What a spectacle!

I took Hailey for an eye exam, and we learned that she needs glasses. We got super cute ones with baby blue on the inside of the frame. I think she looks great!

Hula Hoop!!

Maddie just loves to hula! She is actually pretty good at it, and we love to watch her shake her tiny hips. It is so cute. Marty came inside from staining the deck (hence his dirty shirt) to take a hula break with her. (You can find toddler size hoops at Dollar Tree)

The weighting game - Tasty Tuesday get's a makeover

We have been really busy, so I have put Tasty Tuesday on hold for a while. Besides my niece staying with us on her summer break, we have made some other changes around our house. We have decided to change the way we eat. Not diet. Just eat better. We want our kids to eat well and make good food choices as they grow. I happen to be lucky enough to live across the street from a dietician, and she has been helping me with food ideas. So...I am going to pass the better choice ideas along for the next few Tuesdays. I am also going to "tweak" my previous Tasty Tuesday recipes to see if I can make them healthier. Now let me make this very clear...we are not dieting. I don't believe in diets. We are choosing to eat better foods. The first step in this process is shopping the perimeter of the grocery store. Buy the fresh stuff! I almost never walk the "aisles" of the store anymore. We buy fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats. I get the Boar's Head fresh sliced deli meat instead of the processed stuff. I limit dairy, but if I buy it, I buy the fat free version. As luck would have it, the ice cream isle is also on the perimeter of our grocery store. So you know what I buy there?



Skinny Cow is my new favorite thing. The sandwiches have less than 150 calories (a small bag of M%M's has over 250) and you will not feel like you're missing out on treats.

These are also great!








I have only missed one thing: soda. I don't buy it anymore. Not even diet soda because there is evidence that artificial sweetners spike your insulin levels just like plain old sugar. Plus, I don't like the idea of drinking "artificial" anything. We are drinking water. If I go out to eat, I might get a soda, but I ask the waiter to refill with water, not more soda.

I'm sure you're thinking that it is too expensive to eat healthy. If you stop buying all the processed "junk" in the aisles, you can easliy afford to buy the good stuff.

I have lost 8 pounds and Marty has dropped 11! Just like that. In less than a month. So I am going to help you with tasty healthier food choices. Cause let's face it, if the food isn't good, you won't stick with it! That's why diets fail.

So here we go. Breakfast. The most important meal of the day. Keep it around 500 calories. If you have to eat carbs, go for high fiber choices. They will make you feel full longer.

Option A: One cup of "O" cereal (plain, not flavored) and 3/4 cup fat free milk with fresh strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries. Add a banana or an apple on the side.

Option B: A single packet of Quaker Instant Oatmeal, either the low sugar or high fiber flavors. Mix with water (or fat free milk if you have to) and heat in the microwave. Add 1/2 cup grapes or an apple on the side.

Option C: One Weight Watchers low fat yogurt cup plus a banana.

Disclaimer: I am not a dietician or adult nutrition expert. I'm just a mom who wants to wear a bikini again!

Pool fun

We spent the afternoon swimming at Uncle Jay and Lisa B's house. Maddie had a blast jumping off her daddy's shoulders, and she is learning to hold her breath and go under water.

Happy Father's Day

Our family is so blessed to have Marty. He loves us all so much, and he tells us everyday how much we mean to him. He loves to play with Maddie and Preston and make them laugh. I am so thankful that God chose him for me, and I am lucky to share my life with him. Happy Father's Day honey! We love you!!!

And Happy Father's Day to the other most wonderful man I know...my Daddy. I love you!


Maddie made her daddy this special tie in Sunday School this morning!

Pottery

Hailey and I were able to spend time together at a local pottery studio. It was a lot of fun!

1st Haircut!

After daddy's game, we took Preston to get his first haircut. Daddy did not want him to go to the girly full of sparkles hair salon that Maddie goes to. We chose a place with a sports theme. Ms. Melissa cut our sweet boys hair, and she did a great job. Preston sat on Marty's lap, and he was so good. Here are the photos:
He fell asleep while we waited
Here's a before

Thank you Ms. Melissa!
My big boy!

What a busy day!

Saturday, daddy had a baseball game (yes, baseball. not softball. only wood bats allowed.) It was so hot!! Here are the kiddos cooling off in the car.




But it's not too hot for this girl to show off her first mani!

Maddie's Stop Thumbsucking Party

Marty and I are not above bribing our kids. It worked on me when I was little. I would do anything for a reward. So we offered Maddie a trip to the zoo if she could stop sucking her thumb for a week. It worked. No, I'm not naive. I fully expect her to start sucking her thumb again tomorrow. Anyway, Marty and I took off work to hold up our end of the bargain. It was a beautiful day, but it was HOT!
Meerkat Den
Hailey touched an elephant skull
You have to click on this picture to appreciate it. There was a bunny in the field, and Maddie closely approached it. They both jumped and took off in opposite directions. It was too funny.
Of course we spend half of our time on the carousel. They should sell the tokens in bulk.

Preston kept looking back at me to make sure I was still there.
It is important to accessorize people!
Preston didn't know what to think about his first bite of ice cream.

Big Girl!

Maddie Grace decided last week that she wanted to start sleeping on her real bed, not the trundle. I stayed awake all night checking on her because I was afraid she would fall off. We don't have rails for her bed, but she has done great all week. It makes me a little sad that she is such a big girl.

Oh, is this girl independent. She insists on doing everything by herself, and to be honest, it's been fun to see her develop new skills. She has been dressing herself for a few months, and she is doing well with brushing her own teeth.

She can spell her whole name, as well as a handful of other words like mommy and daddy. Her teacher taught her class a song to help the kids learn to spell their names, so she can also spell the names of every kid in her class. She is amazing. My favorite time with her is first thing in the morning when she gets in bed with us and wants me to hold her and rub her back.

Stingrays

We went to a local stingray exhibit today. Hailey was able to pet them and feed them.


She was feeding this one and it surprised her by jumping at her. It was too funny!

Preston's first ride on a carousel. He loved it!
Maddie won the fishing game!
Have you ever seen such a cute chubby face?

Parker's Birthday Party

We had a great time at Parker's 3rd birthday party!

These curls will soon be going away.

1 year / Family Pictures

We were a few weeks late getting Preston's 1 year pictures. On his birthday, he was covered in red whelps that 3 pediatricians and a nurse practitioner couldn't identify. It took a few days to go away, and then he got an eye infection and his eye swelled shut. This was followed by a purple bruise on his cheek from a fall at preschool. Not good for pictures! I hope you enjoy seeing how much our family has grown.






Preston got her with a big wet kiss!
Eskimo Kisses
Can they stay like this forever?
We tried to get a picture of all three kids, and this was by far the best one. Poor Hailey tried to keep them still, but that is a big job.