I know- I KNOW!

So, I know I haven't been very good at keeping up on this blog. Most of my extra free time these days is spent doing not so very "free time" like things. Housekeeping, laundry, cooking, homework etc, etc, etc. A few highlights from the last 8 or so months:

Colin started 4th grade and Lilly started 1st. Since BOTH of my kids were going to be in school full time, I decided to apply for a job at the school at the end of the 2011-2012 school year. It was going to be a 2 hour a day position, something I could do while the kids were in school but still keep working out, and hanging out with my friends. BUT I got offered a job with a few more hours each week, which ended up being even a few more than that, since some of the prep time needs to be done at home. SO- my time is a little at a premium these days. I LOVE working, and LOVE being at the kid's school but there are days I miss hanging out in my yoga pants and having morning coffee dates with the girls. 

Christmas was a good one this year. Not a lot of stress and lots of time with family. We got to see the play a few friends were in "A Rented Christmas" and we got to see the Utah Symphony perform with Santa. Both were great experiences and awesome Christmastime family activities. I think the symphony will become a tradition.

Colin got his Bear in scouts. He really likes the scouting program, and I am lucky to be able to help with his Den. Lilly played soccer this fall and really liked it! She had a lot of fun and hopefully she learned a little more about what it is like to be a teammate. 

Seth has been working for a long time on a new game, and we recently found out what it IS and ALL of the family is WAY excited. Look for Disney Infinity out in June. He's worked long, hard hours and we can't wait for the game to be out, so we can have him back! 

Parenting Colin is still tough but we are learning some new tools to help us out- and those also help with Lilly too. Hopefully as he gets older, things will get easier and Mom will stop drinking so much wine. (OK- so I don't drink a LOT of wine. I drink beer and on really bad nights, a few cocktails too)

Lilly lost 3 teeth in 1 week- 1 I pulled, 1 fell out on its own and 1 the dentist had to pull. The tooth fairy was probably sick of coming to our house so often. 

Not much else has happened. We are all just trying to do the best we can with what we have. (There- I updated my blog. Maybe I'll do it again soon!)

I am now a person enjoying the summer

And THAT is why I haven't blogged in a while. (Can you feel a bullet point post coming on? No? Well, you should!)

• The week after Lilly turned 6, a friend of mine and I executed an almost flawless Field Day at the kids school. (The fire/earthquake drill right before hand was NOT part of the stupid plan!!)

•  The same day was Lilly's last day as a Kindergartener. She is now a 1st grader. My how time flies.

• The NEXT day was the last day of school for Colin. HE is now a 4th grader. I went into his classroom for the very last time and got to hang with the kids until the Flag ceremony. They had me sign their yearbooks and their t-shirts (remember doing that?) and we had a lot of fun!

•   We had a fun 1st week of summer vacation. Nothing too serious happened. BUT we did take our first trek to the Sno-Cone Shack on the corner for our weekly Snowie fix. Check one thing off of the bucket list!

• I got older. Quiet, relaxed, dessert filled Birthday, just the way I wanted it. 

• Colin and I went to Cub Scout Day Camp up Millcreek Canyon. We had fun, he got to shoot an arrow and a BB Gun each for the first time! He was so excited- and earned some of his belt loops while we were there. 

• Seth is playing Softball again this year. The team is getting better (since they started practicing) and I think they are all having fun. Only 1win- but that is better than last year!

So far that is how our summer has gone! Days playing outside, swimming and using the slip-n-slide and enjoying  NOT having a schedule to follow. I may post pics soon- but I may not.

I am a woman feeling accomplished!

Just a quick post to brag a little- I made my original weight goal this morning! (Well, technically I made it some time last week, but Monday mornings are my weigh-in day) I am reveling in the accomplishment- and LOVING the "0 pounds to go" ticker over there on the right before I set a new goal. 
(Just so you know- my REAL goal is not a "pounds lost" goal, it is for me to get off my blood pressure medicine. That might be right around the corner- if I can suck it up and go in for a check-up earlier than I need to)

I'm a parent saying "What the Hell?"

It is time once again for a "What the Hell?" post. I've noticed that most of my "WTH?" moments are in sync (no, not that 'N Sync) with the Utah State Legislative session (rolls eyes).

A bill has recently passed in the Utah State House of Representatives requiring schools to teach Abstinence Only sex education classes or NO SEX EDUCATION AT ALL. What the Hell? The man behind the bill says if his granddaughter was taught abstinence only in high school, she wouldn't have been so promiscuous. Um, REALLY? 

Don't you think it was her PARENTS job to teach her not to be a slut? And if they weren't willing to do so, then I think the sex education teacher (or here in Utah the Health teacher) should teach her to use a condom, how to go to Planned Parenthood to get birth control pills. My kids will BOTH know the dangers of unprotected sex. Not only the dangers of becoming a parent as a teenager but the disgusting facts about STD s.  My husband and I will both teach BOTH of them how to use a condom and they will know they can come to us if they have ANY questions about sex or contraception. That is my job as a parent and I would like for it to be reiterated in Health Class. If they have it coming at them from all sides, I will know I've done my job.

I am SO hoping our Utah State Senators are smarter than our House Representatives and they DO NOT pass this bill because I don't have a lot of confidence in our Governor to veto the bill if it lands on his desk. (and BTW- I didn't vote for our current Governor)

I'm the Mom of a 9 year old boy

Colin is 9 years old today! WOW! In the last year he has joined Cub Scouts (and participated in the Pinewood Derby and earned his Wolf), finished 2nd grade, started 3rd grade, gone to LEGOLAND, been in a Wax Museum and been introduced to Drama which he enjoys a lot!

Colin is smart, a good student, funny in his own way and he loves kids that are younger than him (especially babies. He LOVES to make them happy). All, in all he is a kid that never ceases to amaze me, and constantly keeps me on my toes (sometimes not always in a good way but that is how kids are, right?) 

Happy Birthday Colin!

I'm a woman disappointed in her "getting healthy" goals

I know I shouldn't be.....I've lost almost 25 pounds since the end of September and I've worked out in some capacity 5 days a week almost every week since I've started. But it really sucks that I've been working SO hard, using will power that I never thought I had, dropping 1 size in pants and almost 2 sizes in shirts and my body looks the same in pictures. I can only assume I look the same in real life. 

I can tell a difference, my husband SAYS he can tell a difference but I'm pretty sure no one else can. I know it shouldn't matter if anyone else can tell or knows how much I've lost (that is part of the reason I didn't tell anyone I've made these life changes) but it still makes me wonder if it is worth it. Should I keep going if I don't look as good as I feel when the camera flashes? 

OK- pity party over. Go back to whatever it was you were doing.

I'm BAACK- well kinda

I have been pretty busy the last few months and haven't posted well, anything. I have been updating the sidebar with my workout info and occasionally with my dinner for that night. Blogging has been put on hold to make way for volunteering in the kids classes, being Room Mom for my daughter, working out and spending more time with my family amongst other things. 

I have quite a few "What The Hell" posts in my head (even 1 WTF post too) and I DO want to share some of the things we've been up to lately.....I just need to find the time. I've even vowed to take more pictures and start participating in You Capture more often (I got a new camera lens for Christmas!) but I still can't figure out when to do that. 

For now, enjoy my new blog background, my dinner updates and my workout stats.