1,000 Pageviews and 'Before' pictures.

I just hit one thousand page views on my blog of three months. I'd guess I'd consider that a bigger success then I thought it would be. So thank you very much for 'tuning in' to this rural mother's ramblings and rants. I appreciate it.

So weight loss= Blah. I know, I know. It's getting old for me as well. But the many experts say that one great tool for weight loss inspiration is a public forum, (like this) for motivation, support and accountability. So, here is my "before" picture. It happens to be the only one I have, since I don't usually allow people to take my picture at this stage of post-pregnancy. But my friend, pictured here with me, isn't likely to be back in Iowa for a while and I made an exception. She looks fantastic by the way!
I started out having babies at a respectable 135 pounds which is a pretty good weight for someone 5'6". This is a photo of me about to deliver at 220 pounds. (if you can believe it, I'm hoping you can't) And finally today three months post delivery at 175 lbs, and going down. So It's embarrassing, but surprisingly motivating. Expect more weight loss photos, once a month for as long as it takes me to get to my goal of 135. (which I am hoping will be in the next few months)

Father's Day

My husband and I get made fun of often for our public affection for one another, but it's genuine and we can't seem to stop it.(not that we wanted to)
So....

I love this man because...
he is cute
he is the nicest guy I've ever met
he's a great daddy
makes cute babies
folds laundry really really well
he makes me laugh
and keeps this chic grounded. (much needed)

We try and make him feel special everyday but especially on Father's Day. Every year early church services and the hustle of getting five people ready in their 'Sunday best' prevent us from making Daniel breakfast in bed, like other families. So, we have a different tradition. The kids decorate daddy a tie. No matter what it looks like daddy always wears it to church... believe me he can pull it off.

I was a little worried this year as our daughters had uncooperative feet, but he LOVED it!

I picked him out a few new polo shirts for work. Fairon picked him out a 'paisley' tie. (they are really good at picking out paisleys now) and Brighton chose a remote control helicopter for Dan, which turned out to be the BEST gift. Boys never outgrow toys. It was the best father's day for the best father.

What my daughter thinks of her daddy...

In church for Father's Day they asked Brighton some questions about her dad and filled in her responses...

Afterward she drew picture of him which was a straight line and a big smile...which if you know my husband is just about right.

Reasons Why I ACTUALLY suck at blogging...

I don't actually do anything. I love to read people's blogs who everyday are taking pictures of their kids, crafts, and activities.
Secretly, I guess not so secretly anymore, think "is their life really as interesting as this blog entry seems?"
"Did they really just get the perfect picture of their children actually getting along?"
Or did they just spend five minutes yelling at their kids to do the 6 S's :Sit down, Stop wiggling, Shut up, Stop hitting your sister, and SMILE! Followed by the expletive starting with 'S'!

Here is my ACTUAL day....blog worthy?
I woke up to LOUD crying down stairs and simultaneously realized 1. I forgot to turn on the baby monitor and 2. Yep, I still have a headache.
I put Fairon and Paisley in bed with me, in the hopes that they will each sleep about an hour longer...crept out of my bedroom. Did the dishes from the night before, managed to squeeze doing two loads of laundry in before they all woke up.
Threw some whole wheat eggo waffles in the toaster. (see I'm a good mom, whole wheat is healthy!) Slathered them with peanut butter and syrup so they would actually eat aforementioned whole wheat waffles.
Changed diapers but not clothing. Blew a fuse.(an actual fuse, not figurative, although almost)
Folded two loads of laundry, watched them get promptly unfolded. called a friend....complained about how I suck at blogging.
Came upstairs and put my fingers to the keyboard amid yelling and crying.
Right now, there is a child on my lap, a child crying, and one child actually ripping little bits of typing paper into 'snow'. We are still in our jammies and we had scrambled eggs for lunch.

This is my actual life. blog worthy?
I'm hoping so.

It's wedding season...

This wedding season has me thinking about my own wedding. It was so precious, so wonderful...and so cheap. Daniel and I spent less then $1,000 on our nuptials and that includes the rings and dress. As I watch all these 'slightly' older brides get married, 5.5 years after my own wedding, I can see HUGE differences: Tailored gowns, gorgeous hair and makeup, huge flowers, centerpieces, and beautiful photography.

Would I change it? Well, that's a silly question Self, because I can't. But you bring up an interesting point Self and I think the question you really want to ask is...Do you feel left out? And I'd have to say yes.

There were so many pros to getting married young and not spending too much moolaah . We started out our married life with only our student loan debt. My husband was so proud to see me wearing his grandmother's ring. We got married because we loved each other genuinely and couldn't wait to start our lives together. (among other things of course)

But, I missed out on feeling really beautiful, and having the dress I wanted instead of the one that we could afford. I miss being able to look at beautiful photographs of our special day, instead of the hodge podge of photos our friends and family took. AND I really miss my family not being happy or proud that day.

Having those things wouldn't change the result though. I married the kind of wonderful man that doesn't exist in the really world so much anymore. Together we built a sweet little life. It really wouldn't have changed a thing.

So, what have we learned here? eh... nothing.

10 things I should know by now...

1. How to lose this baby weight. (or better yet, how to not gain it in the first place.)

2. How to forgive.

3. How to make cinnamon rolls from scratch.

4. How to be organized. (at least by the world's standards of organization.)

5. How I can be so different from my own mother. I mean seriously: she can sew, crochet, knit, is hyper organized, smart, good at everything she's ever done, as far as I know never touched a recipe and still manages to be the best cook I've ever known. Plus she has this weird grandma ESP where if the kids are needing ANYTHING, socks or jackets...*poof* they are in the mail the next day. How is it possible that so much awesomeness skipped a generation?

6. How to talk on the telephone, a skill I seriously lack. I've never figured out how you are supposed to end a conversation.

7. When to shut up.

8. How to stand up for myself.

9. How to say 'no'.

10. Why life is so much easier for everybody else.

10 things I know...

1. God lives. He exists and everything proves his presence to me. Even the bad horrible things, because if evil exists then so must good. You only need to look around this world to see Satan and so must God live.

2. Beautiful things come in threes, of which I have daily proof: Brighton, Fairon, and Paisley.

3. A good marriage takes work. It requires you to put another person first constanly in the hopes that they do the same. When that works it is the most valuable relationship you can have.

4. Nothing turns out just the way you think.

5. When you gossip, you just look ugly.

6. It's better not to have an opinion about everything, it makes what you really care about stand out.

7. It works if you work it. Confidence and exuberance...that's real beauty

8. Two things in this world that will get you everything: Education and Kindness.

9. An object in motion will stay in motion.

10. We are born good. We need to be more like our children. See the beauty in the little mundane things. Be compassionate for everyone. Cry when we need to cry. Laugh, sing, and dance just because. Remember how much easier it was to believe in Santa, the Tooth Fairy, God, peace, and love when we were children? <---Proof.