Reach the Beach

Justin trained hard and participated in a 55 mile race as part of a fundraiser for the American Lung Association. We were proud of him, and are looking forward to supporting him at the Century Ride in August.

Happy Belated Easter

We had a lovely Easter. We made our Resurrection Garden on Friday, a tradition we started last year. I guess I didn't take a picture of this year's so here is last year's version. We used a potato for the tomb. 

 Saturday, we had our own egg hunt in the backyard.

 Sunday, we went to church, had our Easter Feast, and watched some videos of the Life of Christ found here.

My girls looked so pretty in their little Easter dresses. I am so lucky to be their mom. We had such a lovely day celebrating our Savior and spending time together. We are so blessed. 

A few other spring happenings: 

 Last weekend we attended the Tulip Festival, one of our favorite springtime activities.

 I love how Amelia's hair matches this tulip, we didn't notice it at until we got home and looked at the pictures.

Justin used his mad photography skills to document the Lunar Eclipse. This was a few hours before the eclipse. 

About 15 minutes into the eclipse.

This was about 40 minutes into it. It's hazy because some clouds had moved in front of the moon. Unfortanetly, right after this heavy cloud cover, prevented us from seeing the full eclipse. Still neat though.

Moments

There are moments in motherhood that give me butterflies. Anytime one of my little ducklings comes to me with a book in hand and climbs into my lap, my heart melts. I love reading to my kids. It's one of my very favorite parts of being a mom.

Amelia toddled up to me last night with Winnie the Pooh tucked under one arm. "UP!" she shouted at me. I pulled her on my lap, and she wiggled down into a comfy position, and grunted for me to begin reading. I don't think that will ever grow old to me. I always will treasure my little reading moments with my kiddos.

March Madness

Ok, I am really trying to lose my baby weight. (Just 8 pounds and I will weigh less than what I did when I graduated high school!) Really I just want to be a healthy, fit weight. RIght now, I am a healthy weight for my height but I want to get toned up and be at an ideal weight. So for March I am really targeting my two weakest areas.

1. I am not going to eat after 7pm. I am notorious for sneaking back in for a snack or a treat after dinner...which leads me to my next goal...

2. Only one serving of one treat a week. AHhh! I have such a sweet tooth. I did read a book called the hunger fix, which helped, but I only got halfway through it before having to return it to the library, so I have slipped back into my sinful ways.

So far I've noticed a difference. I go to bed almost hungry which means in the morning I am READY for breakfast. I end up eating a bigger breakfast, and end up eating less at dinner. It's been going well.

And I've been doing Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. I don't like her work out personailty, but I do like the workouts. They are really effective. Last fall I did her Trouble zones workout, and went down a pant size in two weeks (granted I was still nursing). But Thanksgiving and Christmas came and I indulged in too many sweets, I stopped nursing, and didn't work out much so I have to regain the ground I lost. But I know March is my month. I can do it!

because I never posted pictures of the girls in their CHristmas Finery

yes that is a remote that she is holding

Winter Time

love these goobers

this girl loes her cozy coupe

heart melter

cutest rapunzel ever!

don't you just want to eat her up?

 pretty much the cutest thing you have ever seen

 blowing kises

we had to seize the moment and build a snowman while we could...it was melted before we went to bed that night

the view from our back porch

I have GOALS

some things I want to do in 2014:

Learn to crochet

See Thor's Well

Finish painting the hutch

Ride a steamboat

Go to the Portland Zoo

Learn to bind a quilt

Read a non-fiction book every other month

What are you going to do in 2014?

Calendar

I made myself a calendar this year. I wanted each month to remind me to be a better mom. Some of these sayings I heard or read somewhere and some are ones that I came up with myself. Just thought I would share. 

January

Feb

March

April

May

June

July

 Aug

Sept

October

NOvember

 December

Progress Report

I can't believe how much progress I have made since the beginning of the year. And most of it came from tweaking our routines to better fit our needs. It's amazing to me that just rearranging a few things in our schedule can make life SO MUCH EASIER. My house has been cleaner, I feel like have time to do things that I need to do and WANT to do, and I feel calmer.

And that's the goal. I want to be a calm mom. An intentional mom. A proactive mom. For too long, I have been frazzled and reactive.

But just setting up a better routine has changed a bunch of that.

That and I am participating in a 21 day Purge. I made a list of 21 areas (like cupboards, toy boxes, drawers, etc.) that need to be cleaned out. Each day, I tackle one area, and get rid of a bunch stuff, and then I organize what is left. It feels so good to purge.

So something I have learned thus far on my journey to CALM is:

A place for everything, and everything in its place.

A time for everything and everything it its time.