My Baby is THIRTEEN!

So, I don't have time to write much, but my baby girl is thirteen years old today! I can't believe that much time has passed since she was born!

I'll try and write more later, but I just wanted to wish my SAM a happy birthday!

Daily Commute - Episode 1

Okay, so seriously this is my very FIRST ever attempt at a 'vlog' - so don't be too harsh. ;) I'm sure my editing skillz will get ever so better, the more I do this. I just used what was available in YouTube itself, but I have a better thing called Camtasia - just didn't have time to mess around with it too much.

And yes, I was holding my phone up while driving - not texting, not even really talking on the phone - just had my right elbow rested on the arm rest, with my iPhone in hand - and talking...to myself...sorta. hehe So, don't get all gaspy about how I shouldn't vlog and drive, mmmmk? ;)

So, check it out - I know I have a HUGE right nostril - but I can't really hold my phone up above my head and drive - THAT would be distracting.

Social Media A.D.D.

Okay, so as you have seen, I have not been around my Blog much lately. Why you ask? (This is me assuming you asked...ahem) It's because I have been sucked into the Facebook black hole. I always told myself I would not let that happen, but alas it has happened. And I can only juggle up to two forms of social media at a time, or something. And I've been doing a high concentration of stuff for my sign language business - so my Facebook has been getting updated frequently, as well as my business website. So, there you have it, I have reached my two forms. And here my poor, neglected, blog sits...with nary an update. :(

I have an iPhone and Facebook has an APP, and it's just so handy! I can post pictures, I can check my News Feeds, I can see what Events I have coming up. It really is pretty darn awesome! So I guess I have to find a blogging app so that I can do that from wherever I happen to be that's not in front of my laptop.

So, I apologize for not being more diligent in updating my blog more often.

And I have not taken to Tweeting...although I do have a Twitter account hanging out there somewhere. So maybe that will be my next area of exploration.

Until then, here's a link to my Facebook Album with some very recent pictures of the kiddos from Labor Day weekend!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2081367&id=1482220555&l=d278ec99a2

It's been over a year...but I did it!

My first time back on a bike since I found out I was pregnant with AJ.

I truly can not believe it's been a month since I've posted. What.the.heck?

This month has gone by in a whirlwind. I've accomplished a lot in my career, spent a bunch of time with the kids, watched a lot of dirtbike races, and spent a lot of time in doors (July in AZ stinks for weather).

I seriously can't believe July is over after tomorrow. The kids only have 2 more weeks until school starts. Yes, I know, many kids are either back in school already...or we all reminisce about how we didn't go back to school until after Labor Day. But my kids' district starts somewhere in the middle. SAM will be in 8th grade, Cita in 3rd, and Monkey will be going to elementary for the first time, although I'm not sure if it will be as a Kindergartener or 1st grader. She technically finished a Kindergarten program at a private school, and the district said that they will place her in a 1st grade class for the first 3 weeks of school to see how they think she will do in that grade. If she appears to be on par with the other students, they will keep her in 1st, otherwise they will just put her in a Kindergarten class. The only reason this is even an issue is because her 5th birthday fell after the cut-off date, so she couldn't attend public school Kindergarten last year, so she just completed it at the preschool where I had her enrolled. So, we'll see how that goes.

Baby Pants is in a phase let me tell ya. She has taken to calling people 'stupid' and SCREAMING at the top of her lungs if she doesn't get her way. Oh the butt whoopings that child is going to get over the next few months until she gets her little attitude in check. Yeesh.

Cita is still in California with her dad for the summer, but she'll be coming home on the 8th. I've missed that little stinker! In a bad-but-sort-of-good turn of events, her dad had ruptured his achilles tendon a couple of months ago, and had to be on disability from work. So, he actually got to be off the whole time Morgan was visiting him. So, she got to spend lots of quality time with her dad, and I'm sure she really enjoyed that.

SAM has been coming to work with me a few days a week. It's been a really great bonding experience. We talk a lot on the way to and from work..I get insight on what's going on with her friends, what she's looking forward to this year, what things she's interested in, etc. She gets to bond with me and see what I do at work (the bosses don't mind because she's very well behaved and I am still very productive when she's here). I've gotten to see what a WONDERFUL artist she is...which she does not get from me by the way. We go to lunch together, and it's really nice.

AJ has been growing by leaps and bounds. He's 5 1/2 months now...and rolling over both ways, and inchworm crawling. He is eating rice cereal and making all kinds of fun 'talking' sounds. He's such a sweet little guy, always smiling and playing...only getting fussy when it's time to eat. He is sitting up somewhat on his own now, if he gets too excited he falls over though.

I've been trying to lose this baby weight. It is not going well. I'm not really gaining, but I'm not losing either. I've been working out about 3 days a week on average. And I've made improvements in my diet. But the office is a hard place to be...there are always goodies, snacks, candy, soda, etc. I've gotten a bit more disciplined for not grabbing everything I see, but not 100% eating right. I eat better at home because Aaron is very fit, and we don't keep any sodas, candy, chips, etc at home. But I'm only there for dinner and weekends. Most of my eating happens at work, and snacking and going out to lunch is not helping. I'm having a contest with a co-worker to see if we can get to our goal weights by October 2nd, because that is when he is going back home for a visit. But he's not married, and has no children, so he says he's working out 2x a day. Gee, I wonder who's going to win? Whoever said breastfeeding helps you lose the baby weight is LYING. It was an undercover La Leche League member to get more moms to breastfeed. hehe. Just kidding. It's been a rewarding experience for sure...just did not contribute to my weight loss at all. Oh well, I'll keep you posted on that.

Now, if you've made it this far, please enjoy a video of my cute little AJ playing with a toy. hehe

How Do You Eat an Elephant?

One bite at a time, right? So, we've all heard that phrase in relation to dealing with things that seem too large to accomplish - whether it's a project at work, our to-do list at home, or things that we want to do for our personal growth.

So, it's supposed to be encouraging that you only bite off what you can chew at the time, complete that portion, and then move on to the next thing.

But I find that the problem is that my elephant keeps growing...while I'm eating him. So, I just finish a leg or whatever, and then I'll be darned if that elephant doesn't grow another leg!

Kinda feels like the elephant can't be eaten in its entirety. So, what do you do in that situation, where you know you'll be eating elephant for the rest of your life?

Spiritual Insight from my 2 year old

So, you know what's cuter than a 2 year old screaming "Don't Cut The Cheese!!" :)

A 2 year old coming up to you, sitting in your lap, looking straight in your eyes and saying "Jesus loves you Mommy...and Jesus loves me too."

I often question my ability to lay a strong foundation for my children regarding our relationship with Christ - but I think she's got the most important principle down. As long as she can remember Jesus loves her, no matter what she goes through in life, I know she'll be alright. :)