Update on Summer Bucket List Status

Here is an update of my bucket list---all status (if changed) is in red!  :-)


I got this idea from another blog, however, I have been thinking of documenting such thing for days---but this is much cuter!  :-)  Here they are in random order:  (although I am sure I will be adding as I remember)

1. Go to Las Vegas!  (date set! :-) ---still working on logistics
2. Organize my craft room
3.  Plant a small herb/flower garden to hang off my deck--- built the planter, and actually placed it, just awaiting the new dirt and then I can start planting.
4. Take the kids to the beach for the day
5. Take the kids to the Children's Museum (Lauren had been begging for a year!) ---I just bought a year membership, so I have no excuse NOT to go!
6. Partake in the "free movie days" at the local theater
7. Lose, at least, 20 lbs
8. Spend 1 full week at my Mom's Lake House with kids
9. Secure a new babysitter and make a regularly-planned date nights with my husband ----hopefully have an interview this thursday! 
10. Let my kids grow their hair out, even if the long-shaggy look bugs the crud out of me ---Joshua's hair did get cut because Chris vetoed it getting long, but the girls hair is getting long/shaggy/annoying :-)
11. Organize the garage for my husband, so he can do his beloved wood working
12. Learn how to use my sewing machine in above stated "newly organized" craft room
13. Go to the zoo with the kids and not be annoyed because I do not like the zoo
14. Pay off all of our credit card debt (which should be done by July!! :-)) --OMG, I only have 1 more payment to do and this will be DONE.  FEELS GREAT!
15. Obstain from buying my kids anymore summer clothes--and instead just do more laundry --Holding strong
16. Teach my older kids to ride bikes
17. Sign them up for at least 2 extra curricular activities this summer ---All are signed up for swimming lessons for June, and Lauren has volleyball for a week in June.... so, although a week in progress, I am doing well!
18. Go one full week without any drive thru/fast food --- haven't even tried
19. Talk my husband into allowing the kids to have a trampoline---Not yet.
20. Enjoy a weird/special show or fair  (one time we went to a tractor show.. it was fun!)
21. Go Berry picking and make our seasonal jam
22. Get my husband a new grill so he can cook at least 3 nights a week ;-)
23. Make a dream board to hang in my bathroom to view everyday
24. Go on a bug hunt with my kids
25. Get our deck painted (our house if I feel ambitious!)
26. Family day to the Amusement Park that is not too far from us
27. Take my loud kids to the library
28. Completely break my baby of watching Barney! :-)---I have thrown away all of the Barney videos, and she hasn't watched any on On Demand.  Now onto the stuffed animals!
29. Get my kids an amphibian (frog/lizard/etc)
30. One day without TV/phone/computer/Facebook/Blogging/Email.......
31. Organize and use my label maker

My (hopefully) new camera!

My husband, lovingly, researched cameras with my specifications for me... and this is what he came up with!

A Canon EOS 1000D.  It has all the specs I requested----- easy to use with option to expand my horizons (my ability to use complicated camera features is not good, but I would like to practice!).... It is a digital SLR that is the basic-entry level upgrade from point and shoot.  It isn't too expensive, but not dirt cheap either---which is a pro and con.    Different lenses can be implemented, if my expertise ever gets that far (don't hold your breath).

I am excited, can my birthday come early?  ;-)

Lauren was in Aladdin!

So, Lauren finally finished her Aladdin play she has been working so hard on.  Since February, her, and all of her fellow actors/actresses have been slaving away multiple times a week to pull it together, and for 7-11 year olds, I think they did extraordinarily well.  It was really cool to see!

My little girl, who once puked and snotted all over her fancy dress and refused to stand with her 3 year old preschool class to sing a Christmas song, actually chose to do this, practice, and performed in front of everyone.  She did all her moves correctly, did all the facial expressions and just did a wonderful job.  I am very proud of her stepping out of her comfort zone and doing this.

We also had a little party where her Grandma, Aunt and Uncle, and 2 cousins came to help support her and then go see the show.

Here is Lauren in her costume... sorry for the awful picture, it was on my phone camera, and my camera wouldn't work right---(hint hint, I need a new one for my birthday ;-))  And, each child gets a DVD of the performance as well... so that will be super fun to watch!

Homemade cupcakes!

Lauren before her 3rd performance

Picture of her in her performance

Flowers she got from Grandma and Taylor

Flowers and balloon she got from us!

Card from Grandma and Taylor

Once again...cuteness gets her by!

It has been a really long day... a really REALLY long day. 

I had my leftover chores from yesterday that I didn't get done, although last night I did feel better and got some of the things widdled away (dog groomer, made cupcakes).  So, I started the day off at 6am, and texted "Olga" to try to con her into doing cardio with me---- to no avail.  (She had to teach classes).  Then I got ready, got the kids ready, and was out of the house by 740, to get Lauren to school for early morning play practice.  8am, I was at the grocery store, shopping away with 2 kids and 2 doughnuts (and some very sticky kids when we were done.)

Went off to the gym to work on my fitness, and had the timer on the elliptical set for my new record---60 minutes.  However, Julia decided to poop while we were there (which is about an every other day at the gym occurrence, I think they squeeze it out of her).... and they don't change diapers, so I had to stop my cardio, and address that, but since I had already done nearly 40 minutes, I just stopped.

Then went home, dropped off groceries, did some chores, (watched some Casey Anthony Trial coverage), and then went and picked Lauren up from school at 1130.  She had 2 different productions today and so I took her out of school for a few hours so she could rest and replenish.  (She does not do well when she doesn't get down time).  Chris came with us, and we grabbed lunch (teriyaki as per the actress request), and came home to eat it, had rest time.... Then I was up and running at 3pm, took a shower, got dressed, got Lauren ready, frosted cupcakes that I had made last night, and did some party prep, and then took her back for her 2nd production..... Came back home, cut Joshua's hair, gave him a bath, got Julia and Joshua ready, and we all headed to see Lauren in her play! 

However, Julia had another plan.  She proceeded to SCREAM BLOODY MURDER when we even entered the auditorium.  I could not subject all of the other people to her 2 year old fits, so her and I went out, and never managed to get back in.  (She screamed any time I came close to the doors).  So, we walked, we smelled flowers, we played at a playground, we attempted to detour her from the magnetic quality of the road, we watched baseball players, we identified letters on the building, we knocked on empty doors, we sang songs.......  It was very long.  Very frustrating.  And I was sad I didn't get to see Lauren. 

But, once we got home (and celebrated with some ice cream), the cuteness returned and Julia redeemed herself.  She jumped around the living room, singing some song and dancing and had some ice cream, which she proceeded to share with the dog. 

That is ice cream on his nose :-)

Luckily, Lauren has 2 more productions tomorrow, of which we have a babysitter for, so I will actually get to see my baby girl---which from the words of others, is doing VERY well in her play!

Children are exhausting.  They really are, but SO worth it.

I just can't be mad :-)

Julia has been into watching Toy Story lately---so since she is a whiner, and I need her to not be, she has been watching a lot of Toy Story (2 and 3).  Anyway, Joshua saw a part where the toys and the character (Andy) were measured against a wall.........

Which leads me to Lauren calling me down the hall to see where Joshua had written on the wall.  I was all ready to be ticked off, then realized he was measuring his toys and himself on the bathroom door jam.  It was kinda cute! :-)

So many things to do:

Again, I have so many things to do.... which always become even more imperative when you can't get your aching head off your pillow.  I am not usually that much of a headache person, however they always seem to come when I change something: diet, exercise routine, sleep, meds, and sometimes hormones.  This time, I think it is my crystal light withdrawal (aspartame), but whatever it is, it brought my days plans to a hault.

--Gym appointment: Cancelled
--Grocery shopping: Procrastinated (may be able to do tonight after I go get Lauren from practice)
--Dog Grooming appt:  Cancelled
--Dishes: Stacking up and bugging me
--Saturday Party planning: gonna have to wing it
--Lauren dress exchange (too small):  (My 7.5 yr old wears a size 10/12 for height..ummm, that is sad)

Which means, all of those things will be pushed until tomorrow, which I already had things to do:  Make cupcakes for party, get house ready for party, bus Lauren back and forth to and from practice and performance..... go to the Friday night play production.

I think I may have to scale down my "chores".... my house may be a little less clean (and those who know me well, will know this will bug my OCD to no end)... I may have to have store bought cupcakes, Lauren may have to wear a dress that "just" fits, and the dog may have to be locked up during party hours because of his shaggy appearance :-).

And, I was getting ready to start a new blogging day---Frugal Friday.  I, admittedly, am not good at being frugal, about being cheap or saving money.  I wanted to try to highlight 1 thing I did each week that was in the "frugal" category, showcase it with pictures/descriptions and how it was accomplished.  Just something to do, and a goal for me to work towards.  I will give you a heads up, this week, I am firing my housecleaner (Cleaning the bottom of the toilet--especially in a little boys bathroom--is basic.  And you miss it more than 3 times---FIRED).... but in lieu of firing her, I want to get a new car.  So, I don't know exactly how that is being frugal..... Hmmmm

Weekly Weightloss Wednesday

Sorry about the lack of post last week, a very hectic week and I was away from my scale.... So here goes:

Wednesdays Stats:
Highest Weight "achieved": 11/09
To date weight loss: -62 lbs (+1 lb in 2 weeks)
Goal weight: 83 more lbs to lose
Daily Average Caloric intake this week:1550
Average Water intake this week: 96 oz
Total Cardio This week: 135 minutes (increase by 20 minutes from 2 wks ago)
Total Weightlifting this week: 140

It was a really rough 2 weeks in relation to my food intake---mostly because I wasn't at home and was surrounded by trigger foods.  (Cereal, granola bars, ice cream (although proudly I didn't have any ice cream!).  And, it is "visitor week" so I am sure there is also water weight, so all in all, I think I fared ok.

I was able to up my cardio by 20 minutes this week, and would still like to increase a bit more.  I am going to attempt to implement two major changes this week to see if it sends me soaring away from this dang plateau. 
1) I am going to add at least 1 (if not 2) extra cardio sessions in addition to the 3 times a week I train.
2) No more flavored water.  (When I started being gungho about weightloss again in January, I was only drinking 8-12 oz of water a day.... I got myself up to the 72-100+ oz a day by flavoring it (ie: crystal light or equivalent), and I wonder if the artificial stuff (which I know can't be good for you) is somehow stalling things..... so I am going to stop drinking it.  *sigh... water is boring.