Another month goes whizzing by.......

The month of June started off on a great note for me...I hit my weight loss goal of 23.4 pounds, and even managed to surpass it by a little! The best part of it, is that I achieved my goal 9 days ahead of schedule! I'm still using the bodybugg to help with maintaining my loss! I have to admit, that I've been bad about running since achieving that goal, but I have found a new love...ZUMBA! I burn as many calories dancing for an hour as I did running for a little over a half hour...but zumba is much more fun! It's perfect for people like me who previously detested exercise, because you don't realize that you're exercising...the shirts that the instructors and die hards wear say Join the Party, and that's what it is really like, one big dance party!!! There are a few guys in the class, and a few women that are easily 70 years old...it's fun watching the older ladies dance to hip hop and rump shaking music! : ) My friend warned me that zumba is addictive, and I can see why she does it 5 or 6 days a week...if only I had that kind of time!

• We went out to a craft fair in Kuna the first weekend in June, while Casey was with Pete in Idaho Falls at a brewfest. The weather was gorgeous (for once), and the boys enjoyed a bounce house, face painting, kettle corn, and watching the bmx bike riders on the bmx course right next to the craft fair. I was thrilled that my step mom had suggested it. The boys had a BALL!! All of that fun and excitement, for less than $20!

• The following weekend was highlighted by two birthday parties. The first was for Sammy, who turned 5! I got to do a little dress and jewelry shopping...and it was DELIGHTFUL! Buying clothes for boys is soooooo incredibly boring in comparison, especially now that they are no longer infants! Had it not been for the wind, the party would have been perfect! But we didn't blow away, and managed to make it to the next party in plenty of time.

• The twins, Joe n Katie, turned 4 this year. So once again, I got to do a little dress and jewelry shopping. Did I mention just how exciting it is for me?!? The wind was seriously amazing, and tried desperately to destroy our fun times, but it did not succeed. Pete outdid himself with some delish pulled pork. The boys scored some serious loot from the pinata, and had a ball playing with the kids. It was really fun watching Lucas and Joe play together...we think it is the first time that they have REALLY played together, rather than at the same place at the same time, in a parallel universe! More playdates are a must with those two!! Zach was as usual, FASCINATED with Misty's chickens. That kid seriously should be raised on a farm, he has such a passion for animals, of any sort! (One of the better traits he picked up from me!)

• Mother nature has been unusually cruel to us here in Idaho this year...spring was NEVER ending! I finally broke down one day and told the kids that they could play in the rain...thinking heck, if you can't beat 'em, you might as well join 'em! And of course my crappy luck kicked in, and as soon as they were full speed ahead in the rain...it stopped raining! Mother nature can really be a biyotch sometimes! Summer was finally allowed to make it's debut...the last week and a half of June! The boys were beyond thrilled that we could finally break out the slip n slide and the pool. I have decided after watching them on numerous occasions however, that the slip n slide is erroneously named, and should be called the run n slip! Regardless of how they play with it...it brings them immense joy! It is so much fun for me to sit and watch...from a distance, in the shade. Zach has this zest for life that is ever so present when he's outside getting wet! It is the ONE and only time that he and his brother seem to avoid fighting, and just enjoy each other's company.

• We've gone on a few playdates this month, which has been good for both mommy and the boys! We went to Rafiki with Thomas, Elena, Tracy and her boys Brady and Riley. The boys all know each other from gymnastics. Had Rafiki not been so overwhelmingly busy that day, I think it would've been even more fun! We did however have a playdate at the zoo. It was FANTASTIC! We showed up early and got in line just in time to do the giraffe encounter. The boys got to feed lettuce leaves to Julius the giraffe...it was so much fun! They also had a new monkey exhibit that was open, as well as the wallaby walkabout, so the boys enjoyed seeing the new animals. They thought that their world was coming to an end however, when the carousel was closed and wouldn't be open again for another 1/2 hour...and we didn't have time to wait since lunch time was rapidly approaching! Zach fell asleep on the way home, without lunch...you know he had fun, and burned a lot of energy, because that kid NEVER misses an opportunity to eat! : )

• Zach had his follow up visit for his asthma, so I combined his well child check with it as well. He weighed in at 34.8 pounds (70th percentile), and was 39 1/2 inches tall (75th percentile). Yes, he is a tank!!!! The bad news is that we 'get' the privilege of doing nebulizer treatments nightly at least until allergy season is over. His allergies have been TERRIBLE this season, thus as soon as we tried a week without the treatment, he failed miserably. I am starting to wonder if there will ever be a day when there isn't some kind of medical treatment needed for that one! : )

• Zach also had his follow up visit with Tom at Brownfield's. He was concerned about the red spots on his feet, so he made a new pair of shoes up for Zachers. His feet look 100% better with the new shoes, wish it would've happened sooner, but oh well, as they say, hindsight is 20/20. I made the comment to Tom that my worst nightmare is seeing Buzz (the orthopedic doctor) in July and having him tell me that instead of just wearing the shoes until he's 4, that it is being extended until age 5. Tom said he'd be more surprised if Buzz agrees with 4, than if he says 5. UGH!!!!! It's not really that big of a deal, except that Zach is potty trained. And when he has to pee in the middle of the night, he can't get out of bed and take himself potty, because he can't walk with the brace/shoes on. I'll do whatever the doc thinks is necessary, after the 10's of 1000's of dollars we've invested in those little feet, I hate to think that we'll have to redo the casts or do more surgery. But c'mon doc, cut the little guy some slack!

• Anyways, we leave for the family reunion in Illinois next week...tons of planning and preparations that still need to be taken care of! I hope to post some pics and some quick blog entries along the way...we'll see! Until next time...

I think it's May

We actually managed a few days of some nice, sunny weather. And Uncle Mike has been itching to get the boys on the bikes and have some fun...so he came and got them and the electric 4 wheeler and took them over to his place for some fun in the evening sun! Can you see the HUGE smile on Zach's face as Uncle Mike pops a wheelie?!? The kid isn't afraid of anything!! They had a blast with Uncle Mike and Sanjuana, especially since they finished off the evening with ice cream at Coldstone, and some play time at the park!

I started off this month on the right foot...I ran in my first 5k...the Race for the Cure on May 8th. I finished with my personal best time of 35 minutes, 28 seconds. Not a great time for many, but my best thus far! I was thrilled that I was able to break thru the 12 min/mile barrier!! I couldn't believe how many people turned out both to run and to walk, seriously like 16,000 people! It was a lot of fun, and I'm determined to do more! At first I was thinking of pushing the envelope and training for a 10k, but we'll see. I'm still impressed with how far I've come in the running department...from absolutely HATING to run, to finishing a 5k and even considering more...and all since the end of January!

The weight loss goal is soooooo close! I've only got a little over 2 pounds to go, and then it's learning to maintain! I must admit, I wouldn't be broken hearted if I pulled a little more off, but I'm not going to push myself to do it. I've gone from a size 12 to a 6!!!! It feels so good to put on the size 8's that I bought just a month ago, and they're already too big! I wasn't going to buy anything new until I was done, but I got VERY tired of the garbage bag (cinch sack) feeling with all of my pants! And I can even do the XS size in tshirts these days! : ) I haven't been this tiny since my 2nd year of pharmacy school, right after my mom died! And it's not just about the weight loss...I seriously feel REALLY good most days! And I even miss running and working out when I manage to go without one or the other for a couple of days. And since I'm so close to my goal, I've been trying to decide what I'll be doing for exercise to maintain the weight loss. I bought the game Just Dance for the Wii. It is AMAZING how many calories I burn dancing with my kids! It's been a ton of fun...however, I've discovered just how uncoordinated and clumsy I am, and just how little rhythm I have! I can only imagine how many calories I'd burn if I could keep up and perform ALL the moves!!!

I've actually got quite a bit of scrapbooking done this month. Thanks in part to the Fiesta on May 1st. We scrapped our little hearts out from 10am til 10pm!!!!! I got 20 base pages done that day alone. I've finished a couple of projects, and am almost finished with yet another! I feel like I've accomplished so much, until I look at how many pics are still waiting to be scrapped!!! Am hoping that someday when the kiddos are in school, that I'll find time to get caught up! Have a sneaking suspicion that I'll find a million other things to keep me just as busy as I currently am with those two little monkeys!

I had my Happy Mother's Day to me surgery on the 12th! Since I had a D&C before the Novasure ablation I had to do it at the hospital with general anesthesia. It went off without a hitch. I of course had a ton of nausea right afterwards...nothing a little Zofran couldn't conquer though. And the cramping was pretty intense, but nothing that a little ibuprofen couldn't conquer! By the next morning if I hadn't known better, I'd never have guessed that I'd just had surgery! I felt great!!!! I was allowed to start running/working out intensely again on Saturday, so I had only gained 0.2 pounds by the following week's weigh in! There was just one slight drawback. I developed a headache that wouldn't go away. And after 3 days of a headache that just kept getting worse, and my neck starting to get stiff, I decided to go to the ER and have my worst fears put to rest. He did some blood work, and a CT scan. Everything was negative...no tumor, no clot, no aneursym...I know just enough about stuff like that to worry myself silly. And since I had a massage scheduled for Monday morning, I was paranoid that it might injure me if there was something seriously wrong with me. The massage actually did more for alleviating the stupid headache than the medicine that they gave me in an IV at the ER (toradol, phenergan and benadryl).

The weather has been TERRIBLE this month! Lucas just told me yesterday that it's an itsy bitsy spider kind of day. When I asked what that meant, he explained that the sun needs to come out and dry up all the rain, so they can go back to the park and play! My boys LOVE to play at the park!!! It seriously doesn't matter what park, how warm or cold it is...they just wanna play! We've pretty much been doing another month of park touring! We've hit up a bunch of parks...trying to keep them interested! They discovered the finger skateboard park at Reid Merrell park in Eagle...so it ranks up there in the favorites. Along with a new discovery, Demeyer park...and of course Settler's. They love it when there are other kids there so that they can play and chase! Makes for some great naps in the afternoons!!

We're getting excited for July, and our serious road trip to Illinois! It's taken some time to get used to the idea of driving for 3 days each way, with 2 kids under the age of 4...but I'm finally there! We're going to add an extra day to the travel each way. On the way out we're going to spend an extra night in Lincoln, Nebraska...to allow time to sight see at the Children's Zoo and Children's museum. On the way back we're going to detour through Denver so that I can go to Casa Bonita and see the Disneyland of Mexican restaurants! : ) And then we'll spend an extra night in Salt Lake so that we can take the kids to the Lagoon for sure, and maybe even the zoo. We also just bought a portable DVD player so that the kids will be entertained with some movies and break up the monotony of driving so much! Hoping that those little side trips and the movies will be the magical answer that saves Casey and my sanity!

We'll return from Illinois just in time to have a bash for Zach's 3rd birthday. My friend Sarah has a son who will turn 4 right around the same time, so we've decided to combine forces and plan one party. It is going to be a dragon themed party...which is nice considering that the movie How to Train your Dragon just came out! Makes this oh, so much easier! : )

Oh, and some of the best news of the spring...we are a 100% diaper/pull up free house! Yes, Zach is FINALLY potty trained!!! With the exception of the occasional accident, it's quite nice!

Another crazy busy month comes to a close with the memorial day weekend. We're hoping that the weather cooperates for some racing at Meridian Speedway Saturday evening...a pharmacist from Walgreens has a car that he'll be racing. Sunday is the annual trip to Council to decorate mom's grave, and Granny and Papa Charlie's too. Some friends from WA will be visiting, so a BBQ is also on the platter for Sunday. Monday will just be a day to recover...clean house, do yard work, etc! And then we're onto June, and yet another crazy busy month of fun!

April comes, and April goes

Another month has flown by...seriously unbelievable! April has been a busy month, but a VERY good one!

The week following Easter brought us Casey's birthday WEEK. He was off work Thursday and Friday to burn some forced time off. We went receiver shopping at Stereo Shoppe on Thursday and he got his BIG (aka expensive) birthday present. I have to admit, even I can tell a difference... the other one was definitely dying, and this one works VERY well! I feel like I'm at a theater when we watch movies together on Saturday evenings! His birthday weekend also brought the Masters golf tournament, and Tiger's return to golf. We didn't watch as much golf as we normally do for the Masters, but we watched enough to enjoy seeing Tiger back in the swing of it...hoping that the media will leave his personal life alone for awhile now since he did well. And I was misty eyed at the end, when Phil Mickelson won, and gave his wife Amy a huge hug and kiss (she's fighting breast cancer). Phil is such a GREAT guy! He's replaced Tiger as the golf role model for my kids!! We managed a date night on Friday with Pete and Misty to celebrate Casey's birthday. We tried Bonefish Grill...and it was surprisingly not my idea!! Casey had tuna and I had Chilean sea bass...both were fabulous and I was surprised at how low cal the fish was!!!! We finished off dinner with a heavenly chocolate mousse dessert at a little french bakery downtown. And then we learned how to play a new game...Settlers of Catan. It was a LOT of fun, and I cannot wait to play it again! Saturday we took the kiddos to see the new movie How to Train Your Dragon. It was a hoot! It was Zach's first time at the movie theater and he did wonderful, of course, a little lemonade and popcorn didn't hurt! : )

The following week brought some wonderfully beautiful weather, so we did another park tour week! : ) We visited Tully park, Settler's park, and I rode my bike pulling the boys in the trailer over to Jullion park. We played at the school behind the house, which the boys call the park. I started running outside, training for the 5k on the 8th of May. And on the 19th I took my bike down to the greenbelt and did a fabulous 10.5 mile ride, from Ann Morrison Park down to Harris Ranch. As I rode past the Warm Springs golf course I got a craving for some golf time! I don't think I have the time to devote to lessons this year...but I'd like to get back into it, maybe even do 9 holes with Casey sometime here in the near future!

This past weekend we loaded up the bike trailer and the bikes, packed a picnic lunch and set off for the greenbelt again. We rode from Ann Morrison park down to Municipal park. We visited the MK Nature Center, had lunch in the park, and let the kiddos play for awhile, then headed back to Ann Morrison. And no trip to that park is complete without feeding the ducks/geese. There were a ton of babies there, so we had to be careful, but the boys had a ball feeding them. Too bad the wind was blowing and making it sooooo cold or we could've stayed and played longer!

The weight loss game is starting to get the best of me! I'm stuck in a rut trying to get rid of these last 6 pounds!!! Even with my bodybugg and my running it's making me fight for every ounce of loss! I broke down and did my measurements because I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere, however, I've lost another 2.75 inches, so I'm doing something right! And whether it be capris, shorts or jeans, I feel like I'm wearing a cinch sack everytime I put pants on! That's a good thing, except it means that it's time to go shopping for pants/shorts again...and I dread trying to find stuff that fits over the junk in the trunk, but isn't too big for the tiny waist! It always makes me think of the Baby Got Back song by Sir Mix a Lot...36, 24, 36, only if she's 5'3"...and Fonda ain't got a motor in the back of her honda. While my measurements are oh so close to these, I definitely have a motor in the back of my honda, and it's nothing but trouble!!! I'm hoping to run it off...eventually! : ) I have been wanting a pink armband for my bodybugg, but they've been sold out for weeks now. I finally got disgusted and sent an email to them inquiring about if and when they would have more in stock. I got a phone call from them on Tuesday, after a crappy day at work, and they said it was back in stock...best darn news of the day!!!!! Can't wait to wear a pink one, instead of boring black!

This past weekend, one of Casey's good friends came into town to pick up a truck that he bought. We went out to dinner with Joe, Pete n Misty, and Drew. We tried another new to us place, Bar Gernika in the basque block downtown. Some very yummy food, even better company! We finished that off with dessert and drinks at Bardenay, LOVE me some lava cake from Bardenay! And of course it wouldn't be a visit from Joe if it wasn't followed by a 'friendly' game of rummy...which we affectionately refer to as F*** your neighbor! Too bad his stay wasn't longer, it was great to visit with him, even if it was so brief!

This Saturday is the best scrapbook event of the year...FIESTA! I'll be at Michelle's house from 10am to 10pm, scrappin' my little heart out! She has a fiesta project, and we'll be doing the Rock Star pages for our May scrapbook group, and I need to figure out what else I'd like to work on. Can't wait to spend the day with the girls! I will need to take a break in there somewhere and go for a run...should be fun anyways though! : )

Don't know how many posts I'll get done in May. Cinco de Mayo is a dinner date night with the Neisen clan. The 8th is Race for the Cure, my VERY first 5k. May 12th is my ablation procedure. May 15th is a friend's graduation celebration, and another friend's birthday celebration. And of course there is Memorial Day...which means a trip to Council to decorate my mom's grave, and the other family members that are also buried there near her. I'll do my best to document some of it though!

I'd better get back to the movie. I'm watching Snow White with the boys. Lucas ensures me that it is 'THE BEST movie in town'!!! He cracks me up! I find it amusing how addicted to this movie my boys are, given that they are boys, and it's a princess tale! Oh well, whatever floats their boats, and prevents fighting, yelling and screaming! : ) Until next time...

It was a Happy Easter indeed!

I have always loved holidays, getting to spend time with family that you don't get to see often enough, and all of the spirit that comes with the holidays...but now that I have children, they are even better! This was the first Easter that Zach really had a clue about what was going on! They got to do an Easter egg hunt with their daycare friends, and we went to a community one as well. They had soooooo much fun! Easter morning and afternoon was spent preparing a feast for the family, and tidying up the house, and hiding Easter eggs...AGAIN, and AGAIN, and AGAIN! Even once the eggs had been emptied of their treasures the kids couldn't get enough of the darn things. And Zach's laugh when he'd excitedly find one, and then have to show Lucas, as if to get his permission to collect it...priceless! The Easter bunny spoiled them as per usual...the game Chutes and Ladders, a playdoh spaghetti factory, bubble guns, Toy Story 2 and the original Madagascar DVD's...and of course, a metric TON of candy!

Dinner with the family was very fun as well! The boys had to show off their mad Mario n Sonic Winter Olympic Games skills to Grandma. They got some time in with Sanjuana, Doug n Trin. They missed Uncle Mike, who was home with some sort of illness...I was sad that he didn't make it, but thankful that he didn't come and infect the boys (they've been healthy for over 2 weeks now...knocking on wood). Some good conversations were had, including the one where I learned my new thing for the day...beer pancakes! I seriously do not know who comes up with these things, but it NEVER would have occured to me to mix beer with my pancake batter...and what in the heck do you put on these pancakes? Neither syrup nor jam sounds appealing in the least bit...but I am nonetheless interested in trying out these creatures, as is the hubby! ; )

I had my 2nd day since January 7th (the first day that I wore my bodybugg) where I was a complete pig, and didn't even come close to my 500 calorie deficit for the day. I was praying that even after running for 30 minutes, that I'd at least break even. I ended up with a horrible stomach ache, and a little over a 100 calorie deficit for the day. The problem...one hard boiled egg here, one there, another one here, another one there...they are only 80 calories after all! Coupled with one peanut butter kiss cookie here, another one there, repeat...same thing, only about 80 calories per cookie. That adds up by the end of the day, and I about had a heart attack when I entered all of those cookies and eggs into the bodybugg program at the end of the day!!!! Lesson of the day...enter each one as it's eaten, then I can see exactly what I'm doing to myself and prevent it from happening again! : ) Someone seriously needs to invent a bodybugg that administers small electric shocks to deter you from eating so much!!!! Granted, I would've likely been electrocuted, but I wouldn't have eaten so many eggs and cookies! : ) I've hit a plateau again...not all that surprising since I've had a couple of really good weeks previously!

I've graduated to monthly allergy shots!!!!!! It's such a relief, not having to give up about an hour of my 'me time' EVERY Monday morning just to get a shot! I'm not sure how long I have to do this for, but it sure is paying off! I was miserable by this time last year!!!!! Now I'm only taking my Zyrtec daily, and doing fabulous! I'm wanting to try to give up the daily Zyrtec to see how I do, but I'm a big ol' chicken!! We'll see!

Casey's birthday is this coming Friday, and he was told to use up some more of his time off. So he has a short work week this week...taking off Thursday and Friday. I love that he'll be home with us 4 days this week...even if it means he'll be parked in the chair watching the Masters all weekend long! : )

I must get on the treadmill and get on with my day! Hoping that the weather finally starts to act like spring so I can start running outside in preparation for the Race for the Cure 5k on May 8th...it's approaching so quickly! Until next time...

Time warp

I seriously cannot believe that spring is here, and it's already the last full week of March! I've decided that children are time accelerators, because time was moving along quickly before I had 2 of them, but it is exponentially quicker these days! So much to talk about since the last post, and so little time...

I'm down 15 pounds and 11 inches since starting with my Bodybugg back in January! I've completed the Couch to 5k running program, and am now able to run for 30 minutes at a time, without walking in between (provided that I'm on the treadmill!!). I gave running outdoors a try for the 1st time the other day, and with the wind, and wind resistance and all, I didn't even come close to running for 25 minutes without walking. However, I have signed up for my first 5k!!!! It will be the Race for the Cure on May 8. So now I'm working on being able to run 3.1 miles without walking...and hopefully before May 8th, I'll even be a little faster about it! : ) I have also made my 1st real running shoe purchase! I am now the proud owner of a pair of Saucony Hurricanes!! They weren't the cutest, pink pair of shoes I could find...but for once in my life I did the fitting and bought the smartest pair for my feet and form! They feel like I'm running in slippers, they are sooooo comfy and light on my feet!

I had a saline ultrasound done on March 10th. It was slightly uncomfortable, but I was given the green light to schedule my ablation procedure. I was given the choice of the old school rollerball technique, Novasure, or Novasure with a D&C. After much thought and debate amongst the techniques...I chose the Novasure with a D&C. So, the big day shall be May 12th. Since I'm having the D&C before the Novasure I'll be at the St Luke's surgery center, instead of just doing the in office procedure. I'm somewhat scared...but I've been assured that it's not as painful as childbirth...which is the WORST pain I've ever experienced, so I know I can survive it!!!!

Zach has been diagnosed with asthma...UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This child is seriously going to be the death of me! We are currently in the twice daily nebulizer stage of this, and have just added Singulair (both to help the asthma and the allergies). He is still doing well with his breathing treatments, but it's a time consuming pain in the butt!!! It could definitely be worse though, and I have to keep reminding myself of that!

Zach is almost done with the potty training...hasn't had a real accident in days! Have even had a few nights where he has stayed dry! We used the last diaper the other day, and are going to use up the rest of the pull ups, however, I'm hoping that I don't have to buy any more! : ) It's funny though, because instead of telling us that he has to go potty or poop, he tells us 'I'm poopy' when he has to go! Cookies (specifically Thin Mints, Girl Scout Cookies) and Super Mario Brothers Wii are still his rewards and the only incentives that seem to work!

I had my first (and trust me on this, it will be the ONLY) mortifying hair cutting experience with Lucas! I've known for over a week now that my boys needed to get their hair cut, but for one reason or another, haven't made the mile trek over to Great Clips. I decided that since Casey had a razor with a blade that supposedly adjusted out to a 5, that I'd cut Lucas' hair by myself. I've seen them take the 5 blade to his whole head...and it looks soooooo freaking easy, surely I can do it too! Uh, maybe if the 5 setting on this razor was actually 5/8 inch like at the salon, I could've pulled it off! Thank goodness I started at the bottom, and back of his head...and thank goodness I could tell right away that it was MUCH shorter than when they cut his hair with a 5 blade. Had to take him in for repair work. They laughed, they see it all the time. I probably made the status of the day or week on that stylist's Facebook page! : ) She did a good job, and now you have to know that it's there, or you can't tell the difference! NEVER AGAIN!!!!!

With all of this spring weather comes lots of work to do outside, and spring cleaning! I got the main level of the house spring cleaned this weekend. Now I only have 3 more levels to go...remind me again...why in the heck did I think I needed 3000 sq ft of house????? Lots of cleaning and lots of yard work to be done! Best get to work first though! Until next time...

Diaperless days coming to a home near you!

Zach has done it! He has become a big boy...it's been 2 weeks as of tomorrow, that he's been using the potty! While we were near completion with potty training with Lucas by this point, we're still taking baby steps with Zach...slowly but surely, he's getting there! It was pretty cute the first time though...it was 100% his idea! He told me that he wanted to go potty, and then that he wanted to make bubbles like Lucas...and voila...he did! For weeks now I've been asking him what he wants when he starts going potty in the toilet, and the answer is ALWAYS the same...Lollipop store! So he told the bubbles to come out, and as soon as they did, he asked me, 'mommy, you drive lollipop store now?' I said heck yeah, get your shoes, dinner can wait! : ) The next day we went to Target and bought the poop in the potty reward, the new Ice Age DVD. That Sunday, he pooped in the potty and got to watch his movie as a reward! It's funny how each child is sooooo different both in this process, and in what motivates them to do it! With Lucas, he was dry thru the day and night with virtually no accidents, right away. But he was reluctant to poop in the potty. Zach still has accidents, but wasn't really reluctant to poop in the potty...and thinks it's soooo cool to flush (the noise doesn't bother him in the least, whereas it totally bothered Lucas). Lucas was motivated by stickers and Thomas trains (expensive rewards) and Zach is motivated by food, movies and Super Mario Brothers!! At any rate, I'll take it and run with it! I can't wait for the day when I'm done with diapers for good! : )

I'm still kicking butt with my weight loss program. It's been 7 weeks tomorrow, and I'm down 11 pounds and 7 inches! : ) I'm fitting into clothes that I haven't even looked at since before we got married!!!!! Week 5 of the Couch to 5k is quite the challenge though! On Monday I seriously thought that the opening should have said, Welcome to Couch to 5k, week 5...today we'll take you on a run thru hell. No, you won't die...you'll just wish that you had. Today wasn't any better, it increased my 5 minute intervals up to 8 minute intervals. Might not seem like much to those who run...but it was HUGE for my pansy, non-runner's butt! : ) Thanks to the Black Eyed Peas and Lady Gaga, I was able to push thru the mental block, and continue to run! Can hardly wait to see what next week will bring (and that my friends, is HEAVILY laced with sarcasm).

I've managed to survive the weekly allergy shots...what a time consuming pain that has been. However, I'm proud to report that I've graduated from weekly, to every other week...for another grueling 6 months! I've only had one REALLY bad reaction...but those lumps sure do hurt lately! I'm just hopeful that with spring right around the corner I'll have a good ride thru allergy season.

Speaking of spring...my crocuses are already blooming! : ) However, it was trying to snow here this morning...didn't stick, thankfully! And I'm in the midst of spring cleaning the house. I see little fixer upper projects everywhere when I do this though, and it always sidetracks me! I'm trying to stay on track...and trying to remind myself why I thought I needed 3000 sq ft of house.

Anyways, time to get the munchkin up from his nap...until next time!

Life is good...MOSTLY!

It's becoming quite obvious at this point, that there is no way I'm going to be able to get in the habit of doing one blog post each week. So I'm just going to have to hit the highlights since the last time I posted.

I'm still losing weight with the Bodybugg and the Couch to 5k training program. Some days I curse every minute of the running, other days I start off asking why I'm torturing myself, and end up feeling great by the end of the session! And there have even been a few rest days where I find myself wishing that I had time to run! : ) All in all, I'm proud of myself for sticking with both programs, and I can't wait to see the end result! I did have to go buy new bras however...yes, the last place that I can afford to lose the weight appears to once again be the first place that it's vacating from. So, I've decided, that since I never got to spend that first paycheck as a pharmacist on a boob job, I'm going to get a boob job as my reward at the end of the weight loss rainbow!!!!! I didn't even have to do much talking to convince the hubby...there's a big shock I know! : ) At first I wanted a new wardrobe, that wouldn't be coming from my allowance, but I think the boob job is a much better incentive/reward!

I have a very funny story to share about Lucas. He was questioning me the other day about where to go for college. He of course wants to be a BSU bronco, of which I informed him he'd have to talk to his dad about that, and if he wants us to help pay for college he shouldn't be picking BSU! : ) Anyways, he then asked what you go to college for, and where you could work after you're done with college. We were headed to Subway for lunch, so he asked if he could work at Subway. I, of course, told him yes, he COULD work at Subway...while secretly thinking that I have much higher aspirations for him than being a sandwich artist!! He got all excited, and quickly asked about Taco Bell. When I told him that he COULD work for Taco Bell, but he could work just about anywhere if he went to college, he quickly asked Zach if he wanted to work at Taco Bell, and then asked me if they could BOTH work together at Taco Bell. I said yes, but that I hoped he would want to do something that used his college degree. How do you tell a 4 year old, that it takes all kinds of people to run this world, BUT, I'd REALLY like to see him do something bigger and better than that...without crushing his hopes that Taco Bell would be the best place EVER to work at?!? Made me laugh, if nothing else!!!

Decided to check out the new Hobby Lobby in Meridian. Not at all impressed with the scrapbooking section...but their home decor section could get me into some serious trouble with the hubby! : ) It was nice to have some time in the morning, just to myself, to go 'window shopping', and impressed the hubby when I walked out of there for under $10!

Had a great date night with the hubby Friday night. Our friends had a surprise birthday party at The Lift. It was soooo good to get away from the kids, and reminisce about the good ol' days! We even ended up at Club Savvy (in the heart of Garden City, mind you) for a little karoake! I do admit that I regret talking the hubby into this dive bar...but the white trash grinding away on the dance floor, and the mostly terrible karoake did make it entertaining! ; )

Superbowl Sunday brought another annual tradition...food, friends, beer, and football at our house! We didn't really care who won, although Casey really likes Peyton Manning and the Colts, so we rooted for them. The Saints pulled off an amazing win, and it was cool since they had never been to the superbowl...let alone won one! The only drawback is that Lucas started spiking a fever about halftime of the game. He and Casey have this one pretty bad! So far I've managed to escape a visit from this virus (knocking on the wood desk with one hand, as I type this with the other). Hopefully Casey will be better by Friday night, for our Valentine's date night!

We've canceled our home phone line!!!! And as Discover card called to talk to Case this morning, I've decided it is sooooo for the better! ; ) How I won't be missing those annoying phone calls, even though we supposedly paid money to have telemarketing calls blocked. We have a Magic Jack, but we've decided not to really give out that number, and just use our cell phones. We'll see how that goes! It's a pain in the butt trying to remember who all you need to change your phone number with!

Anyways, have another million things to accomplish besides this blog post. Until next time...