Ready for Fall!

Is anyone else over this awful heat and drought? Geez! It did rain late last night here in Atoka but I miss spending most of the days outside with the boys. It's just miserable. So ready for football, I mean Fall! ;)

This week is kinda an "off" week. I worked Monday night to help out so it's thrown our schedule all off. Last week I made a decision to start getting into shape and eating healthier. It's hard to eat healthy. I've lived off fried and fattening foods and cupcakes my entire life. I have to admit that I felt like total crap last week too. I guess my body is kinda like "hey, what are you doing? I'm gonna need you to go buy some cupcakes!" Ughh...so what brought this on? Well...I already have high cholesterol and blood pressure. Yes, you can be a skinny bitch, pardon the language, and be unhealthy BUT the big kicker was my dad spending about a week in the hospital. God love him, the man is a bit of a cardiac mess and he just may be eligible for a guiness world record for stents. It is genetic but he has spent over 40 years eating in truck stops etc. Although I don't eat at truck stops, well maybe sometimes (I am a truckers daughter) I don't want to have the problems he does and I know he doesn't want that for me either.

So, I am taking baby steps to improve my diet as well as my family. First, I'm starting my days off with a bowl of oatmeal. Just plain oatmeal. Do I love it? Heck no but it is heart healthy and keeps me feeling full. If it comes in wheat or whole grain, such as pastas and breads, that's what we are eating. Carter had no idea those ritz crackers he had yesterday were whole wheat. I've also cut back on portions and am being careful to snack in moderation. For example, I always cook 6 rolls with dinner. I usually eat 2 sometimes 3. I only had one last night. For my snacks, I eat them from a measuring cup and am usually over it before I'm done.

One of my biggest weaknesses in this whole wide world :) is sweets! I have always craved sweets after meals. My dad said I was raised that way. I have always been a little obsessed with cupcakes. Brian has told me before it's one of the things he loves about me, I think he called it a quirky cupcake fetish. Anyhow, I just stumbled upon cupcake flavored goldfish last week at Kroger! And they're whole grain!! What?!?! They're good too and totally satisfy my sweet craving.

I love to snack and so do my kids. It drives Brian crazy. My new favorite snack is Greek yogurt. Omg it's so delicious! And fat free, high in protein! I'll take it. I've been eating Oikos vanilla and honey flavors by Dannon but have tried the Chobani apple cinnamon and it was like apple pie. Also, there is Oikos plain that I use as a sub for sour cream.

I started working out too. I want to start running. I plan to do the couch to 5k if it will ever get below 300 degrees outside. I know if I try in this heat that I'll die, seriously, and I can't get out early in the morning when it's cool because I can't leave the kids here alone although that seems to be the going thing in this part of the country. So until I can start running I've been working out here and Carter and Aubree join me and made me feel good. Carter laid down 2 minutes into it and said he was too hot and Aubree would stop and start doing these weird stretches like she was a gymnast...whatever she was about to pass out and didn't want to admit it. Lol!

So basically I'm just watching what I eat by trying to cut back on foods high in trans fat and cholesterol and increase fiber and protein and all those other good minerals. Brian is trying too. He works out at work in their company gym and has started drinking water and has cut back on carbs.

I am not trying to lose weight but I'm sure that I will. My daily caloric intake should be around 2500 and it's very hard to meet that when you're trying to eat healthy and you're still breastfeeding...so if I start to look emaciated please go get me a cheeseburger. I won't be offended. Lol!

Including some pics of my new favorite snacks and Carter wanted me to take a pic of him, Buzz Lightyear, and his spiderman slippers that he outgrew over a year ago.

I have a 5th grader! Where does time go?

I'm so behind on posting updates/pics. All 3 kids are still sleeping. I'm waiting for Brian to get home from work so I can take Aubree to register for the 5th grade...oh my! This will be her last year at Atoka Elementary and she'll be off to Brighton Middle.

Carter starts pre-school at Gateway Baptist Church in a couple weeks. He will go on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He will only be down the street and I can actually see the church from my backyard if I look hard enough! Haha!

Caleb is 10 months old and I'm just posting his 9 month old pic. Oh well! He is pulling up and walking in a walker. He's into everything. He had mashed potatoes from the table last night and smiled with every bite. He does a lot of babbling and says "mama", finally. He waves bye-bye. So cute!

Beach!!

We just safely returned home after spending the week in Gulf Shores. Carter has been asking to go for months to the beach. He loved it! We missed Aubree. Its her dads week and she had softball. :(

It was nice to get away and I can't say we did a lot of relaxing with a 3 year old and almost 9 month old but we enjoyed it.

We also stopped and had lunch with Brian's cousin, Shannon, in Spanish Fort. We ate at Bass Pro Shops. Who knew they had a restaurant?!? Not me...

P.S.
The pic of Caleb standing in the car was when we were parked for lunch. Don't want anyone to worry! Haha!

Father's Day

I wanted to share a pic of the sweet little gift Carter gave Brian for Father's Day. We did the interview for the gift a while back and ever since then he wants to "tell me a little bit about Daddy". One pic is a close up so it's easier to read and I just framed it and put a airplane on the frame. Can't go wrong with an airplane.

Lemonade and Cookies

We had a decent week. Aubree and Carter had their lemonade stand but this time they added a "bakery". They sold sugar and chocolate chip cookies. They were sold out of everything except a few cookies that we stashed in the house within about an hour and a half. They enjoy it and I love watching them have fun. Making memories! We met some of our neighbors too. Most exciting to them was the cop that stopped by and Aubree told him "no charge" but he refused.

The bedroom upstairs we were finishing is done! A big thank you to Jeff Scott aka Uncle Jeff, Unky, and Chickenhead. Yes, he and Carter like to pick on each other! Ha! Now we can move Aubree out of the office that will most likely be a playroom. She slept up there 2 nights in a sleeping bag. I think she's ready for her own space upstairs.

Brian took Carter to see The Avengers and they both enjoyed it. All I've heard about since then is Iron Man, Captain America, and The Hulk and I know nothing about any of them. Guess I need to get with the program!

Caleb now has 6 teeth. He's so precious. He's discovered the washing machine and loves it! He's also become a climber...especially on the stairs which involved a fall today but I won't even go there. I've cried and beat myself up for taking my eyes off him for less than 2 minutes enough. I know kids will be kids and injuries and falls will happen but it sure does hurt a momma's pride. I just thank God that he didn't get hurt.

So, I'll be working this father's day weekend BUT Brian is off for 10 days and after Sunday I'll be off for 12. We'll celebrate next week. Our 4 year anniversary is next week too.

I hope everyone had a good week and has an even better weekend! Continue to pray for Lucy!

Another week flies by

I finally got to go to one of Aubree's games. Laura went with me. The weather was really nice. She was in a tournament in Cordova. I only got to stay for one game. She had 2 more that afternoon. She's a good little player. I'm proud of her! I'd love to teach her how to pitch but I'm afraid I'll break/pull something. Haha! Not sure I'd be any good anymore in the first place.

So, of course, I worked Saturday and Sunday nights. Tuesday met my Aunt Jan Jan and Meemaw (guess i'll never outgrow saying that) at Phil Ramsey's to view Aubree's pics. They were outstanding! We did them on my grandfather's farm. He'd have been so proud, especially of the pics with her on the old tractor. Phil does such great work. He's done all the kids recently.

Wednesday we had dinner at Chili's to celebrate Vickie's birthday. Everyone got to come. I love it when we all get to go out together.

And here it is Thursday already! Not much went on today. They came and put the carpet down in the room we are finishing upstairs for Aubree so it's basically done. All it needs is a ceiling fan and smoke detector. Yay!

I'm heading in to work tomorrow night. Been trying to pick up an extra shift here and there since vacation is coming up. So tomorrow will be kinda yucky. Brian works all night tonight sleeps tomorrow. I may get a 2 hour nap before going in at 7 pm. Oh, the things we do for our kids. Would NOT have it any other way though!

I hope everyone has a nice weekend. Please remember little Lucy Krull and her family in your prayers!!

Summer Jobs

Yes...the 2 oldest kids like to pretend to have "jobs". Carter likes to walk all over the house with his toolset and fix things. He asks me all the time if anything is "broked". Aubree is going to do a lemonade stand here a couple days a week this summer. She gets good business considering we practically live in a construction zone and there's always people looking at houses too. We had to cut business short due to the weather but she had 4 customers in 30 minutes. And the lemonade really is delicious and cold!

Caleb said his first word this week. And guess what it is...DaDa! Brian loves it. He's also getting another tooth so that will be 5!

Finally get to go to a softball game in the morning. Aubree is on a traveling team and that doesn't work with me being a weekender. She's in a tournament in Germantown this weekend. Laura is going with me. We're excited! Will post pics!