Weekends



 We put another great weekend into the books.  On Friday we stayed home and played Skyrim together.  For better or worse, Ryenn is really getting good at playing this game.  She was so excited when she slayed her first dragon.  Maybe someday she will even have the skills for a surgeon?? 



On Saturday we drove the kids to the "Old Library" so they could play on the stairs and see the fountain.  After running around for a bit, we took them to McDonald's for lunch an more running.  They actually climbed into the tunnels this time.  Neither of them have been very adventurous in the play place, so it was a nice change.  In the evening John and I met up with Bryan and his girlfriend Amy for dinner at Toni's Kitchen.  After all of this dieting an calorie counting, that pizza was the most delicious pizza I had ever tasted!  I might have cried if it had just been John and I.  We also went to the movies to watch "The Dark Knight Rises."  It was an excellent movie.  It had our attention from the second it started until the credits began to roll. 

This afternoon we made a trip up Mount Graham.  It was so nice to get out of the heat.  We grilled lunch, played in the sand, and had a water gun fight.  Being able to have family fun is such a blessing.



Look a birdie



The bird, hopping

It got away

Stuck

After having Ryenn and Leah I was miserable.  I hated the way my body did not look like my body.  I was about 25 years old, around 175lbs, and swollen.  My face was chubby....well, you get the idea.  I was never a tiny beauty queen in high school, and always weighed in at a very solid 159.  I was athletic and muscular with what I thought was a lot of fat around my midsection.  Oh how I wish I had embraced it back then.  How reality and experience changes your outlook. 
About 18 months after Leah was born I was still around 170.  I decided enough was enough.  So I started attending Zumba classes.  I will admit that I felt more that a little silly.  There was no, "Learn the moves" session.  You were thrown into the deep end with ladies that had been doing it for years.  They looked like professionals, and I looked like I was five understudies deep.  I was terrible.  Slowly I realized that if I focused on having fun I would be happier.  So, bumbling and fumbling along I attended Zumba classes in the early morning for a year.  I had so much more energy and lost 15lbs. It was great, up until I decided that I was working out so, "Yes, please give me a giant slice of cheese cake," or "Why of course I want that half of the pan of brownies."  Who was I kidding, leave me alone for an hour with a pan of brownies and there will be no evidence of brownies.  That caught up to me.  I even stopped working out for about 4 months.  I finally reached a point where I was not losing or gaining weight. I was just STUCK!

Ingredients for Green Monster
Forgot the banana..ooops

This week I have picked it back up in earnest and I hope to keep it that way.  I really have a lack in self-motivation, but I am planning on announcing every time I mess up and eat chocolate cake (in large quantities mind you).  I have downloaded an app on my iPhone called "Lose it!"  to count calories, keep track of workouts, and maintain my overall eating pattern.  I have resumed Zumba, and have discussed weight loss competition between John and myself. 

I have also been introduced to a smoothie called "Green Monster."  I learned that the oh so delicious creamer that I had been putting in my coffee (in rough tbsp) was 280 calories total.  YIKES.  More than 2 cups of Cocoa Puffs.  Yeah.  So I am going to substitute the Green Monster for my breakfast and my lunch until I go crazy from lack of food, and switch to just breakfast.  I am officially 156 as of today, and hope to lose 10 more pounds.  New tattoo after that.....maybe.

Bottoms up

The Apple and the Tree or whatever

The girls really love playing with our electronics. Most of the time I don't get to use my Kindle because, surprise, one of them is busy making sheep and finding a very hygienic crocodile water. I never have my phone since Ryenn is playing make a princess or angry birds.
Even the computer is a hot commodity in this house.

Leah's new passion is taking pictures. She is going to be just like mom. She uses my phone to capture weird moments in our lives, and for the most part sections of her face. It is adorable watching her run around telling coffee tables to say, "Cheese!" Here is some of her handy work. Enjoy.

"If you start soon enough, you won't have to run to catch up."

This will be a sprint through the last 5 months.  I really can't believe that it has been that long since my last post.  Leah did try and contribute, but once I saw the junk she submitted, I had to revoke her rights. 

With February comes Valentine's day.  I enlisted my partner in crime, Bryan Sears, to purchase some Samuel Adams fancy beer glasses for John.  I don't really know if they make the beer taste better, but he had wanted a set for some time.  Ryenn broke one about 5 minutes after the box was opened.  Oh well...  I also got him a few scary movies to use with his shiny surround sound.  John surprised me with a Kindle Fire!  I love it so much.  It does so many things, and keeps the girls entertained as well.  We went to dinner at the Copper Steer Steak House.  During dinner we glanced out the window and it was snowing!  The flakes weren't even the tiny, mostly wet, snow we usually get.  The snow was sticking to the ground.  It was an awesome present.
In March we celebrated our beautiful Leah's 2nd Birthday!  She had a Ni Hao Kai-Lan themed birthday party.  Our friends and family joined us in our backyard for a BBQ.  We had a wonderful time!

John was fortunate enough to go to Australia for work at the end of April for two weeks.  He got so see some really amazing sights, and every hotel that he stayed in was right on the beach!  He is projected to make a return trip next summer, and I am hoping to be able to travel along!!

Ryenn successfully graduated from preschool in the middle of May.  It was such a special moment for us.  Throughout this year she blossomed into a social butterfly.  She made new friends, and learned a great deal.  Her teacher was amazing, and we were truly blessed that Ryenn was able to have a terrific first school experience with her.  We are waiting to hear if she can test into kindergarten this year.  She misses the age cut off by two weeks.  The testing is to be scheduled this month!  She has also decided to play AYSO soccer this year.  I hope she sticks with it.

June brought a beautiful flower to us!  Our wonderful friend Mariah and adorable NatalieBug came down to adopt a beautiful new baby girl.  We enjoyed each and every moment that we had with them.  My girls love Mariah, and now every baby they see is Natalie or Madeline.  We are looking forward to seeing them on their home turf for vacation soon.

John's brother Daniel was married on June 3.  He joined his family with Christina Wilson and her 4 children.  They had a lovely out door wedding.  I was asked to help them capture their special day by impersonating a photographer.  I just hope they don't regret their decision. HA!

John and I also went on vacation with Ron and Brigette to Hawaii!  I had never been, and I will never forget the awesome opportunity.  The island is beyond beautiful, and we had a fantastic time.  We drove the "Road to Hana," and Brigette and I took turns getting sick.  We snorkeled near Molokini and Turtle Town.  The luau we went to was at the fabulous Marriott. 

So there it is.  The last couple of months as quickly as possible!  I am hoping to keep up a little better in the future!

The Birthday Gift

Just wanted to share a few pics of John's surround sound system.  He is so adorable when he nerds up!  I love the kid at Christmas look that he gets when he plays with his electronics.  I love how patient he is with Ryenn when she is trying to "help" set things up.  I love this guy!  He deserves all he wants and more!

(Sorry about the quality of the photos.....apparently my iPhone won't let me edit my pics after I upload them to my computer.....really need to fix that!)