30 Days of Thanks - Day 24

I'm thankful for passed down family traditions and also getting to start new ones with Caleb and Owen. How cool is it that Clayton and I get to take all the things that were awesome about the holidays from when we were kids, and share them with our children? Plus we get to add in new fun things in to make them all our own.

We spent last night listening to Christmas music and putting up the Christmas tree together - one of my absolute favorite things about the holidays. Today, we're having Jaime and Aaron over for Thanksgiving dinner and then celebrating Thanksgiving with the Smith family on Sunday. It doesn't get much better than this.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

30 Days of Thanks - Day 23

I am thankful for being CAUGHT UP on my photo sessions so that I can enjoy the rest of the week with my boys.

This means I won't have to feel guilty knowing that work or clients are waiting on me while I'm eating turkey and decorating the Christmas tree! OR flying around the giant floating fish that my dad got the boys! (Get ready to live, Jaime & Aaron).

30 Days of Thanks - Day 22

We're going to mix up the format today and throw in a little high quality art. You ready? Better be.

Ok, let's face it, when your parents split up and eventually start dating other people, there is potential that things could not go smoothly during the transition. I hadn't given a lot of thought to this when my dad started dating, but I would be lying if I said it didn't cross my mind. "What if she's horrible?! What if she hates bunnies and flowers?! What if she doesn't like us?! What if she hates Christmas?! What IF she's a Justin Bieber fan!?!?! Oh the horror!" Ok, so it wasn't quite that dramatic but still the "what if's" did go through my mind at one point.

In all seriousness....

Well he's kind of a big deal to Jaime and I. We love him so very much and he rates right up there at the very top of our list of awesome. And of course, because we love him so very much, we want him to be all kinds of mega happy.

And so now we get to 30 Days of Thanks, Day 22. I am so very thankful for:

She is wonderful for so many reasons, but let me tell you a few of the things that make the top of my list:

1. She makes my dad happy. Like I said before, we want him to be all kinds of mega happy. Mission accomplished. Boo ya!
2. Let's just say that in recently divorced or separated families, there is "stuff" that comes with it. Patty handles difficult or what could be awkward situations with class and grace. Hence her angelic presence above. :D
3. She takes an interest in things and people (read: US!) that are important to my dad. :)
4. Being at a place in my life where I'm having babies of my own and still trying to get the hang of this whole motherhood thing, Patty has been fantastic. She's been great at offering support and advice. And when Owen was born, she came out with my dad and spent an entire week taking care of all of us. As I had just given birth, was running on very little sleep, and also had bronchitis that week - her help was AMAZING!
5. She is kind and caring and considerate. Don't just brush over this one. As an adult I've realized that these traits aren't always a "given" and when you have people in your life that possess them, you hang on to them and try to give just as much back in return.

So just to recap:

30 Days of Thanks - Day 21

I'm thankful for a cup of hot coffee on a cold, gloomy and rainy afternoon.

 

 

30 Days of Thanks - Day 20

It's a little more challenging to write these posts on a day like today when I'm not feeling as thankful as I should, but mostly feeling angry and bitter about things beyond my control.

But then, in comes my sweet, amazing, and wonderful little boy with a picture that Daddy helped him draw just to cheer me up.

While we're always going to suffer losses and hurt, and there is nothing that can take that away, I am so thankful for the people in my life that are such wonderful blessings. Those that are constants, that I can count on, and that always make me smile when I need it most.

30 Days of Thanks - Day 19

I'm thankful for all the struggles and crap in life, that led me to where I am right now.

Darius Rucker sums it up really nicely. :)

Weekly Wrap Up

Saturday:


-We had "Family Movie Night" tonight and watched Rio. It was a cute movie and Caleb really enjoyed it. The only problem with movie night is that Caleb doesn't quite grasp the concept of "renting" and we have sadness and big alligator tears when it comes time to return it.


Monday:


-Caleb was having bad dreams last night and I kept waking up with him standing next to me staring at me (which kept scaring the crap out of me). This morning he told me that he was dreaming that an Ostrich got into our house and was standing by his clock. He also told me that he couldn't sleep because the dreams were in his eyes. I thought that was an interesting way to describe a dream. And I don't know where the scary ostrich came from. Maybe we're watching too much discovery channel? lol
-I did day 1 of P90X this morning. I was going to work up to it with my other workouts but Clayton thought I should just give it a try now and I decided it was worth a shot. Today was chest & back - which means I'm probably not going to be able to move tomorrow. I also did the 15 minute ab video and it was so challenging that I couldn't even do ONE of some of the moves. These people in the video must be like mutant muscle machines... or they definitely haven't had a baby in the past year. It's ok though. I will do better next time. :)

Tuesday:

-Today I had my HSG test for the Essure procedure I had done 3 months ago. The HSG test is basically a dye test with x-ray equipment to make sure the procedure worked and the tubes are blocked. Unfortunately for me, my test failed. :( My left tube is completely blocked, but my right tube leaked the dye. This means I have to go back in another 3 months for an additional test. This is a major bummer because: 1. It will be after the 1st of the year, so we'll have to pay %100 of the cost. Ouch! 2. The test was incredibly uncomfortable and somewhat painful. 3. If it fails a second time, the whole procedure was a waste and we'll have to look into other long term options. Boo! The doctor said that she's only seen the first test fail a couple of times (lucky me), and in the entire Tri-state area, the second test has never failed. But... it has happened in other areas, so it is a possibility. :/

-For p90x, we did the Plyometrics dvd today. This is rumored to be one of the toughest dvd's to get through. It's like cardio routine on steroids. Lots and LOTS of jumping. It's an hour long and neither Clayton or I made it all the way through. However, I would like it to go on record that I lasted a whole EIGHT minutes longer than Clayton did. The bragging rights alone were worth all 30 minutes of torture. :D

Wednesday:

-Caleb got his first Pez dispenser tonight. He picked it out himself - it's a semi-truck. And he was SO excited about it. It really is the little things in life.

-Owen woke up before I could finish my workout today. I still had the 16 minute ab dvd to go. He sat on the mat next to me and laughed at me and tried to bend himself in half the whole time. I think he was working on his abs too. :)

-Today I hit 4 weeks of eating healthy and 2 weeks of working out. I'm down about 7 lbs so far and feeling great. Clayton and I also started the nutrition plan that goes along with p90x this week. It actually requires me to eat quite a bit more calories than I have been these past 4 weeks, and a LOT of protein. It's definitely a huge commitment to stick with it, but I'm determined to do it. Looking at my progress photos from the past 4 weeks is all the motivation I need! ha! (No, I won't be positing them!). At any rate, it's nice to have Clayton as a partner for all this. We're keeping each other encouraged (and even competing a bit! lol). 

Thursday:

-I was dressed in a trendy new outfit getting ready for a photo shoot this evening. With my new outfit on, I was feeling pretty hip and cool, but apparently I needed brought back down to earth. The tank I had on underneath my shirt hung down lower in the back and Caleb tugged on the part hanging down and said enthusiastically, "This is so you can FLY, Mom!" Aaaaaanndddd.... maybe I can't pull off trendy after all. lol

-Both boys seem to be coming down with colds again. *sigh* We just barely got over colds a couple of weeks ago. I'm really not ready for this all over again.

Friday:

Funny Find on Friday: 

Never lose focus! haha

30 Days of Thanks - Day 18

I'm thankful I got to experience a lot of different places and people growing up. I really think it gave me a unique perspective from a young age and taught me to be happy and content with where ever you are in life. No matter where you live or who you're with, if you have a good attitude, it really makes all the difference in the world.

As my dad always said, the motto of the Marine Corps should be Semper Gumby: Always Flexible! :)

30 Days of Thanks - Day 17

I'm thankful for GPS. Since I travel all over the tri-state area to client's homes and random photo shoot locations, I cannot tell you how much easier GPS has made my life. I don't have to worry about getting lost, taking a detour, or even finding a place to stop for a coffee on the way. Plus, I feel so much safer not trying to look down and read directions as I drive.

I don't consider many purchases to be life changing... but seriously, I could never go back.

30 Days of Thanks - Day 16

I'm thankful for Clayton's job AND that it means I get to see Carrie Underwood in concert at the Christmas party. :D

But seriously, I'm thankful he has a great job that is able to support our family.

30 Days of Thanks - Day 15

I'm thankful for modern medicine. I'm so thankful for the amazing technology, vast knowledge, and wide-range of medicine available to us today. Despite it costing us a small fortune at the moment with our sub-par insurance, I'm incredibly grateful to have the options and care available to us.

30 Days of Thanks - Day 14

I'm thankful for Pinterest. It sounds silly but this website is amazing. I've found so many great ideas for the kids, crafts, decor, home organization, photo inspiration, quotes to keep things in perspective, and lately the biggest thing has been health and fitness. I have been so determined and had more will power and discipline though this past month than ever before. I really attribute a lot of it to Pinterest and using it to constantly learn new things, be inspired, and "keep my eye on the prize."

I can also see that the change in me has made a great impression on Caleb. He's been asking for water to drink way more often than juice and also been asking for healthier snacks. Yesterday he had a major meltdown because he wanted black beans for lunch. :) He also gets excited about exercising and getting his body moving. That is one of my biggest motivations. I think of it like this (that of course I found on Pinterest):

While I would obviously love to look like this image above, the most important (and realistic) thing is that I teach my children healthy habits that they will take with them into adulthood. It's not about fad diets, it's about eating healthy foods to give your body fuel, and about getting off the couch, logging off the computer, and making your body strong. And what better way to teach than to lead by example?

Hands down, best website on the internet. You can see my health & fitness board here.

30 Days of Thanks - Day 13

I'm thankful for our church family. I'm so thankful that we've found a place we both love and a place where we want to raise our children.

With all the sickness in October, we missed a couple of weeks in a row. I guess Caleb really missed going because yesterday morning we were getting ready and he said "Mom, I want to go to my church today and play with my friends." :)

On a side note, Caleb made a bird feeder in Sunday School yesterday and was so excited to hang it up when we got home. But I guess he expected birds to flock to it instantly and he's rather disappointed that it's been up for nearly 24 hours and it doesn't appear to have been touched. Yesterday he was sitting on the couch watching it out the window and saying "Heeeerrrrrreeeee birds!" over and over. It was adorable. :)

30 Days of Thanks - Day 12

I'm thankful for family movie/game/activity night. Regardless of what we do, there is nothing like making a point to spend time together and enjoy our little family. <3

Weekly Wrap Up

Sunday:


-Owen started officially waving today! He waved at Mommy, Daddy, Aunt Ria, Mawmaw, & Pawpaw.


Monday:

-I asked Caleb if he was ready to exercise with me this morning and he jumped up and said "YES! We're going to be strong and healthy!" haha I think my fitness craze is rubbing off on him! :)
-I had a mom's group meeting tonight and while I was gone, Clayton swears he taught Owen to give kisses. I haven't seen it yet so I'm not calling it official yet. ;)

Tuesday:


-It was absolutely gorgeous out today! I've been so busy with photo editing that I finally got caught up enough to not feel too guilty taking an afternoon break and played outside with the boys. I raked all the leaves in the front yard in a big pile for Caleb and then let him go crazy. It was so funny to watch him (and raking is a pretty good upper body workout too! lol).

Wednesday:

-They say it takes 21 days to make a habit, and today is day 21 of eating healthy. I feel fantastic!! Wednesday is also my "official" weekly weigh-in day and for the week I'm down 1.2 lbs, and down 4.2 lbs over the last 3 weeks. Next week I will be taking all my measurements again - 1 month later. I'm really interested to see the progress! 

Thursday:

-Bathroom updates from Caleb (as he's peeing): "It's not white pee. It's just pee. It's golden pee." bahaha

Friday:

-Random conversation I just had with Caleb:

C: "Mom! I just cleaned the whole house! Daddy will be happy!" (sometimes we do extra cleaning to "suprise Daddy" when he gets home)

Me: "Wow! Really? Thanks so much! What a huge help!"

C: "I picked up ALL the toys and put them where they belong."

Me: "That's awesome! You are so great! What am I going to do with you?"

C: "Ummm... you're going to give me a kiss!"

SMOOCH! 

I was hoping to clean the house today because it desperately needs it but also because I have a client coming over for a shoot tomorrow - but I hadn't mentioned it to Caleb at all. He came up with that all on his own. He's so funny. :) 

30 Days of Thanks - Day 11

I'm thankful for the country that we live in and those who serve to protect it - and most of all, my dad, who served in the Marine Corps for 20 years. His dedication, discipline, hard work, and "semper gumby" attitude are just a few of the many things that make him awesome. ILYBL Dad! Happy Veteran's Day!

30 Days of Thanks - Day 10

I'm thankful to have Jaime close by again! I can't tell you how amazing it's been to have her close! Aside from being my BFF, she's been such a huge help already! In the last few months since she's been here:

•  I called her at the last minute because I was getting interviewed by the news for SDP and I was SUPER nervous. She spent the day shopping with me to find a new outfit and then came over the day of the taping to be here for moral support. 
• I'd had a stressful week and needed to get out of the house for a while and she dropped what she was doing and met me for sushi and venting.
• When we needed help with babysitting for Maria's wedding, Jaime and Aaron came over for an all day/night marathon babysitting extravaganza. They even put up with all my crazy notes AND brought the boys up the church for pictures.
• I'm so proud of losing 5 lbs and actually have a little money saved for shopping, I made plans with Jaime and we get to spend the evening shopping together tonight. 

There is nothing better than having a sister! I'm so thankful to have such an awesome one and for all she does for me!

30 Days of Thanks - Day 9

I am thankful fall. For beautiful weather, colorful leaves, bonfires, Thanksgiving, pumpkin patches, and building Christmas anticipation.

30 Days of Thanks - Day 8

I'm thankful for beautiful places, things, and words. For all the things that inspire me and make me feel alive.

30 Days of Thanks - Day 7

I'm thankful for time to play with my boys and hear them laugh. There really is no other sound greater in the world than hearing your children laugh.