Monday Monday

We had a pretty busy weekend here.

It was hard to get up this morning.

Friday night I dropped Michelle off at my mom's

so she could spend the night. I then went by Jana's

to drop a few things off and ended up playing with Cohen

for over an hour. 

How can you not want to play with that cutie?!

{iphone picture}

I then headed over to Joel and Christine's to hang out by the fire for a bit.

Saturday we woke up bright and early to head down south for

Josh's softball tournament.  They ended up making it all the way

to the championship game. They ended up with 2nd place!

Jordan did great and played with two other little guys whose dad's

are on team.

Afterwards the team went to dinner at Boston pizza before heading home.

It was pretty late by the time we got home. We swung by and got 

Michelle who had her first babysitting gig watching Cohen. It was 

nice ease into night. Cohen was already in bed and my sister was

at a neighbor's house for game night. Besides getting scared by a

few noises she did very well.

Sunday we all slept in! 

Jordan said he slept in until 9!

We had a family BBQ at the little park by our house

to celebrate Jana, Michelle and Cohen's birthdays.

Another busy weekend in the books.

I am sure every weekend from now through the end

of summer is going to be busy busy.

The kids start their last week of school today.

Then it's summer vacation!

getting fit! getting healthy!

It has been a while since I have blogged on this topic.

It is a hard one for to blog on since I am so on again off again.

I now have new motivation to shed a few pounds.

In September we are going to Vegas for Josh's softball tournament,

our 5th wedding anniversary and early celebration of Josh turning 30!

 I did good the whole month of May drinking my green smoothies

and doing the occasional couch to 5k app on my phone.

I need to get serious though. I am terrible and sticking to anything

long enough to actually see results. I have a good twenty to twenty five

pounds I would love to lose. I hoping if I commit to updating here once

a week it will motivate me to stay on track so I have some positive to report.

I did ease myself into working out this week.

Tuesday I got up and did my couch to 5k app.

I even got Josh to come along with me!

Wednesday I went with Christine and did power pump class

at Homestead.  That is it for the week for me.  My body has been

super sore from power class which is a good thing!

My plan is to continue with couch to 5k app, power pump and

getting in more cardio with elliptical.

Josh and I are going to do the Advocare 24 day challenge.

I am going to continue with my green smoothies for breakfast

and use my fitness pal to track calories.

I need lots of motivation and it helps having people do it with me.

Especially Josh since we live together. If he eats something I want to eat it too.

If he is eating right and working out then I am right there with him.

Here's to another on again start to getting fit! getting healthy!

I will be updated my ups and downs of the week every Saturday!

final field trip

Yesterday I got to go along with Jordan's kindergarten class on their final field

trip of the year. I was in charge of group of three boys including Jordan.

We boarded the bus around 9:45 and headed to the Lynden Pioneer Museum.

We were free to walk around with our group and check out the different exhibits.

We also had little passport books to collect stamps in. Jordan mostly cared about

finding the stamps. Another little boy (he is so sweet) wanted me to take his picture

with everything.  The third little guy loved checking the war stuff and more interested

in actually checking everything out.  

{not the best pictures}

 

From the museum we walked to the Lynden Library.

There we planted flowers outside of the library.

Then we went inside and I read books to my little group.

Jordan was getting pretty tired so he was content listening

to three books about Batman that the other boys picked out.

Then it was time to walk to the Lynden City Park for lunch

and play time. We had a birthday boy so we also got a special treat of ice cream!

After getting to play for a while we headed back to the bus to return to school.

fun in the sun

I am so excited to start planning summer fun!

I love everything about summer!

For the past few years I have been making

a list of fun things I want to do with the kids and as a family.

It is a list of things I would like to do but we don't usually get to most of them.

If anyone sees something on the list they would love to do with us let me know.

We can make an afternoon or day of it!

I love having company!

I like this idea I saw on pinterest on having a theme for each day.

{example}

Monday- Make something {craft or project}

Tuesday- Time to read {visit library to read and check out books}

Wednesday- What's cooking {baking or cooking}

Thursday- Be thoughtful {write letters/cards, do a service for someone}

Friday- Field trip Friday {get out the house!}

I also like having a morning routine to get the day going

and have a little structure. 

{example}

Get up, get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, clean room,

do a few chores, read for 20 minutes, do a few "school" worksheets, ect.

I would like them to complete these things at their own pace before

 they veg out on electronics or disappear for the day with friends.

I also don't want them to forget everything they worked hard at learning over

the last school year. In the past I have done a point system for extra "school"

stuff they do and they can earn money or prizes.

I will probably do that again this year. 

Things they can do {mostly Michelle} is worksheets, reading, research papers,

book reviews/summaries, read a specific kind of book {such as history, poems,

science, how to ect.}, write a journal page, write a story or a poem.

I may write another post on this if I get around to it.

Here are my ideas!

Skamania Lodge  in Stevenson, WA for Josh's work summer regional

Go to Birch Bay! We will play, explore, and have a picnic lunch! {2012}
Take kids to Castle fun park in Canada for mini golf and more {2012} {2013}

pool in the yard with slide going into it

Day trip to Forest Park

Weekend "camping" trips to the Glen

the museum of Flight in Seattle

Picnic lunches in the yard 

layout in the yard and read a book

lots of playing in the creek by our house {2012}

Summer $1 movies with Regal Cinemas

Go to local parks old and new

Water slides at Birch bay

Eat lots and lots ice cream!!

Swimming at Homestead

evening bike rides

BBQ with family and friends

Day trip to the zoo

mini day camp at NCCTK {Jordan}

U pick strawberries {2012} {2013}

Bowling at Mt. Baker lanes with Kids bowl free

Day trip to Jetty Island 

RELAX, RELAX, & RELAX

Enjoy my children

kids lemonade stand

4th of July celebration

Michelle, Cohen, and Jordan's BIRTHDAYS

treasure hunt around the neighborhood with clues

Raspberry 3-on-3 tournament with Jordan {2012}

Northwest Washington Fair {2012}

swim lessons {Jordan}

slip n slide both big and small

Cultus Lake Water Park

A night of real camping in a tent at a campsite

Go on a photo scavenger hunt

make SLURPEES using Kool-Aid {more recipes}

let kids plan, shop for and cook dinner

fly kites at bender or birch bay

day trip to Vancouver Aquarium 

Take a picnic lunch to dad at work or meet at a nearby park

Have a game day - pull out all our games and let each child pick a game.

{if its nice outside we will play out on your picnic blanket}

Blow up diet coke with mentos

Get a kids science book and let each of the kids pick one experiment to do

{go to store for supplies if needed}

Plan a theme week

Take an "Alphabet tour" around town on our bikes. We will bring cameras, journals and an idea list

Make an I am bored jar

Glow in the dark night

go to a donut shop for breakfast

date night with the kids

take fun sunset pictures at Birchbay

visit Tennant Lake Park

Day trip to the Space needle and Pacific Science Center

swimming at the wave pool 

family hike or two 

{Scenic Chuckanut Drive}  

check out a concert in the park

check out a Bells baseball game on Family Fun Sunday

softball tournaments with Josh
story in a bag
start the magic tree house series with Jordan

go on fun outings with my neighborhood friends

Birthday weekend

Well we have survived another birthday weekend!

We started it out Friday night by eating lots of pizza along with lots 

Mountain Dew mixed with pixie sticks. It's a party so I let it happen.

I then drove Michelle and six of her friends to Menchies.

That was a loud car ride. Not only was the music blasting 

{which I don't mind} but then they all have to yell to talk over the radio.

Menchies went great with lots more sugar. Some girls had pixie sticks

along with them so they dumped those on top too!

Talk about sugar overload. I am glad this is a once a year 

event.  When we got back Michelle wanted all the girls to spend the night.

I said that was fine so arrangements were made.

They spent the evening singing karoake, doing cheer leading in the yard,

more karaoke, hair, nails and finally they were ready to settle in for bed.

Just because they settled in didn't mean sleep happened.

  Most the girls wanted to sleep and a few didn't so there was a 

back and forth battle going on between them.

Finally at 12:30 am I had to lay the smack down and politely

tell them to be quiet and go to sleep.

The girls were all picked  up by ten so Michelle and I could

head into Bellingham to spend her birthday money.

She picked out a little make up, clothes and new lotions/sprays

from bath and body works. She actually came home with money.

At home she pulled everything out and tried everything on again.

When I awoke we did make overs, ate left over pizza, went to get blizzards

and ended the night in my bed watching Glee.

Today we are just hanging out at the house.

I made her go outside for her twelve year old photos.

Josh and Jordan are headed back from the glen now.

I am still awaiting the sun to come out so I can sit outside with a book.

Michelle is already at the creek enjoying "summer" already!