Review: Bumbo Seat

Some of you are probably thinking, "What in the world is that?". Well, to any new parent, it is one of the latest "every cool parent has one of these" items. Here is a picture of Kara in hers. This picture has the optional tray on it, but if you want to see a picture without it, you can look at this post.

The reason I bring this up is because a friend at church, Rita, asked me the other day what I thought about mine and if she should get one for her grandson. I have mixed emotions on this, so I'm curious as to what some of you blog readers have to say as well.

First, this Bumbo seat was not available when Levi was this age, so Kara is my first experience with it. I first tried to put Kara in it when she was about 2 months because I thought she would enjoy sitting up. It never occured to me that the reason that they don't sit up yet is because their bodies can only hold their heads up for so long. I started using it again at about 4 months when her head got stronger, although, again, she could only support her head for so long.

Now at 6 months (and on the brink of sitting unassisted), it finally seems to be doing "it's job". She can sit in it for 15 - 30 minutes while Levi and I play. So, I was happy we had gotten it until she almost flipped out of it yesterday trying to reach a toy. Oh well. I've had friends use it with their older children as an alternative to a booster seat with the attached tray. We aren't there yet, so I can't comment. In reality, as soon as the girl is on the move, there is no way she will sit in a seat (at least from my experience with Levi).

Here is what I decided: I paid $10 for mine at a yard sale (then I received the $10 tray as a gift). For $20, I feel that we have gotten our money's worth. However, they retail for $40(!) and with the tray, that is a $50 investment. Definitely not worth it in my book, but maybe someone else has had better luck. Please comment!

As a side note, we probably would have spent $500 on Kara's swing - we couldn't live without it!!!

Skinny Thighs

We just lowered Kara's crib and I hadn't gotten the bumper put in yet. I looked in her room during her nap and saw this - poor thing! We find out on Friday if she has gained enough weight - she's gained some, but hopefully it will be more in line with her height!

Question for the Day

So, I am researching two things right now and I thought I would throw them out to blog world and see if anyone has any comments/suggestions/recommendations on the following:

1. Roomba. This past weekend, our Life Group got into a discussion about these amazing little machines. Jenn has one (actually two) and she almost had me convinced to go out and buy one that night. They have also been a topic of conversation at Garet's work as well. As I've mentioned before, I would like to hire a housekeeper, so why not start with an electronic one! I have yet to hear a negative review, so if you have any thoughts on the issue, please let me know!

2. iPOD vs. iTOUCH. I desperately need a new MP3 Player and with the recent turn of events regarding my birthday trip, I decided I needed to at least spend a little money on myself to ease the pain of turning 30. So, I just started looking around and was pretty much convinced I would just get a new iPOD (80 GB), but then my co-worker Josh walks into the office with the iTOUCH (8 GB). I have to admit, it looks pretty fun. So, I'm stuck. Realistically, I think I should probably stick to the iPOD, but if you have an opinion, share away!

Jenn has a couple of iPODs as well and she has also convinced me to buy a pair of Lucky Jeans (and we both have boys named Levi!!), so apparently I want to be just like Jenn lately. :)

Why a parent should never have high expectations when getting their child's picture taken

The difference is frustration. The lower your expectations, the easier it is to handle portrait situations like this:

Kara decided she was scared of the camera and cried the whole time she was getting her pictures taken and Levi always has some interesting "poses". Actually, Levi did great and gets a big kudos from me for being so patient with his sister. We didn't get a good picture of the kids together (even though I bought some!), but there were a couple of decent ones of them individually. If you only knew how much work it took to get that smile on Kara!!!

How cute are these?

First, this is why I'm so happy I have a girl:

They were only $6 at Target, so I couldn't resist.

Second, Lightening McQueen is probably Levi's hero. The boy has anything and everything relating to the movie Cars: T-shirts (plural), jacket, underwear, pull-ups, stickers, books, magnets, lunchbox, shake-n-go car, probably around 30 of the hot wheel size cars, flashlight, poster, cups, movie...I could go on. So, when I saw these, it was a must buy in my book:

I unfortunately paid $16 for them and then saw them for $10 at Wal-mart! So, that's your tip for the day.

Don't ask me about global warming...

...ask my dad. He's the guru. His accomplishments in this area are too numerous to list in this post, but you can read about him here. Unless you were born yesterday, you might have noticed that there is...how shall we say it...a little "controversy" in this field of science, so my dad deals with lots of hostility. Amazingly, through it all, my dad has always taken the high road. He doesn't accept money from any group and has always displayed the utmost integrity when facing his opposition. I think I would have punched a few people in the face by now, but not my dad.

The reason I bring him up is because Mike Wallace (of 60 minutes), released a book last week titled: The Way We Will Be 50 Years from Today: 60 Of The World's Greatest Minds Share Their Visions of the Next Half-Century. Guess who one of those 60 Greatest Minds was? That's right, my dad. So, here is a little shout out to him. I, of course, already knew he had a great mind, but to me he's just my dad and now....grandpa.

Mini Van Ammo

In response to my #1 item on this post, Mary Ann sent me the video below. I'm hoping this will help my quest to own one!

Mary Ann wanted me to be clear that she does not endorse mini vans. I'm beginning to think I'm just alone on this one.

In case you think we hadn't noticed

When we arrived home from Maryland in February, Levi and I had a little conversation that went like this:

Levi: Mommy, the giraffe can't see

Alison: Levi, it is time to get in bed

Levi: No, the giraffe can't see

Alison: What are you talking about?

Levi: Look, the giraffe can't see!

I finally figured out that he was talking about the giraffe bank on his shelf in his room. When I looked up, I saw it.

What you see is a Christmas tissue box holder. You may be thinking, what in the world? Let me enlighten you.

Several years ago, a good friend of mine who will remain nameless, acquired this item at a women's dinner at our church. Soon after, it found it's way to another one of our friends homes. And then another and then another. With each passing, the game got a little more entertaining and a little more creative. This probably began about 4 years ago. Since this isn't just my story to tell, I want everyone who has had the tissue box to share how they acquired it and how they passed it along. I know I've forgotten some along the way, so I'm looking forward to re-living some memories!

And finally, Life Group beware...the tissue box will surface again...just wait! That's the last time we let you come to our house unsupervised :)!! I'm still impressed Levi saw it immediately. Here's his room so you can get a better perspective (his tent bed wasn't there at the time).

Alison's Birthday Vacation, Take 3

Well, after several frustrating weeks of trying to get the flights to the Dominican Republic worked out, I've officially given up. I can't write too much about that because I seriously might cry about it. My only solace is that we can go next year. Since I'm absolutely determined to celebrate my birthday outside of Alabama (albeit a few months late), we made a quick decision to spend the weekend in San Antonio. It's been one of those places that has always been on my list, I just haven't made it a priority. While I'm super sad about not getting that "week away", I'm starting to get more excited the more I look up. We decided to take the kids, because I just couldn't go to Sea World without them. So, here's a conversation Levi and I had yesterday:

Alison: Levi, do you want to fly in an airplane to Texas and see some big fish?

Levi: Ummm, do the fish talk?

Alison: No

Levi: Can I sit by the window?

Alison: Yes

Levi: OK

He cracks me up. Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions of things not to miss besides the Alamo, RiverWalk and Sea World, please comment. Our friends, Josh & Holly and their cutie Jude are going to meet us up there, so if you are interested, e-mail me and I'll give you the details.

On a side note, it was a beautiful weekend, so we got the kites out.

Good Friends

Have you ever had one of those times when you are just so humbled to have such good friends? Last night was one of those nights for me. Our friends, Jim & Jaime, leave tomorrow(!!!) to go meet their 3 children in Columbia, so myself and several of our friends threw an "adoption party" for them last night. We showered Jaime with gifts for their new children since they will be picking them up with only the clothes on their backs, which basically means, they need EVERYTHING (times 3!).

What I witnessed last night was beautiful. These ladies just gave and gave. I've been to so many showers where everyone tries to make everything all "perfect" and people try to "out do" everyone else with the gifts (including the wrapping!) that they give. Not last night. People gave out of an overflow of pure joy for what the Boyachek's will soon be experiencing. There was no trying to impress everyone, just to surround Jaime with love. It was such a blessing to me!!

I am so thankful for the girls pictured below. You displayed Christ's love for us in an amazing way last night! I'm a lucky girl to have them as friends.

The new mommy - Jaime & me (...and the pretty cool looking lampshades)

The end result - Amazing!

30 Days of 30

I've officially been 30 for 30 days now, so I thought I would list 30 things that I hope to see (as the song goes) "in my next 30 Years". You've already read 100 things about me currently, but this is forward thinking only. These aren't necessarily goals (although some are), but they also include hopes, dreams and just random thoughts regarding my future from age 30 to 60.

1. Own a mini van. I want one really bad, but Garet says we can't until we have more than two kids, which leads me to #2.
2. Add one maybe two kids to our family. Not sure how we will expand our family - birth or adoption.
3. Celebrate 37 years of marriage with my best friend, Garet. I haven't spent a lot of time talking about him on here, but I honestly am one of the luckiest girls in the world. As cliche as it sounds, he really is my better half and I am a better person because of him.
4. Have enough money saved for retirement so that we can retire early. We are seriously stuck on this number in the Dave Ramsey plan. We need motivation if we are going to see this come to fruition.
5. Be a part of my children coming to know the Lord in their own time and watch them be baptized.
6. Get another degree in business - maybe finance. maybe accounting. Those both interest me. I've learned from my dad that it is never too late to get another degree!
7. Travel, travel and do more travel. I probably don't save enough for retirement because I have to save monthly for my travel habit. As I've mentioned before, this is a hobby. I really hope that I will have all 50 states in the next few years.
8. Visit at least 6 continents (I can skip Antarctica because I'm too much of a planner and I'm not sure I could handle not knowing whether or not we could fly in on any given day). Of particular interest to me are Africa (because my parents lived there for 2 years), Hong Kong (where my cousins grew up) and Australia (just because). Of course, there are 100's of places to add to that list (mostly due to the Amazing Race), but that's what I'll put for today.
9. Learn to sew. I'm not afraid to just jump in and try things, so this is something I stumble through, but I would like to be good at it.
10. Be present for my children's weddings. I love the fact I'll get to be a mother of the groom and a mother of the bride. I know they will be completely different scenarios.
11. Follow that with becoming a grandparent (God-willing they will be in that order), which is hard to visualize with two young kids right now!
12. Move somewhere new. Garet has only lived in Alabama and I would love to experience a new state (or country) with him. We dream of someday living on the ocean.
13. Actually finish a scrapbook. I have too many ideas and so I start new ones before I finish the old ones.
14. Maybe have a job in finance or accounting (see #6)
15. Go on a cruise. This really could go under travel, but it seems like it is something I'm always trying to plan, but never really do. Not sure why. I have extreme motion sickness, so maybe it's better that I haven't been, but I'd like to see for myself, good or bad.
16. Renovate a house, top to bottom. I love seeing houses completely transformed. Of course, this would not be while we have young children at the house and I would have to have the full support of my husband. I'm not allowed to talk about this for at least a year though - Garet has grounded me from discussing any and all home improvement projects after our current flooring job.
17. Learn to ski downhill without snowplowing every corner. I can keep the skis parallel at the cross sections, but I freeze up on the turns and turn the ends in every time. Therefore, it takes me an eternity to get down a slope!
18. Have a true friendship with my children. I know they are young, but I'm hoping this is something I can begin to experience now.
19. Tailgate at more Auburn Football Games. I have no desire to buy an RV with all the fixins, but there is nothing better than hanging out on the plains in Orange & Blue on a beautiful fall day grilling hot dogs and spending time with friends. We really want the kids to experience this growing up since we have so many great memories at Auburn. War Eagle!
20. Teach aerobics. I figure if I'm going to go to the gym anyways, why not get paid for it. I'm really not sure why I haven't pursued this yet. Must be a time thing. As you are reading, there are a lot of things I want to do.
21. Overcome my fear of flying. Thankfully this fear has not stopped me from traveling, but it still terrifies me and I wish it didn't.
22. See every member of my church in a Life Group. I honestly believe that God has given each of us a need to surround ourselves with other people who can walk through this life with us (even introverts). I struggle to understand why people don't exercise this need and prefer to stay in the confines of their own home/life.
23. Read more. I loved to read growing up - I read all the time. I am sure this is just a priority issue and so hopefully one of these days I will make it one.
24. Become a better public speaker. A regret from college is that I didn't take Comm100. I'm too wordy, don't make clear points and I'm a "low talker". Knowing my weaknesses is a start, right!?!
25. Complete a tri-athalon. This doesn't have to be long, in fact, a sprint one will suffice. I had this as a goal last year, but then had an awful pregnancy with Kara and this was put on hold. So, as long as I do it in the next 30 years, I'll be happy.
26. Be positive. I have a hard time being positive. I don't like hanging around negative people, so I contradict myself. I'm slowly coming around, but it will take time.
27. Hire a housekeeper. I've decided that I just need to do this at some point.
28. Do mission work in a third world country. I know that I don't fully realize how good I have it.
29. Go on more dates with my husband. Having children can hinder this at times. It seems that every time we get a babysitter, it is to do things with other people. I need to make this a priority.
30. Maintain my weight. So far, I have been pretty fortunate with a decent metabolism, but I know this will not last, so I need to make sure I keep up with it.

This post was supposed to go out yesterday, but it took me a lot longer to do than I thought. I usually limit my blog writings to 10-20 minutes, but I figured this one needed a little more thought. These items are in no particular order, just what came out of my head.

Now it's your turn. What do you want to see in your future?

That There's an RV!

Happy Birthday, Mom! No, my mom is not an RV, but that has been a joke in our family for years and I could think of no better title.

Today my Mom turns another year older and I wanted to share with you a few things that I have inherited from my mom.

1. A love for homemade chocolate chip cookie dough. Though my dad (and now Garet) constantly warn of salmonella (which is a valid point), there is nothing better!


2. Curly Hair. In case you missed the post, you can view it here.


3. Love for Travel. My earliest memories are of our family piled in the station wagon traveling in the car for days. She has 49 states...only Alaska to go! And, she's going to China this summer making that continent number 4 for her.


4. Attention to detail. My mom leaves nothing "halfway" done.


5. Height. We are both tall women. I used to hate my height, but when you are married to someone who is 6'2", I rarely think about it.


6. We are both extroverts in that we get our energy from being around people. In other words, we love a good party.


7. Traditions. It is hard to break one in our family as they are deep-seated. I find myself doing the same thing in my family.


8. Love of Holidays. We get something from my mom every single holiday of the year.


9. The need to be in charge. If you know us, you know what I mean. This can be good and bad.


10. Crafty. Whereas her medium is quilting and mine is scrapbooking, we were always doing some type of craft project when we were growing up.


11. Keeping in touch with every last person we have ever met. Both of our Christmas Card lists are ridiculously long, but we love people!


12. Love for the Lord. My parents were there when I became a Christian and were faithful to raise me in a loving home. I want the same for my children.
    

Since I know her grandkids are about the best thing in the world to her, this one is for her. Happy Birthday Mom! Love you.

And, what it takes to get a picture of them both these days:

Laundry Lament

I have always been somewhat OCD when it comes to laundry (seriously). I joke about it often, but I really go to some ridiculous lengths to have all of my clothes (and now my husbands and children's) a certain way. I'm really not sure when it started. I never did laundry growing up and so I think my first experience with it was the summer before I left for school when I realized that I knew nothing. So, all of this transpired somewhere down on the plains of Auburn...

Clothes are all hung and folded a certain way...and I fold EVERYTHING - including matching and folding socks and underwear. Once they go into the closet or drawer, it continues. Clothes are hung by season and size (for the kids) and are rotated as they are worn (see why I said seriously above!!). Socks are sorted by color and style in my drawers. All of my hangers are navy (a carryover from my college days), Garet's are white, Levi's are boy toddler colors, Kara's are girl toddler colors and my maternity clothes (when needed) are on green hangers. If the appropriate hanger is not available in the laundry room, they can be hung to dry on a different color hanger, but then I have to change them out before they go into the closet. I'm having a breakdown as I read how ridiculous this sounds!!!

As you might imagine, doing laundry is no simple task in my house and it is quite a lengthy process. Since time has become a premium to me with two children, I have decided that I must change my laundry habits. Last week, I did something that I have never done (no joke) - I left the underwear unfolded and then I put it straight into the drawer in a heaping mess. It pains me to type that, but I feel that it will save me so much time. I still get a little antsy thinking about how this is going to mess up the rotation, but it is something I have to do.

Garet was thrilled to say the least. He is of the opinion that you really don't have to fold anything - just hang up (on whatever hanger is available) what you don't want wrinkled. He quickly said to stop matching and folding the socks, to which I replied, "One step at a time...I can't overwhelm myself!". I really hope I can keep this up - it did save time. On a side note, I don't fold sheets and this is probably the one thing Garet thinks should be folded. They are just too big. Sigh.

You really need to read this

I don't remember how long I've been reading this blog, but if you don't have it on your reader, you need to add it. This is an amazing love story. I'll warn you...you can spend hours reading his stuff-it is that good. And, crying is a given!

No Modesty

Today we went to a birthday party for Levi's friend, Kayley (in the purple suit - Happy Birthday!). It was a nice day, so Darrell got out the Slip-N-Slide. (Side Note: We got one of these last summer...it is not as easy as it was when you were 8). Levi has always been a skinny little guy and pants never fit him (thank goodness we can finally buy adjustable waist pants!!! ). Unfortunately, that was the case today and we ditched the suit and he goes on and plays in his pull-up the rest of the afternoon.

Here's where it gets entertaining. As I said earlier, we have started potty training. This has been a learning experience for me two-fold. 1) Trying to teach a toddler how to know when to go the bathroom and 2) Exactly how this process works for a male (it is not something I see everyday!). So, I'm trying my best to figure out how to transition Levi from sitting down to standing up. My friend Jenn recommended that we take Levi outside so you don't have to worry about "aim" at first. What a great idea!! So today, since we were already outside and Levi has to go to the bathroom, we go to the edge of the woods, I hold up a towel (he prefers to always have the door closed at home) and wait. Nothing. Thinking he doesn't have to go, I drop the towel, he turns around and faces all the onlooking spectators and lets her go. Gotta love it. At least he went standing up, right?

Any other suggestions? I'm all ears. I need to try Cheerios in the toilet tomorrow.

If you didn't figure it out

So the mysterious man was our own Richard Buckley...I know some of you had to think about it. I honestly didn't recognize him the first time I saw the picture below! Richard is the interim minister at our church and if you haven't noticed, we like to have a little fun around the office. I'm pleased to say that I am now the proud owner of those red suspenders (that were worn by Richard to staff meeting today), but I "accidentally" left them in Jan's office. Oops!

I still haven't figured out why Richard keeps wearing them...especially in this photo taken last month! You would think with 4 girls at home, they wouldn't have let him wear them out today! He must put them on after he leaves the house.

Guess Who?

This post is for the locals. Do you know who this is? He he he. I just couldn't resist! However, I don't think I have any "tolerance" for the suspenders!

One blessing after another

I've mentioned our friends Jim & Jaime to you a few times, but I wanted to give you a little history. We met them a couple years ago when they moved to the area. They visited our church and I ran after them into the parking lot (literally - they were halfway to their car) and told them that they needed to be in our Life Group. It worked (in other words, I didn't scare them), and we became fast friends. They are one of those couples that we just hit it off with immediately. Jim is in the firework business, although I really thought he was kidding at first. He is the big marketing guy for a national fireworks company and is a great guy to know during the 4th of July. I'm still upset with him for not letting me be in his commercials, but anyways. He is fantastic with children and Levi would literally walk off with him and forget about us - Jim is a big kid. Jaime is a nurse and I am convinced nurses (almost) all have a genuine gift of helping others. Jaime is no exception. She is a great listener and we had a fun time rooming together at a women's retreat and also hauling laminate flooring through Lowe's (sorry Jim, had to throw that one in there).

For the past year and a half, they have been on a journey to adopt a sibling group from Columbia. There have been lots of mountain top and valley experiences along the way, but today they finally got their travel date - and it's only two weeks away!! Jaime was able to post pictures of their three (yes, three!) kids now. Go show them some blogging love - I know they are on cloud nine!!! We love you Jim & Jaime and can't wait to see a picture of the 5 of you together! You are going to make great parents!

When I thought the day couldn't get any better, Bill & Melodie were finally able to post this. So exciting!!!

Keep praying for both of these families as they persevere through what is undoubtedly a stressful time.

Knock Knock

Levi: Knock, Knock, Who's There?
Alison: Daddy?
Levi: Daddy Who....Garet!

They pick up on everything! I love it...most of the time.

Warehouse Junkie

For those of you who have been around me anytime in the last few years, know that I am a self proclaimed "Warehouse Junkie". I just can't help myself. It all started at Sam's and then on to Costco (an "executive" member I might add). Why I am drawn to these stores, I do not know, but let me tell you about some of the best deals we have had and why you should check them out yourself.

1. Milk. In our house, we drink milk like water. At its peak, we were drinking 4 gallons a week (you read that right). We are down to just over 2 gallons a week now. At typically $1 less a gallon than most grocery stores, this easily pays for our (OK, my) warehouse habit.
2. Clothing. I can not resist the children's clothing at these fine establishments. At $5 - $7 for Carters outfits and pajamas compared to $10-$12 at other stores, who can pass up the opportunity to buy a new one every time you go to the store? As long as I don't buy twice as many, I'm saving money, right?
3. Costco diapers. Easily the best "store-brand" diapers out there. If you haven't tried them, do. You can thank me later.
4. Gas. While occasionally under-cut by our local Kangaroos, consistently the cheapest in town.
5. Flooring. You might have recalled me mentioning our 3 month flooring expedition. It is still-ongoing (although the last pieces were clicked in last night!) - updates soon. Anyway, we got an amazing deal on laminate for $23/box (including foam). We were crazy not to give this flooring a try - by the way, we love it.
6. Tires. I must admit that we did not shop around on this, but we got a new set of tires on my CR-V for what seemed like a reasonable price. A few months later, we got a flat on the way to Nashville. We took the car in to Sam's and they replaced the tire free of charge. WOW! This might happen other places, but it impressed me.
7. Pictures. If you are willing to stand in the store and order your pictures, Sam's has the best price - I've shopped around. However, their on-line program stinks and I don't have time to stand in the store with two kids. So, I recently switched to Snapfish because they store your pictures indefinitely. It was a hard break-up though.
8. Weight Benches. I know nothing about this other than Garet said we got a great deal on this.
9. Books & Cd's - Rarely can you find a better deal if they have what you are looking for.
10. Camera. I blink in almost every picture I take. So, this past Christmas, we were on a quest to find a camera where I wouldn't blink. We searched and searched and finally found one. It was a little more than we wanted to spend, but at least we would have a memory that I existed with my eyes open (seriously). Sam's camera was $70 cheaper than the closest competitor! I thought it had to be a different camera, but it wasn't!
11. Prescriptions. If you haven't tried out the pharmacy, you are spending too much money.
12. Food Court. $2 buys you pizza and a drink. Enough said.
13. Shampoo & Soap. Sure it takes up half of the shower in the extra-large containers, but oh, what a deal!
14. Grapes. Love those Sam's Grapes! Really, fruit in general.
15. Costco Cakes. Mmmmmm
16. Beach umbrella. If you have been to the beach with us in the past few years, you know this is the best umbrella out there...and only $15 I might add.
17. Formula. As long as your kids don't need special stuff, Sam's formula is sooooo cheap. ($20 for a double can!) I just bought some Costco formula (same price) for Kara as we are transitioning to formula. I'll have to let you know my thoughts on this later.
18. Extra-large carts. If you have 2 or more children, this is self-explanatory. You can contain them and still have room to put things!
19. Fertilizer. Again, I know nothing about this, but apparently we save money here.
20. Flowers. Men, you have no excuse here. Flowers are dirt cheap (and amazingly beautiful) - bring your wife home some tonight. It will make your house (and your wife) happy.
21. UPDATE: How could I forget the amazing deal I got on a rental car last month?!?! My mom decided to rent a mini van for our recent 13 hour trip up to Maryland. I shopped around and they ran from $500 - $600 for the week (yikes). At the last minute, I thought to try Costco's travel department. We got the exact same mini van from the exact same supplier (Alamo) for only $300. Can you believe that? $200+ saved. Sweet. Before you go on your next trip, shop Costco Travel.
22. One last one. We used Sam's car buying program to find our used (1 year old) CR-V. We were able to get an extra $500 off the price because we were members. Very nice.

I could go on and on, but those are the first things that came to my mind. In closing, there are a few things that I have not been impressed with in all fairness. They can't seem to keep fresh bread and their Pampers and Cokes are not discounted. Also, as mentioned above, Sam's online photo program stinks. I've only met one other person with a love for Sam's and Costco like myself. Thanks Dustin for defending my love of what might arguably be the best places to shop in the world! Although, IKEA is a challenger.

Could I be any more happy?

Our beloved Carr has started a blog as well. She is sure not to disappoint with useless facts. Although we never lived together in college, everyone thought we did. Along with Joy, she was my maid of honor and has always been my "fun" friend.

Go check out her blog: Carmen's Blog.

Condolences from the Elliptical

Today I went to the gym for the 2nd time since Kara has been born. I learned after I had Levi that it just takes that long, so I haven't felt too bad about my lack of aerobic activity these last 6 months. (Actually, if you are/have been a BFing mommy, you know why - it's just uncomfortable!!)



So, there I am at my favorite machine (the elliptical WITH "arms" - I feel that if I'm going to be in one place for 30 minutes, than I might as well get an arm work-out too!) I quickly type in my info - time, weight, age (30, yikes, there it is again) and get started. Having spent many hours on these machines, I pretty much can tell you where I am as far as calories burned. Up until today, I usually averaged around 200 calories for every 30 minutes (not that I necessarily believe that, but anyways). You can imagine my surprise when I was pushing 150 calories about halfway. Hmmm... Sure enough, I finished the workout at 300 calories. Granted, so I know that I have about 5 more pounds to lose, but do these machines take pity on you when you turn 30?!?!?! Is it there way of saying, "I'm sorry you are getting older, we'll make you feel better by letting you believe you are burning more calories than you really are?" Well, for whatever it's worth, it made me feel better today. Now, if I could just give up chocolate....



One last thing - it had been a while since I'd listened to my MP3 player and so I hadn't looked at my playlist in awhile. I almost shed a little tear when my cousins former band (Hope Dialect) started blasting away....RIP. Any chance for a reunion tour? I put on my HD t-shirt when I got home :).

My Happiness continues!

Another great friend from Auburn, Josh (aka: Norm), has started a blog with his fantastic wife Holly. Josh and Garet roomed together for two years, was his best man, and ate meat like a savage beast. I still can't believe he's a dad!!

Check out their blog: Gibson Groupies

Happy!

My BFF 4-ev from Auburn, twin, and roomate for 3 great years has started a blog!!

Check it out: Joy's Blog

Multi-Tasking Mom

I went to Wal-mart late this afternoon because the kids woke up from their naps early. I often times break my own rule of "never carrying a child through the store" with Kara, because she is, well, Kara. So there I am with Kara in tow, discussing yogurt with Levi and reading the back of a Chili packet. This lady stopped me and said, "I just don't know how you mom's do it". Truthfully, I don't either. I am convinced that God gives mom's supernatural abilities - there is just no other way to explain it.

Actually, today at the store was nothing. Normally, I'm reading my favorite blogs, while feeding Kara, while watching my favorite show on TIVO, while having a discussion with Levi and/or Garet. And somehow, I can keep all those things straight! Whew!