Monthly Archives: March 2010

working out?

There’s just something about warmer weather that makes me want to be more active. Maybe it’s the cabin fever finally setting in after months of very cold weather. But today, after getting my hair cut, and then Anthony’s hair cut, I decided I really wanted to start working out again.

So this evening I made it upstairs (thanks to Anthony who watched the girls) and got back on the elliptical. I can’t even remember the last time I used it. How pitiful is that!? I only did 20 minutes, but I’m pretty happy with that since it’s been so long. And I don’t even feel like I’m about to die! Which is even better!

Saturday I’m finally getting back on the racquetball court with Dad (and one or more mystery people) after months and months of not playing. I’m not sure that I’ll even remember how to hit the ball or any of the rules, but I know we’ll have a great time! I hope this is just the start of many more Saturdays of racquetball with Dad! Maybe I’ll even learn how to actually play a real game! :-)

Video Games

I’ve never been into video games myself. When I was a kid Dad would take me to the arcade where I did good to play pinball and maybe Pac Man. I was a teenager when Nintendo came out. Dad bought one for me, but I don’t think I ever got past the third level of Mario. I finally got frustrated with it and gave it to my cousin. He was able to put it to much better use!

Anthony started playing video games when my Dad bought him his first Super Nintendo (or maybe it was Nintendo 64)  for his 5th or 6th birthday. He’s been hooked ever since. He can pick up a controller for anything and know which buttons to push without being told. It’s amazing. I think he’s had every gaming console except the PS3. Zale and I bought his Wii from him because he hadn’t played it much since he got his X Box 360 two Christmas’ ago, and we talked about getting the Wii fit sometime down the line.

I think Anthony has played the Wii more in the last week (since it’s been in the living room) than he has the last year and half it’s been in his bedroom. The girls LOVE watching him (and Zale) play. I think Anthony is on a mission to teach the girls to be gamers before he moves out after High School.

As I sit here on the laptop, I’m listening to Hannah ask questions about the games he’s playing (remember, she’s 4) and Anthony answer them. He just told her she’s going to have a pop quiz tomorrow. And I wouldn’t put it past him! :-)

Dirt Cake

I think it was last month when Dad and I took a quick road trip to see one my most favorite people in this world. I call her Aunt Penny.  She was kind enough to make this wonderful dessert for Dad and I, called a dirt cake. And it’s so easy to make, I thought I’d share.

1 box of instant vanilla pudding (prepare according to directions on box)

1 package of softened cream cheese

1 package of cool whip

1 package of Oreo’s

Mix pudding, cream cheese, and cool whip together til smooth. Crush Oreo’s. Layer pudding mix and Oreo’s with the top layer being cookies in a bowl or trifle dish. Chill for few hours (or even over night) and serve. Enjoy!

choosing my battles

There are so many things parents and kids fight over. I’m guessing one of the most common is clean bedrooms. With the girls it’s not as much of an issue yet. Since they are 4 and 2, any real cleaning is going to take me (or sometimes Zale) doing it. I do have them help though.

Anthony, of course, thinks my standards are too strict. After years of battles I’ve let up a little. The rule use to be that his room had to be clean if he wanted to watch TV the next day. Last month I actually paid him to clean it as close to my standards as possible without doing it myself, and keeping it clean for a couple of weeks. Since then it’s just gotten worse and worse. So yesterday I gave him an hour to get it done. It’s much better, but his closet has about 3 feet of dirty clothes piled up, with a full hamper as well.

After noticing this and insisting he start washing his clothes, I look across the hall to see that in the last half hour the girls had emptied three shelves of books, their “treasure chest” which holds all their dress up clothes, and the net hanging in the corner of their room which holds all their stuffed animals. I think their closet is still clean. But considering that I spent about an hour in their room cleaning it yesterday since we were having life group, it’s a bit frustrating.

It appears that I’m losing this battle.

Kids say the darndest things….

Today was such a pretty day so Zale and I decided to take the girls to the park. But the park was packed (they don’t do really well in that kind of crowd) so we ended up at the McDonald’s play place. Which was almost empty, because everyone was at the park. Reagan was sleepy and a bit cranky and Hannah wasn’t really playing much anyway. So we decided to pack it up and head home.

When I told Reagan it was time to go she immediately voiced her displeasure in a not so quiet manner. She was stringing some words together (with a scowl on her face), but I couldn’t quite make them out. We finally convinced the girls to go home and ride their bikes. I was still trying to figure out what Reagan was trying to say when we got in the car. As often happens, I asked Hannah if she knew what Reagan was saying  and of course she knew. Hannah said, “She’s saying that you’re ruining her life.” I couldn’t believe that was coming from my 2 1/2 year old’s mouth, but I asked Reagan if that was what she was saying and she confirmed it was.

So then I ask Hannah where in the world she learned to say that, and Hannah replied that it was from a new Barbie movie that my Mom and step-father bought them this weekend. My first thought was to burn the movies, but then I decided to reason with her instead. Why? I don’t know, I guess because for a brief moment I forgot that you really can’t reason with a 2 year old. She finally did stop saying it, but I’m quite sure we’ll hear it again sometime! I was just hoping it would be at least another 10 years!

Tonight it was Hannah’s turn. While they were taking their baths Hannah asked Reagan if she wanted to get married. I explained that sisters couldn’t get married, and that they weren’t allowed to get married for at least 20 years. Of course Hannah said they were just pretending. I went on to tell her that I hope she finds someone as wonderful as her Daddy to marry, but that she needed to marry whoever God put in her life. She said, ” so not Ethan?” (Ethan is her 5 year old friend from church and our families are very close). I told her that if Ethan was who God wanted her to marry then it would be fine with me….just not for another 20 years or so!

You just never know where the day is going to take you…I for one didn’t expect to be having those conversations with my 2 and 4 year old! Can’t wait to see/hear what they’re going to do and say tomorrow!!!

dieting…..

I haven’t talked about my weight loss progress in quite awhile. Probably because there hasn’t been more loss to talk about. I haven’t done the weight watchers thing in quite a while, and I have struggled to maintain the 40 pound loss from last year. In fact, I’ve struggled to not gain back more than 10. Some months are better than others.

So when one of my friends from church suggested a new life group for woman who wanted to lose weight and get healthy, I was all for it. We didn’t really know what program we would go by, or if it would just be a support group to help keep each other on track, but I didn’t care. I realized a long time ago, that if I didn’t get to the source of my overeating, it wasn’t going to matter what diet I used, the weight was always going to come back.

Through God’s direction we’re doing the Weigh Down diet. I have to admit, the woman who started this program can be a bit over the top, and I would love to take her to my hair stylist. But the principles are sound and life changing. The bottom line is turning to God instead of turning to food. What a novel concept. We think to turn to Him for finances, our health, many other things, but our weight, not so much unless you’re like me and try to bargain with Him to magically make it disappear.

Here’s the jist of how it works. You don’t eat until your stomach growls. Weird concept, I know, especially since I’ve been taught for years not to let myself get too hungry so I won’t go over board. But doesn’t it really make more sense to not eat if you’re not really hungry?! To keep from overeating, pray over your food, take small bites, put your fork down in between bites and take sips of your drink. Eat slowly and stop when you start to feel full. The best part, is that you literally eat whatever you want. Whatever your body tell you it wants. No more diet food!!!!

As you learn the difference between real physical hunger, and head hunger (or thinking you’re hungry when you’re really not, but just want to eat), you’ll eat less, give your body time to use what you have eaten, and begin to lose weight. The even better benefit is getting closer to God and getting emotionally healthy as well as physically healthy.

The lady leading our group has lost over 70 pounds and other women in our group have lost 5 to 10 pounds since we started a few weeks ago. Unfortunately for me, I lost a couple of pounds the first week, then went back to doing my own thing for the next couple of weeks, so I’m not sure what my true weight loss is yet. But I do know this, I haven’t gained any and have been eating all kinds of yummy food. When I’m hungry! Real ice cream, Mexican food, fast food, etc. But in stopping when I’m full and only eating when I’m truly hungry, I know I’m eating less and less often.

Not to knock Weight Watchers or any other program out there that has worked for many. But it is so freeing to not have to buy diet food anymore, to not have to count points or keep a food journal, or work out because I want to add points back to my food journal because I want to eat more that day. I am learning to keep a prayer journal, because denying yourself really isn’t easy. To turn to God instead of turning to food is quite a challenge when I’ve been turning to food for so many years. But for food to not be the center of my day anymore, is a wonderful change. God Bless!

7 years

Today makes seven years that Zale and I have been married. I can honestly say they have been the best years of my life. God has brought us through so much individually, and as a couple. I’m excited to see what He’s going to do next!

In the last seven years we’ve endured law school, starting up a business, having two beautiful girls, and raising a wonderful son. After several years we finally found a church home, we’ve joined and started life groups, and made wonderful friends that I hope we’ll have for a life time.

There’s just not enough time to blog about everything that has happened in the last seven years, but I do have to say that Zale is still my God send and I can’t imagine doing life with anyone else. Happy Anniversary! I love you!

Heart to Heart

Last night our church held an event for Married couples called Heart to Heart. Five married couples were brave enough to share their stories of how much God had impacted their marriages over the years. Some spoke about blended families, some spoke of greed, some even confessed cheating. But in each of these marriages, God did awesome and amazing works in each of them, and in their marriages.

Some of the stories were shocking, but also so encouraging. There were lots of tears shed, but lots of laughter too. I’m so grateful to be a part of such a wonderful church with such real people, that truly want to bring others to be fully devoted followers of Christ. Each couple was amazing, and to hear the victories won over the enemy in the name of Christ is something I’ll never forget.