I Love Yoga!

I am by no means a yoga expert, but a few weeks ago I decided to take the plunge and try yoga. I was unsure of it mostly because I am weary of things that are in surrounded by hype. But I tried it, and fell in love instantly.

I decided to start with an easy method. I chose Candlelight Yoga done by the Crunch Series. This is a series I have been working out with for years, mostly with dance exercises. I think it was the perfect yoga DVD to start out with. It teaches you the concept of breathing in a relaxed atmosphere that focuses on gentle stretches. After I followed this DVD, I automatically felt better and found it fairly easy to try other Yoga/Pilate techniques.

I actually tried Pilates in college, but found it boring and not at all rewarding. It just goes to show how much I have changed in the past few years. Back then I was always on the move, I didn't want to slow down for anything. Of course, back then I was also in the best shape of my life and had no reason to not go full speed toward all the possibilities I had before me. However, now, all I want is to slow down and relieve some of the tension the years have given me. Now, I understand how important it is to stop and breathe.

Candlelight Yoga is perfect for slowing down and unwinding. I continue to go back to this DVD and follow through it once or twice a week to keep stretched out and relaxed. I completed the routine tonight and immediately felt better (and I wasn't even tense.) I could feel my entire spine relax like it hadn't been able to breath fully for years. I never realized how much I slouched until I started doing these exercises. My back and posture have greatly improved in just a few weeks! I feel better physically and emotionally. And most importantly I am able to keep up enough energy to chase Zoey around all day.

I really enjoy yoga and would recommend it to anyone. I am by no means an expert and I doubt I have even attempted half of the techniques or positions yet, but I am ready to try. The best thing about Candlelight Yoga is you can find it and many the other Crunch Series workout DVDs on Netflix instant queue. I love this because I can go through many different routines throughout the week (I love to keep my workouts different and challenging so I don't get bored.)

I wanted to share this new passion with the world...Namaste.

*note: I am not affiliated with or profiting from Crunch or Candlelight Yoga. I simply found this specific yoga routine and wanted to share my personal opinion about the product.

Weekly Gratitude

Life is so much sweeter when we stop and appreciate the little things in life. I try to make a point to stop and smell the flowers so to speak (or if were Zoey, stop and sniff the flowers), but I have a tendency to get caught up in the next appointment, the next meal, or the next item to check off the list. I'm one of the worst about not focusing on what I'm working on because my mind is already on something else. Instead of always looking forward to the next thing, it is important to appreciate what you have now and what you are doing now.

In an attempt to set aside a constant time to appreciate the little things in life, I have joined forces with a friend of mine who has challenged herself to write down what she is thankful for each Friday. You can check Brittany out at Changing Diaper and Taking Names. She found the idea from another blogger who began the idea of Weekly Gratitude. The idea is simple: take a minute each Friday and think about, possibly write down things that you are grateful for in your life. By focusing on the positive our lives are automatically improved. The power of positive thinking (and speaking) is amazing and can turn your whole world around, in a positive way of course.

So here are a few things I am thankful for:

My husband who takes really good care of Zoey and I and loves us on our good days and on our not so great days.

My daughter who is the best little girl I could have ever asked for.

Flowers because they just make me smile (especially a bright blue one when Zoey is trying to sniff, I mean smell it.)

Blocks because they are fun to play with even though I'm grown and they build Zoey's character, mind and creativity. 

Technology because Zoey and I are able to talk to Granny and Pops (my parents) on Skype even though we live 8 hours apart. Zoey enjoys singing and counting with them and I know they just love seeing her grow up.

So that barely touches on all the things I'm thankful for because I am so grateful for all kinds of things big and small. Mostly, I just love my life and all the people I share it with. 

Our Adventurous Dinner

Most days when Stephen gets home from work I am tired and very ready for Daddy to be home. Today I felt energetic and especially wife-like, a bit like you see from the 50's commercials. When Stephen got home, I was in the kitchen preparing dinner and Zoey was at the table working on a project. Yes, the project eventually became a mess and I was not dressed up while trying to cook, but still, I was fairly impressed with my preparation for dinner.

We actually had quite an adventure making dinner tonight. Vegetarian Lasagna was on the menu, I was very excited about trying out a new recipe I found. Of course, I say I got it from a recipe, but I don't really follow the instructions very much anymore. I tend to get ideas of ingredients to put together and make my own creation.

I started to cut up vegetables and Zoey runs into the kitchen looking to help. At first there isn't a whole lot for her to do since she can't use a knife yet, so she went and found her broom and "swept" the kitchen. (I put swept in quotations because it's not really sweeping because she's not actually getting the floor any cleaner, but I still love that she understands to sweep the floor.)

As I finish cutting vegetables, Zoey finds the tea kettle and starts playing teapot. At this point I decide that tea sounds like the perfect thing to have with dinner. So, by Zoey's request (well, sort of) I start brewing Sweet Tea. (In a different pot by the way.)

Now all that is left to cut are herbs (fresh from our garden, yippee!) So Zoey helps me put the tea bags into the water to brew tea. She did very well opening the packets once I showed her how.

Next it was time to put all the ingredients together. This is Zoey's favorite part. She is perched on her chair ready to help. She got to help put the veggies in, then the beans, then the herbs and finally the tomatoes. And all this prep work leads to the very best part...stirring! Zoey loves to stir anything. She has had an interest in this for a while so we have taught her that the pot is hot and you use the spoon to stir and not touch the pot or stove. She does so well with this! I am very impressed with her level of understanding stove/kitchen processes. She she stirs everything together, and she is having a blast.

While the contents of the pot simmer and the noodles cook (silly me always forgets to put the noodles on first thing), I wash up some of the dishes that are piling up. (Don't dishes always seem to pile up?) Zoey was so cute though because she still wanted to help. (I love this girl!) So I gave her some silverware to put up. She did it! They weren't in the right spot per say, but they got from the pile on the counter into the drawer with the other silverware (and some did get in the right spots, just not all of them). I was impressed and happy because it was one less thing to do. Besides, she was so cute with her furrowed eyebrows while putting the silverware up.

So now, everything is ready to be put together and put into the oven. At this point, Zoey is pretty much done helping. I was very impressed though because we were working in the kitchen together for a good half an hour at least. That's not to bad for a 20 month old little girl. I decided the best way to get dinner finished was to set Zoey up with a project. I worked perfectly! She get situated in her chair at the table while I showed her how watercolors work. She was so excited to play in the water and she loved seeing the colors come to life. She had a blast painting and I got to finish up dinner. I'd say that was a win-win. Stephen came home and I think was impressed and happy at how content we looked. It was a very good day.

And dinner was delicious!


Here is my recipe for Vegetarian Lasagna:

You dice up some onions, garlic, peppers (I used green bell peppers), and mushrooms and sautee them in a pan. Then you add black beans (rinsed) and herbs. I used basil, cilantro, parsley and oregano. I then added a little lemon juice and some red pepper flakes (too make it a little spicy.) Then add tomatoes (I used a large can of crushed, but diced in a can or fresh would work too but then I would add some tomato sauce to make it saucier.)

I realize I don't have any measurements. I'm a look and taste sort of girl, so I added some and the tasted to see what it needed. I put all the veggies I had in it and a whole can of black beans because I wanted a really hearty lasagna.

Also, don't forget to cook the lasagna noodles. Then you put a little of the sauce on the bottom of your baking pan so the noodles don't stick. You layer noddles, cheese, veggie filling until you run out of ingredients or fill up the pan. Ricotta cheese is really yummy in lasagna, but I was all out so I just used Mozzarella for the middle and then Mozzarella and Parmesan for the top layer. Then bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. And presto...Vegetarian Lasagna. Buon Appetit!

Okay, so I probably won't be giving many award winning recipes any time soon, but you get the picture. The most important thing is we had a blast cooking. I love it when Zoey helps, it makes the whole experience more interesting and she is learning so much.

Do you have any dishes you really enjoy making? Or do you have any fun ways to get the kids involved in the kitchen?

Working Out is Hard to Do

So last week I decided it was time to start working out...for real this time, meaning everyday instead of just when I feel like it. Because, let's face it, I don't feel like it very often. I've don't really good! I worked out everyday last week (except for Sunday) and felt really great. I changed my workout up so it was something different each day (Yoga on Monday, Ab focus on Tuesdays, Power Yoga/Pilates on Thursday...) Working out was actually even a little fun. I would exercise when Zoey went down for a nap and then do something fun for myself (like writing a blog for instance.) I even lost 6 pounds by the end of the week! I was super excited!

And now this week, I feel cranky about exercising again. I've done good, I have exercised both yesterday and today (Yoga and Ab focus). But I feel tired and not as energetic as last week. I don't know if it is just not new anymore or if now that I have worked out for one week that my body is run down. (The horrible headache I had all of yesterday probably didn't set the tone for week to well either.) To make it worse, according to the scale, I've gained two of my lost pounds back. This makes me feel yucky. But I know that weight loss is on a sliding scale and that it could simply be my body retaining water or whatever. But still... I should only weigh myself once a week, but I get to excited (though sometimes disappointed) about the scale. So I will continue to work hard this week because I know it will pay off.

There are some things that have been going really well since I started working out last week. I have noticed my back feels straighter and I'm standing taller even when I'm not thinking about it. My breathing has also been slower and more regular since working with Yoga. I am really enjoying yoga. In fact, the one day I did straight cardio, I felt tired and worn out. But when I do Yoga/Pilates I well like I have worked out harder and fell less drained and generally more energetic.

What do you do to keep in shape? Does anything in particular keep you going?

Happy Easter!

Today is Easter! I think this is the first Easter we have been home with no real plans in forever (at least since Stephen and I have known each other). We are always visiting people or have some event to go to, but this year, it's just us, at home, enjoying the day.

Zoey examining her Easter goodies

I talked to Zoey about Easter and Jesus dying and rising again. I'm not sure she understood much of that. However, I also told her that the Easter bunny would leave her a surprise this morning...that part I think she understood. This morning Zoey heard Stephen and I walking around (getting everything ready) and started banging on the door. When we were ready, we opened her door ready for good morning hugs and kisses. Instead, she swooshes past us and runs to the living room right to her Easter basket. I just start laughing...I was the same way as a kid. She was so excited about her basket. She pulled it up and started looking through it. She really did have a good time and she played with all of her surprises throughout the day. And we did get hugs and kisses, they were just a little delayed.

Zoey and Mommy eating a banana and chocolate bunny

Zoey very quickly found the chocolate bunny and dug right in. I suppose a chocolate bunny (though part of it was saved for later), banana and cereal is a pretty good Easter breakfast. She also got a Mickey puzzle, which she loved! She is such a Mickey girl. She also got an Easter Mickey book and a Mickey bubble wand. We watched the Blue's Clues video twice today, so I know she liked that. She even asked to watch it the second time with words, "want Blue." She didn't care too much about her t-shirt, but that one was really for Mommy anyway. It is cute though, a turquoise blue with a pink and yellow Superman symbol on it.

Zoey and Daddy and bunny straws

The last thing she got were plastic straws with bunnies on them. She loves straws now and trying to drink from a cup, so I figured it was a winner. However, it was Zoey that figured out she could make noise if she blew or sucked air through them. Yeah, pretty much, she made out like a fat rat. But there aren't many times a year I get to spoil her so Easter is a fun day to get a few surprises.

Zoey blowing bubbles from her Mickey wand

We just had a relaxing day together as a family. We went outside and played. Zoey enjoyed her Mickey bubble wand. She's been getting into bubbles lately and she can blow them all by herself. We also played in her pool and played catch. Zoey even helped water the garden and herbs.

Zoey the scientist is coloring eggs

After Zoey's nap we colored Easter eggs. She had a blast with that. She started out all nice and neat by putting the eggs in a color and then switching it to another color. But then, she turned mad scientist on us and started experimenting. She would crack the egg so the dye would run into the egg and she would mix the colors to make new colors. In the end, it was pretty much a mess, but I know she had a blast playing with it. She even ate some of it (after she got the shells off) and apparently she thought it was pretty good.

Stephen and me...It's a great Easter!

I like visiting people and running around doing things, but sometimes it is nice to relax and spend a holiday the lazy way. Most importantly I was with Stephen and Zoey, which would make any Easter complete. I am very thankful for my family, they are pretty awesome people. Thank you Jesus for dying for our sins so we may know you! Easter is a victory and a holiday to celebrate above all, Love! Both Jesus' love for us and our love with Him and each other.

Zoey playing with her new Mickey puzzle

Zoey being silly...I love that smile!

Zoey is an Easter basket head!

Happy Easter!
John 11:25-26 (NIV): Jesus said to her, "I am the rusurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."

Happy Good Friday and Earth Day!

Today seems like a very busy day! April 22 marks the celebration of both Good Friday and Earth Day. As a friend put it, a day the Christians and hippies can both celebrate. It got me thinking...what are the celebrations even about? I mean I've heard about these two events all my life, but what do they really mean? And how do they affect us and our way of thinking?

It's time to wake up and celebrate! 

These two days do not often fall on the same day. Usually Good Friday and Easter seem to come sooner while Earth Day is always on April 22. My first thought was they are two very different celebrations. Earth day is to respect our home, the Earth, while Good Friday celebrates the death of our Saviour. Wait a minute...isn't Jesus our home too? Maybe these two celebrations aren't as alien to each other as I originally thought.

Happy Good Friday!
(Picture: The Fellowship at Bend, no association.)

I will start with Good Friday. It marks the end of the Holy Week that often coincides with the Jewish Passover. It is the Friday (two days) before Easter; the day in which Jesus (likely) died on the cross at Calvary. (Friday is believed to be the day of the week Jesus died because it was the day of preparation for the Sabbath, this one being especially special because it was Passover. See John 19:31 and John 19:42.) During this day Christians celebrate the passion (Jesus' suffering and sacrifice) as well as his physical death. It seems strange that the day is called Good Friday, since it marks the day Jesus died. But I believe it is meant to be a victory because the results of His death are very good and saved the souls of those who believe in Him.

So what does this mean? What am I suppose to take away from this celebration? I think it is a day that is labeled to remember the sacrifices that Jesus made for us as His people. A friend put it this way...Nails did not hold Jesus to the cross, love for His people kept him there. Jesus didn't have to die on the cross for our sins. He could have sent a windstorm to kill every enemy on Calvary, He could have floated back to heaven with His Father, or He could have hidden away, but He didn't. Jesus chose to die for us because He loved us so much. He made a path so all of His people could follow Him to Heaven. That's what I think Good Friday is about and why it is a celebration. Why, even in death, there is reason to celebrate. The day Jesus died is a day to celebrate his LIFE not his death. It is a day to celebrate His LOVE for all of us.

Happy Earth Day!
(Picture: Buisness Pundit, no association)

Compared to that Earth Day just doesn't seem as exciting, but it is! And though not can quite compare to Jesus' love, it is still very important. Earth Day is a day to inspire appreciation for Earth's beauty and promote awareness to preserve Earth's natural environment. April 22 was commissioned as Earth Day in 1970 by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson. Earth Day is associated with a birthday, where keeping the Earth clean and protected is celebrated world-wide.

So again, what does this really mean? To me Earth Day a reminder to keep our planet clean. It should be a reminder to clean up after yourself everyday. It is a day to promote recycling, renewable resources and reducing waste. However, these are things we should do everyday. I think Earth Day is a day to connect with Mother Earth. God has given us this wonderful place to live that has everything we need to survive and make our lives good. It is our choice to respect the Earth in which we live. I think it is a very important idea to remember that what we put into the Earth comes back. If we put trash and waste into our Earth, she will eventually give us trash back. However, if we put love and nurturing into our Earth, then she will bless us with beauty and aplenty.

By looking at these two celebrations, I have decided that today I am celebrating LIFE! Jesus' life, my life, my family and friends' lives and the life and nature around me.

Today it was raining. All day it was raining. We couldn't even go play outside today because it was all wet. But I stopped to think that it was fitting to be raining (and storming too). I was thinking there was a storm at the crucifixion. I was close...there was a darkness until 3 o'clock when Jesus took his final breaths (see Matthew 27:45-46). Today about 2-2:30pm it started raining harder. A little after 3pm the rain stopped and the sun began to come out. Interesting. God is amazing! I'm also thinking that my garden (and nature in general) is getting some really good rain to grow.

It's been a good day. We get to celebrate and remember Jesus' life, our wonderful Earth and well, it's Friday, that's always a cause to celebrate in my opinion!

By the way, I loved this cartoon..

Comic: Savage Chickens, no association)

Hope you had a great day! Did you do anything to celebrate or remember this day?

Are days ever REALLY boring?

As I sit at my computer at one of the few times I am able to write a day, I have no good topic for a blog post. But me being me, hates the idea of wasting time on the Internet (which I do way to often) and leaving a time to write an empty page. I don't have a good topic, but I have lots of thoughts bouncing around in my head. Maybe I just need to get some of these thoughts out. Writing has always been my way to sort through ideas, so here goes.

As I sit here with nothing to write. I begin to wonder...is any day REALLY boring. I mean, usually I write about what we are up to or what adventures (big or small) we have been on. But today hasn't really been an adventure at all, it has been incredibly normal. But does normal mean boring? I don't really think so. Because even though we haven't done anything incredibly interesting, we have done a lot of things.

I found out at breakfast this morning that Zoey really likes orange juice. She has had it before, but only in sips. This morning, she steals my cup and drains half of it (actually drinks it instead of dumps it on her plate like usual). So I give her some in her cup. She drinks all of that and asks for more. I guess she could have just been really thirsty, but she did have her regular juice, so I think she just likes orange juice.

We watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse every morning. Mickey just starts the day off right for Zoey. It's so cute to see her watching it too. I've seen them all (it seems like hundreds of times, but that is probably an exaggeration) so I end up watching her instead of Mickey. And her eyes just light up when she sees Mickey appear to invite everyone to the clubhouse. She answers their questions and counts with them too! She has "one, two, three" down and is starting to pick up on more. She calls Toodles with them too, "oh Too-Too"(they call for toodles when they need a mouse-ka-tool). Yesterday we were playing with her Mickey figurines (she has all 6 of the main characters: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto) and I asked her who was her favorite. She pointed straight to Mickey and then thought a minute and pointed to Minnie too. These two were on opposite sides and mixed up with the others. She even tried to say their names. She's getting them down pretty well too.

Zoey can now ask for an apple. She goes to the fridge and pulls on it with a verbal request that I assume means to open the door. When I do, she reaches right into the drawer and pulls out her apple and walks away happy as a lark. I think it is pretty cute that just randomly she'll run into the kitchen (always getting our attention first) to get an apple. I am glad she wants apples, yogurt or some other veggie instead of cookies and chips all the time.

Zoey really likes apples!

Although, she likes cookies and chips too. This morning she got a hold of the cheese puffs where I didn't put them up like I should have last night and was snacking away on them (unclipping the bag all by herself). So, she managed to swindle cheese puffs to go along with her banana and cereal for breakfast this morning.

Tinkerbell (the second one) came on Disney this morning and Zoey climbed into my lap to watch part of it. I love cuddle time. I just can't get enough of holding her close and stealing kisses. I'll probably do this as often as she lets me. Even though she is amazingly independent, she'll still come and love on me, give me kisses and cuddle with me. I love those moments whenever I get them. She can't really say "I love you" yet, but she continually shows Stephen and I both how much she loves us.

Zoey has this felt board with letter to stick on it. She brought it to me and started handing me letters off of it. I would tell her what letter it was and put it on the board. Then she would hand me another one, try to repeat the letter I tell her and then put it on the board next to the last one. Our words came out like "gtrdo" or pbedu" but I think she is beginning to understand the structure of words and letter sounds.

Zoey likes to play hide and seek now, especially right before nap or bedtime. Today she hid behind a chair. She is so funny because I caught her laughing amidst merciless tickling, but as soon as I say it's time to rest (she takes that much better than saying nap), she immediately gives me puppy eyes and whimpers to let her stay up longer. She knows this doesn't work, but I suppose it's a last ditch effort anyway. The best part is even though she doesn't like getting to her bed, once she is there and she sees her books and stuffed animals she is usually satisfied and I rarely hear a peep out of her (or her talking to her animals or reading a book to herself).

My abs hurt so bad today after working out so hard this week that it hurts to cough. I had some water go down the wrong pipe and I don't know what hurt worse, my throat or my abs from coughing. It is a good thing to be sore though, it means I'm making my body healthier again. I've been doing workouts and yoga all week, I have to admit, I'm pretty proud of myself.

I decided to give my abs a break (somewhat) and do some weeding instead of a workout routine today. I have to announce...weeding IS a workout! I started getting some of the last few big weeds up, which consisted of bending, twisting, pulling, digging--basically a full workout. Then I focused on one small area to get all of the weeds gone and that was work too, even though I was sitting down for that part. It is incredibly peaceful and calm to work in the yard.

So there you go...I had nothing to write about and just look at the novel I ended up writing. No, I don't think days are ever REALLY boring. Most of the time being bored just means you don't know what to do next. And with a (not quite yet) 2 year old running around, there isn't much time to be indecisive. Either you direct her to something to do or she will direct you. Kids are fun though, and when I focus on what we actually do each day (and I didn't write about nearly all we did) it's always something interesting.

30 Days of me...Day 6: My Superhero is my Mom!

(I haven't wrote about my 30 days topic in a while, so I figured I would try to keep it going amongst other posts. You can check out the first post explaining the topic titled 30 Days of Me.)

My Favorite Superhero and why...

Well, I have never really been into comics or know much about superheroes. In fact, I never even knew the comic universe was so intricate until Stephen clued me in. I mean, I knew Superman, Batman and Spider-man, but that's about it (with a few other exceptions). So, my superhero is a little different...

My Superhero is my Mom!

Dee, Super Woman and my Mom!

This is my Mom (Granny) making muffins with Zoey when she and my Dad (also Super Man/Pops)          came to visit for her birthday last month. They were the best parents to me and now they are being awesome grandparents to Zoey too!

Growing up my Mom was Super Woman. She could do anything and everything. She can cook, sew, and cross-stitch as good as anyone I know and then she can turn around a have a knowledgeable conversation about cars or engines. She was (and still is) a mechanical engineer, I always though it was cool she prospered in a man's field. As I got older I understood what it took to accomplish that. But she was more than just an engineer, she was my Mom and I think she cared about that title more than any she could ever get at work. She would take me to school, go to work, come home and (many nights) cook dinner and then go with me to Girl Scouts, dance, band or whatever I was into at the time or just sit in the floor and play games with me. She was my Girl Scout leader, very active in my dance and band, I mean she did it all!  She would even spend her weekends out shopping with me, on a Girl Scout trip, at a dance show or even camping. I was always so thankful she spent so much time with me. I realized how much it meant to me then, but now that I'm a mom, it means even more. Now that I am in her shoes I can see the amount of sacrifice and hard work she put into everything that she did and still does. I've always admired and looked up to my mom, and now I still look to her for advice and as a role model. I hope I'm as good of a mom as mine was to me. She is now my best friend as well as my Mother.

I love you Mom!

Gardens and Workouts

Zoey water the plants with her sippy cup

Today was a beautiful day outside! Zoey and I went out to enjoy it early today. I watered our garden, like I do everyday, but I had the satisfaction of noticing our plants are doing very well! We lost our cucumbers and it doesn't look like the watermelon is going to prosper, but everything else is looking great. Our bell peppers are standing tall and so are the jalapeños. The lettuce and carrots (both from seeds) are sprouting up nicely. The onions are strong even though Zoey has walked through them several times now. Our tomatoes even have tiny green tomatoes on them!!! (I'm looking forward to the home-grown tomatoes the most!) The basil and cilantro are about to overflow from the planter. And our strawberry plant has several blooms on it! Yay for strawberries soon! I'm so excited that it is all looking so good. I have visions of going to the garden and gathering veggies/herbs to make fresh for dinner in the near future.

Zoey was so cute in the garden today. She loves to stand under the water hose while I'm watering the garden, which makes a fun sprinkler. Today though, she took it one step further. I filled her cup up with water from the hose, but before I could put the top on she was drinking it from her cup. Then she poured the rest of the water on the basil plant. Then she asked for more and pour it on the cilantro plant. The next batch would go on the strawberries. This went on for quite a while, like 20 minutes! I would only get a little bit of water in her cup before she was off though, so it wasn't too much. She will do anything for more time to play in the water though, she is definitely a water baby.

When Zoey went down for her nap, I broke out the exercise video. I didn't weed the yard today, but I figured I could at least get my blood pumping with some ab cardio. Well, I was definitely sweating! I felt so good. I actually surprised myself by being able to do more than I thought. It is amazing how much more balanced and able to breath since my one yoga session last night. I think there is really something (finally) happening here. I've been needing to do this since Zoey was born...better late than never I suppose. Among many things, this miscarriage has motivated me to get back to exercising (and finally losing the baby weight from Zoey, which I am embarrassed to say I still have.) I am also very thankful that Netflix has many workout DVDs on instant queue so I can hop around from one to another. I dislike just going through one over and over again, I get bored way too easily. But I am feeling good, I am ready to keep this up!

Our basil and cilantro are looking great!

Look! There are tiny green tomatoes! Yummy!

Good for the Soul

I have found that some things are just good for the soul. Today I did a few of them...

I weeded our front yard. It seems strange to weed the yard, but we have concluded that pretty much the entire yard is weeds choking out what little grass there is. So we have set out to weed the front yard. Stephen and I worked on it this weekend and I've taken it upon myself to continue to work on it during the week. I'll admit, it's actually quite relaxing. You can think or just let your mind go blank. I feel like I don't have this sensation very often so it was enjoyable. Besides, yard work is just good for the soul. And then you can actually see your progress, which is nice.

Zoey likes to help me outside,
neither of us are afraid to get dirty!

Another thing that is good for the soul is to have a cupcake with snack (we had an apple too) but sometimes a treat is just what you need.

Then I tried yoga. I actually got the idea from my friend Brittany who wrote about it in her blog Changing Diapers and Taking Names in the post Namaste. Thankfully, Netfix has some good ones on instant queue. I decided on Crunch's Candlelight Yoga, it seemed perfect for winding down from the day. Before trying it I thought it wasn't really all people made it out to be and I was wrong. It was wonderful. I never realized I slouched so much, but afterwards I felt my back straighten and feel loose, not something I feel often. I felt relaxed, refreshed and calm. It was a good feeling. I'm going to try to wake up and start the day that way before Zoey wakes up...I'll let you know how that idea goes.

Take Me Out the to Ballgame...

This past weekend we went to the local minor league baseball game. Go Charleston Riverdogs! Stephen's work has a box at the stadium and every group within the company gets a chance to go. It is so much fun! So, we went!

The whole family...we really enjoyed the ball game!

Zoey was so amazing at the game! We went twice last year, once in the spring and once in the fall. Zoey did well then too, but the first time she was about 8 months so she was just taking it all in. The second time Zoey was a year old and walking, but with no real direction yet, so she was a handful the whole night, though it still made for a fun time.

Zoey was so excited! She walked the whole way there!

But this year she is old enough to understand boundaries and be able to interact better with everyone. The best part, she even paid attention to the game! At one point she stayed still and interested in the game for over an inning! It was quite impressive.

Zoey watching the game, she seemed to really enjoy it

The food was excellent as always. We had hot dogs, chicken tenders, BBQ, pretzels, fruit, brownies and popcorn. Zoey sat down on the stairs and ate a whole plate. I sat right beside her, ate and watched the game. It was very peaceful.

Zoey eating the most delicious popcorn ever!

Zoey was so well behaved. She had a blast with all of Stephen's co-workers too. She would say hi and talk to all that spoke to her. She even took Stephen's cube-mate, Jackie, on an adventure. There were also a couple of older kids there that had a good time with Zoey. One girl in particular (about 10ish) had a blast showing Zoey around the box we were in and talking with her. At one point she even came up to me and said "Zoey gave me a hug!" I know she had more fun because there was a little kid to play with, and now the Mommy in me is very thankful for the distractions for Zoey because as long as she is occupied she will be fine.

Zoey wore the shirt that Stephen got for her that says "Self-rescuing Princess." I was so excited that her got it for her. And she looks adorable in it! I think Stephen was really proud of his little girl at the baseball game. Also, there were complimentary beanies from the team and Zoey LOVES beanies. She got one of those and wore it almost all night. It was really cute.

Zoey posing to show me her awesome shirt and new hat

Zoey had a lot of fun when the mascot came in to see us. The Riverdogs' mascot is a dog, (go figure), but the one that came to see us was the girl dog named Chelsea dressed up in a cheerleader outfit. Zoey was infatuated with her. She ran over and gave her a hug and then studied her hands a few minutes. Then she pointed to her nose and then kissed it. She was very gentle with her. I looked up and everybody else was watching Zoey with the mascot, it was really cute. Zoey would have stayed there all day and just watched the "puppy" if she could have. But eventually Chelsea had to get back to the game and Zoey wasn't very happy about that, actually it was the only time the whole night she threw any sort of tantrum.

Zoey playing the the mascot dog, Chelsea

During the 7th inning stretch, the entire stadium stopped and sang "Take me out to the ballgame." Zoey didn't know what to think! At first she was surprised, and then confused and then excited that everyone was singing. I'll try to teach her the song before we go back so she can sing along.

Zoey getting into "Take me out to the ballgame"

Zoey went strong the entire night. She didn't even go to sleep on the way home (which is about a 40 min drive). It's amazing how Zoey getting just a little bit older changes the whole dynamic of going to the baseball game. I was so proud of my little girl!

Zoey was still laughing on the way out the stadium!

Oh, yeah, by the way, The Riverdogs won! The Charleston Riverdogs beat the Rome Braves 6-3! It was a great night!

Easter Egg-travaganza

This morning we had a blast at the Easter Egg Hunt! I am a member of the Summerville Moms group where moms can meet each other and learn about awesome things to do around town with kids. I love the group and meeting new people. Anyway, today was the Easter party, complete with Egg Hunt. Zoey had such a good time!

Zoey saying "Hi" from the Easter Party

There were lots of kids there and lots of moms to meet. As soon as we walked in the door, Zoey gave one of the other kids a big hug. I'm thinking that this is going to be a great day. There was all kinds of stuff to do. There were lots of outside equipment to play on and with, then we did the Easter egg hunt, had lunch and then we frosted cupcakes (and then ate those cupcakes, Zoey had extra sprinkles on hers.)

Zoey digging into her cupcake with extra sprinkles

It was so cute because she wanted to go out in the yard to find eggs before it was time, but then when we were suppose to go collect them, she didn't want much to do with it. At that point, I think she saw all the play things available for playing with and was more interested in that. We did get her out in the field and she was excited for about 2 seconds, picked up about three eggs and then headed back to play. We did get her out again to pick up a few more and take fun pictures. She had a lot of fun though, and that's what matters.

Zoey finding her eggs in the Easter Egg Hunt

I think Zoey had the most fun with a little Power Wheels car. Stephen showed her how to push the pedal and make it go and then she was off! She kept going back to that little car the whole time we were there. She got really good at driving it and eventually even steered with the wheel instead of heading straight for the wall. She was so cute in it.

Cool Girl Zoey driving Power Wheels!

They also had a small jump house set up. Zoey liked bouncing in that too. And a play house, which I think she enjoyed opening and closing the windows more than anything else. We played and ran and ate and talked to people. It was a nice afternoon. And thankfully the rain held off for us. (It was suppose to be storming all day.). Hopefully it will stay away until tomorrow.

Zoey saying "Hi" to Daddy from the bouncy house

I was really proud of Zoey because she played very well with the other kids and shared all of the cool toys. She played with the other kids, but also didn't mind playing by herself. That's why I originally joined the Moms group, so Zoey would have the chance to play with other kids and no just with Mommy and she could learn to share and interact with them. Overall, I think she is doing very well. And we had a great time!

The End of Naps?!?

I hope not.

This is Zoey this morning before lunch and nap. 

She was pretty in one of the outfits Granny made for her. 

But in her excitement she spilled yogurt all over her shirt at lunchtime, 

so I'm glad I got the picture when I did.

Zoey is not quite 20 months old. I thought we had this wonderful thing known as naps concrete until at least after 2 years. But the past week she hasn't napped during her nap at all. I hear her playing in her room, and when it gets quiet I listen really closely and she's in there talking to herself. She'll come bang on the door every once in a while, but then goes back to what she was doing.

She's in her big girl bed and does great with it. I wondered if this was the transition to her not taking naps, but she still took them the first few weeks she had the bed, so I don't think that is it. The first couple days, she got really cranky by the time bed time rolled around, but by the end of the week, her attitude got better too. So one whole week without a nap, sigh.

She stays in her room though. I don't mean to sound selfish, but I think every mom/parent (especially the stay-at-home types) rejoice a little when it is nap time. I don't do chores while she "sleeps," I wait and get her involved in those, she's a pretty good help too. No nap time is reserved for the wondrous "me-time!" I scrapbook or read or write or coupon or sometimes even sleep myself.

I have to admit, I am not really looking forward  to the day when she doesn't even have quiet time in her room. And that will last until she is at least 2 because Mommy said so. I really enjoy that little piece of the day I have to do what I want to do. If I don't do things in the afternoon, I rarely do them at night because I'm just too tired to concentrate on much. Hopefully this all gets better as Zoey gets older.

I agree with what most of you are thinking...She is still young and needs her sleep! Just try telling Zoey that, lol. But she is doing well and not seeming too drained. Also, this week she has been doing better about going to sleep at night. She lays down at her bed time, which is 8pm, but often she wouldn't actually fall asleep until 9, 9:30 or even sometimes 10pm. This week it gets really quiet at 8:30, I check on her and she is already asleep.

I guess it's all give and take and sleeping and eating patterns change constantly. Hopefully this is not the end of naps, for both our sakes. At the same time, it is nice that she can get through the day without a nap and be for the most part) okay without lots of meltdowns. Well, for right now, we still have a quiet time, and if that is our compromise for a while, I think we can both be okay with that.

Flowers Brighten My Day

I was surprised to find flowers on my doorstep and then very excited to see they were from my wonderful friend and the closest person I have to a sister (we've known each other since we were 4, it doesn't get much more life-long than that.)

Dana is so thoughtful and knows how much I LOVE purple. I mean, I did make her wear it as the maid of honor at my wedding so I suppose she should know. I called her immediately and thanked her with a huge smile on my face.

Going through trials is never easy, but it makes me feel warm and loved to have so many friends (including family) that support me and are there for us. So to Dana and all of my other wonderful friends...Thank You!

Here are some pictures...

Beautiful, Friendly Flowers complete with daisies and purple!

I love you too!

Zoey really liked the flowers too.

Zoey even stopped to smell one