3 is better than 2....

So in order to make my blog not so long I decided to add another column to it. In my hopes to keep tabs on myself, I will be posting the answer my dreaded question of the day "What's for Dinner?" I will list my meals I have planned and if anyone would like the recipe let me know and I will post it. I will also try to post useful tips I find along my way since I am always on the look out for those. Of course I will also post any great deals I come upon because I love to shop and I sort of like to save money while doing it. If anyone has any great tips, tricks or money saving deals comment and I will post. Thanks for any input!

P.S. it was extremely easy to add the third column and it didn't mess up my background or anything like that. Go to this link if you want to have 3 instead of 2
http://www.zimbio.com/Free+Blogger+Beta+Template/articles/40/Create+three+column+Blogger+template

Labor day and the First day

Warning this will be picture overload. I know there are at least 4 of you at the the hospital right now that will enjoy all of them though. We are awaiting the arrival of our newest nephew Grant. Hopefully he will be born soon!!!!!

Labor Day:

We spent our day off over are Laura Skinner's parents house. Her dad was kind enough to let a whole truck load of people with more kids than we could count over to eat, swim, and play lawn bowling. Yes, the guys played lawn bowling. I thought that there was an age restriction on that game (like 65) but it seemed to be addictive especially to those who are competitive at heart. We had a great time, we wore the kids out and enjoyed what is sure to be the start of the limited number of swimming days remaining.

Ethan

This the shot of landon going in. Sorry it is blurry

This is the shot of him coming out. He pretty much landed belly flop. That didn't stop him though. He kept wanting to do it again and again.

All the boys. They decided that they wanted to taste all the popsicle's. So they took turns tasting each others. Hopefully no one gets sick.

Landon in heaven. The kids loves anything cake-like. A popsicle in one hand a brownie in the other.
Jared, Luke and Brian lawn bowling or Boccie(sp?) ball as it is also called
Yes they are using a measuring tape.

First Day:
Mackenzie started school on Tues. She was very excited and was ready to go. She got to school went right in put her backpack in her cubby and sat down in front of the doll house to play. I thought, I should go tell her I am leaving. When I said have fun she said don't leave. She didn't cry or make a big fuss, she just said it very quietly and looked at me with these sad eyes. I have never been one to get upset at leaving my kids when they go to school, or to even be bothered if when I leave them at school, or nursery and they are crying. When she said that though, I felt a little sad for her, maybe because she is my only girl or maybe because when she said it she wasn't embarrassing me by hanging on my leg while screaming bloody murder while I am trying to walk out the door. I told her I needed to go home and take care of the baby and would be back in just a little bit. Then she was fine and I was fine and we both went about the morning without a single tear shed. If I thought there was even the slightest possibility I was pregnant, I would be concerned because that would be the only other explanation for my sudden emotion to dropping my child off at school for the first time. I am usually the mom you see with the route 44 diet coke from sonic wandering aimlessly through target with the biggest smile on my face and only one child in the basket instead of four. Mackenzie had a great time at school and is looking forward to Thurs. when she can go again.




So that sums up our last week and this past holiday weekend. Our next posts will probably be about soccer and dance which are all getting started, and let not forget my girls weekend. Yes, that is right, jared is taking the kids from Thurs to Sat while I go to the beach with 5 friends. I will owe him big time since on that weekend we have back to school night, soccer practice, 2 soccer games, a birthday party and he is supposed to play the violin at a stake activity on Sat. as well. I hope he is still standing when I get back.

Fat Ash

So this is the name my bro. in law Marc has been calling him. As you can see it is extremely fitting. The kid weighed almost 15 Lbs. at his 2 month visit. Ashton is our little chunky monkey. He is starting to get really animated and show his personality more. He is heading into what is personally my favorite stage during the first year. Anywhere from about 3 months until they start becoming mobile is my favorite time. We all know once they start moving it is all downhill, at least for my kids since they never sit still once they can move.

Ashton has been a very easy baby. We can take him just about anywhere as long as we don't forget him in the car. We love him lots and hopefully he won't have any traumatic repressed memories about being left in the car.

(if your mouth is hanging open as you wonder what in the world I am referring to, please read back a few posts for the explanation)

Summer memories

When I was growing up here in good ol' bako, summer usually meant lots of swimming, sleeping out on the trampoline, a month long visit to utah to visit family and that was pretty much it. My dad is in the grape business which means from about may until november he is unavailable for vacations. Our trips as a family were always worked around "The Season" as we refer to it. There was always one trip my dad was able to make during the summer and that was the annual visit to CLOVIS LAKES. It is now called wild water adventures but to me, my sister, brothers and parents it is Clovis lakes. Every summer we went there with at least 2 or 3 other families. The Elledges were there every year. The McCalebs were there pretty often from what I remember. I know the Nichols came a few times, and there were always a few other families that joined us every so often. We spent the whole day there, it is set up like a big park with lots of trees and a waterpark in the middle of it. We brought blankets, chairs, and more food than anyone could ever eat. Diane Elledge always brought a huge tub of red vines along with many other sweet treats to satisfy her, and everyone elses sweet tooth. There were usually long lines, and tons of people but as kids I don't ever remember caring. It hasn't changed much although they have added a few new rides to the park. One year we went Mandee rode down the newest ride called the black hole. I personally was scared to death to ride it. She went down this pitch black tube and came out with the nastiest scrape on her back. I have not ridden that ride since. Not that I needed a good excuse not to.

So this year for tanner's (my nephew) birthday my sister thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane and head back to what was our one day summer vacation with my entire family. So off we all went, minus my brothers to clovis lakes. Marc's ( my brother in law) family joined us as well. We all had a great time, no meltdowns from kids until the very end of the day when we were getting ready to leave, and lots of good food to snack on including a big tub of red vines for old times sake.

First Day of School.....a little late

So the first day of school went off without a hitch. The kids were excited, I was excited and everyone was up early and ready to go. Mackenzie was really wishing she was going to the big school but she will have to settle for preschool, which starts in a week.
Ethan was starting second grade. He was really ready to get back to school He was missing his school friends and was just bored with summer. I can't blame him on that one. We didn't do anything at all this summer since ashton was born right when school got out. We had lots of visitors but didn't go anywhere. We got to school and I thought Ethan might cry. He didn't have any of his friends in his class. So we went to the playground and there he found all of his friends. At that point he no longer needed me took off and said see you later. So he is back in his element with all his friends and with his oh so good behavior at school which he cannot seem to bring home with him.
Landon, he is just one funny kid. So independent and ready to what he wants when he wants. He loved the fact that he got to pick out a new shirt to wear to school. Of course he wanted to wear the pirate one. His backpack is almost as tall as he is, and since he is actually smiling in this picture you know he has to be excited. He walked right into his class, sat down informed me that he was fine and that I could go. I think he was expecting more out of kindergarten because he keeps telling me that all they do is go over rules. I told him give it a few days and they will get into learning other things. He has made new friends, and has been loving the fact he gets to ride the bus home. I haven't been able to get much out of him as to what he does during the day. Landon is not one to talk about much. He is very picky about what information he wants to give out and to whom he will give it to.
Then there is Mackenzie. Since she has to be like her "guys" as she calls her brothers she needed a picture with her backpack as well. She would only get dressed this day, she wouldn't let me touch her hair. I didn't feel like fighting her on it and I didn't have the time, so hence the sweet hair style she is sporting. The pictures below will tell you what mackenzie has been up to lately. Trouble.

We found this nice little picnic of boysenberry jam in a silicone cupcake liner. Not sure exactly what time she did this at but we found it at about 6:30 in the morning. One of us forgot to lock the fridge before we went to bed.
Good thing she's cute.

Bikini Body

No, I do not have one of these bodies. Although I wish I did, but it is probably good that I don't since I would be tempted to wander around the pool in a bikini just because I could pull it off. Anyway, onto my whining........
What happens to your body when you turn 30? I mean does something in it just say "Well we have done our work for the time we had to and now we can quit." I am completely stumped as to how to get this baby weight off. After I had Mackenzie I lost all my weight and then some and was able to keep it off until I got pregnant with Ashton. I find for me it is easier to maintain my weight. Although I have never had to work extremely hard to get weight off, I do sort of watch what I eat, and if I am going to have dessert, then I will skip dinner. Not the healthiest diet but it has never failed me before. Moving on though.......
I have been racking my brain as to what I am doing wrong. I have been logging all my food in an online food journal which tracks my daily intakes of calories, carbs, sugars, etc. I have been working out daily (minus Sundays) going at least 4 miles on the elliptical and then doing sit-ups, squats, leg lifts, etc.
To date I have lost exactly ZERO pounds. My whole body hurts still ( I am guessing I was really out of shape), I have seriously cut back on my beloved sweets (for those that know me, I have a very large sweet tooth) all for nothing.
If you are thinking I don't think she needs to lose weight, I just have to say you have not seen me naked. It is not pretty. Also I am tired of not being able to fit into my clothes. I am refusing to buy new clothes that fit, I did break down and buy some shorts so I could stop wearing cut off sweat pants and gauchos.
Anyway, I am pretty sure most of you have had to lose baby weight. Any advice, ideas? My metabolism has apparently decided to retire at the most inconvenient time.

P.S. for the family that is waiting for pictures and a update on how school went, I will be posting for you soon. Just had to get the complaining out of my system.

TOOOOOOMORROW

TOMORROW

i luv ya

TOMORROW

you're only a day away

(for those who don't start school tomorrow, I will continue my countdown to sanity for you)