big girl on a little trail

so i am still trying to "be fit" as i called it in my resolutions, not really focused on the weight so much as i am on getting in shape. i work out for 30 minutes a day 6 days a week, most of the time 7, but i give myself the option of resting one of those days.

i started jogging many months ago as you know. well, i am now able to run the length of my subdivision trail all the way from one end to the other end and back again. i believe this is a little over two miles. not a marathon by any means, but progress for a girl who couldn't run around the block last summer for sure.

today was beautiful outside, so after i woke up i got dressed and headed out. i was feeling good, listening to my super uncool songs on my ipod (think a mix of mmmm bop, my humps, michael jackson, shakira, and it gets worse) enjoying the suprisingly warm day and running right along.
i was thinking to myself, man, over half way through and i am doing good - i may be even a little faster now. woo hoo, i am hot to trot - in my big tee shirt and mismatched sweatpants.

and then it happened.

my ego went poof, right into the air.

over my ipod which happened to be rockin to some old school arrested developement, i hear, "excuse me", "on your left". oh, bikers i think and scooch over. no not bikers, two super skinny girls in tight tank tops, running pants and matching sports bras pushing jogging strollers with their newborns. running, zoomed right past me. yes i said newborns.
and then came another gal right behind them. super cute with a double jogging stroller holding toddlers. probably 50 lbs worth of toddlers, and she just zoomed right on by me with her cute little nike visor and pony tail. i think the little boy even looked at me and giggled.

that was a breath of reality. big girl on a little trail. keep on running sista, you got a long long way to go.

my little cheer leader

how cute is this? i was never a cheerleader, so this is totally new to me, and i am loving every minute of it.

superstar

she is a superstar in the making, i know. she may have learned it by watching her mama karaoke at the neighbors new years eve party.... but nobody has proof of that. this has been the bulk of our days recently, guitar hero, american idol and wii fit. it counts as family bonding time even though its all centered around a video game, right?

sorry friends, no video of me singing baby got back... maybe next year, what happens at the neighbors, stays at the neighbors!

this year i resolve

2008 was an eventful year for my family and 2009 is approaching rapidly. i set new years resolutions every year, usually things about no longer cursing, no longer eating candy bars, working out, etc... (i do these same resolutions year after year... i usually stick to them until, oh lets see, January 4th, give or take a few days)


this year i have several things i want to change about my life and i will write them out here, as a pact of sorts, to help me stick to them, hopefully for good.

my top seven:

1. i resolve to spend more time counting my blessings rather than complaining about hardships.


2. i resolve to give more time to marriage.


3. i resolve to be a more patient mother, allowing more messes for the sake of having fun with my children.


4. i resolve to become fit, focusing more on activity and exercise, less on numbers.


5. i resolve to allow only the amount of activities my family can easily manage, allowing for more free play time at home together.


6. i resolve to teach my children more of what they can do and less of what they can't.


7. i resolve to make church more of a consistent part of my life.


i will leave it at seven, there are lots more things i need to work on, but this is plenty for 2009.

wish me luck!!

oh the joys

it took several tries to get this years christmas picture... most of them turned out like this




or this...



but somehow i captured all four facing forward...



it was a blessed christmas this year indeed, i spent it baking cookies with my four crazy, healthy, beautiful children and husband. i was able to visit my dad and mom in the hospital. his surgery was a success, he is (cross my fingers) cancer free and one less lung lobe as i type. it was caught way early according to the surgeon - luck due to his cat scans to watch his heart - there is the silver lining in the whole mess.
we took them christmas dinner, visited for awhile, went to candlelight service... where all four sat like perfect angels - other than having to take maggie out for screaming amen over and over, feeding ashton and molly bags of candy to keep their mouths occupied, and my hair nearly being caught on fire by the little old lady behind me, it was ultra peaceful.
we spent the rest of christmas eve at home, just the six of us, playing games, feeding the reindeer, setting out cookies for santa and going to bed extra early.
my children woke up to a generous amount of goodies and a note written by the jolly old elf himself. the best gift i have ever been given has to be this very fancy, beautiful, large, gold, pink heart and diamond ring. it cost my oldest son 13 dollars of the 20 he had to spend on his whole family. it came in a little black jewelry box and everything. be prepared to compliment me when you see me around town with this baby on:



i know, the picture just doesn't do it justice.

there was much fun had by all but this mama's beat and ready for a very long winter nap.

doesn't it go by in a blink?

there is nothing like looking at old pictures to make you realize how fast it really goes...

molly at one


carson's first christmas


i had my act together this christmas... a picture together




but this is the best i could find from 04 christmas... rats



and then there were three


again it must not of crossed my mind to get pictures this year...



back on my game... oh boy four


and now, christmas present

eight is great

this post is really to recap the ultra fun big birthday bash i recently had for my oh so soon to be eight year old. but i needed to get one thing straight first. i had several girls spend the night for what i thought was called a "bunking party". please tell me there is someone else out there that knows this term!! i understand you call it a sleepover, slumber party, whatever, but it is also called a bunking party in my world.

it was brought to my attention that perhaps several of the girl's parents may have been confused by this terminology and thought i was hosting a "bunko" party, which usually involves a little gambling and drinking. i can assure you, there was no drinking or gambling... well maybe a little.

they were up to all hours playing poker and sharing cigars while i hit the bottle... other than that it was totally innocent.

for real - not as bad as i imagined. there was pizza, cupcakes, gifts, singing, dancing, giggling, crafting, popcorn, a little tiny bit of sleeping and tons more giggling. molly was in heaven the entire time, smiling from ear to ear, so it was worth it. it is fun when you are the birthday girl, everyone wants to sit by you to eat, sleep next to you, play all the games you want to play, so you sort of feel like a princess the whole time.

the girls were super nice to molly's little siblings as well, including them in all the festivities. the big game of the night was dressing up maggie as a queen and treating her like one - thanks, that is all i need for that little princess to be advanced to queen. we are still working out the logistics of that.
so happy birthday dear molly, i hope i made it as special as you deserve.