Stalled...

So I thought this early morning thing would be great.  What I didn't count on was the fact that the kids would decide they need to get up early, too.  So instead of getting in exercise, I'm having to get them ready to go for the day.  And for Luke especially, it hasn't been good.  He normally sleeps until 8:30am so waking up at 7am, when he's not going to bed any earlier, has made for a very temperamental little boy.  And Andrew seems to be crankier than usual, too.  Hopefully, in a week or two, we'll all adjust and it will work out the way I want.  I think dad used to leave early enough that they were still in a deep sleep.  Now he's late enough that they are hearing him and deciding it's time to rise and shine.  Oh, well.  At least Clayton's alarm isn't waking me up at 4:30am, and 4:37am, and 4:43am.... 

Engines Revved

So Clayton's schedule changed this week.  Since we got married, he's been working Th, F, S and every other W, 6a-6p.  Yesterday he started M-F, 8a-5p.  I've decided to start getting up when he gets up to exercise and get my day going.  We've been a little later than we planned getting up, but it's been so nice to have some time in the morning before the kids wake up for me.  Today, I got in my exercise, sprayed weeds, did the huge pile of dishes we had in the sink, and cleaned the kitchen all before the kids got up.  And I feel revved up and ready to tear through the rest of the day.  Tomorrow, I'm definitely getting up on time so I can get in my exercise and all again.  I think this may just be a good thing.  Even if I'm not a morning person!

“All children need a laptop.  Not a computer, but a human laptop. Moms, Dads, Grannies and Grandpas, Aunts, Uncles— someone to hold them, read to them, teach them.  Loved ones who will embrace them and pass on the experience, rituals and knowledge of a hundred previous generations.  Loved ones who will pass to the next generation their expectations of them, their hopes, and their dreams.”

General Colin L. Powell

A little behind...

And I'm not talking about what I sit on.  ;o)  The past few weeks have been just crazy, hectic.  Clayton's transitioning into a new position at Intel that will change his schedule to M-F.  We have been trying to take full advantage of his few remaining long weekends to get as much done as possible.   Here is some of the fun we've been having though....

Nothing like a little family time to really make a day better.  We've been enjoying the awesome weather in the evenings and eating on the patio and building a fire in the fire pit to roast marshmallows over.

We've also done the marshmallow roasting in pajamas.  The kids love it and we enjoy the time together.

The kiddos decided to dig in the dirt in my planters.  They made a huge mess, but had so much fun that I couldn't get mad.  Needless to say, they went straight into the bathtub when they were done.

Andrew found a hibernating lizard in the sandbox.  He screamed, jumped, then decided it was pretty cool once Grandpa Max washed it off and set it on the blocks to warm up.  The poor thing couldn't move for hours so it just had to deal with all of us staring and poking at it.

So we've been having fun and we are looking for a lot more fun to happen in the future!  Here's hoping I can stay on top of the posting.

Fit Girls' Challenge

So some ladies I know from church put together this challenge - exercise 40 hours in 16 weeks.  It's basically 30 minutes 5 days a week.  Not really that big of a deal.  We all put in $10 and the two with the most time get a prize with additional prizes going to pretty much everyone.  It started Monday and it had been fabulous.  On the days I haven't felt like exercising, I remember that all those women who are doing it and it gives me the added push to get it done.

Now, admittedly, I'm probably at the bottom of the totem pole for physical fitness of the women participating, but that's part of what keeps me going.  No offense to you lovely ladies, but I'd love to be able to prove that I can do it, too.  And I also have a lot more in the long run to gain that those who are just trying to become more physically fit rather than trying to do that and lose weight. 

I think it's a great thing to have a support system to help keep you moving.  So I want to thank Laura and Amber for putting this thing together!  Can't wait to see us all at the end!  I"m sure we'll all be even more fabulous than we already are!