Crazy, Beautiful Life....

I will blog more.  I will blog more.  I will blog more.  I keep thinking if I say it, it'll happen.  You remember, "If you build it, they will come"? The title of this post basically sums up my surroundings.  At the moment, I'm trying to mother and wife (I can use that as a verb, right?), friend, daughter, sister, teach and study, all while maintaining some level of cleanliness and sanity in my home.  Piece of cake, right?  I understand that, most of the time, I seem to be turning these blog posts into A. bitch sessions or B. "woe is me" sessions.  Here's the deal.  No one has time to hear me bitch or complain around here.  You are a captive audience.  So there.  And, yes, I understand that I just used the "B" word twice.  I searched for other options but couldn't find any that quite fit the bill.  Apologies in advance.  Enough with the "B" attitude.  How about some pictures of my precious girls to lighten the mood?

I've been back on the "healthy cooking" kick around here.  Hanna hates my guts, but everyone else is cooperating.  My Chlo is literally the "world's best eater". She had a wonderful babysitter, who cooked and fed her real food every day.  Hence the love of broccoli. 

We spent some real time with Bill's best friend and his girls.  Seriously, how many people can say they have the same best friend after 35 years? (More on that topic later).  His sweeties, Langley and Lillian, are stair steps in the middle of my girls and they all had the best time together.  

One of those heart smiling moments for sure.  

This is Chloe with her buddy, Molly.  Long story short, Chloe went to the bathroom with Molly AND helped her get cleaned up.  You can complete the rest of the story on your own.  Molly's mom, Becky, and I were laughing SO hard we had tears.  In Becky's words "Chloe is a REALLY, REALLY good friend!"

Chloe went to her buddy, Emma's, Princess Tea Party a few weeks ago.  It was really one of the cutest things I've ever seen.  Ten 6-year old girls, princess dresses, finger sandwiches.  However, the zillions of dollars of antiques surrounding them sent me into palpitations a time or two.  You've met my girl, right?

We cheered on the Herd against ECU.  We won.  Chlo walked in the door and began to make her concession stand check list.  Blue snow cone was obviously at the top.  

On MLK Day, Chloe announced that she wanted to go "hit some balls".  Daddy jumped straight up to head outside.  She seriously drove this ball at least 50 yards.  Finished her swing.  

Bill looked like the cat that ate the canary.  

I turned 34 last weekend.  Yep, I said it.  And survived it.  I've shed the typical "I'm looking old and fat" tears, but I'm basically over it now.  Sweet friends took me to dinner Saturday night to celebrate.  We had an old women date which consisted of my favorite things:  dinner, book store and Starbucks.  I came home to find my entire family down for the count, so these little gems made up the remainder of my evening.  Side note:  "Beautiful Disaster" is one of my favorite books from the past 10 years.  It's not very academic, but man, is it fun to read! I seriously started it on Thursday (home with a sick Chlo) and read ALL day until the evening.  I think it made me feel young.  Whatever the case, I'm counting the days until the sequel comes out. 

Driving to Hanna's game the other evening, this little gem came on 90's on 9.  Yep, Color Me Badd.  I took this pic for my BFF, Sara.  We both had this cassette, most likely purchased from Hill's.  Mine broke I played it so much.  She and I actually had a lengthy text convo the other evening about Boys II Men and how many members they had.  She text me yesterday morning to tell me "Motownphilly" was playing in her gym locker room.  Little things make my day. 

We got a little snow.  Chloe was ready to head outside.  I could eat her up.  

Trying to redeem my Mommy love, I made homemade cinnamon sugar doughnuts for above mentioned snowy morning.  They loved me a little bit extra.  I do whatever I can around here. 

Upon inserting these photos, I realized that my Hanna seems to be left out in the cold in the photo area.  Let me clear things up:  She's almost a teenager and hates to have a picture taken.  Period.  Refuses to smile, most times, when I do talk her into it.  So there.  I'm not a Mama that plays favorites.  I don't think Chloe is cuter.  She's just more accepting of my photo taking madness.

To update you on my new year's resolutions:  Eating healthier, hitting treadmill when I can, and haven't bitten my fingernails in a month.  That's right.  Peeps who know me know this is HUGE.  I must say that I am super proud of my hub.  He's been "treadmilling" every evening.  This is major.  Not complaining about my baked, not fried, dinners.  I think he's actually on board.  I could kiss him when I think of his lack of complaining lately.

Also, crazy cleaned out my closet, my kitchen cabinets and my living room tables just this weekend.  It's amazing what makes me crazy happy.

Here's to a week filled with two hour delays for school, treadmill time, healthy eating, lots of hugs and smooches and little to no "B" time.

A little, baby update...

Only my friends from Genoa will get the title of this post.  No, no babies here.  Just a little inside joke between some of the BEST friends a girl could ask for.

Short and sweet.  No soda for a full week.  Watching every bite I put in my mouth.  Not dead yet.  They say that doing it my way is the wrong way and that you have to ease into diets, don't over analyze.  Not me.  Balls to the wall or nothing at all.  Yep, I really just said that.  Anyhow, ran yesterday.  Again, still alive.  I've also inspired something in Bill to hit the treadmill.  He's taking 40 a tad harder than I ever imagined, so I think his treadmill time is helping a little.  Thank goodness.  A pouting man is a tough thing to handle.

After my non-PC styling above, I can't believe I'm talking about God and church in the next breath.  Let me just say that this resolution has been a wonderful choice.  Reading every morning and evening have been key.  Starting and ending the day with God.  Making time to meditate.  Texting my church girls everyday for a little boost (both ways).  Praying with my girls on the way to school every morning.  All is well with my soul.

My house is still reasonably clean and my laundry is caught up.  This is HUGE.  Usually, I'll kill myself and within 3 days it looks like we live in a condemned building.  Instead, I've been taking 20 minutes every evening and doing a clean sweep.  Loading and running the dishwasher in the morning is keeping my kitchen cleaner than ever.  Praying that I keep this up--I'm a happier person when I don't live in filth.

Promising pics next post...I know you're sick of hearing from me 

and not seeing the faces of my mostly sweet girls....

A New Year....

It's officially the beginning of 2013.  When 2012 began, I embarked on what I decided was going to be the "year of Amanda", most pointedly getting healthy.  I quit pop, started eating healthy and started running....religiously.  And, then, like the best laid plans, it started to fizzle.  But, not without a heck of a fight.  I completed Couch to 5K TWICE, didn't drink a sip of Diet Coke until July and continued healthy eating for most of the year.  Then, I started a new job.  It all quickly fell apart.  I was drinking 2 huge Diet Cokes a day just to survive.  Working out never.  Eating whatever I could shove in my mouth in the 5 free minutes I had for a "lunch".  I did have some success.  I lost 30 pounds overall, but have since gained back 20 of it.  My body does a good job of hiding the fat (I credit big boobs), but it's definitely there.  As I'm getting older, I see it sagging and bagging in new spots, too.  So, to begin 2013, I'm making new resolutions.  People say the worst times to make them are at the new year, but not for me.  I look at January 1 as a new beginning, clean slate, get out of jail free card.  So, as a back up plan, to hold me accountable when times get tough, I'm baring it all.  Putting it all out there.  I'm doing this in hopes that you'll back me up.  Be my cheering section.  I'm taking before pics tomorrow, however, I'm not comfortable in posting those just yet.  Baby steps.  But, I hope to do that before too long.  When I do, I'll know that I've made progress.  Again, baby steps.

My second goal is to grow in my relationship with God.  I have to read my Bible more.  I have to pray more.  I have to study more.  These are not ideas to be taken lightly.  I feel that my relationship with the Lord grows each day, each year.  It's a maturing relationship.  I am blessed to have the BEST church and church family that a girl could ask for guiding my path.  I have a mother in law who is one of the best Christian women that I've had the opportunity to know, who could not be more supportive.  I see this goal being an easily attainable one.

As for my third goal, it's still up in the air.  Come back to me on that one.

I heard today that what you do on January 1st guides the remainder of your year.  I prayed, I cooked, I cleaned like a crazy woman, I had great time with my loves and had a wonderful dinner with my in-laws.  If this is any indicator of what 2013 will bring, I'm ready.  Bring it on.