It's About Time

Life's a struggle sometimes when there's so much I want to do but hardly any time to do it. And as the kids get older, we seem to get busier. Chris and I have our obligations and things we like to be apart of. Our kids are starting to become more involved in other things besides school. We enrolled Micah in basketball this year, and we've found out that it's not his forte. But he is trying hard and has been getting better. Chris and I have been concerned that he is too hard on himself, though. He is certainly a lot like his mommy. That part of me is definitely something I do not want to pass on to my kids. So between school, work, CrossFit, and all the little things in between, I am finding little time for journaling, reading, and writing, all those wonderful things I want to do. Chris is convinced it's about time management, and I'd like to believe that since I don't want to give up on what I enjoy doing, those things I do for me. Selfish?

One thing I am consistent about is simplifying my to-do list by only assigning myself 2 - 3 tasks to accomplish per day.  How do you manage your time?

Great Day Foreshadows a Great Year

Today... what a day! Since our whole family was awake until a pretty late hour yesterday, our kids slept in this morning. And that meant Chris and I did, too! It's a very rare occasion. No worries about having a late breakfast since we were planning on an early dinner. We invited our friends, the Powell's, over for Bagna Couda, an Italian fondue. A hodgepodge of butter, garlic, and other amazing ingredients used to cook meats and veggies before layering it on sliced French bread. We had the meal on New Year's Eve with Chris' family and were honored to introduce the meal to the Powell's for the first time. It's something we really love sharing with our family and friends.

After stuffing our stomachs with deliciousness, we played games while cramming in peanut butter M&Ms, and laughed the night away. (Yeah, that sounded really cheesy. It's a good thing I like cheese.) Needless to say, we had a lot of fun. Our kids and their kids also played games and watched movies. I'm glad they get along; it makes it a lot easier for us adults to hang out.

And can I say that I've never been a huge fan of Despicable Me, but one thing I LOVE about it is the music. I could jam to those songs all day. And I pretty much did today. 

Daddy's Pretty Princesses

Today, Chris treated the girls with some Daddy and Daughter time. Chris planned the day so well. He asked Paige and Devon to dress up in pretty dresses. We bought tiaras for them to wear to top it all off. They looked so cute!

First, they went to get pizza where a couple of people asked if they were twins. They do look a lot alike, and with Devon being so tall for her age, they're pretty much the same height. Next came pumpkin picking. All three of them found some awesome pumpkins for us to paint later and decorate our porch. Lastly, but certainly not least, ice cream!

The girls were so excited all week about this date, and they were not disappointed! Both of them said they had a lot of fun. Next time, it will be Micah's turn!

Crossfit

3...2...1... GO! Five rounds of 6 Turkish Get-ups and 12 box jump-overs and breaking lots of sweat. Chris and I are participating in Crossfit, and both of us are feeling the benefits and reaping the rewards.  Chris has been doing this for almost 2 months and gained strength strength and lost weight, and I've just started, but I feel like this will be a healthy challenge for me. I need to improve my upper body strength, and I'm hoping this will do it. We work out weekdays at 5:30 except for Wednesday. We may go up to 5 days a week later, but for now, 4 days kicks our butt.

Chris and I are having so much fun working out together. And he is teaching me technique and form. I have learned a lot from him. This is what it is: healthy bonding.

Up Late

This is a late blog post. I had a hunkering to watch Inception, and I couldn't resist. So, now I'm just waiting for Chris to get home. He really enjoys doing stand-up comedy, although some sets are much better than others. But, he's learning a lot through the process and meeting new people, so I'm happy for him in that regard. I may be a little bias, but to me, he is the funniest man I know.

Grandma Rich (Chris' grandmother) is visiting our families in the Springfield area until Thursday. Tonight, we all went out to Nakato Japanese Steakhouse for dinner, and it was delicious as usual. I can never complain when we go there. Tomorrow is a family day after church. Mexican fiesta for dinner, and I'm hoping some games after that. We'll see. It's much harder for the adults to play games with curious babies, toddlers, and school-age kids in the mix.

I love Sundays. Now, it's time to sleep to prepare for my day of rest.

Laughter and Family, Usually One in the Same

Tonight, Chris is attending an Open Mic night in downtown Springfield. Sometimes they run pretty late. Tonight's Open Mic night is at 10, so he probably won't be home until 11:30 or midnight. That's way past my bedtime! Still, I'm glad he has the opportunities to do some comedy. He's a very funny man, and he's learning a lot about how to do stand-up, how to tell a story, how to create good timing, etc. He's really enjoying his improv class as well.  And, of course, he's made some new friends along the way. With this and Crossfit (his new workout regimen), the monotony of the work week becomes more tolerable.

Speaking of comedy, we witnessed in all his glory Jim Gaffigan at the Juanita K. Hammons Hall two Wednesdays ago, and he was hilarious! As father of 5, he really gets how parenting is and how I see it, even though I'm a mother of 3. He had all new material, except he did bring back his Hot Pocket bit. Chris was surprised by that, because he heard Mr. Gaffigan say on a podcast that he does not like performing those jokes anymore. If you know what your audience likes, then I guess you give them what they want. Still, I was greatly entertained, and although he may cringe if I say it, I really appreciate his clean humor. The next comedian I would love to see is Brian Regan. Hopefully, he'll come back to Springfield. That would be amazing!

Last Wednesday, my parents called and asked to come to our place on Saturday for a visit. My dad and mom are vacationing after working hard ministering to his congregation this Easter season. (My dad, if you did not know, is a Lutheran minister.) It was very nice to have them here today. We talked and talked so much that we skipped lunch and went to Shanghi Buffet for an earlier dinner. Yummy as usual! I hope we get to see my parents again soon. They live in the Jefferson City area, so their visits do not happen very often. We do not get to visit them at their place very often either. So, it's great to see them when we can.

When I'm writing, I'm only frustrated when I write...

...a dinner list. As I'm finishing up next week's list, here are my thoughts.

Why is it so difficult for me to make a dinner list? It takes what seems like forever to complete it. I rack my brain trying to think of healthy (and possibly new) recipes to plan for the next week's dinners, only to write down the same ol' stuff. Don't get me wrong; the same ol' stuff is not all unhealthy. It's just frustrating to pin point one meal for one evening. And then times that by seven to complete the entire list. I try to incorporate my children by asking them what they would like. Why would I expect them to say anything else besides "I don't know" or "spaghetti." Of course, actually eating what was planned is not so difficult. It might even be too easy.

After making the dinner list, there's the final shopping list to write out. Now, you may be thinking, "Ok, Jenn, after you know what your going to eat, it's not difficult figuring out what you need to make it." True, but now I've decided to take an extra step, price checking. (And maybe a second step if I decide to look for coupons.) So, I write down what I need and then go through all the ads to see if I can find what I need at a cheaper price. If I add in couponing to that, it takes even more time! Why do I spend so much time getting food? Would it be easier if I went back to cavewoman instincts and told my husband to go hunt? He is on the Paleo diet right now, so I'm sure he wouldn't mind.

My Therapy

To start my day off with a 10-mile run is amazing, and thank goodness the weather is warming up. It's really no big deal for me to run in freezing temperatures if I dress warm and keep running. Except for my hands. My hands must have very little circulation, because they are never warm and start feeling numb after a few miles of running. Even gloves aren't adequate all the time. Sometimes, warming them up actually hurts worse than when they were just cold. One time, I cried as Chris used his hands to warm up mine. Ugh. I'm such a wuss.

My run this morning went by fast. I highly recommend getting a running partner for those long training runs. The miles quickly fly behind me as I talk about life and other unrelated things with someone beside me. I have a new friend, Crystal, as my partner. The running itself is great therapy, but it's even better to have a friend listen to me as I talk or complain or rant. As of right now, we are training for a girls-only half marathon in May. This will be a great motivator for me since I am very goal-oriented. I haven't raced since my marathon last March in Little Rock. It will be nice to get back into the habit.

For the Sake of Keeping You Informed...

I'm up really late, and I really shouldn't be. Not too long ago, I finished my cleaning and balanced the checkbook. It needed to be done. I don't mind doing it, though. When I clean, I can usually go into my own world and think of silly things that make me happy.

Chris' birthday was last Thursday, but I took him out to celebrate on Friday. Date night! For a brief few hours, we felt we were rollin' in the dough. I saved some money from what I earned through child care. First, we went to Nakato's Japanese Steakhouse for dinner. Sushi! We had enough cash left over to go to Andy's for yummy frozen yogurt. We had a lot of fun as we normally do.

To do something fun for himself, Chris decided to start taking inprov classes. He really needs this to help him get through the monotony of the week. And he should do something that he is good at, too. In March, his class is scheduled to perform a show! I'm looking forward to watch him be funny. Of course, I have the pleasure of watching him do that everyday. Chris is also dabbling in stand-up comedy. He attends just about every open mic slot he can find. There aren't that many in Springfield, but at least he is still doing what he enjoys. He's had a great time getting to know other comedians as well. I think he's so brave to get up in front of people and try to make them laugh. Brave or crazy. Sometimes, I'm not sure which. (I'm just teasing.)

Ok, it's definitely time for bed. Good night!

Treats and My Sweets

Tonight, I did something I don't normally do. Something I haven't done in a really, really long time...

I polished my toe nails. (And blogged about it.)

As Chris likes to call it, tonight is his "birthday eve." But instead of focusing on him, I decided to treat myself and make my feet look pretty. I rummaged through my stock of nail polish. Most of them were very old and had to be thrown away. I did manage to find 5 bottles that are still good for painting. Two dark blue, one purple, and two sparkly clear polishes. I would definitely like more variety. Still, it's a start for a girl... woman... girl-woman who is still learning how to make herself look gorgeous, dahling.

Chris' parents were very generous in taking our family out to eat Mexican food tonight for Chris' birthday. El Puente! It's amazing every time. It was nice to go out to eat. Good food, no dishes or clean-up, and a fun time with my family.

I'm looking forward to Chris' birthday tomorrow and taking him out Friday. We will be having a date night! Both Chris and I are very blessed to be able to do these things. We always have lots of fun together.

Just got word that the kids will not be having school tomorrow. The weather is projected to be too severe for traveling, but it hasn't even snowed yet! Still, I had lots of fun with them last Monday when they weren't in school for President's Day. So, I'm sure we will make the best of tomorrow as well. Good night and pleasant dreams!

Anniversary Adventure

Seven years. That's how long Chris and I have shared our lives together. We wanted to create a memorable weekend, and this is how it went down.

Last Saturday started out well. After we dropped off the kids at my in-laws' house, it was lunchtime, but we decided to go for a walk in the Springfield mall, discussing what we would like for Christmas. (No, it's never too early to discuss Christmas...presents.) Later, we decided it would actually be time for us to eat, time for Hu Hot. Chris and I both love food, and we love a Mongolian grill! The Not So Sweet and Sour sauce is the best and is my favorite. It's name is ironic since sweet and sour sauce is the type I crave the most.

Next, we checked into our hotel. We made sure to get a nice room, and it was nice. The only thing we wished we had was a bigger bed. (Spoiled much?) Swimming at the pool was not an option since I forgot my swimsuit. Still, we made the most of our time, hanging out at a coffee house drinking water, because it's where you can find the best water. At least, I hoped so. We also hoped to find a game of chess, but to our dismay, there were no pieces, only a game board. No worries. We eventually found a game, even lots of games. 1984, the place to play old school arcade games downtown is where we ended up. We played every game we wanted to except for Rampage. The same group of kids were playing it over and over the whole time we were there. I told Chris I was tempted to ask them, "Isn't it past your bedtime?" We wanted to bust some buildings, man!

Then, we found some cheesy fries. We're talking about fries with cheese melted on top and bacon! We stopped at Big Whiskey's for a bite to eat (also with surprisingly amazing water) and became engrossed in the Yankees vs. Tigers game. Chris told me of his Little League days when his team was named after the Detroit Tigers for a few years in a row. I always cheered for any Detroit team when I was a wee child, because that's where my mom and dad grew up. So, we sort of reconnected with that team on our night out. Overnight, and over a plate of cheesy fries, we became die hard fans. Of course, it only lasted for a night.

Oh yes, I just remembered to mention the rain. It rained. Hard. One might even call it a downpour. But, it was actually a lot of fun half running/walking in the storm. We were pretty soaked for the night, but we didn't care. We were just glad to be together. At the end of the night, our hotel room welcomed us with open...windows. So, we shut them, put on our PJs, and snuggled into bed. Our TV selection before shutting our eyes? Billy the Exterminator! (At this point, I give you permission to audibly groan.) Billy actually had some really interesting facts about...rodents...eww! Why am I talking about this?

We woke the next morning refreshed and ready to continue our amazing (and very mini-) vacation. We were actually able to sleep in! A definite high highlight of the trip! Breakfast was downstairs. It was a buffet, and I piled my plate high with French toast, sausage, I-love-cheese-y eggs, a poppy seed muffin, cantaloupe, yogurt, and a banana. Cranberry juice was my choice of drink. (I know, you're thinking, "What, no water?") It was delicious. Chris thought I was wasting space putting fruit on my plate at the buffet when I always get that at home. He decided to take advantage of the biscuits and gravy among other things.

Later on, we went bowling. Unlike our favorite baseball players from the night before, we were actually trying to get (at least) three strikes. No luck there; though, we got a couple. We only played one game since the prices have risen to a ridiculous level. $2.50 for one person to rent shoes, and then $2.99 for one game per person. Holy crap! I was disappointed by that, but no matter. We just made more time for sushi at Nakato. We didn't get the cooked-in-front-of-you meal; we sat at the sushi bar, which I had never done before. That was pretty cool to me. Chris and I chatted and enjoyed being in a relaxed atmosphere. When we were done, he surprised me with...

A walk down Memory Lane. Well, that's what I'd like to call it. We strolled along a trail that Chris took me to a couple of times when we were dating. The leaves on the trees surrounding the trail were changing colors. That is why I love the autumn season. It was nice to revisit that place, even though this time there were huge puddles from the downpour. Still, we had fun talking about random things, even a little bit about our future. That's the end of our anniversary adventure, but it's not the end to a wonderful relationship. Whatever my future holds, I will be with my best friend, Chris.

Guacamole and Other Important Things

I love food. When it's 9 o'clock in the evening, and my husband offers to make me guacamole, I can't resist. So here I am, sitting at this desk, and dipping chips in mashed avocados in between typing words. It's a great way of life.

Not long ago, Chris and I were able to purchase a used car from a friend for a great deal. Now, we have a white mini-van and a Honda Accord, also white. (Chris swore he would never get another white vehicle.) We are a two-car family! We haven't had two cars as a family since Chris and I were first married (almost 7 years ago.) Because we have two cars, I have more options on when I can get errands done. Devon and I went shopping together today. I quickly learned (or re-learned) that I need to give her something to keep her hands (and mouth) occupied. (I hadn't shopped with her or any of my kids for a long time. The shopping was done after Chris got home when he could watch them.) So, what did I have to keep her occupied? At first, a book. I decided to buy a Halloween book for the little ones. We always need to add more books to the kids' bookshelf since the older books get ripped and worn out after awhile. When the book didn't cut it anymore, two lollipops did the trick. I don't normally give my kids more than one candy bar or lollipop at a time, but I'm not sure if there is any such thing as "too much candy" while shopping with young children. I really, really don't want them to touch anything in the cart.

After our Wal-Mart extravaganza, Devon and I walked from our house to pick up Paige from Preschool. I've really been impressed with how well she is doing. She's making lots of friends and learning things I wouldn't think about teaching her at this point. She knows how to spell and write her name! It's amazing to see all that she can do. When we pick her up, it's funny to see her get shy when her classmates tell her, "Paige, your mom is here!" And, she prefers me to pick her up with the van. Not a huge fan of walking, I guess. But, I will try to take advantage of the cool weather for as long as I can. It's good exercise, and I am saving gas that way, too.

Micah received a 100% on his spelling test today! He is so proud, and I am so happy for him and proud of his accomplishments. He's very smart. He's good at math and getting much better at writing. (That was an issue for him last year.) We read every weekday together for at least 15 minutes (at the request of his teacher.) Several words he already knows, and so I have him try to sound out new and simple 3-letter words to increase his vocabulary.

I've really enjoyed watching all of my children grow. Amazing things happen when I focus more on what I have than on what I want. And right now, I still have my chips and guacamole. Awesome.

The Inevitable Is Here

Fearless. That is how I describe my daughter, Devon. I could describe her using other words as well (i.e. sneaky, mischievous, destructive, etc.) But, I will make it known that Devon is learning so well, because there is not much that she is afraid of. Today, my little warrior started an important (but hopefully not a lengthy) journey, potty training. I had a preview of what the upcoming months may have in store for me. The anxiety of possible accidents, the clean up, the nakedness. It's started.

Devon started the day in pull-ups. I had her go to the bathroom frequently, but nothing happened in there. It all happened in between bathroom breaks. After awhile, I started to believe she thinks that going potty means wetting the diaper and then sitting on the toilet. In an attempt to teach her otherwise, I decided to put underwear on her. After that, there were several more potty breaks, and still nothing happened. She was in dry underwear for quite some time. Then, the inevitable occurred. I watched Devon come down the hallway almost like a old western cowboy, legs apart, awkwardly maneuvering one foot in front of the other.

At one point, Devon did do the "deuce" in a pull-up. Determined to do things on her own, she did not give me any notice of this. Instead, she decided to clean up herself, making more of a mess in the process.

"Mom! Devon got poop on the floor!"

Ugh. I sigh and droop my shoulders as I go to discover the damage. Not as bad as I had thought. (I'll spare you the dirty details.) Still, this means Devon will need me to keep a closer eye on her.

Devon does not enjoy being covered sometimes. She has an inclination to go naked every now and then. Why? Who knows. I'd much rather her have clothes on while potty training. If she does have an accident, there's a much greater chance that she won't get any pee or poop on the floor. I'd much rather do laundry than bend down on hands and knees to scrub the carpet.

Despite all that happened today (which in all honesty was minimal compared to other potty training days), Devon is an amazing little girl.

As a matter of fact, I am completely convinced that she will quickly learn how to use the bathroom on her own. She has learned just about everything else at a seemingly fast pace, too. She was a seven-week preemie. She has been through many tumbles and falls. But, man, she is tough! And she has the brains to prove it!

Sunday Happenings

It is probably pointless to try to "catch up" from where I last published a blog post. So, I'm just going to start from the here and now.

Waking up later than normal today was awesome. I usually like to be ready for the adventure that is my day before the kids wake up, but, it was nice snuggling with my little ones in my bed. And, we had to snuggle to keep ourselves warm. Our house was a little chilly, 60 degrees. What is lovely outdoors but may not be so great indoors. Still, we braved the freezing temperature and did not turn on our heater. We just put on an extra layer (of clothing.) It's October! Where is our fall season? Is it really going to be summer to winter this year? Hopefully not.

Every six months, the world has the opportunity to watch General Conference. Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints speak to their audience about many spiritual topics. (What is spoken in the conference is later published on-line and in the church magazines.) I try to listen to conference live, but it's hard to keep 3 young kids watching the show. I wish I was more prepared to have them occupied and focused on the conference talks. (Live and learn and do.) What I could hear I really enjoyed, though. I was excited to hear about the new age for when male and female members can become full-time missionaries. (It was 19 years of age for boys and 21 for girls; now it's 18 for boys and 19 for girls.) The younger age will provide more opportunity for missionary work. I loved to hear our prophet talk about prayer and how our Heavenly Father answers our prayers. It was great to learn how I can keep the gospel strong in my home (one thing I was searching for.) I am definitely looking forward to reading the conference talks in next month's Ensign (one of our church magazines) and learning more.

Our family attended a birthday party for one of Paige's preschool classmates, and then we went to Chris' parents' house for dinner! Wok food! It's the best stir-fry ever! And of course, I really enjoy spending time with family and friends. Great day! I do wish we played a game after dinner. Hopefully, it will happen next time!

My Two Obsessions

Obsession #1: Adele

I love her album 21! Love it. Chris gave it to me for my birthday, and for some reason, I can't stop because I'm not getting enough. I've listened to it several times, more than I dare count to avoid some embarrassment. To me, her voice is so unique. I used to want Christina Aguilara's pipes; now, I want Adele's original, soulful, and genuine voice.

Obsession #2: The Hunger Games

I have never (ever) been this obsessed with a book series. I mean stay-up-until-1am-even-though-I'll-wake-up-at-5am obsessed. Seriously, it's bad. Has it been this bad before? Harry Potter? No. Twilight? Not even close. Granted, I enjoyed those series because they were entertaining, but I never caught the "I've got to keep reading this" bug. (Chris will testify to that, too.) Both of those deserve a nod of respect (if not a courtesy applause), but I love going into this world Suzanne Collins has created. And of course, being the girly girl that I am (yeah, right), I'm sucked into the love triangle that forms and develops. So far, I've found it very creative and intriguing. Chris has told me enough about the last book to get pretty excited about it (I'm 3 chapters away from ending the second.) Still, I hope it doesn't end on a bad note for me. I've heard from several people that the end is not satisfying. Ugh. That's the last thing I need. To have the best book series I've read have an amazing first two installments with a horrible ending that I'll end up reading over and over.

And there you have it! A little about me you may not have known. And it wasn't about my kids. It feels strange not talking about them in a post. But, I'm not just a mother. Secretly, I want to be a famous singer, and I'm a darn good reader, too. Shhh....

Head Under Water

Wow. With all of these new changes in our lives, it's hard not to feel overwhelmed. Chris' new job, my new job in child care, new schedules, new responsibilities in my church calling (Nixa Ward Relief Society 2nd Counselor). Add all of that with my old (yet continuing) responsibilities at home, and I have a guarantee to stay busy for a little while. I feel as though I have so much on my plate, and if I lose my grip for even a second, it may all come crashing down. But, as I strive to accomplish my long "To Do" list, I am reminded that if I keep things in proper priority with the right perspective, the Lord will help me. Today, I sang my favorite hymn, "Be Still My Soul."

Be still, my soul
The Lord is on thy side
With patience bear
Thy cross of grief or pain
Leave to thy God to order and provide
In every change
He faithful will remain
Be still, my soul
Thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end

As I sang this song, it brought me peace and comfort. I love a good, uplifting song that helps me see things as they really are and smile.

On a different note, yesterday was a No School day, so Micah stayed home with us. He played with Paige a lot, and that gave me more time to play with Devon. We read several books. (Both of my daughters love to read.) We rolled a ball back and forth. We built towers with blocks. We played with a few puzzles. Just the two of us, we had a lot of fun together.

 "Um, hello. I'm busy with a puzzle here."

How can you look at that face and not smile?

During our Family Home Evening activity, Paige was using markers to color on some construction paper. As I was getting Micah into his bath, Paige had the unfortunate opportunity to do this.

 "Aw, Mom, you didn't even let me paint my nails."

"But, I'm still so darn cute."

It's a good thing those markers were washable. My two precious daughters. What a joy they are! Life as a mom is quite the adventure!

Life Happens Fast

I know that events in our lives can come and go quickly. In this case, the event I am talking about is Chris finding a job. Yes! Only out of work for two days, and then he's back to it! He will start working for State Farm Insurance tomorrow. We are very excited that he was able to find work so quickly. What an extraordinary blessing this is!

This doesn't mean that life will be easy. We will need to work very hard to make ends meet. But, opportunities and possibilities are out there to help us get by. We will make it. The Lord has blessed us in several ways so far. I know He will provide.

On a different note, this week I have been sick with a strep throat. The prescription I received has helped out a ton, and I think I am ready to run tomorrow. On Saturday, I will be running 18 miles with a friend. I'm excited and a little nervous, because I missed a few runs this week from being sick. So, I hope to end strong. Must keep training and working hard! The marathon is going to be here before I know it! I'm so excited for Chris and I to run this together. Running has been a great thing for us to share.

Uncertain Times

At one point or another in our lives, we are uncertain of what lies ahead. The Crosby family is uncertain of what will be happening for them. Our family is possibly facing many changes. Chris lost his job today, the job we were hoping would be his way to better provide for our family. Don't misunderstand; he has always worked very hard to make sure the family has the necessities. This new job was a way for him to possibly make much more money without the horrible work environment of his previous job. So, now what happens? We don't know.

We have had a few people already tell us of job possibilities. This gives us hope that Chris will find something and start working soon. The Lord has blessed us in other ways as well. This Saturday, I am going to meet with a woman who needs child care a few hours a day, a few days a week. If all goes well, I will be working again and able to help pay the bills! Exciting news!

I am a little excited (and anxious) to see where we will be in a few days, a few weeks, and a few months from now. I am very confident in Chris' talents and abilities, though. I also believe that with trials come opportunities to learn and grow. I have a feeling that all will be well. Please keep our family in your prayers!

You wouldn't know she was a preemie by looking at her.

Devon had her 18-month check-up last Friday. It went well; the doctor said she looks healthy. Here are her stats:

Length: 31 1/2 in.
Weight: 24 lbs.

I asked the doc if there's a certain point where she has fallen too much. He chuckled and said, "Well, children at this age do that a lot." Yes, true, but Devon falls a lot... and more. She is more of a monkey than Micah was at her age. She tries climbing everything! All of that falling doesn't seem to have affected her mental development, though. I can tell that she understands quite a bit, even though she doesn't talk much right now. I have had several comments on how much my two girls look alike. I guess I never really noticed it before, but they do look quite similar. My two beautiful princesses.

Fun Times With the Family

Lately, I have felt as though my life has been getter better and better. At the center of my existence is my family whom I love so much. We are learning and growing together, and that's what it's all about.

Micah is doing well in Kindergarten. I can see his progress, and there are a few things we are working on at home such as learning his lowercase letters, writing his name, and memorizing his address and phone number. He loves using his scissors to make projects; he even got an award for his cutting skills. (Yeah, that's right, my son has skillz.) He is making new friends. When we went to a Family Fun Night at his school last Thursday, there were a couple of kids who went up to Micah to say "hi". Micah tells me stories of playing with his classmates during recess. And, he went to a birthday party today! He played so much that he missed the food and face painting. Luckily, he got to take home some cake.

Paige is learning like crazy right now! I have more time to dedicate to her now that Micah is in school. She really knows her alphabet, upper and lowercase letters. Chris told me that while I was picking up Micah from the birthday party today, she cuddled with Chris and told him all of the objects in this butterfly toy with wings that flip like pages of a book. She told him all of the shapes at the end, and she even spelled triangle! Chris was impressed when she corrected herself after saying a letter wrong. Wow! That is impressive. And, Paige runs now. Yes, I said that right. Paige (until now) would not run to get somewhere. If we were racing in the backyard, she would just walk. It was like she was saying, "Nah. If I run, I'll be going too fast." She is definitely a unique child. The new commercial for Dr. Pepper says you can only describe Dr. Pepper as tasting like  Dr. Pepper. How would I describe Paige? Paige is like Paige. There is just no one else like her.

Devon is such a little monkey! I put an exclamation at the end, because I think she is even more active than Micah was at her age. Maybe I should put more. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  There. I hope that tells you how active and all over the place she is. Devon is constantly getting up on chairs, couches, and tables where if she fell off, it would not be good. So, I'm now on the Devon lookout, not getting much done unless she is asleep or in her bouncy toy. I limit how much time she spends in that, though, because I want her so run around and play. That means I have to make sacrifices to make sure she is safe. That's ok. Who really wants to do the dishes anyway? Devon is also learning words and trying to talk more. Her smile is so contagious, too.

If you follow Chris' weight loss blog, Heavy Steps, you know how well he is doing. He has come such a long way in such a short amount of time. He has lost almost 90 lbs.! Running is becoming an addiction. He is training 4-5 days a week for a half marathon in November and is constantly improving. Today, he ran the ADA Stop Diabetes 5k and finished it in 32:59! That's at about a 10 min per mile pace! That's a huge improvement from his first 5k time, 43:50.  The healthier lifestyle he is implementing in our home has definitely been and will be a positive influence for our family. We eat healthier meals, do more activities together, and have more fun! Chris is my best friend, and I will love him forever.

As for me, same ol' same ol', lol. No, that's not true. I am also training for the same half marathon in November. I unexpectedly registered for another half last Labor Day. The weather was gorgeous, sunny and cool. The course had some incline but wasn't really hilly. It was located on a trail surrounded by trees and was both paved and dirt. I have to say that I liked running on the dirt trail a little better than the paved area. It seemed a little softer, like I was on a cloud. Physically, I was feeling a little high, floating around. I love it when the adrenaline kicks in, and I get the "runner's high." I felt great and smiled big as a sprinted fast the last leg of the race. I finished in 1:46:16 and got first in my division! It was pretty darn cool!

Before Micah started school, I decided I was going to become involved in his school activities and parent organizations. I wanted Micah to see my desire to help out with his education at home and at school. I also thought it would be a great way for me to get involved in the community, which is something I've been wanting to do for awhile. So, I decided to become a homeroom mom! We are already planning a carnival to raise funds for the school's teachers and needed resources. Not long after that, we will be having a Halloween party planned for the students. Another homeroom mom and I will be planning that plus a Christmas party, Valentine's party, and Teacher Appreciation Week. It sounds like a lot of work, but thankfully, I am not the only one planning for our class. It will be a lot of fun, and I am already meeting several cool moms and making new friends myself. It's a win, win!

Needless to say (but I'm going to say it anyways), life is good, and I have so much to be thankful for.