretty.  But, overall, it was a nice change.







Afterwards, we went to the Visitor Center at Pinnacle Mountain State Park and went to the overlook.  It's actually about a mile from the park itself, but the view is really pretty.  Isabelle, my little yogini, tried out a few yoga poses...



That's Eagle pose.  Kinda.

So... what else is going on? 

I went to the doctor on Friday.  I've been a terrible patient and haven't been in 2 years.  Not since being diagnosed as being diabetic.  Back then, my A1C (kind of like a 3 month snapshot of my blood sugar levels) was 7.9.  4.5-6 is "normal" and 6.1-6.5 is "prediabetic".  I was well into the diabetic range.  But apparently, what I've been doing has been working because I was at 6.4 on Friday.  =)  Without medication.  I have to go back in 3 months, so hopefully I can knock it down a little more. 

I am thinking about doing something pretty big.  And scary.  I actually was thinking about it a few months ago and just kind of pushed the decision off, but I was reminded of it again today.  I think I want to walk the half-marathon at the Little Rock Marathon in March.  And the weird thing is... when I looked at it today and checked out their suggested training schedule - it begins tomorrow!  13.1 miles.  Eek!  And it has to be completed in 4 hours.  Eek!  I think I could do it.  I do Leslie Sansone's Walk-at-home videos all the time and they go upwards of 5mph.  Yes, I know there's a HUGE difference between walking a race course and walking in my kitchen (yes, I workout in the kitchen).  I did 5 miles with her video just Friday night.  My only real concern is figuring out the long walks on the schedule, because my alone time is pretty limited.  It will definitely require some support from my husband and possibly some occasional babysitting from my sister.  During the week, I'd only be doing 3-4 mile walks, but they go up to 10 miles towards the end of the training on the weekend.  I also have to come up with the registration fee, but I can start training before I actually register.  It's kind of scary, but I can only imagine how excited and proud I'd be to finish half a marathon!  Plus, the medals are stupidly big, so that would be nice.  =)

Other than that... I can't really think of much going on that's newsworthy.  Just working, working out, homework.... lots of work =)

Olivia through the years...

It's hard to believe I've been a mother for 8 years already.  It's every mother's right to get all sappy and sentimental when her kids have a birthday, so I'm going to inundate you with pictures of my Livilu Who.  And I uploaded this pictures to Blogger instead of Flickr, so my spacing is going to suck.  Sorry.

The one thing everyone commented on when Olivia was a baby was her cheeks.  She had such big chipmunk cheeks.

Well, this picture doesn't really do them justice, does it?  Let's see...

Yeah, that's more like it. 

Not sure exactly how old she is here... I should keep better track of these things.

 Around 2 years old, with her curls still intact.  Why can't they keep those curls?  Oh, because their best friends cut them off.  =/

Three year old Miss Priss.  She's always been such a good model for me... when she's in the mood.

Four year old fairy princess.

5 years old... it was pretty chilly that day.  Kind of like today, only it was rainy today on top of the cold.  It's always pretty iffy on how the weather will be on her birthday.  Some years it's hot... some years it's cold.

6 years old, after a haircut from her sister....  She had her party at the pumpkin patch that year.

7 years old.... no longer looks like  a baby.  Which is sad.  But she's so pretty.

And now.  8 years old.  Second grader.  Snaggly-toothed and sassy.  Straight-A student.  Sweet and Sour.  I don't even want to think about how grown up she'll look next year.  

Life is change...

I have been trying to find time to post for over a week, but my time management skills kind of suck.  =)

I've been carrying on with my little (big) weight loss journey, which eats up most of my evening.  I've lost 17.5 lbs.  It's a slow journey, but that's OK.  At the beginning of September, I went vegetarian.  I intended for it to just be a 30 day thing, but I haven't gone back yet.  Of course, today I'm craving chicken something crazy, but then again, I'm craving just about everything under the sun today.  I've been fighting a migraine - you'd think I'd be nauseous, but no... I want to eat everything in sight.  So I'm taking it easy tonight and skipping my workout.  I'll probably hit the bed as soon as I'm done here.

On Saturday, this turkey is going to be 8.



Not sure how that happened.  Just yesterday she was a chipmunk-cheeked baby and now she thinks she's almost grown.  She's definitely giving me a preview of years to come, attitude-wise.

A few weekends ago, we took a little family trip for Mr. Bill & my 10th anniversary.  Yeah, I know... we're supposed to do these things alone.  We had a good time, though.  For the first time in a long time, I read a book.  I crocheted.  I played with my camera.  All things I've been neglecting. 

Sadly, I'm pretty all-or-nothing with my extra-curricular activities.  I'm trying, though.  The girls have made their requests for Halloween costumes, so I'm trying to work those in.  I'm doing The Color Run (walking, not running) with my sister and a friend in November, and committed to making something for our team.  So I'm trying very hard to be better about how I spend my time.

As soon as I'm done with costumes, I have found my next project and it's really what's motivating me to crochet...

Source: ravelry.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Seriously, I would wear this all. the. time.  I love it.  I want to get all my other projects over and done with so I can make this.  The designer has some of the best patterns I've stumbled across in a long time.

I had to do something very difficult this week.  Not that they think so, they think I was just being hateful, but I had to burn a couple of bridges... very old bridges.  I've had quite a few "a ha!" moments the past few months.  Sometimes it's not until you are past a dark part of your life that you can see how dark it was.  Changing my body has brought forth a lot of changes mentally, as well.  I think it just has to.  There's an album by Seether called Holding On To Strings Better Left To Fray and that title has always resonated with me, because I did hold on to things that made me feel unworthy and angry and bitter.  Things that should have been left behind long ago, but I was too afraid of not having these people in my life that I thought I could get past the hurt.  I feel like I've become such a much more happy and positive person in general the past few months, yet these people would come up and I'd feel so hateful and ugly and angry.  It wasn't fair for me to be like that towards them, and it wasn't good for me.  I tried to just leave the strings to fray, I guess, but I felt like ignoring them was just being really passive-aggressive, so I just told them I was done.  Harsh... I'm sure.  I tried not to be hateful, and left countless things unsaid as a result, but I know I came off cold.  For that, I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry that I finally gave myself permission to not just let them think a monthly "I miss you" qualified as a friendship.  There is that little bit of the old me that would have walked across broken glass for them that is in shock, but I just want to close that chapter of my life and not be held down by the negativity. 

Yay for ending my post on a downer!  LOL  Let's see if I can perk things up...

Source: lovelaughterlollipops.blogspot.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

(Our inspiration for our team for The Color Run)

Hi... How ya doin'?

If you say that to Zoe (exact words or it won't happen) she says, "I'm fine, but I'd be a lot better if you'd stop talking to me."  Just one of those totally inappropriate, but funny, things my husband likes to teach our children. 



He always looks so enthusiastic in pictures.

So how are you?  I'm doing really well.  I'm down 15 lbs as of today.  I've been vegetarian for 11 days now.  Not sure that's a permanent thing, but it's going well. 

We went to an air show this weekend.



I didn't really want to go.  I wanted to stay home and clean.  Yes, clean.  But it was fun and my husband said "How could you want to miss out on torturing your children with loud noises?"  Isabelle really hates noise.  Which is odd, considering what a loud child she is.



School is going well.  The girls have been on their best behavior every day so far, and I'm sure the school nurse knows them very well by now because I'm pretty sure they've both been at least half a dozen times each.  They're such hypochondriacs.

But anyway.

Still haven't done anything remotely crafty.  But I have two projects, one big, one little, on tap.

Friday night is our local Yogathon kick off and my sister and I are going to freezer-paper stencil some shirts.

Source: cafepress.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

We're doing this or....

Source: fuckyeahyoga.tumblr.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

The other project is for something really cool.  A friend of mine mentioned that she was doing The Color Run in November and after some discussion, we formed a team.  You have no clue how excited I am about doing The Color Run.  We're walking.  But we were talking about maybe doing some sort of costume and we think we have settled on wearing flower bonnets like this:

Source: bustingstitches.blogspot.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

The petals will be white.  Until we finish the walk ;)  I'll have to make 4 or 5, I think.

But that's pretty much all that is going on around here.  Work, sweat, sleep. Make sure the kids do their homework and eat (like I need to make sure that happens).  Hopefully I'll have more to share soon!

What I've been up to...

Yeah, I'm a bad, bad blogger lately.  I know.  =)

The end of summer break was just exhausting.  It was so hot and my husband's truck doesn't have AC, so the girls and I usually let him have the van and we were stuck at home.  They were so bored all the time and going to work seemed like a vacation some days.  I was really ready for school, and things are much calmer around here already.  I just didn't have time to sew or crochet, but now I think things are settling down to where I can sit down and work on my projects instead of trying to find the floor of the living room.

Except I do have one problem....

We all know that Isabelle has an obsession with scissors.  And, while we didn't have any hair cutting incidents this summer, she did get a hold of the scissors a few times and we have a lot of dolls with odd hair cuts and one of my dresses fell victim one day.  So, I threw every pair of scissors in a lock box.  Again.  And, for good measure, since I keep a pair of scissors in my crochet needle bag.... yes, the whole bag went in the box.  I put the key up and I think we all know where this is going.

I can't find the key.  Again.

I know, hooks are cheap.  I'm still mad about it, though.  There are several pairs of scissors (um, like my fabric scissors and rotary blade) and my cute crochet bag in there.  Ugh.  I've searched everywhere.  I have no clue where I put that stupid key.

But, I've been really busy doing something far more important than crocheting anyway.

In April (or some time around then), I made myself a goal to lose 37 lbs before I turn 37 in December.  I had a really hard time getting into it, BUT  I'm on it now.  I've done really well the past two months.  I'm down 12.5 lbs.  I may not actually hit 37 lbs by December, but I'll be close.

I only have 2 hours between putting the girls to bed and going to bed myself and I have at least one of those hours reserved for working out (and my shower).  Then I have to make lunches and all that jazz for the next day.  So, my nights are booked for my health.  I intend to keep it that way, too.

I'm really having fun, too.  I enjoy working out.  I absolutely love yoga.  I go to a class once a week, and try to get a few practices in a week at home.  I tried to do it every day (Sadie Nardini practices are awesome!), but I was starting to get a little burned out and I don't want that.  I do Leslie Sansone's walk-at-home videos a lot, too.  I mix it up... I tend to get bored quickly doing the same thing.

It's becoming a lot more than losing weight to me.  I'm starting to think about goals that have nothing to do with a number on a scale or the size of my jeans.  Like walking a half-marathon...  I know, CRAZY.  I want to try running, but that gets difficult with our schedules.  I can get Olivia and Isabelle to walk or run with me, but Zoe...  well, poor baby just can't keep up with her short little legs.  But I want to be really physically fit in the end.   I'd rather weigh 160 in the end and be able to kick butt than 150 and a wimp.

Oh, did I mention I can do push ups now?  Not many... 3 or 4 regular ones, 16 or more on my knees.  I'm impressed with myself.

I am itching to work on my mom's afghan and I'm finding more free time in the afternoon when the girls get home, so it's going to happen.  I'm going to leave the lock box out in the kitchen.  I'm sure Isabelle will figure out some way into it.  ;)

Back to School 2012

Wow, it's been almost a month since I posted anything.  Just no time...  maybe now that school has started, I can get in a better routine and have time for more things.  Maybe.

I just wanted to share our first day of school pictures.  I didn't get emotional at all this morning.  I've been so ready for this.  I'm looking forward to not washing towels every day because Isabelle's been playing in the mud, taking a bath, and then going back out to get in the mud.  I'm looking forward to less mess.  Fewer groceries.  The kids not being sick of each other every second of every day.

I tell you this... if a politician ever wants to secure my vote 100%, promise me year-round schools. 

Anyway, here are my darlings...



Olivia wasn't nervous at all until we got to her classroom.  There were so many people packed in there, though, and she doesn't like crowds.  So we left her looking a little scared.  She'll be fine though.  Her teacher has promised that she doesn't like to give homework, so I'm hoping that's the case.  I don't like homework.



Isabelle wasn't too thrilled to have to get up and get ready for school, but once we were there, she was off and running.  I hope this is a really good year for her. 



We're still at Mother's Day Out this year.  She's probably the oldest kid there, and hopefully she won't be bored out of her mind.  =)

The bell schedules changed this year, so we will have to adjust to a different routine than we had last year.  I'll have to pick up Zoe a little early to be able to get the other two.  I'm tempted to start letting them ride the bus home, but Daddy's not ready for that.  =)  He was a little sad this morning.  He said he's going to miss their antics.  Then again, he usually wasn't the one cleaning up after them ;)

Have a great week!