Nike No Excuses

I am starting exercising this week. I plan on watching the video everyday when I feel like ditching. Wish me luck. I'll keep you all posted. -rb

Weight Watchers Week One

Us on Easter on the way to Utah.
Okay first things first, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY HONEY!!! I love you more than you know.

I started Weight Watchers last week and went for my first weigh in today. I lost four (4) pounds this week! That puts me almost halfway to my goal weight. WooHoo. I am so excited. I know big loss happens the first week but this for such a small person is HUGE. I am pumped and ready to lose two next week. :) Not bad for it being Easter, My Birthday and anniversary all celebrated with food...

P.S. Mike has pink eye. Lame.

"Mad Wife Disease" -thanks eva!

A guy was sitting quietly reading his paper when his wife walked up behind him and whacked
him on the head with a magazine.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"That was for the piece of paper in your pants pocket with the name Laura Lou written on it,"
she replied.

"Two weeks ago when I went to the races, Laura Lou was the name of one of the horses I bet on,"
he explained.

"Oh honey, I'm sorry," she said. "I should have known there was a good explanation."

Three days later he was watching a ball game on TV when she walked up and hit him in the head
again, this time with the iron skillet, which knocked him out cold.

When he came to, he asked, "What the hell was that for?"

She replied......."Your horse called."

Hope you all laugh out loud like I did when I read this. I had to post it and it knocked Michael's post down a notch. Sorry honey.

Michael - My Sweet Husband

Next week is our anniversary and I wanted all week to blog about him and some things on my mind. I almost don't know where to start. Lately in our home we have been talking about dreams and ambitions. I love staying at home with my kids but I find sometimes that I have lost a sense of myself. Who I am as an individual. As a person who gives and gives to others and exists to make their world happen this would be an easy thing to happen. I do have a dream for myself and for my life but being a Mom is my FIRST dream. I am thankful EVERYDAY that my husband gets up and goes to work so that I can stay home and live my dream. It is so easy to get caught up in the things that we don't have to appreciate what we do have. I have a husband who loves me. I mean he REALLY loves me. I don't know what I did to him but he really does. For a long time Michael's work was about him and achieving his goals in life. I found myself over time in a way jealous that he gets to shine so brightly on his own and I shine bright only when they do. I am proud of them and realize now that they couldn't do it without me so I earn where I am too. Does anyone else struggle with this occasionally?

I have always believed in seasons of our lives and believed that in THIS season of my life, I am meant to be home with my children. Raising them and nurturing them. Teaching them to be good people. I wouldn't have it any other way which is why it isn't different. I know that the days of my children being young and so open are fleeting. We let Mike sleep with us probably too much but one day he will either be too big to sleep with us or he just won't want to. I struggle almost daily lately with trying to decide on all day kindergarten or half day and then private or public, which has the best schedule and curriculm. I think we live in a world that grossly undervalues what we do as Mothers. For the most part that never bothers me because I don't need recognition from the world for the work that I do. I HATE it when people say, "oh you just stay at home." I want to say to them, "eat me." I HATE the people, the ignorant people, who downplay being a stepmother or the fact that I have stepchildren. There's this one mom at school and Mike played baseball with her child, she felt the need not only to say, "well you didn't have to give birth to them," but to also inform other mom's that I really only have two kids. To her, I wanted to slap her in the face and say you have NO IDEA what being a stepmom is about. I have been with Michael since Caden and Nate were 3 and 2. I potty trained Nathan. I have been around as long as they can remember so when those Moms look at me like I am out of my mind when I say I am done having babies because I've only had "2," I could kill them too.

This blog was meant to be about my husband. My best friend. The person I always want to be with more than anyone else. I LOVE YOU. I love you in ways I hope to one day be able to show you. Thank you for marrying me and giving me my beautiful babies. Thank you for being a father, for getting up every day even when you don't want to and going to work so that I can live my dream of being a mother. Thank you for wanting me to have everything and to be everything I've ever wanted. We have had our days but together, we are better. I am a better woman and person because of you. You know me and not only accept who I am but you love who I am. Most of all, you let love you just the way you are. I would marry you on that beach all over again. I love you M.N.

My Tessa

Tessa is the best friend a girl could have. She follows me everywhere. Right now she is laying on the Love Sac watching me blog. The second I get up, she will also wake from her nap and follow me where I am going. She sleeps in the bed and thankfully she is small. Mike says she sleeps like a human because she really does lay like one. I don't know if she knows she is a dog. On this day, I was working on organizing my new desk and she laid on the chair to be close to me. I forgot she was there and almost sat on her but she just went right back to sleep. Tessa was my backup name for Nya so when we got her, I had to use the name. Kali you can't be serious about naming your kid the same thing are you???????????????

So this leaves Nya Grace all alone

On Thursday before we took Mike to Utah, Nya dislocated her elbow. She was fine as soon as it popped back in. I mean really, it was a miraculous recovery. Crying one minute and climbing on everything and laughing the next. It was crazy. I don't think she is in any residual pain or anything either.


With Mike being gone we were able to make Easter Baskets early and put them out. Nya (who is still in the bumbo for sitting up in the kitchen to see everything) was good about not stealing much except her sticky ball. We have enjoyed our alone time. Thanks Dawn for my early birthday dinner. It was fun.

Nya and I have been cleaning tons while Mike is gone so it wasn't much of a surprise to me when she picked up this glove and tried to put it on this morning. I wasn't fast enough to get a picture of her with the sponge scrubbing her toys. I hope she keeps the cleaning thing up because it would be nice to have some help around here!

Nya is turning into a bit of a Mama's Girl lately. So much that it makes me nervous about our "lovers retreat" next month when they will be gone for a week. Mike was the exact same age as Nya when I left him for the first time.

Yesterday I took this picture of Nya sleeping in her crib. She is so sweet and girly. I didn't know how I would handle all the girly things with a daughter but so far, so good. I just can't do all the princess movies and stuff. I think it sends the wrong message so I am trying to get her into Tinkerbell. I had her Tink picture framed this week and I'll have to snap a picture to share because it came out so beautiful.
*P.S. Nya now has all her two year molars. What is with my kids getting teeth so early?!?!

long week...and Mike

It has been an interesting week. I have been meaning to blog for days but I just can't seem to get around to it. Even as I type I am thinking about the load of laundry in the dryer that I need to fold while Nya is sleeping. That little crumb-snatcher loves to unfold my clothes as I work.

This week I had Michael pull down our snow clothes so that we can take Mike skiing. Lately Michael's schedule has been just awful (I can thank the slow economy for that) so we haven't yet been able to go up but I hope to in the next week. This day Mike wanted to try on his clothes and show Gramps how cool he looks. My boy is getting so big. I am looking forward to taking him up there together and "inititing" him in the ways of the snow. Michael has only been skiing one other time too so it will be really fun to go with them. I am not so much of a fast skier. I really enjoy just being out there and having a good time. I am not in the business of falling and hurting myself or basically looking like an idiot.



I sleep with an eye mask. The sleep with all the light and stimulus cut out is so different and so much better then when I don't wear it. I have two in case I can't find one that is how much I love them. I can blink under it and everything. This night Mike put mine on and said it would protect him from the monsters (too much Scooby Doo) and he was out maybe 30 seconds later. I had to take a picture. He is so my child. Very much like me. I told Michael the other day that Mike has good traits of mine that I didn't really realize I had. I am basically glad to know he isn't all messed up yet! LOL.

He is up in Utah now with his Grandma. I miss him tons. We are going to meet them at church up there tomorrow for Easter. I joked that if you want to make sure to get me to church on time that you have my kid there that I haven't seen in a few days and I won't miss a beat! I can't wait to see him but I know he is having a good time. I find that I have such a hard time (not like the other moms I know) cutting the cord with my kids. They are with me so much that it is hard for me to part with them even for the tiniest of time. Am I a freak?

Weight Watchers

i went and signed up for weight watchers and i need a place to discuss it. please do share if you are into it. i went and i want to lose nine pounds. that is my forever goal. if i were a heavier person (who i think have an advantage). i only get one goal to celebrate which is the big one. i am only disappointed about this one thing but i will be fine. oh yes and because i am small i get hardly any points! i will keep you all posted on my progress by saying weight lost and not my actual weight. :) wish me luck.

Comments

I don't get that many comments because I know most of you don't have accounts to logon to to post (i.e. Dad) but comments are a fun little "i've been here." Comment and let me know that you've shown up. It really makes my day.

Disneyland Trip

We went down to Disneyland Sunday and Monday with Michael's family. His sister Heather and her husband Lincoln and their little girl Katelynn went with. It was really special because Katiebug hasn't ever been and Heather and Linc haven't been with each other. It was a quick trip and a ton of fun. I find that I have a tendency to get overwhelmed at big family functions so this was right up my alley. I can't ever remember doing something with just them so it was really cool to be able to do it and spend time one on one (thanks linc for all the teaching tips and heather for the website info and you know what i mean). I of course didn't take enough pictures so you will just have to imagine them there in your mind. HAHA. P.s. the new parade at California Adventure was awesome!
Has anyone else noticed that they take all the pictures and that there are never any of them anywhere??? I feel a bit like where's waldo?

Rascal Flatts/ Kelli Pickler Concert 3/8

After the concert we went over to Eyecandy the lounge that my brother Jeremy works at. I couldn't get my camera to take a decent picture of him in the dark so you get the side of his head. Only my brother would work at a place called "Eyecandy!" Can you see me rolling my eyes as I say that? It was really cool though to see him at work doing his things and that his co-workers love him. The best part though was when the host asked him if I was 21 or not! I could have kissed him! Jeremy was a little too quick to out me but whatever I was still thrilled.




Arriel and I have so much fun together and this night was no different except with the time change and having to come home and finish getting ready to leave for Disneyland in the morning. Rascal Flatts was awesome (thanks jeremy for the tickets). I have wanted to go to them for years but the last time they were in town, I was in labor with Nya so that didn't work out so well. It was a great show and I did get some amazing pictures. Random Natasha fact though, I haven't ever sat to the left side of a concert stage...always on the right.

Twin eggs, never seen this before

This is the first time I have ever seen this. Air says she's seen it before but I haven't. I of course snapped a picture then carved it up for deviled eggs!

nya's first playdate

Nya had her first playdate last week. It was the cutest thing! Mike's BFF Noah came over and so did his sister Rowan (who is one month younger than Nya) while their mom took the other two babies to the Dr. Nya and Rowan have so much fun together even if they can't talk to each other yet. Good times.

Jurassic Fart

Mike's Version of Shopping

On Saturday Air and I headed to Town Square to check it out. Mike fell asleep on the way there and so he slept through Claim Jumper for lunch. Being the good Mommy that I am, I packed up his lunch. This is him riding in Nya's stroller and eating his lunch. The top picture is from Nordstroms with Mike hiding like on "Jungle Book." Love this kid.

Fausto's For Dinner

We went to dinner at Fausto's Mexican the other night and I had to crack up at this sight. We were heading into a fast food mexican restaurant and Mike is eating an apple on the way in! Priceless.

Megan, Austin, Houston and Taryn - we miss you guys!

Our favorite friends came down to visit from Salt Lake this weekend and stayed at the Green Valley Ranch. Friday the weather was perfect so we took the kids swimming. It was tons of fun. Mike and Taryn thought it was a good idea to stick their faces in the sand and so I took a picture. That night after sushi and took Houston and Taryn home with us for a sleepover. They had such a good time. These are pictures of the kids laying in my bed catching a show before bed. Nya doesn't know she is only 19 months old.

Megan and Austin, you need to move back home! We are going through major withdrawls down here without you guys. Everyone, Megan has a house cleaning business that I keep telling her would be super successful down here. Leave some comments to persuade her on how fabulous it could be!

A shout out to Jamie!!! Thank you!

I did something today that I know my mother never did for me, I went to my friend Jamie's house and picked up the bows she made special for me to go with Nya's 2T outfits. She has a gift let me tell you. If you need bows, she is the one to see and you can see her link on here. Thanks Jamie!!! I don't know how you found the time with all of your kids but I am glad you did.

Chicken Noodle soup and A.O.

Tonight with the cool breeze that has decided to blow in, we decided to make some Chicken Noodle Soup. If you know me you know that I am the worst person to get a recipe from or I would share. It was insane good! Mike and Arriel have some love affair going on...

My kids have the life!

Just a little note on how much I dislike taking pictures on my cell phone. When I don't have my camera and I have to have a picture, this will work.

I don't remember where we were eating but Nya put her bib up like this and was laughing nonstop. It was very cute.Mike was helping with the laundry today and he wore my camisole as his "shell" but I didn't get a pic fast enough. This is a picture of Mike putting on Nya's jammies...we didn't get the clothes folded but at least we had some laughs.

Love this picture!