a Trim healthy Mama and Papa

You know I lost 25+ pounds last year while training with Michelle, but you may not know since Christmas I gained 7 pounds back.  Earlier this summer, my mom started reading the Trim Healthy Mama book and while at the family reunion I picked it up and started reading it.  The first chapter was all about my R2.  He eats bread and fruit, fruit and bread, some more bread and then some fruit, like every day.  He doesn't like veggies or meat.  He is hungry all of the time, has skin issues, and is really moody.  I ordered the book and began reading it for myself.  It is not an easy read at first, actually was kind of annoyed with it to tell the truth.  The cartoons are cheesy and the authors are a little obnoxious for my reading pleasure, but what they said made sense, after two or three rereads of some key chapters.  I did not read every chapter as I feel I have a pretty solid understanding of my fitness needs, didn't really care about their opinions when it came to Ben and my relationship and decided to skip their back stories.  But the premise is good stuff.
I have been on-plan for almost two months, Ben and I have both lost right at 10 pounds each, my mom and friend, Steve have each lost over 20 pounds.
The meals are super simple and if you are careful to follow their guidelines, pairing appropriate meals together, you will succeed.  I am eating bacon multiple times a week, eggs every day, butter, sourdough bread, sugar-free chocolate every day and yummy things like Pizza, Taco and Cheeseburger Pies, Chile Relleno Casseroles, and blueberry pancakes.  My kids are eating roasted cauliflower, green beans, broccoli, even cabbage!
I have so much more energy, I feel better and I look leaner.  Everyone can appreciate a genuine compliment and they are coming regularly so it helps to keep us on plan.  LE has wrapped her arms around me more than once this summer and told me I am getting easier to hug.  I am one pound from my goal weight, Ben is wearing a size large shirt and down to size 34 jeans.  He is also in One-derland.  pics will come after our get-away.

date with Daddy

I loved my date whith daddy. It was ASOME!  We did so many things that I can't remember anything we did (Just kidding)We did a lot of things. we rode boats that we could swirt. Which the first time we did it I got daddy a lot! The 2nd time we did it daddy gave me revenge!  We rode the racecars twice. I did the rockcilmbing 5 times just to hit the buzzer.(well I did hit the buzzer one time) but any ways it was so much fun!  Thank you daddy and mommy!



whriten by:  Bella Richards.

Live to Ride, Ride to Live

A nine year old, L.E.

Seriously, where has the past nine years gone?  And why do you insist on being nine when I want you to stay my baby?  I'm so thankful for the young lady you are becoming, but so don't want you to become that young lady, yet.  You are the most intelligent nine year old I know.  Your intelligence down right blows my mind.  You have the vocabulary of an adult.  Hot pink is your favorite color this month, and your favorite hobby is reading.   You enjoy learning and questioning.  Your beauty amazes me.  You've asked to be called LE and I hope it catches on too.  I love to watch you worship and others even comment on your sincerity when you are praising your king.  I am so blessed The Lord chose us to be your parents.  But, could you just stay my baby girl, just for awhile longer.

A Rock Star's Birthday (inspired by the Voice)

LE has been asking for a few month's (more like 12 months) for a surprise party and since we originally planned to travel for her party it was fairly easy to pull off a surprise party for her.  She wanted "the Voice" inspired party with Blake Shelton, singing, microphones, the works.  Daddy and I had looked into karaoke machines in the past, but discovered there were sing-alongs for the Wii and decided on the Disney Sing-along as inspiration for a party.  She also got a couple of dance party games which the kids at the party got into.  She spent the morning on a date with Mimi and Boo got a special date with daddy while I got the house ready for guests.  Super simple party to plan since I got to make all the decisions.  Mimi made cupcakes in ice cream cones to be microphones.  Gigi and I hung stars from the ceiling.  We served water bottles, fruit, ice cream, and hummus and crackers at the afternoon event.
The boys napped prior to the party so I could get things ready and I prepared R2 that people would be coming over to yell surprise when LE came home.  New and loud things stress him out.  So when Mimi arrived with her I told him to get ready.  Stinker ran out the back door through the garage to greet her and yell surprise.  Luckily, his vocabulary is off, so she had no idea what he was saying, but that is something I will never forget, that he thought that through.

Celebrating Hank's birthday

To celebrate HR's 2nd birthday, we decided to make a trip to Leakey for a weekend on the river instead of a party.  We wanted to celebrate each of the kids with a memory instead of a party this year, but there was some apprehension from certain children and financial obligations that had to put some traveling on hold.
We spent the weekend with Gigi and PopPop, Mimi and PawPaw at a friends  house on the Frio Rio.  The kids had a blast, there wasn't a lot of water in the river, there was lots of good food, and a time without cell phones or internet for the parents.  We enjoyed the dance at Garner State Park where the girls were asked to dance by a boy.  He was quite a handsome gentleman (named Christian), even teaching the girls how to two-step, but it was still a little too much for this mama to see my baby girls dancing with someone besides Daddy.

A two year old

Harrison, aka Hank around these parts is two today.  He is a rambunctious toddler, living life to the fullest.  He only says six words, but he says them emphatically.  Mama, Addy (daddy), Bubba, Sissy, Ella and uh-oh.  He loves bananas, eggs, milk, cheese, and will eat fruit, meat and veggies on his terms.  He has been sitting on the potty, but not consistently.  Some days he is interested and others not so much.
At the beginning of the summer, he didn't show much interest in the pool, but now he jumps in, goes under water, and tries to swim with floaties.
His favorite toys are trains and cars.  He sleeps with his blue bear and still in his crib.  We are not ready to give him that kind of freedom yet.  He loves to help unload the dishwasher, and picks up toys while humming the clean-up song.  He loves bath time, but hates having his hair washed.  He loves to be read too.  His favorite books are Little People on the Farm and Little People at the Zoo flip the flap books, Thomas the Train and Big Trucks.  He seems to be the most athletic and active of the kids so can't wait to see what he does with that throwing arm.

first day of school 2014-2015

We are starting school early this year, today as a matter of fact.  I have a fourth grader, and a dual second/third grader.  Where did the past four years go?
This year we are participating in a co-op which will begin in September.  All four of the children will participate in classes once a week and I will teach high school American History.  HR and R2 are in the preschool class, Boo is in early elementary and LE will be in upper elementary.  Even though the girls are in separate grades, they are each taking Theater, P.E. and Story of the World (history) for their own grade levels.
This year our curriculum looks very similar to last year:
History - Story of the World (finishing up vol 2, to begin vol 3 in September)
Science- Exploring Creation with Zoology: Swimming Creatures
Spelling Power (L is in EIGHTH GRADE, B is in FOURTH grade), that is not a typo!
Lessons in Responsibility level two
English - Shurley English level 3
Bible - reading the new testament and memorizing key scriptures
Logic - Building Thinking Skills
Math - Landry - finishing up Math U See Gamma in the next couple of weeks onto Delta
           Bella- finishing up Math U See Alpha in the next couple of weeks and onto Beta
They will continue piano each week and will begin lessons in Spanish this year.  We are presently using apps for Spanish, but plan to begin Rosetta Stone as soon as the budget allows.

In a few weeks as the girls get settled in their routines, I plan to begin working with R2 more on his academics.  He wants to be like big sisters and have school work.

Vacation Bible Schools, art camps, sports camps, Oh My.

The girls were so blessed this summer to be invited to participate in multiple vacation Bible schools and art camps.  In June, they went to my friend Cari's VBS for Shine.  They learned a CD full of worship songs, made crafts, friends and LE even won a lava lamp at a dance-off.  During July they attended the Museum of Western Arts' art camp for a week, where they did pioneer crafts and history talks.  Over the past couple of weeks they participated in a Mega Sports VBS camp, where Boo did a cheerleading camp and LE did the baseball camp.  This past week, they traveled to Jerusalem during Bible times and learned about the last week of Jesus' life.