warm weather tip

It's park time again for us... it's finally warm enough for us to enjoy some time at our local parks. Just a handy tip: keep an old towel in your car to dry off wet slides that may have dew or rain on them. My kids are always the ones who "dry the slides" with their bottoms so I have learned that keeping a towel handy saves us a trip home to change. I just keep an old beach towel in the back of our van and I wash it every so often. Actually, the kids like to have the chore of drying the slides using the towel, if only I could get them to do more chores like that at home. As soon as I figure out how to do that, I'll let you know.


My baby is 3 months old today! He is trying to grab everything... and he is sucking his thumb much to my dismay. I would rather him use a pacifier so that someday I can take it away... I will admit the thumb sucking is kind of cute. Well who am I kidding, everything about him is cute!

hooked on Chuck

My new love... some navy blue Chuck Taylors. I have wanted some for just about forever. My sweet hubby got them for me for Christmas (actually, I said, "here is what I want and they have them at Zappos") and I haven't worn them yet because I couldn't fit in any of my jeans, I think they just have to be worn with jeans. Well, I finally squeezed into a pair of jeans, not my cute skinny ones, but a pair nonetheless, and I couldn't wait to wear my new kicks. Oooh, boy, do I love them. I have had the generic ones (from Target) before and I would not splurge on the real thing, I always thought, why should I get them, I'll not wear them enough to justify paying $40 bucks. Let me just tell you, they are so worth it. I am loving them, just enough funk to be hip, not crazy enough to be dressing too trendy. It is amazing how something like new shoes can cure the blues! I temporarily forget that since I am always in frugal mommy mode, looking to save money and putting everyone else's needs before my own, seems like someone else always needs some shoes too. Well, look out, I might just get myself another pair for summer! Eeeeh! I'm hooked.

BTW- I am down another 1.8 pounds (almost 2 ;) ) thanks Weight Watchers, my total loss so far is 10.8, yeah me! Just love bragging on these weigh ins.

life isn't fair

It's funny how the saying, "life isn't fair" can take on different meanings at different times in your life.

When I was 5, life wasn't fair because I didn't get a Barbie Dream house for Christmas, I got the townhouse with the elevator instead because it took up less room in our teeny apartment.

When I was 16, I didn't get an orange 1974 Corvette Stingray convertible, life wasn't fair, I got a four-door hand-me-down sensible car that was the same make and model as my grandma's.

When I was 23, I didn't get offered a job my first week out of college, life wasn't fair because I had to wait until the week before school started to land my first teaching job.

This week I felt like saying, "life isn't fair" because my 3 year old was finally wearing big boy underwear and doing a really good job when he got the stomach flu. I don't like to be negative or pessimistic but boy did it seem like cruel joke on me when I had to change his undies 11 times in one day! Poor boy, he really was trying so hard and now it seems like a big set back. So for now, I am having my own little woe is me moment and I feel like saying, "life just isn't fair!"

learning

- 3.6 pounds this week

still learning about myself while "doing" Weight Watchers

i've learned:
i eat when i am stressed, i never thought i did that, but i do
i miss chocolate and pretzels, a lot
i really love veggies, fruit not as much
measuring cups are my friends
low fat yogurt tastes yucky compared to the regular kind
eating out at restaurants is really bad, not good for the old waistline

i'm going to keep on truckin', i have a long way to go

two tidbits

Some astonishing stuff for me:

My Zoe has her first loose tooth! Is she really old enough for that? It still seems like yesterday when that first teeny tooth popped through her gum. Geesh, time flies.


Parker and I have the stomach flu, AGAIN! Yes, this is our fifth round (I think, I am losing count) since school has started. I swear, I just sat on the floor and cried... Urgh! Thank goodness spring is right around the corner, it will be so nice to get outside and away from all the germs. I wonder how much a total house disinfection would cost?

coupon momma

So lately I have been a couponing crazy person and I just have to share my coupon savings from today.... $37.70! Woo hoo! Don't you just love feeling like you got good deals? Combined with the store advertised sales I actually saved $79.48! Yeah me! I'll admit it is a lot of work but these rewards make it worthwhile for me. I hope to devise some better methods of organizing my coupons to save some time. I'll keep you posted on my results...

"hooked" on these

I haven't had an organizing tip for a while, too busy living in survival mode. I thought I'd share one of my favorite tools... these Command sticky hooks are the best invention ever! Well, maybe not the best ever, but pretty darn close. I use them for everything. I think they are hanging in every closet in my house for something. I tried to take pictures of them in action (in the closets) but they were too dark, you couldn't see anything. I just bought a set to use in Parker's closet to hang up his baseball hats. I hung them down low so he can put them away himself. I have some in our coat closet for the kids to hang their umbrellas and jackets on and by the way, they do hang them up. I've nagged, I mean, trained them well! Someday, I'll probably hang more permanent hooks but I like these because I can put them at the kids' level which I think is fostering independence (and making less work for me!) I have them hanging in my pantry for my grocery list clipboard, my aprons, my dusting wand, and my calendar. At Christmas, I use these handy hooks to hang our stockings and wreaths, just like the commercials demonstrate. They are very useful and economical. I also like that I can buy refill packs of the sticky thingys because the hooks do come off easily and can be reused, love that!

Weight Watchers

5.8 pounds

That's how much I lost my first week of using Weight Watchers. Wow. I have learned a lot about my eating habits and I'm sure I have a lot left to learn. This is turning out to be the ultimate challenge for me, the so-called "organized mom." I don't think I have ever been organized or planned with my eating/diet (although I do plan my family dinners for each evening) and this journey while it has just begun has been very eye-opening.

I'll keep you posted on the downs (hopefully no ups!) of my weight loss.

One thing I have learned so far... I really miss bread.

baby smiles

Look at this face! This is the first "documented" smile I have of Tanner. He's been smiling for a couple weeks but this is the first time I was quick enough with my camera and believe me I have tried! He has the cutest sideways, Elvis-ish smile. His little eyes get all scrunched up and he has dimples! I just love it. He totally melts my heart.

my pants

I am wearing "regular" pants today. Whew, thought that was never going to happen again. Granted they are a bit snug and not near as comfy as my sweats, I feel almost like myself again. I still have a long way to go as far as getting back to my old self (and my old jeans) but this feels good today. I am not a sweat pants wearing girl normally. I really only like to wear them for exercising so it has been unsettling to wear them almost every day for the past two months. Now, if only I could get a little sleep... this newborn care-taker thing is tough!

note to me

Note to self:

Tortinos pizza rolls smell the very most absolute best the day after you join Weight Watchers.

shake your groove thang

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dance competition

Wearing this stage makeup made her look 16! Ahh! Sorry the pic is a little blurry...
Having a snack in-between dances, we were so busy we couldn't eat until 3:00PM! I love the slicked back ballerina bun, so cute!
A little blurry but it shows the girls all dressed and ready to go in the crazy dressing room, they are all "practicing" while they wait to perform...
I love this costume, it is for tap, they dance to "Calendar Girls"
This is the warm up suit that is huge! Hopefully we'll get a couple years wear out of it. The girls have to wear it at all competitions and in between their dance performances.

I did not know when a friend of ours agave us an old pair of tap shoes three years ago for dressing up that we'd be here... at a dance competition. Those teeny black shoes have ignited a love in Zoe that is truly astounding. She has a gift for dance and performing. Watching her on stage with her "Tiny Team" members brought tears to my eyes. They all did so well! Perfect smiles, straight posture, exquisite dance steps, it all came together on the stage. They earned several awards and Zoe was so proud she squealed with excitement all day. It was hectic for me trying to feed Tanner in between dances and get her changed and makeup touched up but it was worth it. She was beaming from ear to ear, so happy to dance and loving watching the big girls do their routines.