Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Finishing up Couch to 5K

Anyone want to know what I did last week? Oh I ran. For 30 minutes. Straight. No, I'm serious, 30 minutes.

For you runners out there, that may seem like a super easy task, but when I started the Couch to 5K program, the second week I had to run for 90 seconds before walking and it kicked my butt. Even when I was in the best shape of my life, working out everyday, sometimes twice a day, I never ran. I could do classes and weights and swim, but run? No thank you.

Now I'm not at running a 5K yet. I'm not up to running a 10 minute mile. First the time, then the speed. But I think I may try for a September race. A race! Who would have thought it possible.


Things I've learned.....


  • Good running shoes are mandatory. Yes, mine are yellow and grey. I admit, I'm obsessed. 
  • A spectacular running bra is critical. LOVE Ennel. Worth every penny.
  • Missing just one stretching session afterwards is going to lead to a world of hurt.
  • Running too close to eating is a side cramp waiting to happen.
  • Couch to 5K is totally do able, as long as you stick to it and don't cheat.

Some questions for seasoned runners:

  • Do I need to worry about my knees and ankles if I continue to do this on a regular basis?
  • Is running outside going to be really difficult now that I've done almost my entire program on a treadmill? 
  • Do you find using a Garmin useful? I could borrow my husbands, but not sure I need to. 
  • Any suggestions on great play list music to keep my energy up? 
  • Any tips you've found that keeps you going???

I did it! Yay for me! I'm totally going to keep running on a regular basis. 
I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually like it! 

Sunday, February 26, 2012

You've been featured


Several of you asked if you could grab my new "You've been Featured" button if you were featured on my blog previsously. Of course! I'd love you to grab it. Isn't it cool?
It was designed by Red Bud designs.


Natalie's Sentiments


Hope you're having a great weekend!
I totally am.
Yesterday a friend watched the kids for a few hours, so Shane and I spent the morning together. We hung frames, ran errands, made-out in an empty showhouse. It was pretty great.
Then we got a babysitter for the evening and
spend a quiet dinner together laughing and eating carbs.

I really really love being married.

And having a great babysitter.

And my sweet kids to come home to.

I'm kind of in a great mood today, can you tell?

Try back next week and I'll probably be a wreck.

Happy Sunday!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Link up favs

Argh! I waited too long to pick out my favorites from my best of the year link up party and the link expired! There were like 10 posts I was so in love with, but I have no idea what the links are now. (That one about birthday dreams vs birthday reality was so good! 
If that was you, please email me that link.)

Luckily I had 5 already picked so you still get to see some of my favorites.

Thank you to everyone who linked up!


Anna from Your Favorite Palindrome had the most amazing rustic wedding. From the homemade peanut butter marshmallows to make smores with, to the handmade signs directing the guests, it was perfect.


Suzannah from Adventures in Dressmaking linked up her upcycled shirt tutorial. If I knew how to sew, and if I had the legs to rock it, I would totally make this.



Lauren from Talk of the Trains had the cutest Fairy Tale themed first birthday party.
(Humpty Dumpty deviled eggs? Awesome.)


Carrie from Making Lemonade wrote the most touching post about her "Tiny Dancer" daughter. 
Reminds us all to let our children be who they were meant to be.




Malissa from Our Kind of Wonderful threw her two daughters a Picnic in the Garden Party. 
If you have a a daughter, you must check out this soirée to mimic this summer!

Go ahead and grab a button for your sidebar if you were featured!

Natalie's Sentiments

Monday, February 20, 2012

Lydia's 6th Birthday


My plan was to have a very small party. As the invite says "a tiny party". However, that seemed to be a problem when Lydia made a list of girls she wanted to invite that had over 20 names on it.
After a while we were able to whittle it down to 9 girls. (With promises of lots of playdates to come.)
Still, 9 girls plus Lydia and Collin is not a tiny party. 





Pretty little banners. Yanked out of place by a certain two year old.



Stars borrowed from Lydia's bedroom.



Gave Shane some basic instructions on how I was imagining the streamers, came back to find this.
He moved the furniture away for games and dancing. This isn't our first rodeo.



Do my kids know how lucky they are to have a Daddy like theirs?


I took care of the table. 
That fantastic bunting is from anabelfuzz. Buy it once, use it over and over again. 
The table cloth is actually a vintage sheet I found at a yard sale for a dollar. I had no idea what I was going to use it for, but it was just so pretty I knew one day it would come in handy.


I made this macaroni and cheese recipe with the plan of it staying together in little muffin tin shapes. I think I needed to cook it a bit longer as they kind of fell apart. 
But in any case, it was delicious! I made a casserole dish full just for Shane and it was some of the best mac and cheese ever. 


Little cups of grapes. 

Thank you Kristi for gifting me this darling Martha Stewart paper set. Everything matched perfectly! I so wish you could have some to see it all. I miss throwing parties with you :(


After several trips to my family's favorite Mexican restaurant, Lydia is a shirley temple lover. As in the drink. I found maraschino cherries with the stems still on. Extra fancy. As are the pigs in a blanket with the little flags. They seem to be a birthday tradition as we served them at her 4 year old Valentine brunch birthday and last year as well. (Use precooked turkey sausage and refrigerated crescent rolls. Easiest appetizer ever.)



And then there was the cake. 
LOOK AT THIS CAKE!!!!!!!!
I have a secret local cake lady who is amazing! Remember back in the day I did I post on what I would change about my wedding? Well, I posted about the cake I would have chosen. On a whim I sent that post to my cake lady and asked if she could do a smaller version for Lydia's birthday.

 It turned out perfect. It tasted incredible. The last time I tried to make a birthday cake was when Lydia was 3. I think I will leave it to my cake lady from now on. (Thank you Heidi!)



I did handle the goody boxes myself.


My mom and I found this table cloth without a tag at Fred Meyer. Offered them $3 for it :) 
If I learned anything from studying in the Middle East, it's that you can negotiate almost anywhere.


Bet you want to know what's inside huh?


Just a few things every little girl needs. 


I love these bubble gum colored glass beads. 


(Hobby Lobby of course)


Now we just needed the girls!!!!


And the boys of course.
(Collin pre-hair cut.)



Lydia asked that they all wear dresses. So it would be a "pretty party".

She says next year she wants a comfy clothes party.


Having a little girl is so fun.


Collin waited until everyone was on the "picnic blankets", then sat himself right it the middle.
See how he's staring at that girl with the pink hair clip? 
That's Ava, and Collin has a major crush on her. :)
Maybe he'll be like his daddy and end up with an older woman...
(I'm a whole 5 months older than Shane.)

How cute are those tiny birthday hats???


Lydia told me later her wish was to be a real princess. 
The next day we had to blow out candles again because she wanted to change her wish to a secret one so it would some true.

I found out later that the second wish was that she could fly. 

Oh, six years old is a wonderful age to be.

And again.....that cake!!!


After gifts.....


It was basically an hour of dancing and laughing. 


Look! I'm actually in a photo!
(Thanks Malissa for taking it. I swear my kids are going to think I was never at any family functions.
 I'm just always behind the camera!)


Happy Birthday Sweetheart.

Next year you can invite one friend to go to the movies. :)

*****

Winner!

The winner of the Revision Skin Care Giveaway is Lizzie. Congrats! Contact me within 48 hours to claim your prize.

(To the Gilbert Family - You can find my sugar cookie recipe on my tiny cooking blog.)

Friday, February 17, 2012

Oh, what a darling little girl you have!


I know that my two year old son shouldn't have hair this long, but the curls are just so adorable! Of course they only look like this after a bath.

If I don't get his hair wet in the morning and add a little product.....


it looks like this.

And after a few comments about my cute little girl, I knew I needed to bite the bullet and take him to the salon. (And I know that Lydia's hand me down pink bib isn't helping things.)

The stylist asked me if my little girl could sit alone in the barber seat. Nice.


So now we have this. I do miss the curls, but he is still the sweetest boy I've ever known.

If you follow my personal facebook, you may have seen this update:

"Tonight during family prayer, Collin wanted to say it all by himself. It started good, "Dear Heavenly Father, please bless mommy, daddy, me and Liddy...." then apparently the scene of us all kneeing together was to much of a temptation and he started running around hitting our heads yelling "duck, duck goose!" 
Our hysterical laughing wasn't the most spiritual, but I have a feeling God has a great sense of humor."

*****

As I'm typing this I am just finishing up the ultimate "I No Work Today" day. I started my book club book "One for the Money" at 1:30pm and finished it at 9pm. Collin took a three hour nap and I flopped down on my bed and didn't get up until he woke up. I let the kids jump on my back as I laid prostrate, reading. I did feed my kids their veggies, but Shane was out of town so I neglected the cleanup (for all three meals) and instead of regular meals, ate my box of valentines chocolate and a huge diet coke. Like the whole box. I never want to see chocolate again.
 I've never said that in my life, so you know it was bad.

Yesterday I started my last week of Couch to 5K, so I will run off a few of my chocolate indulgences. 
At least I'm telling myself that.

I'm still in my pajamas. It's almost 10pm.
Shane will be home in an hour. 

I could go clean up the kitchen.
Or I could lay here and watch Downton Abbey.

Hum......

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Our Valentines Day


I think this may be my favorite Valentines Day ever.

It was just perfect. I'm staying up late editing photos just because I want to relive it a little.


The night before I put up a few decorations for our family breakfast. These balloons are from Lydia's birthday party over 2 weeks ago! (Always pay the extra 20 cents for the "hi float") I will post those photos next week. I just found some more that I still need to go through.

Looking at this photo makes me want to paint the kitchen so badly. But, one step at a time.


The kids woke up to find cards from mommy and daddy.



I threw a little yellow in there too.


Shane took a half day to spend with us.


And to make his famous pancakes.

It's really easy. Just make your store bought pancake mix and separate it into small bowls. Color each batch with food coloring and put it into clear condiment dispensers. 
Now draw (quickly) on the hot skillet.



So pretty.


Lydia requested heart sprinkles in her's.


Lydia is showing off her pink and red nails.

Together as a family we did a little shopping and went to lunch at Cafe Rio.

That's three times in two weeks for me. It's just so good!


Afterwards Shane went to work, Lydia went to a school party and Collin took a long nap. 



 I finished up our neighbor treats. Shane may rule the pancakes, 
but I have the corner on sugar cookies
I decided a little yellow lemon frosting might be a nice change.

I almost went into a sugar coma with all of the treats we received from our new neighborhood. 
Welcome to Boise!


The Valentine Lady also left gifts for the kids on the doorstep.



We were supposed to only be getting each other a book this year (as was our newlywed tradition) but Shane broke protocol and gifted me flowers, See's chocolate and Chanel perfume. 

I was not upset at the surprise. 



We ended with a candlelight dinner out that ended in chocolate mousse. 

And a lot of kissing.

Hail to Valentines Day!

How was yours???

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