8 Week Challenge! Day One-Week One

Today was my first day on the 8 Week Challenge. I think I did awesome! I ate well(whole grain toast with almond butter and a little honey for breakfast, nuts for a snack, roasted veggies for lunch, a banana for a snack, then dinner.) I drank 80oz. of water, because I needed it, we only need to drink 64oz.
I was busy today. I worked out for 30min. and I usually work out for about an hour, but today was an exception. I have a friend who is dying of cancer and in home hospice, so I spent most of my day there today, cleaning and visiting. I came home midday today to watch four of my nieces and nephews, and I still had my own house to clean and a soup to make from scratch(Chicken & Gnocchi Soup, from allrecipes.com, yum!) I do have five children of my own, and today two of them came home not feeling so well. Needless to say, by 7:30pm I was really getting a craving for some chocolate-this is usual for me. Buuut, because of this challenge, I am determined to take each day at a time and not give in.

Lazy Indeed

Watching movies is something I like doing. I love reading too. Today I've been pretty lazy. I think I sat half the day away just watching a couple movies. First it was Thor, then something my daughter wanted to see on Netflix.

Okay, the more I think about it, I didn't squander the entire day away. I had my  nephews over to play with their cousins, visited with my parents for a bit. Started some chores....well let's just say we started some chores. Finishing them.....I don't think it's going to happen today.

Now, the dinner hour is upon us and I think I will use the power of delegation to get that done.

Yeah, It's a lazy day indeed!

One Week Down

It's been one week of school and we are still alive! 

There have been no injuries to report or illnesses! LOL

Other than it now being time for everyone to get their eyes examined, the hum of the 

school year is upon us! 

Let the PTA meeting, Back to School BBQ's, and host of other school year festivities begin!

Three Words

(So there's actually only two words in this picture, but you get the point.)

Today

Today I woke up a little later than I would have liked.

I still manage to get two, count em' two, loads of laundry in, and a shower... before any kiddos get up.

I check my emails. For some reason I still have two email accounts...I need to condense(because I never really count my third account that I use for online junk.)

Made my replies and fed the boys. My two oldest are still at their cousins spending the night, we sort of swapped kids.

We have a couple cousins spend the night, which means I have five boys today.

They play the Wii and hide-and-go-seek!
The four year old needs help counting to fifty. One, two, three.....
I load the dishwasher, for the first time today.

I bathed a couple kids up. Switched some more laundry around and checked a suspicious ear ache for infection. It's now around 7:45am, I need to get a call in to the doctors office, but they don't open till eight! I tell myself not to let it get too far past eight or the day may run away with me. Wouldn't you know the ear infection hits on a weekend.

I make the call and they can fit us in this afternoon! Yay us!!

After I take the suv to the mechanic, pick-up the oldest, (I need him to watch the younger two,) I drop Grandma off. She was watching the little ones while I made the run to the mechanic. We all clean up. Which means a complete outfit change for the kid with the ear infection, and a discussion on why we shouldn't wear clothes with mud on them to the doctors office.  I leave reminders to be kind, and for the oldest to remember to give the little ones some lunch.=)

We head off to the doctors and... of course it's an ear infection!

This makes number seven in the past fifteen months, not including the four ruptured ear drums. Looks like another set of tubes for the six year old. Yay us!!

We pick up the prescriptions and head back home.

Now its around three and I realize as I check my email that I forgot to pick up my daughter. (Sends quick text to patient Aunt)

No big deal of course, everyone is having fun. 

Hubby calls and is on his way home...................early!!! Yay ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday is Date Night in our house! 

All-in-all, it's been a good day.

Summer So Far

This summer is flying by. Although, summers usually do.

It seems like each week is a flitter of activity. We have visited the local art museum, been to the fountains, seen the Clifford exhibit, gone to the park countless times, ridden the roller-coasters relentlessly,(we bought season passes,lol.)

We've been to BBQ's galore and birthday bashes. We have sat through performances, some good, some well...

We have put miles on the Sequoia and have nothing but time and an oil change to show for it.

We have dined with family and friends and laughed and cried at the movies.

Ahhh, summer-so-far has been good to us!

Sore Noses

I'm back! Almost. More than half the family has been down with bronchitis and sinus infections. Whew! It's been a doozy. Between the piles of tissues and sore noses, the aches and coughs, and everything else that goes with a good ole virus, we are up and running again. Of course our Doctors' office knows us by name and face. I remind them that their Christmas bonus is on us. 

We are still in recovery mode but, doing so much better. Energy is starting to pick back up and I'm feeling like doing laundry again. That's always a good sign in a household of seven. I am so happy to have a husband who jumps right in and gets the job done without blinking. It sure makes a difference to not have to play catch up on everything. 

As a side note, by way of observation; I love how when my children are sick they still seem to be pretty cordial. They smile, hug, and play. Whereas we "big kids" seem to crash and get a little cranky if you will.
Children never cease to amaze me, sore noses and all!

Where Love Is

I said I would have this post up by Wednesday and I didn't do it. 

I was hoping to have pics uploaded of the crafts from the evening. 

My camera battery died and I can't find the charger. Ugh! 

We had a nice time as a family talking about what love is, and how we

can show more love to each other. 

We talked about how love is being kind and thoughtful. 

My husband made me a valentine and the rest of us made hearts to 

hang up on the windows. 

We had rootbeer for our refreshment (in my house soda is a treat.) 

It was a simple night of quiet crafting and jibber jabber. 

The little ones(8yr.old, 6yr.old, and 4yr.old) laughed at their older 

brother making quite the cute and creative heart. 

This would certainly be a more entertaining write up if I had the 

pictures to go with the story. Sad little me. 

Where's the love, where's the love I ask you? 

Well, love was definitely felt 

around our table Monday night. It was nice.

Space Trip

I couldn't resist including a pic of my youngest sons trip to the

Dentist this week.

Our last visit to the dentist office for a checkup was horrible.

You could hear my little three year old screaming all the way out

to the waiting room (so my older kids informed me).

I was more than nervous about the return visit.

I brought in reinforcements.

My husband left work early to join us, just in case.

Our son, Joshua, had a cavity *ugh* that needed a filling.

Our dentist offers laughing gas for all his procedures.

He asked my son if he wanted to be like an astronaut

and take a "space trip." The little guy was so relaxed and calm

throughout the entire process.

He wore sunglasses to shield the light from his eyes, watched

a cartoon and enjoyed his "space trip", as the Doctor calls it.