be a yes

So many of my friends are in the same position as our family.  We have student loans yet are still trying to provide the best life for our kiddos all while saving for our retirement and our kids colleges.  We both have careers that we love (hence the student loans) and are already, at mid 30's finding that we are maxing out our pay scales.  We also, now have kids into everything making sure that our lives are now running from work to activities, to homework, to dropping completely drained on the couch.

Thankfully, 3 months ago we said yes to the business side of AdvoCare.  For us, it all started when my friend Erin introduced us to Spark, the energy drink. We started with a 24 day challenge and both lost inches, weight, and a pants size (B. 11.5 inches and 14 lbs.  I lost 5.5 inches).  We stuck with some parts of it for about a year though realized that AdvoCare solved our weight and energy problems, it could also help with our finances.  Now, 3 months later, we have earned $4,500 and love working with our family and friends to achieve some of the same goals that we initially had.  

Some of our success stories- 

1) "I don't have the 2:00 slump anymore"

2) "My joints feel better, my knees don't cry everytime I swing the golf club"   

3) My champion lost 18 lbs and 24 inches

4) "I went to a meeting and donuts were sitting in the middle.  I didn't even want one."  

Here is my success story- I have wanted to be a runner for SOOO long.  But, I would go from 0 to unable to breathe in 2.5 minutes.  This picture, is after our first 10K across the bay bridge.  Thats right, the 2.5 mile incline followed by 4 more miles didn't beat me!

  

Here is the thing, AdvoCare is offering a nationwide challenge with coaching starting on Jan 7th.  Say Yes and see what can happen!  

www.advocarecollins.com

ants on ice

From Oct 29- 

This is where we were sitting.  Anna and Elsa looked a bit like ants moving quickly around.  When we got to the stadium, we kept climbing higher and higher and higher.  I guess, when you wait until 2 weeks before Disney on Ice comes to town, you have to either pay a FORTUNE, or you have the last resort seats.  B. and I questioned whether it was worth it.  Then, the lights went out and A. started singing every song. No question, she was happy.  I had K. on my lap because I was worried that he tumble the thousands of feet to his death.  I wanted to see K.'s face so I put my phone in selfie mode and started snapping away...

I call that a win for procrastination.

trustworthy

From Oct 23-

 I have realized in the past month and a half that my kids are getting older.  Though, I still want to write and have them know what it is like now, for us as their parents, I realize that more and more of the stories are theirs.  Sometimes, it's not fair for me to share.  That is what has been going on for the past few months.  Unfortunately, our kiddos had to face some adult things.  They had to be older and bigger than they should.  But today, today her resiliency in combination with hard work was rewarded.

This girl that sometimes can drive me crazy because of her need to be in charge and in the know about everything was rewarded for trustworthiness.  She was rewarded for being a girl that a teacher can rely on and a person that will take care of her classmates.  She, I have come to realize, is growing up to be a beautiful, fantastic, girl that I and others can trust. I have never been happier to be her mama! 

one rainy day

Sometimes girls just need to pamper.  Sometimes, when our friends are unable to play and mommy really wants to spend time with me, we turn a rainy day into a day of fanciness.  We get all dressed up with no place to go...

Then, K. gets angry that he isn't included and jumps in on all the pictures...

a stark contrast

In stark contrast to K.'s first team sport, A.'s first team sport was amazing.  Yes, being 2.5 years older may make some sort of a difference.  What we weren't prepared for though, was the competitiveness of the other parents.  We, B. K., and I, all went to the first practice.  We just wanted to watch our girl for a bit.  I went in my running clothes with the misguided plan that I could watch for a few minutes and then run for the remaining 40.  Well, apparently, the culture is that we sit and watch.  Though, I get it that we don't want to leave our little girls in the hands of a stranger, I wasn't prepared for how involved that we must be.

  I have never watched or participated in a game of field hockey.  I didn't even know how many people were on the field at once.  However, some of the parents that have older kids are very knowledgable about the sport.  They are also very opinionated on when, where, and how their little girls are playing.  They did not go into the season thinking, "they will learn how to work as a team."  They did not plan on celebrating learning to hold a stick or stay on their side of the field.  They wanted to win.  

Well, here we go world, pink power is apparently in it to win it.  Hopefully, we will learn a few other things while we are at it.  I did learn that I won't be spending my M. and W. nights running as planned...

pictures are a farse

From September

See this kiddo running off the field.  Doesn't it make you think that 3 year olds playing soccer is the best idea ever?  Doesn't it make you think that they all love it?

FALSE!!!

K. BEGGED to play soccer.  He spends hours and hours kicking the ball in our backyard.  He can follow it and shoot it into a goal with no problem.  When he got his shin guards, he would not take them off for a week.  He slept in them, ate in them, and threw a fit everyday when I refused to let him wear them to school.  

Apparently, all 3 year olds, love soccer and look very cute and adorable in their pictures forcing parents to put them on a team.  Then, they think all children are trying to steal the ball from them or that it isn't nice to kick it away from other children.  They require adults to physically put them on the field.  K took all of the times that we tried to teach him to share and confusingly threw it back in our faces.  When he wasn't crying and running away from the ball, he was doing this...

One particular game, he was playing against one of our very best friend's daughters.  He was very engaged for the first 3 minutes (the game is only 30).  Then, little M. was running at him with the ball.  "Kick it K."  We were yelling.  He immediately turned to us, began crying, and ran away.  The next 27 minutes were pure hell.  Do we let him leave a game?  Do we let him quit or do we force him to stay until the game is over.  His saint of a coach tried carrying him.  We first tried giving a hug and then turning him back around, we tried,"K., you can't sit here with us until the game is over."  We were so close to going the bribery route when we realized how ridiculous that we sounded.  OK kiddo, today isn't the day.  We will go home.  But, when we sign up for something, we don't quit.  We keep trying because our team needs us.  When we got home, both B. and I were frazzled.  K. was exhausted.  After his nap, I asked him again what happened.  "I didn't want to take the ball from her.  I love her."

OK, so soccer for 3 year olds is no fun, but compassion from my 3 year old is awesome.

lack of options

Sometimes, we miss living around lots of options.  We miss eating out at eclectic resturaunts with more choices than Taco Tuesday or even more odd, food while bingo is being played.  What?  We miss driving across the street to Target vs. driving the 22 miles that it takes now (though, with all the lights, it may take the same distance.  But, when A. wanted to get her ears pierced for her birthday, this lack of options led us .... here

Who doesn't want their kiddo at a tatoo parlor before the age of 7?  

I don't know why, but she was a bit scared when she entered and this gentleman with holes in his ears the size of a doggie door greeted her.  When she started crying, he had the nice young lady that he had previously pierced over 30 times come in to reassure her that it only hurts for a second.  Agian, why doesn't every mother want their kiddo at a tatoo parlor before the age of 7??

However, once he did one ear, she started lauging.  "This didn't hurt, I knew that I should have trusted him."

So, a lack of options may have taught my little one a few extra lessons...

a forgotten post

I was looking through some pictures and stumbled upon this fantastic adventure that I forgot to write about.  It was during our whirlwind close to the summer.  A.'s birthday party, trip to NY, and trip to Williamsburg were all in 1 week.  We pretty much crammed a summer worth of fun into one very expensive yet awesome week.  We met B's side of the family in Williamsburg so they could experience the thrill junkies that are our children.  We all had a blast.

On our way back to the hotel, we saw how unbelievably close we were to Colonial Williamsburg.  History is one of B.'s favorite subjects and A. has just finished all of the Felicity American Girl series.  Obviously, we had to stop for a bit.  We parked the minivan in the parking garage with about 32 other minivans and started walking.  

 

The first stop was this horse.  It obviously was Penny, the horse that Felicity wanted in her books.  15 minutes we dragged them away to head to the little shops etc. B. had it pulled up on his phone since we weren't exactly sure where to go.  We walked about 5 minutes and I began to question him.  We reconsulted with the app and both agreed to keep going.  5 more minutes and I started to carry K.  We considered turning around to go get the van but decided, "how much farther could it be?"  Well, the app then had us start tredging up the interstate.  REALLY... Our X on the map was getting closer and closer and there is no turning back now.  

So, we tredged up the interstate with cars whizzing past.  We called Gramps to the rescue.  He, whom left the hotel 45 minutes after us, was already glancing at the old homes and storefronts.  He got his car from the parking garage, came and picked us up.  Three of us loaded in the back seat sans car seats, and Daddy hopped in the trunk.  We rode for the 2 mile trek back to... the same parking garage where we parked our car.

Fun, better late than never:)

tricks

This guy is becoming quite the big man. 

He is full of personality and keeps us laughing.  Sometimes for good, sometimes in mischief.  Regardless, I need to write some quirks down so that I don't forget them....

1) Nopey-- Nopey joined our family a few months ago.  Nopey is his imaginary friend.  Here are Nopey and Kaleb riding the balloon ride at Busch Gardens.  Yep, Nopey is buckled in for safety.

This is a picture of the curtains sitting on top of the toy box.  "Why?" you ask.  I asked the same question.  Well, Nopey was apparently climbing up the curtains and got stuck.  K. had to help him down.  Funny, the curtains could not hold Nopey and K.

2) Tricks- Whenever we are driving, K. likes to play "tricks."  He will say ,"Look Mom, there is a gorilla in a tree."  I then have to dramatically say, "where".  He repeats the question and then this time he will say, "tricked ya."  Some of my favorites are a peanut butter sandwich running down the road, a dinosaur climbing the water tower, a pig flying over the car, or a snake crawling on his feet.  

3.  Singing-- A. has always been a singer.  She sings everything.  K.  not so much.  But now, he sings everywhere.

  

"If the double doesn't like it he can sit on a tack, sit on a tack and stay."  I think it was supposed to be a verse from "This Little Light of Mine."  Close...

4. Awesome pants.  What qualifies awesome pants?  Well, anything that is mesh and elastic.  Anything that makes him look like he is ready to go to the gym.  He doesn't care if they are with button up shirts or T shirts as long as they are, "awesome"  

sometimes I feel like a champ, sometimes I don't

It was raining last night.  This morning, I woke up and just knew that we would have a morning off of soccer and field hockey.  I let the kids lounge in bed.  We make home made granola and watched Monsters Inc.  It was 8:45 and I realized that the soccer coach never sent out a message.  Hhmmm, maybe it wasn't cancelled after all.  A quick text to one of the other moms... nope.  Soccer game is about to begin.  Well, we won't make that but that means we need to get into gear to make it to field hockey.  Everyone starts moving around and A. is screaming, "where is my uniform."  I search through every single drawer and laundry basket.  Oh great, it's in the washing machine where it has been for over 24 hours.  It's wet and it smells like mildew.  Lovely.  Quick hand wash and I toss it into the dryer.  We now have 15 minutes until we need to be in the car.  K. is running around looking for his forever missing shoe.  A., thankfully the helper, is filling up water bottles.  1 minute to go and I give up on the shoe and put him in his old broken shoes.  I pull the clothes out of the dryer.  Well, damp uniform it is.  

We all run to the car and see this...

Yep, 15 miles until empty.  The game is about 14.9 miles away.  Today, I am not a champion.

a doll girl

There are so many ways that A. acts older than her age.  There are so many times that I have higher expectations of her than I should.  But, when it comes to dolls, she is a little girl.  Maybe it is that she can be a little mommy and the doll won't talk back.  I don't know the reason, but I know that I love it.  

After Christmas, we read Kirsten and Felicity American Girl books.  They were the 2 dolls that I had when I was a kid.  After we finished the books, She got to have my dolls.  She loved those 2 so much and much to my chagrin, played with them until their hair was in knots and their accessories were unorganized.  Oh the shame!  We decided that we would read the other books and then when we went to NY on her birthday trip, she could pick out her own doll.  Nice intentions, but, do you know how many historical dolls that there are now?  We made it through 1 more set of books and that is it.  

She picked Rebecca, the doll from 1914 that is from NY city.

When I called to schedule our reservations, the operator asked me if I was scheduling for a child's birthday or an adult birthday.  Seriously?  I love some American Girl, but, I repeat, seriously?  They also assured me that there was plenty of doll seating.  

Finally, the cake.  Unfortunately, the expectation of cake took over most of A.'s meal.  But, I think the anticipation was worth it!

That is one happy girl leaving with her new doll.  And, one happy momma to be able to finally get my dolls straight again.  Maybe birthday parties for adults isn't so strange after all.  

a dream come true

Day 2 in NY was a sharp contrast to day 1.  This little one was fascinated!  She has had an odd obsession with the Statue of Liberty since she was 2 years old.  She used to watch a power point presentation that I randomly found that just cycled pictures of The Lady Liberty to patriotic music.  I would put it on repeat and she was engaged for at least 15 minutes.  That was a long time in the life of my then 2 year old!

Waiting in anticipation.  As we got closer, she just kept saying, "WOW!"  and "She is beautiful!"

 While we were there, they hand out free walking tour guides to wear and listen.  Stacy and I listened to the first section then got bored once a woman in her raspy voice started speaking of emotion of her grandmother coming to Ellis Island. A.  on the other hand, was attentive to hers the entire trip.  She was answering the  multiple choice questions and lecturing the grown ups on our listening skills.

 Obviously, when in the company of the Statue of Liberty, you must stand like the Statue of Liberty.

And, when the creep man with a plastic face approaches you, you must dress have a picture taken. 

She decided that she wants to be the Statue of Liberty for Halloween.  Later, when we stopped for lunch, she was in the bathroom for a while.  I went to check on her and she was crying.  Ummm, in NY and crying in the bathroom.  That is scary.  Turns out the toilet paper ran out and she wanted to use the roll to make a torch for Halloween.  However, the tube got wet and it was ruined.  DISASTER!

Thankfully, chopsticks and a promise of a project at home in, lets say October, were a good distraction!  Disaster averted!