Whoopsi Daisy ...

I’m a self proclaimed blog stalker, it’s true. I just love listening to other peoples opinions on things. I recently read a post about preserving a daughters innocence / childhood. It wasn’t so much the blog post that got me thinking but more the 248 comments attached to it. All these, “wah wah the world is going to crap!!” comments. There was ONE opposing comment. And even that one wasn’t really opposing what was being said so much as just saying that this is something every generation goes through. The whole thing was thought provoking to me.

See I’m not going to have to worry about Baylee coming home wanting to wear 4 inch heels next year. That isn’t my reality. But all these comments were all about these women and their daughters, with an occasional reference to a boy. As a mother to 3 boys I think of similar things. I too see that kids seem to be growing up too quickly. We talk about, “Well what did we used to do when we were their age?” See though, here’s the thing .. we don’t live in the same times. PLUS I really believe that we all have a rather distorted view of our own childhoods from 15-20+ years ago.

The first thing that popped into my head was that I used to play with my Barbies while Mike played next to me with his GI Joes. I think that’s what lots of kids did that grew up around the same time. Sure I could twist that around to say that playing with Barbies distorted me to have this misconceived female body image, right? Playing with GI Joes also meant playing with guns and tanks, that could be twisted to say that it focused on violence. C’mon .. Barbies and GI Joes people!!

We grew up in California. This meant that in the summer time we spent most of our time at the beach, playing in the sand and ocean. That is not a luxury that my own kids will have. Beach is F R E E! At least for now it is (I’m sure someone will eventually find a way to privatize this luxury). In the Winter it was still warm enough to be able to go outside and ride bikes and play kick the can. But we live in Utah. That means for basically 6 months of the year it is real hard to do stuff outside. I REALLY like to get out on the weekends and find fun things to do with my kids. But you can only keep small children warm for so long. Once they’re cold .. it isn’t fun anymore. And really, what parent *forces* their kids to stay outside in the snow? “These days” that’s considered child abuse. I just think people are way too quick to judge. There is a degree of tunnel vision going on here. I don’t claim to be immune to it either, I’m sure my perception is very different from others.

One last thought, there are those self proclaimed “conservative parents” who feel that they are judged and criticized for being such. When they tell their kids that they can’t go see some risqué movie that all their friends are going to see, they “lose friends over it.” Hearing that frustrates me. Because the flip side to that is that the rest of us are bad parents because we are letting our kids see the “inappropriate” movie. What this boils down to is that the conservative parents feel like crap because they feel like people think they’re weird for not doing what everyone is doing. The liberal parents feel like crap because they feel like the conservative parent just said they were bad parents. Get it? Everyone feels like crap! Everyone has hurt feelings. How is this any way to live? MY philosophy is one of balance, everything in moderation kind of approach. Because yes, there are good things about being conservative and there are good things about being more liberal. At the end of the day who am I or you to judge someone else? I don’t want to raise sheltered children that once they’re out in the world they’re in for a rude awakening. I also don’t want to raise kids who end up in jail!

Balance.

Oh and yes .. its seems my blog post went totally off course again. Shoot!

The torture!!

One of the best things about Easter:

I seriously LOVE these!

I have been buying a couple bags a week.

But I haven't been eating them.

I still want to lose another 10 lbs and it's been SO hard .. that last 10.

This weekend I finally opened a bag.

I ate one serving .. 12 eggs.

Yes I counted them.

I get up the next morning to find the bag completely empty!

Jeramie and Wyland ate the entire bag (mostly Jeramie).

Monday night Jeramie jumped on me about where the brownies went that one of our neighbors brought us.

I think he was implying that Baylee had found them and eaten them.

I told him they were in the fridge, I had hidden them from her.

The next day he went looking for them and Jackson and Robie had eaten them all.

He was mad .. I said, "What like the last time she made brownies and YOU ate them all and I didn't

even get one?  BUMMER!"  (karma my friend)

I bought Girl Scout cookies.

They're still sitting on my desk at work .. unopened.

I told him last night that if I brought them home he would eat them all and I wouldn't get any.

Does anyone else have to maintain separate locations between their husbands and sweets??

This was not the original reason for this blog post.

I was just going to say how incredibly challenged I have been lately with my eating habits.

As soon as I have one naughty thing it's SO hard to get back on track.

My running has become so much harder!

It could have to do with the 28 minutes of straight running. (I'm up to 3.4 miles)

Could be that I've struggle to get 3 runs in each week.

Could be that I've been cheating on my diet and so I'm not fueling my body well.

Could be a combination of it all!

It's been HARD though.

And Cadbury Mini Eggs .. those bags now stashed in my nightstand (hiding from Baylee and Jeramie).

They call my name at night!!

So. Hard.

Book Club

If you can't join them .. beat them.

oh wait

It's if you can't beat them .. join them.

Whatever.

So I have always wanted to join a book club.  But I've never been invited to one.

Well, it's not like I know of any, other than the one my mum's in.

I love to read though and I've always thought being a part of a book club sounded rather glamorous.

So I got the thought in my head to start my own book club.

I sent emails out to those ladies that I know.  To my surprise all except one accepted my invitation.

One person just didn't even answer .. nice.

Since I work full time and have 4 amazing (yet small) kids at home I wasn't personally prepared to dedicate more than 1 night every other month.  It's just way too hard to make that much time.  I thought this would also help to ensure more complete attendance as well.  It also allowed people to read books that they wanted to as well as those chosen for our book club. 

We were off to a good start.

Lots of enthusiasm.

First book:

And it was amazing.

I sent out many reminders about our upcoming first official meeting.

There were a couple people that I knew weren't going to be able to make it.

As we got closer to the day more people weren't able to make it.

So rather than a table for 8 .. it ended up being 3 of us.

But ...

It was REALLY fun!

We were small but mighty!

It was fun to talk about our different perceptions of the book and different ways that we each envisioned characters.  I loved getting out of the house for a little girl time.  I think they did too.

I can't wait for June.

I expect that we'll have a larger turn out.

But even if it's a small group again, that's okay.

Oh and back to the book .. I would totally recommend it!

P.S.  This is in no way to guilt any of you that couldn't come.  I hope to see you all in June.

SCORE!

So I have been eying one of these:

They have one at Costco but it costs $150.  SO much money for a coffee maker.  I don't even really know why I wanted one so much.  I like the idea of the convenience I suppose.  (1) no more coffee filters  (2) holds lots of water and so I don't make a trip to the infamous water cooler every day  (3) no grinding coffee beans (since Costco got rid of the Starbucks Organic coffee, I'm back to grinding beans).  Plus it's just so cool looking!  At work I have a small 6 cup coffee maker that I brew 3 cups on each morning.  However, 3 cups only actually fills one travel mug.  That's all I drink daily as far as coffee goes.  First thing I do when I arrive at work is put my coffee on.  My coffee maker was just a basic Black and Decker, maybe I paid like $15 for it. 

Well my old boss (doesn't work for the company anymore) had one of these Kuerig bad boys.  When she left she gave hers to one of my co-workers. He sits right next to me.  See she lives in Minnesota and I'm guessing she didn't want to ship it back home.  Or maybe she already had one at home.  Anyway my new boss had mentioned in passing that she would have paid my old boss for it but she had already given it to Vince.  Fast forward a couple months and Vince makes some comment to me about how he needs to really bring a power strip from home so he can start using his coffee maker.  I advised him in my "wisest Kerry voice" that he really needed to do that because if he didn't use it soon it might just disappear from his cube.  He says, "Oh you like my coffee maker."  I reinforce that I've been eying them for quite some time now.  The next thing that happens is magic.  He says, "You want to trade?"  uhhh .. really? You want to trade your $150 COOL coffee maker for my $15 B&D Special?  uhhh .. does a bear you know what in the woods?!!!

So I acquired my super sweet Kuerig B40 through office trade!!!

Seriously!

Sisterly Resemblance

So last week here I blogged about Oliver at 3 months and compared him to Jackson and Wyland.  Amber left a comment about whether or not perhaps he looked like Baylee.  I feel like I should start by explaining why I don't usually include her in the comparisons.  The biggest reason is probably convenience.  Jackson and Wyland were both born during the digital age and so all their pictures are already on my computer and quick to access.  Baylee's on the other hand I have to go to the basement and pull hers out of photo albums and then scan them.  Kind of a pain in the butt.  That's the simple explanation. The other part is more complicated but perhaps the more appropriate reason.  Baylee was 6 weeks premature and so her maturity was definitely off if you looked at it by month.  Comparing her at 3 months to the boys is more like comparing her at 5 months, that would be more accurate.  Then there's the fact that with Prader-Willi Syndorome there are some very specific physical characteristics, one of which specifically leads to her having almond shaped eyes.  Lastly there's the fact that she only has half the same DNA.  Because of ALL that, I tend not to include her.  BUT after Amber left the comment I went looking for Baylee's pictures.  And I have to say that I actually do see some resemblance between them!

More Swimming

You're probably tired of my swimming pictures by now.  This week Jackson continued to get braver though.  He would put his face in the water and walk the length of the kiddie pool.  I'm just so happy to see him becoming more comfortable in the water.  He's literally growing up so quickly right before my eyes these past few months.  I can't believe it.  Wyland went in the water this weekend too.  It was the one weekend this month that Jeramie could come with us to Swimming Lessons.  So that meant that Wyland got to go in the water and play with Jackson.  Mainly because Jeramie could get in with them (since I was out with Oliver).

I had flashbacks from when Jackson fell in the pool. Wyland was bending over in the water to dip his mouth in and I think he bent too far and tipped over.  Next thing he's floating face down and can't get back up again.  Until Jeramie flipped him back upright.  I tell you it's the scariest thing to watch.  At first I was feeling majorly guilty like I am this terrible parrent that both my older boys have done basically the same thing.  Having had these traumatic experiences.  But then literally 10 minutes later another little girl did the EXACT same thing!  It made me feel better.  I guess it's par for the course.  But it sure serves as a reminder of how quickly bad things can happen when kids are around water.  It scares the heck out of me that's for sure.

Working the System

So I've wanted a pair of these Keen shoes for a long time.

But just not willing to spend over $100 to own them.

They look so perfect for our boating/camping weekends.

Because you know that's how we spend our summers.

This weekend Jeramie and I went up to the outlets shopping.

I was eyeing these shoes again and he was telling me

"Just buy them."

I couldn't do it.

THEN I had a thought.

Why didn't I think of this sooner.

I've done it before.

I shopped the kids section!!

I got my shoes for half the price!

WHY though if they fit me in the kids section are they charging

more money in the adults section?

It doesn't take more material to make them.

They're the SAME SIZE.

I am so grateful to have small feet.

And I can't wait until Mother's Day to unwrap my lovely new shoes!

Love me some BOYS!

This is one of my favorite pictures of Jackson and Wyland.

I needed an updated one.

I can already tell this will be another favorite.

3 Month Comparison

I actually think they all look quite a bit alike at 3 months.

I think that he looks slightly more like Jackson.

Jackson

Wyland

Oliver

Except for those eyes turning BROWN!!!

I have no brown eyed babies.

And I'm THRILLED!

I always wanted brown eyes myself.

The one thing I hoped for with Oliver while I was pregnant.

Dark hair and brown eyes.

Look who got her way...

ME!

Curls or Straight?

That is the question.

I've determined that Jackson's hair started to look significantly curly right around 9 months.

Wyland's on the other hand.  Dead straight all along.

So everyone wonders which route Oliver's hair will take.

I'm thinking we've got some curls growing here.

Jeramie's Healthy 2011 Journey

Jeramie was envious of my healthy ways.

So he insisted that he needed to start his own.

So we placed an order in a far distant land .. China.

We received this package:

And inside was this:

Which then meant he needed all these:

Okay .. well maybe the Calcium and D3 are mine .. maybe.

Then this weekend while I was at my movie

I received the following text message:

So I'm trying to work out and I'm facing towards the stairs thinking

that's better when the whole pull up bar falls off the door and

I tumble down six flights of stairs!

My leg hurts.

I could have been killed.

And now my door looks like this.

Because he ripped the top of the trim off the wall at the top of the basement stairs.

And guess who was upset I didn't ask if he was okay?

Umm .. clearly he's a man and if he wasn't ok he would have said so from the beginning right?

Monday morning I heard him telling his mom about what happened.

She laughed too.

Yet another reason we really need to get with the program and repaint

all the main living space in our house.

The P90X journey has just begun for Jeramie.

For now he needs to find somewhere else to do his pull ups.

I can't squeeze P90X into my running schedule right now.

But I haven't ruled out doing it at a later date.

On top of all this Jeramie has decided to follow in my footsteps.

Pride Day 5K in June

He's enlisting friends at work to run with him.

I'll probably run with him too.  Since by then I plan to be a 5K pro!

So proud.

So proud.

That's me.

Jackson is doing really good with his swimming lessons.

There are only he and one other little boy in his class.

This week, lesson two.

He was willing to bend down and submerge his head in the water to get the dive toys.

I can't get enough of this kids smile.

This weekend was good.

Up bright and early on Saturday morning (usually I like to sleep in).

Went to swimming and then afterwards Wyland and I took off solo to grocery shop.

I love spending time with any of my kids one on one.

Special time.

Sunday I got to go to the movies while Jeramie stayed home with all the kids.

Such a pleasant surprise!

I really enjoyed the movie .. funny AND cute!

You know you have boys when ....

Your lamp shades hang crooked because they are used to hold Batman and Joker.

And your cute Scentsy candle is .. home of Darth Vader.

Not for the faint at heart.

So Wyland has been potty trained since around October of last year.  I'm proud to say he did so much earlier than Jackson did.  We didn't give him a choice since Oliver was coming and I downright wasn't prepared to buy diapers for 2 kids.  Well he still wears pull-ups when he goes to bed at night and ofter during his naps too.  He's rather unpredictable. Some days he wakes up after sleeping all night with a dry pull-up.  Other times he naps for an hour and soaks it.  Hit and miss I tell you.  I don't stress about it though.  At least during the day he's fully potty trained and I love it.

Well this past Sunday I was doing my grocery shopping.  We started at Costco and it must have worn him out.  During the drive from Costco to Target he had fallen asleep in the car.  No worries, I just pulled him out of his carset and sat him in the front of the cart and stuffed my coat down one side of him for him to lay his head down.  I was looking forward to a quiet shopping trip. 

Let's set the stage:

Wyland is in the basket in the normal spot that kids sit.

We go and get our coffee.

We're walking down the pasta aisle and all of a sudden something is dripping from my cart.

Yep .. you got it.

Wyland has peed.

(oh and he's still sound asleep)

I'm thinking .. crap.  But it's not the end of the world.

I've sent Baylee back to the Starbucks to get napkins.

I bend down to start cleaning it up and realize there isn't much on the floor.

Relief sets in.

BUT WAIT ...

My purse is on the bottom rack of the cart because he was sitting in the front.

There is a LARGE puddle of pee in my purse.

Yes .. true story.  Pee on my Kindle.  Pee on my iPod.  Pee EVERYWHERE.

Wyland's pee soaked the inside of my cute purse.

Good thing I have a sense of humor.  My mum just stood there and laughed at me.

Hysterically.

Good thing this kid is so cute.

Jackson's First Swim Lesson

This weekend we had some fun things planned.  I signed up Baylee and Jackson for swimming lessons.  I found some that were only on Saturday's which allowed us to slowly introduce some activities.  Since we spend out entire summer on my dad's boat I want the kids to be really comfortable with the water.  I promised them both that they could start swim lessons after I went back to work.  Let me tell you I was rather intimidated with the prospect this weekend however.  Jeramie was working which meant that I would have to take all four kids with me while only two of them got to swim.  Plus there was a 30 minute break in between lessons.  Long story short .. we survived.  Well Baylee and Jackson both had a great time.  Wyland wasn't too bummed out that he didn't get to do it too, he's not old enough yet.  But I did notice other parents taking their smalled kids to swim in the kiddie pool during lessons, so I think next week we'll bring Wyland's suit too.

So content just to sit with his balloon.

And then later in the afternoon my mum and I took ALL the kids to the movies!!

They were so excited.

I hadn't ventured to the theater since we went to see "Up".

The kids were so bad in that one that we never went back.

This time however they were all really good.

Even given the fact that we were outnumbered 7 to 2.

Oh .. and Oliver .. he's getting super smiley!!

He was along for the ride all weekend and nothing but a complete angel.

SUPER fun weekend!!

Are you sure?

Dear Couch to 5k app,

Are you sure about this?  For five weeks now we have been training together three times a week.  I'm used to you training me the same way for 3 days a week before you attempt to bump me up to something harder.  It's been working for us.  I've been happy .. you've been happy.  At the start of this week I thought to myself, "Wow, 5 min run, 3 min walk, 5 min run, 3 min walk, 5 min run .. that's a lot of running, but I trust you."  And I did it on Tuesday, you were right it wasn't so bad.  But then I looked ahead to what you had planned for me on Thursday and I must say, are you sure?  8 min run, 5 min walk, 8 min run?  I just don't think I can do that!  Why are we not repeating what we did on Tuesday?  As if that wasn't bad enough I dared to look at what you have planned for the weekend ... we are going to run for 20 min straight?!!!

Are you sure about this?  As I am not.  Like REALLY not.

Love,
Kerry
aspiring 5 k runner

You can do it!

I noticed something interesting when I returned to work after my maternity leave. Whenever people commented on the fact that they were impressed that I was back to *normal* shape so quickly I would of course start by thanking them. This often led to an assumption that I had been “really hitting the gym.” I was then quick to clarify that it was all thanks to Weight Watchers.

Then ..

.. dead silence ..

.. Birds Chirping ..

It hit me after the first few times it happened that people weren’t actually interested in how it happened. They didn’t want to know *the secret*. See, as we all know losing weight is HARD work. I am a firm believer that if you really want to lose weight the majority of people can. It’s simply a choice. You have to choose to do the hard work. I also realize this doesn’t apply to ALL people, Baylee is a prime example of that.

It isn’t fun.

Passing on the full slice of garlic bread to nibble on only half a slice.

Passing on your favorite dessert because you haven’t had the best weekend to begin with.

Skipping the glass of wine with dinner because .. that’s just 2 more points.

I’ve decided the reason that there was silence after I told people Weight Watchers (and I was fully prepared to tell them all about it), well it’s because they really didn’t want to hear that it was possible. Because that would have meant hard work for them. I’ll be the first to own up to the fact after the birth of Jackson and again with Wyland I wasn’t fully vested in doing the work because I knew I would have another baby and it would all be for nothing. After the birth of Oliver I had a different perspective. I know we will not be having any more kids, so once I get to my goal weight it will become a case of maintaining. I don’t expect anything to come along and completely derail me.

(now watch me go on some wacky medication that makes me gain 50 lbs!)

Now don’t take this all the wrong way. I don’t say these things because I want a pat on the back saying, “Yay me! I’m so cool because I lost my baby weight fast.” I say it as words of encouragement. Not being the weight you want to be sucks. It can weigh on your mind. It can depress you. But it really is as simple as making a decision. It’s a choice. Nobody can make you do it if you don’t want to. Yeah I think the world of Weight Watchers, to me the $130 it costs for a 12 week program is SO worth it. Best money ever spent. After 12 weeks even if you don’t continue going to meetings you still have all the materials to forge on alone.

I don’t know of a single person that hasn’t been successful on WW if they really worked the program.

If you WANT to lose weight ..

You can ..

It’s that simple.

Everything in moderation .. that’s what my mum always said.

You don't have to exercise either. 

You don't have to buy special food (unless you consider fresh fruits and vegetables special).

YOU choose what you put in your mouth. 

I tell you all this, not for a pat on the back for myself. 

But because at the end of the day I'm so glad I did it for myself. 

The hard work is so worth it. 

I don't want anyone to doubt that if they really want to that they can have the same success.