Weekly Weigh In #1

I had my first weigh in today after recommitting to Weight Watchers. I did really well this past week. I journaled absolutely everything I ate. I hit my Daily Points Target each day and only ended up using 5 of my 35 allowed Flex Points. I never felt deprived or hungry either. I got my water in each day and 4 out of 7 days I got my 2 milk servings. The other 3 days I got at least 1, sometimes 1 1/2. I also got in all 5 fruits and vegetables each day. I'm feeling really good about myself! I stood on the scale at my weigh in center and I was down 2 pounds! That is 2 pounds closer to my goal!

I had a "Bravo" moment this week. I went to the grocery to pick up some milk. I was having a rather stressful day which came on the heels of 3 other stressful days. I am a stress eater for sure! They had just made some popcorn chicken in the deli dept. I love the popcorn chicken and it would have been so easy to go pick up a cup and eat it while shopping. BUT! I knew that it wouldn't really make me feel any better and actually I would probably end up feeling worse after eating it. So I bought a container of grape tomatoes instead. Yay me!

My goal for this week is going to be to try to add in some activity points. It will be a bit of a challenge to exercise with the boys still home from school but I'll see what I can do.

How are you all doing? Do you have a "Bravo" moment? Are you feeling committed?

McDonalds Playland

Charles' teacher from this past year (kindergarten) held a little reunion of sorts at our local McDonalds. The kids were all very excited to see one another again after a long Summer apart. The teacher was thrilled to see "her children" again. She bought them all Happy Meals and then they played in the Playland. What fun!

While we were there and the children were waiting for their food, I sat and pulled out another sock I am knitting. One of the little girls came up really close to me and asked if I was knitting. She was very curious about it, wanted to know what it was, if it was complicated and why the needles were so small. She decided she wanted me to teach her so she practically took the needles and the sock right out of my hands to try. I made her watch me a few times and then I let her give it a shot. She did a great job! She knit about 20 stitches (complaining that it was so complicated the entire time) before her food came and she gave it back to me. I told her that I would have to remember to carry some bigger needles with me for next time.

5:00 AM

It's 5:00am and I am lying here in bed wishing I were asleep. I've not been sleeping well lately. I go through periods like this when I just can't get a good night's sleep. Unfortunately, it makes for some less than productive days.

These days I need all the stamina I can muster to handle that Beast that has some how taken possession of my children. They are loud and they are messy. Of course they are also boys so that is to be expected. But they are also suddenly deaf. I get a better response talking to the tree in the front yard than I do talking to them. Perhaps I have the gift to speak at a decibel that is inaudible to human ears under the age of 10? If this is my superpower, I'd like to know if I can get a refund.

There has also been a mutiny at Our Home on the Hill. Apparently the inmates have taken over the asylum because the boys (mistakenly) think that they are the ones that set the rules around here. I'm only needed for cooking cleaning and taxi service. I don't think so.

The winds of change are upon us like a hurricane!

Chris has gone back to work. He was home for sometime recovering from foot surgery - unable to get around. He hobbled off on his crutches fleeing the chaos we call life with kids. He'll miss the excitement I'm sure!

School starts next week and with that comes a more structured schedule. I'll be laying down the letter of the law and whipping things back in to shape. The Beast will be banished from our home. I'm sure there will be occasional visits but hopefully they will become few and far between.

Today I don the sheriff's badge. Tonight Tylenol PM.

Sockpal-2-za: One Done

I'm at the halfway mark with my socks for my Sockpal-2-za pal. It still needs to be washed and blocked but looks great! I just hope it fits great too. She has a completely different foot measurement than I do so I can't try it on to get a feel for the fit.

Sock number 2 is on hold for a moment. I had a bit of a knitting casualty. I should be able to start the next sock this weekend though.

Weekly Weigh In - A Fresh Start

For quite some time now (I don't know how long and, really, I don't want to think about it) I have "trying" to do Weight Watchers on my own to get back to my goal weight. I KNOW I can do it - I am a lifetime member after all. I lost nearly 60 pounds after Topher was born! Apparently, though, I just can't do it on my own. I need to be accountable to some one besides myself and my computer. (Your comments and your support have been so encouraging and I really DO appreciate them, by the way.)

So today I went back to the meetings. I went to a couple of meetings last year but it didn't really work out for me. Topher was in school on Tuesdays and Thursdays so those are the days I wanted to go. I drop him at school at 9:15 (and no matter how hard I would try, I was never able to drop and run. Not because of him though, the other moms or the teachers would chat with me for a few minutes and I do like to chat!) and the meetings started at 9:30. The two are about 20 minutes apart. I was always late. By the time I stood in line to check in and get weighed, I had pretty much missed most of the meeting. Not worth it. I also never really "clicked" with meeting leaders on Tuesdays or Thursdays. They were very nice and did a great job but I just didn't feel excited or motivated after the meetings.

This year Topher is in school on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. He will still be dropped off at 9:15 and I'm sure I'll still spend a few minutes chatting with the other moms. However, the Friday meetings are at 10 am! Perfect!

Chris was home today so I left the boys in his capable hands and went to the meeting. It went really well. I weighed in pretty much right where I expected I would. The meeting was a good one - I liked the leader and I liked the other members. The group looks like it is a nice mix of ages which is important to me.

I have about 15 pounds to get back to my goal weight. There are 18 weeks until Christmas and my birthday. My hope is to get back to my goal weight by then. I think that is a pretty attainable goal. Won't that be a great way to start the new year, at my goal weight?!

I'll still be posting my weekly weigh in updates. I should be much more consistent now though. I don't always remember to weigh myself at home which means I don't remember to write a weekly update. How about you? How are you doing?

Ikea

The boys and I took a little trip over to Ikea today. It is a mere 15 minutes away - I love that!

We needed to exchange something that Chris bought last week so while we were there, we did a little shopping of our own. I just love walking through all the showrooms that they have set up. It makes me feel like I should run right home and redo my own home!

After all of that walking and browsing and shopping, we needed a little lunch break. Swedish meatballs all around! The boys wanted to bring a bag of their frozen meatballs home but can you believe they were out?! We did bring home a tray of their giant cinnamon rolls though. Mmm yummy!

Secret Pal Mail!

I came home from my trip to some good mail! A package from my Secret Pal arrived while I was away - actually it arrived the day I left. Chris called to let me know it was here waiting so all week I got to think about it and wonder what it was!

My Secret Pal sent me 2 balls of sock yarn. I LOVE sock yarn! The yarn she sent is Patons Kroy Socks in the Paint Box colorway. It's so pretty! There is already a lot of debating on who I will make socks for with this yarn! The colors remind me of some flowers that were in my grandmother's garden when I was a girl.

(I thought they were Indian Paintbrushes but after doing a little Google search, it looks like they were something else. I'll have to research it.)

Also in the package was a patten book. It's Patons Classics Happy Feet. Sock patterns to go with my sock yarn! Those long toe socks look fun - I'm just not sure if I could wear little gloves on my toes! Edmund wants some though.

There was also a mixed CD that my Pal made for me. We listened (and danced) to it immediately. It's a great mix of songs some of which were new to me and some I knew. It's going right in to my iPod, for sure!

My Secret Pal also sent a couple of treats that the boys clamored over! She sent a "bouquet" of Tootsie Roll Pops and some Spongebob Squarepants stickers!

Thanks Secret Pal!

On the Road Again!

The Mom-mobile is packed and we are off! First stop is the Ophthalmologist for Topher's post-op check up. Next stop - Grandmom and Grandpa's house! The boys and I will be spending this week with my parents in Maryland. We can't wait! We have big plans for big fun!

Resting Quietly

Topher had his surgery today. He was such a trooper! There is a reason he refers to himself as 'SuperTopher"! He was in very good spirits all morning- playing and coloring in the waiting room. When it came time for him to go in to the operating room, he took the doctor's hand and walked off with a smile. They said that you would have thought he was going to a party.

He went to sleep with the mask, they inserted an IV and got down to business. The surgery was very routine and straight forward. So far, the doctor is very pleased. Topher came out of recovery nicely. His throat was sore but was quickly appeased with a popsicle. A good popsicle can placate a variety of troubles!

He has been sleeping all afternoon. He is hungry but nauseous from the anesthesia. He is not in pain but his eyes are a bit itchy and he is frustrated by the fact that we won't let him rub them. His eyes are a bit pink in the corners and his lids are a little puffy but other than that, there are no visible signs that he had surgery. No bandages or anything! It's very nice.

I was a huge bundle of nerves over the whole thing. I know they say it is minor, it is routine, that I had nothing to worry about but I can't help it. I am a mom and as a mom it is my job to worry about things others tell you not to worry about. I checked my watch constantly. I think Chris was ready to take it away from me! I tried to busy myself with my sock. I got a fair amount of knitting done and only made 1 mistake (that I can tell) I'll leave it. It's not too obvious and it will be a gentle reminder of how grateful I am for modern medicine.

Published!

The book is here! Go ahead, go look. Read the book description. Pay special attention to the "about the author" part. Yep! Chris Tarantino. That is MY Chris Tarantino!

We are very proud and very excited here On the Hill! It has been a long (and somewhat stressful) process but it is over and the book looks fantastic!

Buy the book, tell your friends to buy the book, tell your neighbors too! Oh heck, tell the strangers you pass on the street to buy the book. This book is going to "change the world of fashion photography!" (Plus I want the royalty checks! ha)

* I've just looked at the box that was delivered here of the book and it appears that the above cover is the "working cover". The final cover is quite different but it's still the same great book!

Beat the Heat

Today the boys and I had some errands to do. While we were out, they said they were hot and thirsty. Hot and thirsty boys makes for cranky boys. Cranky boys makes for a cranky mom and that won't do! So what else could we do but stop at Starbucks for a refreshing treat.

Some lemonade, green tea lemonade and iced green tea and we were good to go!

Sockpal-2-za: Mini Update

I got a lovely e-postcard from my Sockpal-2-za pal last week (and a Monet - my favorite!). She is working on my socks (how exciting it is that someone is making something JUST FOR ME!) and she indicated that one is already done. I can hardly wait!

My socks for my pal are coming along. I've restarted yet again so they don't look any different than the last picture I posted. I went up a needle size and they are working up much nicer now. (from a 2.25mm to a 2.75mm - I am a tight knitter)

For those that have asked, I am using Patons Grace in Apricot. It is such a beautiful color! I thought that the cotton yarn combined with the lacy pattern would make a nice Summery sock.

Cocktails with Friends

Recently we got together with friends for cocktails and appetizers. All the kids - 11 of them! were at one house with a couple of babysitters and the adults were at another house. We try to do this on a regular basis. It is such a fun way to get out and have some "adult time".

This time we were hosting and I chose "tropical" as our theme. We had a beautiful night for it so we sat in the back yard by the pool surrounded by Tiki Torches wearing our Hawaiian prints!

~Cindy and Jon brought a pineapple and chicken dish called "Aloha Chicken" and several batches of Pina Coladas.
~Dawn and Howard brought Candied Nuts with Chipotle and Jerk Chicken Skewers.
~Lynea and Jeff brought a Caribbean style shredded beef dish and Pork and Chipotle Finger Sandwiches with a Fresh Salsa.
~I made Roasted Cice Nuts, Salmon Spread with Crackers, Crostini with Peaches, and Hawaiian Lemonade.

We had such a great night! So much food and all of it very tasty! The drinks were flowing freely as was the conversation! We are all looking forward to our next "Couples Night"!

Roasted Cice Nuts

2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, drained
1/4 c olive oil
salt
garlic powder
cayenne pepper
Creole Seasoning blend

Preheat oven to 450F. Blot chickpeas with paper towel to dry. Toss with the oil and season to taste. Spread on a baking sheet on a single layer. Roast 40 minutes, until golden brown and crunchy.

Salmon Spread

1 lb salmon fillet, poached
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c sour cream
2 green onions
1/2 tsp salt
dash of hot sauce
2 Tbls lemon juice
1 Tbls Worcestershire sauce

Dump all in to the food processor and whirr. Refrigerate before serving.

Crostini with Peaches

3 c peaches, peeled and thinly sliced
2 Tbls balsamic vinegar
4 oz blue cheese, crumbled
fresh ground black pepper
36 thin slices of baguette
olive oil

Lightly brush the baguette with the olive oil and broil until toasted and crisp. Let cool.

Toss peaches with the vinegar and black pepper. Just before serving, top crostini with the peaches and sprinkle with the blue cheese.

Hawaiian Lemonade

10 oz vodka
16 oz pineapple juice
32 oz fresh lemonade
1 lemon sliced
1 can pineapple rings, drained

Mix together in a tall pitcher and chill. Serve over ice

Those Crazy Days of Summer!

So much going on at our Home on the Hill! We are all doing well, though. We have spent a lot of time time swimming in the pool which has been a sanity saver during those "3H" days! (Hazy Hot and Humid)

PLUS....

~ Edmund spent a week at Cub Scout Day Camp, Topher spent 2 weeks at Pre-School Half Day Camp, and Charles spent a very special week getting some quality one on one mom time.

~ Chris and I celebrated 12 years of wedded bliss!

~ We spent a very laid back weekend visiting my sister-in-law and her family. (The boys always love to see their cousins.)

~ We spent 4 days in the woods, living in a tent and cooking over an open fire. Four days just didn't seem long enough!

~ I spent an afternoon with my 3 boys plus 3 more boys. My girlfriend was left in a baby sitting lurch. What a blast it was to have a house full of boys!

~ We had a few couples over for a Tropical themed "Cocktails and Appetizers Night". Good food, good drink, and good friends!


Details on all of this and more to come! (Plus pictures and a few recipes, too!)

*****

By the way, I want to thank all of who emailed me about my friend. She had her her mastectomy and is recovering nicely. Thanks for your thoughts!

Also, thank you Chris for emailing me about my long blog absence. It meant a lot to me and was the much needed kick in the pants to take a few minutes to post an update. Sorry about the rambling email in which I griped and complained about something so stupid. It was early and I was having one of those days.

Think Pink!

A long time family friend was recently diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. The news hit hard. She is beside herself as is her family. She had a lumpectomy on Monday. They also took some lymph nodes to be tested. One came back clean of cancer the other had a cancer cell. She'll now be getting a full mastectomy and chemotherapy treatment. We are keeping her in our thoughts and prayers and thinking nothing but positive thoughts for her. There is not much else we can do other than be there for her.

Each of us needs to remember to do our monthly self breast exam. It is simple, painless and only takes a few minutes. Mark your calendar! We also need to make sure we get regular mammograms. They are a necessary evil. Check with your insurance provider to find out what their guidelines are and at what age they recommend you start getting one. Then make that appointment!

In the mean time, arm yourself with knowledge.

Susan B Koman
Here you can pretty much find everything you might want to know. You can also find links to the Race for the Cure and the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk.

BreastCancer.org
Another website with a ton of information including a section with pictures of breast anatomy, breast cancer, breast reconstruction and more.

Both of these sites also have excellent directions on how to do a self breast exam.

Here is a pdf that you can download with an excellent chart for doing your monthly breast exam and keeping track of when you do it. Go and print it, laminate it and then hang it in the shower.

When you are not reading, you can busy yourself with these:

- A cute pair of Pink Ribbon Socks.
- The Breast Cancer mini-issue from Knitty
- An awareness ribbon chart to use for fair-isle or intartia knitting or maybe a cross-stitched piece

I will be wearing my breast cancer support charm bracelet while she is going through her treatments. Every time I see it, I'll be sure to say a little prayer.

Sockpal-2-za

I've started my "sockpaltwoza" socks.

I am making the Unst sock from Knitting on the Road. It is a nice pattern and seems to be working up rather quickly. I'll be making a pair for myself when these are done!

I actually got much further along in my sock but I had to rip and restart. I got to the instep but realized that I had been a little clever when I started the heel and the lace would no long match up. I tried to rip back to the start of the heel but I had a hard time picking my stitches back up so back to the beginning I went!

SailFest '05

Saturday was Sailfest. We don't do all the festivities but we do watch the fireworks from the beach house every year. Our friends host a huge party for the event. I think that there were close to 100 people!

Here we are on the 2nd floor deck watching the fireworks and the boats. The first picture is of my parents and Topher. The second is Edmund and me.

We had a fun weekend but it was an exhausting weekend.

Our (long) Weekend at the Beach

Some longtime family friends have a house on the beach and invited us for the weekend. My parents were also up visiting from Maryland so on Thursday, the boys and I headed off for a few days. Chris joined us for the weekend. We had such a good time. Friday we had heavy rain but we made the most of it. We read and played cards. More of the weekend guest showed us which gave the boys more kids to play with. We ended up with 30 people staying in the house (12 kids) and 2 dogs.

We went fishing. I almost caught a Scup and not a bad sized one at that. Unfortunately for me, it snapped my line and got away. My dad caught a rather nasty looking Spider Crab that we threw back. Our friend, "Grandpa Steve" caught a good sized Blue Crab that we would have liked to have kept but it waved it's claws about and quickly scuttled off the dock and back in the water. He also caught a rather interesting looking skate which we also tossed back in the water.

We spent a lot of time swimming. Ooo was that water cold! Edmund jumped off the dock a few times. He is working his way to the deeper waters. They also paddled out on the boogie boards and rode the waves back in. They got really good at timing the wake waves from the passing boats. Topher played in the sand more than he swam. He also liked spending his time up in the grassy yard playing ball. There was also a small bounce house for the kids that just called to him!

Chris took each of the boys out for a turn in the canoe. They loved that! I have a feeling they will be asking for one soon. I would have liked a turn but time got away from us. I spent a lot of time relaxing though which made for a very enjoyable weekend.

Hot, Sweet, and Sticky BBQ Wings

These are a Summertime favorite here at Our Home on the Hill. The boys can't get enough of them and Edmund especially loves when there are leftovers to eat cold the next day. I've started to make big batches of the marinade to keep on hand in a jar in the back of the refrigerator.

Hot, Sweet and Sticky BBQ Chicken Wings Recipe

For the marinade:

1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
4 teaspoons granulated garlic
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
20 chicken wings
Extra-virgin olive oil

To make the marinade: In a medium bowl whisk together the marinade ingredients.

Rinse the chicken wings under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
Place in a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade.
Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag to distribute the marinade,
place in a bowl, and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours, turning occasionally.

Remove the wings from the bag and discard the marinade.
Lightly brush or spray the wings with olive oil.
Grill over indirect heat until cooked through.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Happy 4th of July!

Today was spent relaxing. We grilled, we swam, and we played games. It was a great way to spend the day!

Yesterday, however, was spent CELEBRATING!

My boys went Red White and Blue! Charles stayed natural and was the red while Edmund and Topher Kool-aid dyed their hair blue! A packet of unsweetened Kool-aid and a blob of hair conditioner makes a great colored hair gel!

We spent the day at a cook out with friends. The kids (13 of them! - 4 families) had a great time swimming and playing baseball. There was lots to eat, plenty of margaritas and a ton of laughs!

The guys shot fireworks off in the back yard while the kids watched from the deck.

That is me, Cindy and Dawn. Cindy's husband Jon played bartender for the evening and kept the blender (and us!) buzzing.

Happy 4th everyone!

Weighing in Week #3

Since it has only been a few days since my last weigh in, there is not much to report. I made it through the stressful week with out resorting to food! Yay for me!

I'm going away for part of this week which will present some challenges. The boys and I will be spending 4 days with friends and family at the beach so there will be lots of temptations. Chris will join us for the weekend and he and I are going out Friday night for a special (kid free!) celebration. More temptation.

How are you all doing? What challenges are you facing?

For this week:

Current weight: 140 lbs (no change)

Goals for the week:

-Exercise 3 times
-Make smart choices when eating away from home
-Pack healthy picnic options to bring with us instead of relying on what will be there
-Continue to drink 64 oz of water daily

Next week's check in will probably be on Monday.

Stitch Markers

Look at these lovely stitch markers that came in the mail! These were made by Stacey at Sheep in the City as part of the Bead it 2 swap. The smallest one has already been put to use on a sock. Thank you Stacey! I love them!

Library Day

The boys and I made our escape to the library today. They just love going! I love that they are so excited about books!

It was nice and quiet - even in the Children's Dept - despite the rainy weather. We hung out and browsed the books, played some games on the computer and signed up for the Summer Reading Program. They even have a Summer Reading Program for the adults! You just have to read 3 books of your choice (although they do give you a list of staff recommendations) and turn your list in at the end of the Summer. You are then entered in a drawing to win one of several gift certificates to local places.

This week's library finds include: (due July 28)

Essentially Lilly
by Lilly Pulitzer and Jay Mulvaney

Twelve Months of Monastery Salads
by Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette

The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior
by David Allen Sibley

Your Child's Vision
by Richard S Kavner, OD

The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge
by Heldegarde H Swift and Lynd Ward

On tape:
(no links)

"Stories of the Jungle" by Rudyard Kipling
A collection of four classic stories

"Humpback Goes North" A Smithsonian Oceanic Collection
A book and a tape about the migration of a young humpback whale

Plus each of the boys picked out a few books. Topher is still favoring the non-fiction books. Mostly sharks and dinosaurs, of course. Edmund and Charles both go for the chapter books.

Weighing in Week #2

(Plus a few days)

I am a few days late with my check in but we were away. Last week went well. I coasted through with out any hitches. No big break throughs either but that is ok.

For this week:

Current Weight:
140 lbs - down .5 from last week!

Goals for this week:
Survive the week with out eating my way through it. It has been a very stressful week so far and I expect it will continue to be one until the weekend. ugh

We have been having some really hot and humid weather here lately so I have been drinking LOTS of fluids. It helps to keep the munchies away too. It's not good for out of doors exercise though. How are you all doing?

Thank you to Donni for the link to the website with the cute little tickers! What a fun way to count down to various events or keep track of progress towards a goal. Go check them out.

Black Rock State Park

**I am going to preface this post with a little Public Service Announcement. When packing to go on a trip, it is nice to make sure the camera batteries are fully charged, it is also nice to bring along some extras but this will do no good if you forget to put the memory card back in the camera before you leave!

The boys ended the school year on Thursday so Friday we packed up the truck and headed off for a weekend of fun and relaxation.

We headed just a little North to Black Rock State Park for a weekend of camping, fishing and swimming. We had a wonderful time! The weather was perfect, too. A bit on the hot side but we were in the woods with lots of shade so it was not a problem. (We tent camp)

It was a great way to spend the weekend. It is good to be home too, though.

Now I am reorganizing the camping gear in preparation for our next trip and reclaiming my house that has been swallowed by, well, the stuff in my house!

Young Authors Night

Charles' kindergarden class has spent the last several weeks writing and illustrating their own books. The children worked really hard on these books and the teacher had them laminated and bound for them. Last night, they invited the parents to come to a special book reading at the school.

Each child got to read his (or her) book to the audience. A parent came up to help hold the microphone and show off the wonderful illustrations. Charles' book is called "The Cat Who Comes to My House". He wrote a detailed story about a cat that lives in our neighborhood. She likes to come and visit the boys and have her head scratched. They like to feed her cheese which I'm sure keeps her coming back!

All the children did such a great job on their books AND reading them out loud to so many people!

In addition to the book reading, the children did a Flag Day presentation. They recited some poems and sang several songs about the flag. They were also presented with a special award for their writing from the teacher and the principal.

We got off to a bit of a rocky start this school year but it turned out to be a great one for Charles!

*
(*Charles and his teacher, Miss Shaw)

Weighing in Week #1

First of all, I want to thank everyone for your comments last week. It is always good to hear from others who struggle with the same things. I also appreciate all your suggestions for healthy snacks! You all have given me some great ideas. Thanks!

Friday, Topher and I ate lunch at McDonald's. I had a chicken fajita, a snack sized fruit and yogurt parfait and an unsweetened ice tea. It was 7 Weight Watcher's points and I was satisfied. I was very proud of myself for choosing wisely!

For this week:

Current weight:
140.5 lbs - down 2.5 lbs from last week!

Goals for this week:
-Continue to drink at least 64 oz of water a day
-Exercise at least 3 times
-Plan and EAT breakfast daily

How are you all doing?

A Boy and His Dog

Topher and I took a little trip to the mall today. Not the local mall but not too far away either. We needed to go to the "animal hospital" at Build a Bear. Topher's dog was in need of a quick repair. I could have done it myself but Topher wanted them to do it. While we were there, we had the dog's eyes checked and as it turns out, he needed glasses just like Topher's!

I have no control over the evil empire Yankees hats. I am a Red Sox fan myself but since Chris is a Yankees fan and works in New York, he has more opportunities to bribe bring home gifts to the boys.

SP5 - A Little Hello!

I got a really cute e-card from my pal today. The kids (and me, too!) liked the picture of the sand crab and Edmund said that they probably dance across the sand to the music that the card played. ha ha! I love that!

Thanks Secret Pal!!

The Peabody Museum of Natural History

Sunday Chris and I took the boys to The Peabody or as the boys call it, "The Dinosaur Museum". We love this museum and always find something new when we go.

The special exhibition right now is Elephants! which Edmund loved since they are a favorite of his. The nice thing about the Peabody is that they have a lot of hands on exhibits. They had an chance to play archeologist and dig for Woolly Mammoth bones, feel elephant skin and hair and measure different types of elephant's teeth and jaws. Fun stuff for sure!

The boys came face to face with a Timber Wolf in the American Hunters exhibit. That area is a little scary for Topher since it is rather dark and they have very large stuffed animals lurking behind cut outs meant to look like dense foliage.

The way the museum is laid out, the 3rd floor doesn't form a continuous loop. The very last exhibit is a Daily life in Ancient Egypt and the Mummy and we had never made it that far. Usually the boys spend so much time looking at the dinosaurs that they are tired when we get close to the end so we skip it. This time we did not. Edmund has been really fascinated with Egyptology and Mummies lately so he was really excited to see this exhibit.

I remember how mesmerized I was when I saw the King Tut Exhibit in Munich in 1980(ish). It was amazing! There is just something about ancient civilizations. (We are already talking about a trip to Philadelphia in 2007 to see the new King Tut exhibit!)

Charles and I decided to take a little break together while Chris and the other 2 boys took a last look. Yes, that is my Margaritaville Cami! I love it! I would wear it every day if I could.

After the museum, we stopped at Denny's for burgers and ice cream. The boys had a good time with their Madagascar masks! I laughed so hard when Topher decided to take the easy way out when eating his ice cream. I couldn't resist snapping a picture.

The Blue Cube

Last night was "Date Night"! We got together with our good friends Cindy and Jon and went to the Blue Cube. We had such a great time! We played some pool, had some drinks, ate some appetizers and listened to some good music. (in addition to having a whole lot of laughs!)

It has been far too long since Chris and I have gone out. We need to make a point to do it more often. We DO get together with some friends once a month but we don't really go "out". Out is good! Out is fun!

My drink of the evening was an Absolut Apeach Aloha. Absolute Apeach Vodka (I am a big fan of the vodka!) with pineapple juice (mmm a favorite!), lemon juice, and gingerale. Very good! I'll have to pick up some of that vodka next time I go shopping.

I need to start planning our next night out on the town!

Weighty Issues

Having 3 babies in 3 1/2 years left me a bit out of shape and a lot heavier than is ideal. When Topher was a baby, I decided to drop the weight and develop some better habits. I joined my local Weight Watchers. I did really well, I loved my meetings and I learned a better way to eat (portion control, moderation and all that). I lost almost 65 pounds in just about a years time!

A lot has happened since then and once again I am struggling with my weight. I don't have as much to loose this time - 10-15 pounds - but for some reason it is so much more difficult this time. I keep telling myself that I KNOW I can do it since I did it before. I don't listen well.

My good friend Jamie and I have decided to cheer one another along. She started a blog to help track her progress and I have decided to "go public" too. Perhaps this will help push me over that plateau that I seem to be oh so happily resting on.

So.... for this week:

Current weight:
143 lbs *

Goals for this week:
-Drink at least 64oz of water a day
-Make a list of healthy snack options and post it in the kitchen
-Exercise at least 3 times

I'll let you know at the end of the week how I did. If you have some ideas for so yummy healthy snacks, please let me know! I am so bad at just grabbing what ever is handy and I am a snacker.

* I am 34 years old, have a very small frame and I stand 5'3" on a good day. My "ideal" weight range is 109-131 and I think I am comfortable at about 125.

First Swim of the Season!

Mystery Stole

I've been drooling over lace patterns for awhile now. I've put off starting one because I've never worked from a chart. I wanted to KNOW that I would have people to ask for help if/when I needed it.

Then I discovered the

Melanie of Pink Lemon Twist has written a lace stole pattern and is sharing with anyone that wants to knit-along. We have no idea what the finished shawl will look like as she is only sending out a piece of the pattern each week. There are 5 "clues" and the first was sent out this past Friday. Depending on how long it takes me to knit each part, I may be done it time to wear it out for our anniversary in July!

I'm knitting this with Alpaca Cloud from KnitPicks in sand on 3.75mm Crystal Palace Bamboo circulars. It is a beautiful yarn and a really pretty color that I think will go with so much. (The red is my waste yarn.)

I'm already dreaming of more lace projects!