Get a Room!

This week's photo is a famous one. Ok not really but I like to think so. For the last few years I have bought the Dog Page-a-Day calendar where people send in photos of their dogs. A couple of years ago I sent in this photo of Dakota and Eden and we learned in September of 2006 that we were chosen to be published for the 2007 calendar! We were so excited that we ordered a bunch of the calendars for family for gifts. A month later, we found out that we were expecting our little Tyson. It was all too fitting because in the caption on the calendar, they put a statement about how Eden and Dakota were conspiring for a little brother. So when we got the calendars, I put together a little index card with an ultrasound picture (of Tyson as big as a grain of rice) and the due date. Then I put a post-it on our dogs' page telling them to read it and flip to the back of the calendar. We presented them to our families on Thanksgiving day and it was a huge hit! So now every time I see this photo, I go back to that exciting time.

Early Valentine's Surprise

My sweet husband surprised me today at work with my favorite indulgence ever... chocolate covered strawberries!

Yum!!!

He sure knows how to make me feel special. I love you honey!!

Cora Paige

Today I came across the blog of a family that I don't know and have never met. But after reading the tragic story of the last few weeks, it has made me feel so much more aware of how lucky I am to have such a wonderful family. I realized today that I have been taking for granted my sweet little boy and as soon as I get home tonight I am going to give him the biggest bear hug imaginable. I am going to smother him with kisses and smell his sweet baby smell, thankful that I am able to do that on this night. I cried tears for this family who I have never met... I hurt so badly for them.

If you'd like to know more about the story I am referring to, you can visit the McClenahan's blog here. They recently lost their baby girl Cora and have since started a fundraiser for a playground in her name that you can find out more about at http://www.corapaige.com/.

Playdates Galore!

Playdate #1

A while ago, I was able to connect with Jenny, a good friend from high school I found on facebook. I learned that she had adopted a cute little boy named Nico who is going to turn three this month. A few weeks ago, we arranged to get together with my other good friend Crystal and her baby Jesse. Nico and Tyson had a blast coloring, playing with alphabet letters (which Nico knows ALL OF! Smart kid) and chasing each other around Jenny's house.

Jesse wasn't too keen on getting in on the action, being only 5 months and all, but he liked to observe and smile at everyone! I can't believe how big he's gotten since I posted about his birthday!
While the kids were breaking crayons playing, we reminisced about our high school days and the boys we chased after, the groups we avoided and perused through Jenny's yearbook. It was a blast for the boys and for us as well! Can't wait to do it again.

Playdate #2

After talking about doing one forever, we were finally able to arrange a playdate with Tyson's friend Jordan. So on Sunday our friends Brittany and Glen brought little Jordan over for a play date with Tyson. It had been a year since their last play date (when Tyson was about 7 months and Jordan about 5 months old) and it was amazing to see how much progress each has made. From scooting around last time to chasing each other around this time! Jordan has very distinct facial expressions (i.e. he glares!) as seen below:

After a little time to warm up, Tyson and Jordan got along pretty well. It's a good thing we have two "vehicles" to ride on though, because there could have easily been a brawl.

There were a couple of times when there were issues sharing toys (but don't you expect that with kids their age??) but for the most part they seemed to enjoy playing with each other a lot. Tyson is a hugger and clearly Jordan is a little unsure about this. Guess he'll get used to it if they're going to be friends, huh?!
For some reason, my brilliant child decided he was going to start "jumping". His "jumping" consisted of him squatting down, springing upwards and landing on his butt. Oh well, he'll figure it out, right? (Btw, thanks for the awesome Yellowstone shirt Aunt Jodi!)

As promised...

This week's photo is from one of my favorite places... Moab! If you've never been there, it is definitely one of those places you HAVE to see before you die. It's THAT awesome. So when you do go, make sure you take the book Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey. It is a poetic real life tale of his years as a park ranger in Arches National Park.

"But taking my meal outside by the burning juniper in the fireplace with more desert and mountains than I could explore in a lifetime open to view, I was invited to contemplate a far larger world, one which extends into a past and into a future without any limits known to the human kind. By taking off my shoes and digging my toes in the sand I made contact with that larger world-an exhilarating feeling which leads to equanimity." Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire

Random photo of the week

I haven't been posting a lot lately for a couple of reasons.

1. Working one full time job and one part time job (besides the whole Mom thing, you know) is kinda taxing and at the end of the day I just don't have the energy.

2. Any extra time and attention I have left over automatically goes to Tyson

3. I haven't really had anything that exciting to blog about

There. I said it. I've kind of had blogger's block. I've been mulling over ideas over the last few weeks and I think I'm going to start a new tradition of posting a random photo of the week. The photos will probably range from ones of family or my cute Tyson to the dogs to scenery from places we've been. It'll at least force me to go through the 12,000 (YES I said 12,000 - I just checked) photos I have on my computer. I mean really, I should be sharing these gems, right? LOL! Oh just you wait. Here's one to start us off... the rest will most likely come on Sundays since that's my typical free day.

So here's the first one. I couldn't resist this one of Tyson but I promise that they won't be all of him.

"Hellooooooo? Anybody home?"

What am I doing wrong?

Do you ever have times when you're just so frustrated with yourself you could scream? I'm having a moment.

I suppose I should explain.

You see, at the beginning of November, my company decided to do a Biggest Loser type contest for people to participate in (totally voluntary). It involved being placed onto teams and access to a personal trainer once a week for a serious ass kicking (No lie, I literally felt like my ass had been handed to me on a plate). In essence between going to the gym at 5:30 AM three times a week, the once a week workout with our trainer, doing circuit training a couple of times a week on my lunch and then twice a week in the evening with friends from work - I've been working out a lot. About 8-9 times a week. Here's where the frustrating part comes in - I've only lost about 2 pounds. TWO pounds.



I think the most frustrating part is I know I'm capable of losing the weight. Before I got pregnant I had worked really hard to lose weight and had lost 60 pounds with the assistance of a weight loss pill. Said pills are VERY expensive and I am trying desperately to do it the old fashioned way this time. What am I doing wrong that this last half of the "baby weight" won't come off? People say that breastfeeding your baby just melts the weight right off. Well, it did at first but after the first 25-30 pounds was gone my body was like whoa, we're done. I feel like screaming at my body:

"WTF! I have more to lose!!"

Pfft. For all the good it does. No matter what I do, I cannot seem to get past this plateau I'm stuck on. Some may say, well you're eating all wrong. It's what you eat. Granted I am not a perfect eater - I struggle to get all of my fruits and vegetables in. But I have gotten SO much better in the last few months at watching what I eat. I really have to watch my portion sizes because I know that is something I struggle with. I'm already doing most of what I think I should be.. right? I don't drink soda or carbonated drinks of any kind. I don't drink alcohol except once in a great while. I cook most of our own meals and am extremely conscious of what goes in them. I don't even eat fast food that often anymore, which for me is a HUGE step. So, here I am.

Anyone have suggestions? Words of advice? Want to buy my extra 25 pounds? I'll sell them to ya DIRT cheap! I have started working out to the P90X videos (have you seen the cheesy infomercials? They're hysterical) and I can tell a difference in my strength, but I measure my success by my jeans and I cannot fit in my old ones so that means I'm not where I want to be. In any case, I would love to hear what other people are doing that has worked for them and tips for success. There's got to be a way for me to reach my goal but I'll be damned if I can figure it out!