Girls Camp

Sorry for no blogs the last few days but I have been at girls camp. We left Monday morning and got back yesterday. We went to Pine, AZ. I t was nice to get out of the heat for a few days and have some fun with the girls. But I am glad to be back home. A huge thanks to my mother in law for coming up and watching the kids so Chris could come as well. Thank you thank you. Today looks to be filled with Dr Appointments. I think my kids have pink eye and it has gone on longer since I was not home so we are off to the Drs. I also get to go see how I am doing. What is even funnier is that I get to take Annmarie and Jeffrey back to the Drs on Monday for their well checks nice huh. Well what else do you expect as a mom. One thing I must say is it was nice to see kids so happy to see me when I came home.

Goodbye to a good friend

So a few months ago I did a post on my trainer Nora. Sadly today was my last day training with her. Her husband got transferred back to Florida. So off they go next week. Nora is the best thing I could have hoped for she taught me many new was to workout and that eating better really is more than half my problem. (this still is my problem). But other than that she taught me about putting family first, and that I am a much better mother when I take some time out a do something for myself(exercising reading etc.) But what she gave me today is another great present. When I was done training she gave me a book.



After reading this book in the locker room instead of showering I love it. It tells you what is the worst thing at a restaurant and what is best. This ranges from Coldstone to Aunt Annes to McDonald's to Outback. But other than that it gives you the same good bad breakdown in the grocery store. Sad to say a few of my favorite things are on the what not to eat list.

Sonic - Chicken club toaster - my favorite is also one of the worst things there (calorie fat and sodium wise)

The worst food in America - Outback Aussie Cheese Fries. oh man how we love to eat this plus this also has bacon on it. I am in some serious trouble. But if any of you are looking for a book on better habits but not dieting I really love this book. (yes I know that it is a marketing tool etc but I find this really helpful)

Thanks to Nora. She is a great example to me in so many ways, You will be missed!!!

trying to be a good mom

Since Will came back from the Father's and Son's camp out all he has wanted to do is go camping again. Since this takes lots of prep and often money (mostly food costs which yeah we spend way to much on), I finally relented tonight. As you can see from the photos we are in a far off remote place with no luxuries. OK not really it's just our front room but hey. I'm trying something different right? We shall see how this goes. I got the inspiration from my cousin's blog. she actually went camping. I am just cheating but hey I'm trying. Here are some photos of the kids at the beginning of the "camp out." Plus some really cute one's of Jeffrey.





This is him enjoying a blue M&M. He is such a happy kid



Yes Will actually sleeps and here is proof. Dosen't he look so cute?



Another thanks to my sister Kim for boots that she the kids for Christmas. Yep now Jeffrey thinks he needs to wear them everywhere

Check out my Slide Show!

a whole lotta photos

well since I have been terrible at adding photos talking about the kids. this will be all about them and then there will be a slide show of the photos of the kids.



A lot of the photos are from today's activity. We made home plate out of a pillow and were teaching Will and Annmarie how to bat, the right way. Jeffrey made it in at the end and he did great. OK so the photos of me look . . . well lets just say the shirt is not good for making me look not huge.



Will . . . has had an interesting little while. He is testing his boundaries as much as he can but on the other hand he is helping more and more at home. He will do anything if it means he gets to go swimming. He loves the water but still has a very health fear of the water. He loves swimming with out his floats, but mostly stays on the steps. He can swim about 10 feet on his own and will even lift his head out of the water!!! he is making great steps there. He loves going to church. He talks about his class. We got him scriptures and he loves to "read" them. Mostly look at the photos and tell us who is in the photos. He keeps telling me he wants to get up and talk during his class. He still knows how to make us smile



Annmarie . . . she is an I do it alone. She is potty trained!!!! it was the bribe of Ice Cream shakes that did it. I love having 1 child in diapers (OK all 3 still at night but that is sooo doable). Whenever she goes to the bathroom she says, "I don't need help." Nice huh. She is part fish. She as well will do all she can to go swimming. but unlike Will there is no fear of the water and does not pick her head out of the water unless she has reached her destination. which when Chris is swimming with her it tends to be a good 20 feet. She and Jeffrey are getting along great. It is so cute to see them play together. She likes to talk to the baby in my tummy and give it kisses.

Jeffrey. . . he is growing so fast. He is starting to talk. ok say a few things. besides from mom. he says ball, sometimes we get a please and thank you. my favorite is "there I are." of course most people cannot speak Jeffrey so yeah you'll have to take our word for it. He like the others loves the pool. We put him in a little floating boat the first time and he kept diving right out. So he gets to be held. I think he weighs as much in the water as out of it. He loves to barrow things out of the other kids hands and usually wins in a tug of war. He loves to crawl all over Dad and Mom. he favorite thing is pulling hair. But he is in the stages of entertaining himself. so cute to watch him do that. He is turning into a monkey like the others I guess monkey see monkey do.

Chris and I are great life is perfect and we wouldn't ask for anything more. ok a little exeration but we are doing fine and growing up with the kids.

We have new games we play at home. one being dodgeball. I guess the PE training is coming in handy. We do not play while the neighbor below us is home. The kids start at the front door and run to the back door (about 20 ft). While Chris and I throw squishy balls at them. They love it and want to play all day.

Book Club

Ok so some how I got put in charge of our next book club. I have chosen the book. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. Hopefully it will be as good as it sounds. So those who want to join in the read your more than welcome.

Help Help Help

So I figured out what I did. It helps not to be a little paste happy.


OK so I found these new backgrounds thanks to Jenn and her link to the cutest blog on the block http://cutestblogontheblock.blogspot.com/ but I cannot figure how to get my photos and other side stuff back on the side. Also do like how the words go over the background. any ideas from those who know what I'm talking about? Thanks for the help. Also Those who have the larger headers with photos that don't look wacko. how did you do that?

A new favorite

OK since our oven no longer works. . . long story some day in the next 6 months i expect a new one but not today. i have been using the crocpot a lot more. a new recipe I tried looked interesting to me. I love tater tots but have never had the casserole. So I tried it a few weeks ago at Bette's house. It was really good. last night we made it again with a few modifications. recipe is below with our modifications. One we are going to try next time is adding taco seasoning to the meat. hoping to add a little more flavor. note ours looks nothing like the one below and I was a little nervous to eat since the appearance was not wonderful but hey not everything that looks good tastes good right so it must go both ways

Brown 1 lb meat.

mix with 1/4 c chopped onions

place in crocpot

add 1 can cream of chicken soup

as much Que Bueno (spicy cheese) as you feel necessary.

add 16 oz tater tots (uncooked)

cook on low for 2 -3 hours