the heat of the summer sunshine

I can't think of many things that our little e loves more than being outside.  

And there are few things I love more than her crazy, cute, strawberry-blonde hair and her gap-toothed grin.  I melt.

oh, the cuteness!

I confess, I think she's pretty cute.  The way she talks all the time and gets so excited.  The way she gives hugs and kisses to her best friend Valerie.   The way she looks for her dad when he gets home from work.  When she walks over to me and nestles herself into my lap.  And how much she enjoys looking at her reflection in the oven door.  The way she does her "exercises."

We're in love with our little girl.  She has everyone who meets her completely charmed.  And her dad and I are smitten.  

Here's to another week of adventures and love with our sweet little e.

Happy Monday!

i like to move it move it [health journal#2]

The title says it all!  You don't have to start training for a triathlon today to feel better.  Just start moving more.  You'll be surprised how much energy you have to move once you start doing it.

I've been sick all week=no exercise and to say I had an emotional breakdown last night would be the understatement of the year.  I felt like everything in my life was falling apart and of course Jeffree got the brunt of it.  This morning I was still feeling down.  I was trying to think of how I could make it up to my main man.  Then I realized that the best thing I could do for my relationship with my spouse (the best thing I can do for my relationship with anyone) was get out and exercise.  Yep.  I'm a better wife, a better mom, and a better me when I take care of myself.  So with screaming child in tow, I made myself get going.  Half a mile later I was already feeling better.  2.5 miles later I feel like I can do anything.  So make the change - get up and move it!

Some easy ways to move it a little bit more:

dance to your favorite song or music video
do squats while you fold your laundry or make your lunch
crawl after your kiddos
run a few laps around your backyard while your children play
do some stair steps
jumping jacks or punches
walk instead of driving
walk in place during your favorite tv episode

You don't have to go to the gym to burn those calories.  Just get out of your chair and move.

Happy exercising!

health journal

I've never been one to obsess about my weight.  In fact, I avoided actually looking at a scale for a few years.  Not because I was scared of what I weighed, but the number wasn't important to me.  It wasn't until right before I was preg with little e that I paid attention to the numbers.

It was a few months after e's birth that I started training for a half marathon and finally went to the doctor for fatigue.  I hadn't weighed myself since I was preg, so when I stepped on that scale in the doctor's office I took a look at the number.  And I cried.

[Don't worry - this isn't a sob story.  It's actually a really good story, so stick with me.]  

I cried for the first time ever about how much I weighed.  Little e was 8 months old and I weighed only 4 lbs less than when I was 9 months preg.  I felt pretty pathetic.

I've made some changes in my life and I've learned a lot since then.  I've gotten a lot of comments lately (not always about how I look - sometimes about other choices I make) and I want to share it all with you.

Join me?

all mine

It turns out I was incorrect about Jeffree never being famous.  They featured his Battle of the Books commercial on KSL 5 news.

Here it is - 5 seconds of fame.

And no, we do not actually live in Tooele.

Happy Monday!

lunch date

I really heart lunch dates.  But when your man is a school teacher and his school is a few miles away and he has the car, well, you can imagine that they're hard to come by.

Two summers ago before we had little e, Jeff worked a summer job and got home by one every day.  We could always be found outside grilling something or chilling with our lunch in the courtyard of our apartment complex.  Sometimes I miss those days.

Today I was missing my man, so little e and I decided to have a lunch date with dad.  She loved it, of course and had the cutest smile on her face the whole time.  (except the time she was sobbing because it was time for her nap.)

We love our dad.  He does what he loves, even though it means he'll never be rich or famous.  He works hard all school year and he'll be starting his summer job after only a three-day weekend.  He's fun and sweet and so good to us.  Plus, I think he has a cute smile.

Only two days till summer, Babe.  Hang in there.  We love you.

sweet sunday moments

three things made my day today.

[one] holding hands with my hubs while we went on a sunday walk.

pretty obvious this isn't an actual photo of jeff and i holding hands.  my arms are way skinnier than hers.  probably. :)

[two] seeing the solar eclipse at 7:32 pm (only 10 minutes from the sweet spot of the world so we had a pretty cool view).

[three] checking the mail for the first time since probably tuesday and getting this little beauty.

seriously.  if you don't already read alyssa's blog, you probably should.  it's the cutest.

hope you enjoyed your sabbath day.

cheers.