Burn Baby Burn

I have always considered myself an athlete! I played soccer from age 4 up until 18 years old. I stayed pretty active with running, hiking, and other activities up until the conception of my first child. Then I gained a whopping 60 pounds with her, wow! I lost a big chunk of that (but not all of it) partially because I got introduced to step aerobics. I didn't know if I would be able to get the moves down but I was happy to find out that I could because of a great instructor (thanks bleu) . I even continued taking classes during my second pregnancy!

I moved away from the town I was living in shortly after my Ike was born. The first year in my new town was hard. The first week after moving my appendix ruptured and I was down and out for a month or so. Then it was winter and it was cold and no friends and lots of eating and no exercising! Waa Waa. Anyway, spring came and I could get outside. One reason I picked my house was because I have a big chunk of land to play on. It is a lot of maintenance but I see that as playing still! Now I had my exercising again. I enjoyed mowing and weeding and picking up a million sticks but I needed something more. I couldn't see myself driving 45 minutes one way to take step aerobics with my favorite instructor :) but I needed to find something! I found it, an activity center 12 minutes away that has step aerobics, yay, yippy! So now I am back into the swing of things! I take aerobics 3 times a week and the center watches my kiddos for free. I love it! I think why step aerobics and myself jive so well is because I feel like I am dancing (not that I am any good) Well, it is more like me and a group of women 35 to 65 years of age dancing but it is still fun! What is your favorite way to exercise?

I Got My Money's Worth

I had such a nice weekend with my family! Saturday we got up around 8:00 a.m. and got ready and left the house by 9:30 a.m. to take Grandma to the airport in Tulsa. It took us 2 1/2 hours to get there but the kids did great. I had to sit in the back in between two car seats but was pleasantly surprised that I had more room than I would have thought and I didn't get car sick.

We dropped Grandma off and then went to Garden Ridge. If you haven't been to Garden Ridge you are missing out. It is the mecca of home interiors! I didn't go crazy in there like I would have liked too, actually I didn't pick out anything but Jason got a few things. After that we were famished so we went to Cheddar's. We had some tasty burgers and went on our way. We did a little site seeing then went to Jason's cousins house that live in Tulsa. They tried to feed us tons but we were so full. I did try something that I thought was so clever and healthy, so I will share it with you all:

Cousin T calls them "Flax Snacks"
-Cup of Peanut butter
-Half Cup of Flax Seed (ground)
-Tablespoon or two of Honey

Just mix together, roll into balls, and yummy!
It tastes just like the center of buckeyes. You could add chocolate and I bet they would be heavenly!

I love the plants at Cousin T's and Cousin D's house. It made me want to get my place looking better. We'll see if that happens. We didn't end up getting home until 11:30 p.m. Yikes! The kids did sleep on the way home, though!

Then today we went to church and then came home, ate, and mowed. Jason and I decided at 6:30 p.m. to go do a hike with the kiddies! We went out to Hobbs National Park. Jason picked a mile and a half long hike for us to do and I started having flashbacks to the Lake Bella Vista day. We told the kids we were going on a secret mission. They had fun and so did Jay and I. There were some pretty steep parts but nothing the kids couldn't handle. We saw some frogs, spiderwebs, squirrels, and a deer! It was so nice doing something together as a family that was out of the norm. When we were driving home we saw the most beautiful clouds, they were the HUGE white puffy ones, with a gold glow around them! I was kicking myself that I didn't bring my camera.

So that is it, my weekend. Nothing glamorous but just one of those weekends that you feel like you get your money's worth!

Second Time

Last Thursday my little Ike got in the pool without his swimmies on and started to sink. He kicked his little legs but just headed to the bottom of our pool. Right as I heard the sound of water I turned to see him heading down and I ran to the side and jumped in. It only took me a few seconds to get him but I held him in my arms for much longer than that. Fear went all through me! He didn't cry at all and he finally said to me "Mom, I'm okay." My two year old, almost 3 said to me, "Mom, I'm okay". I was glad he was cause I wasn't! We had a long talk and I told him he MUST wear his swimmies near the pool even if he isn't getting in. It's not like he fell in the pool, he just got in not realizing he didn't have his swimmies on.

So that leads me to today! Today was the day of Jason's 30th B-day party. Jason went out with 5 of his cycling buddies and did a mountain bike ride in the morning. Afterwards they came back and brought there families to our house for a cookout/pool party. When everyone started arriving we ate, swam, and I told the story of Ike falling in, like 10 time. Around 4:00 p.m. people started leaving but there were 3 families including ours still in the pool area. I was talking to a wife of one of Jason's co-workers with my back to the pool. (You don't have to say it, I have been saying it to myself all night) All of a sudden someone yelled something like "A Baby" I turn and see Ike in the middle of the pool sinking again. I never knew I could move so fast. I fling my shoes off as I am running and jump in and swim to him and pull him up. I do a half doggy pattle while holding him up and make it to the side. We get out and again I just hold him! He coughed a little and just put his head on my shoulder. I never wanted to get up from the ground with him on my lap and in my arms. The people there gave me a few minutes to hold him and then they came over to see how he was. This time there was no "Mom, I'm okay". I could tell that he was scared and boy did it scare me too. Again, there was no falling in just him forgetting he didn't have his swimmies. Changes will be made, I can't let anything happen to my little boy, I love him too much!

My Man

My husband is turning 30 tomorrow! I decided I want to list 30 things that I love about my man! This is in no particular order!

1. He never talks bad about anyone.
2. He doesn't watch sports on TV that I don't like.
3. He puts down the toilet seat.
4. When I am in a bad mood he will dance for me and it quickly makes me laugh.
5. He loves our kiddos so much.
6. He thinks before doing something (it used to annoy me but now I see how wise it is).
7. He doesn't yell at me.
8. His dry sense of humor.
9. His love for God.
10. He is quick to forgive me when I am wrong.
11. He helps me with our kids.
12. He can fix things around the house.
13. He is patient with my craziness.
14. He is cute.
15. He is so even tempered.
16. He is very smart.
17. He likes the outdoors.
18. He is a snob about beer and coffee.
19. He likes food as much as I do.
20. He doesn't make me do something that I don't feel comfortable with.
21. He is good at his job.
22. He is dependable.
23. He has a good relationship with his family.
24. He will eat the leftovers that I won't touch anymore.
25. He likes my friends.
26. His cheeks (on his face)
27. His cheeks (not on his face)
28. His sense of direction, he can find anything.
29. His common sense.
30. He loves me!!!

I love my husband!!! Happy Birthday!!!!

FUN? IN THE SUN

Last night I thought I would take the kids on a walk in the morning. I was just going to go around my neighborhood. When we woke up I told the kids our plan and they didn't sound too excited. So I thought I would be "SUPER MOM" and take them to Lake Bella Vista. I though instead of me pushing them in a stroller O could bring her bike and the little guy could bring his push toy! "Good thinking mom", I thought to myself. I thought "We could feed the geese, I could walk, the kids could ride to the play ground and they could play!" " I truly am super mom!!!"

Before we left my kiddos had a granola bar for breakfast, I thought that we would eat something when we got home (first bad move). I put on my sandals (second bad move) and I filled my water jug full (third bad move). Then we were off! The drive to the lake was beautiful. We got there and the geese immediately knew we had bread, they engulfed us like a swarm of angry bees ready to attack! I was so surprised that the kids didn't get scared. I gave the kids the bread and they couldn't break it up fast enough and through it before some geese would come and grab it out of there little hands. A few times Ike got his hand pinched by the geese being so impatient. But the kids had fun anyway and before we knew it, we were out of bread! SUPER MOM thought "this is going well"

Now it was time to walk, I put the 10 pound water jug around my neck (it has a strap) and O got on her bike and Ike got on his push toy and we were off again! I knew it was close to a 2 mile walk to the playground but thought we are tough we can handle it. The part I didn't think about was we had to walk that HOLE WAY BACK because part of the loop was closed off! VERY BIG MISTAKE ON MY PART! So, like I said we were off and I mean O really did go off. At first I thought it was cute, she felt so free to ride fast, her hair flapping in the wind. She hasn't had an opportunity to ride like this before. There was a paved path that goes right around a lake! When she kept on going I started to become "Super Yelling Mom". She was going so far ahead I couldn't see her! "O" "O" "COME BACK HERE" I saw her little head flip around to look but no stopping. "O" "O" "TURN AROUND" Ok, now I was "SUPER EMBARRASSED MOM" because there are people walking by me and people up the path just looking. " O" "O, STOP" During this hole time I am speed walking and telling Ike to hurry. Finally she stops! Now I was "SUPER MAD MOM". I get to her with teeth clenched and with sweat dripping off of me everywhere. I asked her if she heard me and she said "yes"! I asked her why she didn't stop and she said she "I wanted to go fast". I gave her a 2 minute talk why you need to stay close by because it isn't safe for her to be out of my sight. Alright, I calmed down and felt like "SUPER MOM" again. We walked and went over a pretty little bridge, walked under a bunch of trees and we had a nice breeze. Then the tiredness kicked in for all of us. I had to reassure my kiddos that the playground was approaching quickly and gave them a drink of water out of the 20 pound water jug! Ike went a little further than he had had it. I had to pick him up and hold the push toy and carry the 40 pound water jug while cheer leading to Olivia that she can make it.

We made it! The play ground had a lot of kids there, my kiddos had a lot of fun. I spent the entire time hoping I would stop sweating. I was now "SUPER STINKY MOM" It was so hot. I had checked the weather the night before and it said it was going to be in the high 80's. What was I thinking!

I decided to start on back after about 30 minutes or so at the playground. Did I mention that I had a blister by this point. The kids were already whining! Ike wanted to be held. I held him for about a hundred feet and decide it was way too hard. I was ready to start whining at this point too. With many stops, whines, cries, pep talks, angry mommy voices saying "lets go" we finally made it to the car! "SUPER TIRED MOM" and her "TIRED KIDS" made it! I loaded up the kids, bike, push toy, and the 50 pound water jug and thanked GOD that we were done.

I have decide to retire my "SUPER MOM" title and will come up with a better title for myself later. If you have one for me I would love to hear it!