Celebrate!

For my birthday my dear friend Jennifer took me and the kids out to Chuck E. Cheese for the morning. Jennifer's kids are a bit older than mine and we have been getting together just to chat, learn more about being godly mothers and she has been mentoring me in being a stay at home mom. Jennifer's kids aren't as close in age as mine, but when she first became a SAHM she did daycare and so had several kids around the same age to take care of.
I learn alot from her. Sometimes little cheat tips; (like if you set a timer for 10 minutes and spend only those 10 minutes cleaning each room at the end of the day, in one month your home will be really clean), sometimes it's spiritual; (for example you're not a bad mom if you ask God to give you strength and energy for the day when you wake up in the morning), and sometimes it's just fun; (if you buy the plastic cups from Chuck E. Cheese you get free refills every time you're there).
I remember Chuck E. Cheese from my childhood days as a special occasion, for birthday parties only, but for my birthday I learned that it can be a regular outing, espcially in the winter, to keep the kids entertained. With toddlers it's not expensive at all, I mean they love the games regardless of whether they're actually playing them or not. And you can get a buttload of tickets by playing a few games of skeet ball. So everyone leaves worn out, with a prize and some fun memories.
And my silly kids can make even the simplest of outings incredibly memorable!

No Good Excuses.

So I logged on to leave a few comments on the blogs of typers much more faithful than I have been of late, and since I was logged on I thought I would leave a note behind.

I have some awesome pictures on my camera of a few fun events of the last week: the Father's Day Car Show we go to each year, my Birthday Bash at Chuck E. Cheese and just some random adorableness of the girls. However, I was last trying to upload during a lightning storm and pressed my luck. Nothing a little time wont fix, but time is a hot commodity around here. I find when I don't have pictures it's hard for me to blog, but I think I'll try because it could take me a good two weeks to get the pictures up.

I also got a haircut yesterday that I love, but I now have to actually do my hair. It's nothing drastic, just my usual cut, but I found this lady to have done a much better job. I think I found me a stylist I will stick with. The best part about the haircut is that it was free! A gift from someone for me, so very cool.

I turned 28 last week, crazy.

Well, I think I'll bid you adieu and try to come up with something of more substance tomorrow. The rain here has given me a sore throat and I better go to bed to try and get over it, I simply cannot call in sick!

Body Double.

Yesterday Isabella decided my lipstick looked better on the walls then it does on me and used the entire tube to decorate our stairwell while I was on the phone. I am totally procrastinating from cleaning that up right now.

Last week I joined what seems like millions of people here on earth and began counting points on Weight Watchers. I took this past week to just read a tonne on the site and learn about their process and science and all that jazz. Today was the first real day that I actually ate conscious of point values, it wasn't that hard. At least not until after the kids were in bed. I do really good at not snacking during the day, it's really hard to tell Isabella she can't have a cookie when I'm eating one, so I just bypass the argument and don't have any cookies. But after the kids are in bed I just want to treat myself for getting through another day and what's a better reward then cheesecake or nachos or cookies or nanimo bar or all of the above?

So as I sit here tonight procrastinating from cleaning and thinking about stuffing my face, my thoughts are turning to more beautiful things; Julia Roberts, Drew Barrymore, Vanessa Marcel and Katherine Heigl. I would be completely content to be of the body shape to play body double for any of those women. When I think of Hollywood beauty they are it.

Completely feminine and yet you know you'd have a fight on your hands if they asked you to meet them in an alley; when you watch them stuff their face in a movie you get the feeling they really did- all 26 takes! I think of Drew in Home Fries, so cute and curvy; Katherine Heigl on Greys or in 27 Dresses, Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman or Oceans 11, Vanessa Marcel on Las Vegas.

Just enough envy exists for me to choose to a glass of water over the mouth watering piece of cheesecake Nick brought home for me yesterday, maybe if I have points left on Sunday I'll indulge!

Who would you like to be a body double for?

Cooking with Bella

This past Saturday we tried a new activity, cooking class. Isabella and I headed over to Superstore where a lovely lady helped us make these adorable cookies. It was a fun experience. All of the children were there with a parent and we sat at two tables. One parent took responsibility for reading the recipe and each child added an ingredient, took a turn stirring and passed it on to the next child until we had our cookie batter. While the cookies were baking the kids helped with clean up, had a snack and made a craft. The craft for this session was the 'flower pot' for the cookies. The cookies were quite heavy, but tasted absolutely delicious. We signed up for two more over the summer and I am sure they will both be just as fun as this one!