Welcome spring...

We loved the 70 degree weather today and let the kids enjoy a quick dip in the hot tub. (which was heated to a toasty 90 degrees)

Good lil mama

Danner and porter have been getting along so good. She loves taking care of him. I found them in his bed and she was reading him books. So sweet !!

Don't Leave Closet Unattended....

Note to self..... Don't leave my closet unattended. I have a little girl that loves to dress up. I just walked in to the closet to find every piece of clothing strung on the floor. And she dressed herself in my clothes and Porter in Jesse's clothes. Oh my little diva.....

That would be a shirt of mine and some heels. That is her scarf and pajamas underneath.

And Porter is modeling Jesse's polo shirt. 

Big Boy Bed

Well Porter is officially out of the crib and in a "big boy" bed. He has been able to crawl out for quite some time. He started a few months back but really only crawled out twice and actually listened when I told him to stay in bed.......UNTIL a few days ago. He was having a hard time going to bed. Crying, fits, and crawling out of his bed. I Might have put him in our bed last weekend when he was sick. AND that was a huge mistake. The worst. He refused to sleep in his bed after that. Finally I caved and got the toddler bed and a cute dinosaur blanket to go on it. He loves it and stays in it. Thank goodness.

I will post pictures soon of him in his bed. I was actually a teensy bit sad that I have no babies in cribs anymore. How does time pass so fast?

Tragedy

February 9,  2012 is a day I will never forget. A day that changed our family. My mother-in-law, Winnie, passed away. It was completely and totally unexpected and left our family in shock and disbelief. She was young (54) and healthy.

She had been have sinus issues for the past few months. She had been seeing an ear, nose, and throat specialist who had continued to change her prescriptions. She didn't have any relief. Early in the morning February 9th my father in law, Ray, took her to the ER because she was suffering a major headache. She spent about 4 hours there before they gave her a shot for pain and sent her home. 4 hours later at her home, in her bed she passed away. Ray called 911 and they worked and worked to revive her but it was too late.

I will never forgot walking into the ER and seeing her lying there. It was devastating to see and even worse to see the pain in Ray and Jesse. In an instant our lives were changed. A wife, a mother, a grandmother, a sister, an aunt, a daughter.....all gone in a matter of minutes.

This past week has been hard. Planning a funeral that was not supposed to be planned. Saying goodbye to someone who wasn't ready to leave this world. Tragedy that we weren't ready for.


My poor kids.....they don't understand at all. It is hard to explain. We tried our best without pushing the subject or making them sad or scared. But to them Heaven is just a word....a place....like the zoo or the park and they think that she will be back. Back to see them, and tickle them, and chase them around, and paint toenails, and read books, and swim.....And one day we WILL all meet again. It just won't be here!

So goodbye Winnie. You will always be loved and remembered.....

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers for our family. Thanks for the support and kind words.

Week 3- Healthy Eating

So the third week is tough. It is supposed to be eating healthy meats. Here is the actual wording.....
"All meat consumed this week will be locally raised (within 100-miles of your hometown). Meat consumption will also be limited to 3 – 4 servings this week, and when it is eaten meat will not be presented as the “focal point” of the meal. Instead meat will be treated as a side item or simply used to help flavor a dish."


Problem #1: We live at the beach.....I haven't seen a cow or chicken anywhere in this vicinity. So.....eating locally raised meat is virtually impossible.
Problem #2: Hubs and kids LOVE their meats.....so it IS a focal point of our meal instead of a side item. 


Ok...so I am buying "smart" meats at the store instead of just picking up what looks good. And TRYing to not focus on a meal around the meat. 

Porter's Baptisim

Porter was baptized on Sunday (Jan 29) at church. We went to the church where I grew up and where we got married and the twins were baptized. It was a fun day. Hampton was also baptized that day too. It was a nice service and the kids did great. We celebrated with a lunch with all our close family.

 Porter getting "splashed" with water. He didn't cry. In fact I am pretty sure he liked it.

 An after picture with our family.....

 Take 2.....isn't easy to get a good picture.

 We went down to the pier for another family portrait.

And an after ceremony celebratory lunch with all our close family.

What a special day for our little man.

One Week at a Time....

Okay so this switch to natural foods is tough. I told you it would be a slow process. I am taking it weekly. I ran across a blog that is a 14 week pledge to cutting out junk food. So it helps to not get so overwhelmed.

Week 1 was drinking only "real" beverages. I was limited to water, tea, coffee, and milk. And since I can't do coffee because of no artificial sweeteners and I don't drink milk....well that left water and tea. The main cut out for me was diet cokes. I drank probably 6 a day most days. I love them....yum. But I realize that it is bad and now every time I want one I just think of all the bad ingredients. So week one was a success.

Week 2- This week starts adding fresh fruits and veges with each meal. 2 fruits or veges with each meal to be exact. I am not a huge fan of fruits. I have a hard time with textures. I can handle oranges, bananas, pears, pineapple....So I have been trying to eat those with some veges. But 2 with each meal is ALOT.....but I am working on it.

I made a  trip to the grocery store yesterday and filled my cart with fresh foods. It was nice (and expensive) and I felt good buying it. I did not put one can, one box, one bag of chips, one frozen anything....in my cart. AT. ALL. Nope not one thing. All fresh produce and meats. Yay. I say it was expensive but honestly my bill was no more than a regular week of shopping.

If you are interesting in trying the food pledge check out this blog HERE

Going ALL Natural

So I have made a big decision for our family. I have been researching and researching health benefits of natural foods. I know it sounds stupid but I never realized until recently how bad the stuff we eat is for our bodies. Maybe I realized it but didn't want to admit it. It is almost scary how bad most of the stuff in my house is for my family. It is sad. And I feel awful for what I have been giving my kids for the past couple years.

 Yuck!

But I have turned over a new leaf....I have decided to change our habits. And get smart about the things we put in our mouths. We have a LONG way to go.....but we will get there. 

Natural foods are best for us....and while most everyone realizes that, it is also hard to live by that philosophy. 

First to go.....artificial sweeteners. As in no more diet cokes for me....no more sweet and low in my coffee. And to think that all this time I have been drinking diet sodas thinking it was better for me.  This is hard. Week 1 has been difficult. 

But do you realize how BAD it is for you?

Processed foods.....is basically everything in my pantry. Easy boxed meals, canned goods and soups, frozen meals, cereals, chips, crackers. Those are next to go. They have so many additives in them...half of them I can't even pronounce. Artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, chemicals....gross. This will be hardest on the kids. When they want cereal or snacks or chips. I am basically going to be looking for things that have less than 5 ingredients. That really limits things. Do you even look on the back of the labels? Well, you should.

I am buying fresh fruits and vegetables from here on out....mostly organic. 

Like I said this is going to be a long road transitioning to only fresh foods and meats. But it will totally be worth it for my kids and my family.

Some of the fresh produce I purchased this week. I have been making the kids fresh juice as opposed to juice boxes with added sugar and color. They love it.

Happy Birthday to my #1 Nephew

Saturday we celebrated Baby Hampton's first birthday. I can't believe it has been a year already. Time sure flies when you are having fun. Ashley threw an amazing birthday party for the lil guy......filled with balloons, cupcakes, and ponies. The kids had a blast and I think the adults did too. Here are a few pics from the party....

Happy Birthday Hampton!!