Give it your all!

So much for resolving to post more frequently!

I go through fits where I wonder why I even have a blog.  It's not because I think that blogging is silly-- in fact there a quite a few blogs out there that I enjoy reading, but those are usually blogs with helpful tips and hints for saving money or making delicious meals or DIYing.  I've tried to post some of those things, but truth-be-told I hardly have time to do those things, let alone blog about them.

But here I am blogging.  Nate is in bed (we just completed our bath, bottle and book routine, although he didn't stay awake for the book part) and I have so many things that I want to get done, that I am overwhelmed.  So, I suppose you could say that I am procrastinating.  And I am not a procrastinator.

But on to the reason I am blogging: I had an epiphany.

Or something like an epiphany.

One of my goals for this year is to get back in shape.  Not body shape-wise, but cardiovascular and strength-wise.  I have always enjoyed running 5Ks in the spring and summer, but now it's been well over a year since my last one.  The Marion Arts 5K is a yearly favorite for me, in part because it takes me back to the days when Austin and I were interested in each other (but not yet dating).  It was an awkward time in our relationship, but at the same time it was so thrilling and exciting.  After running the race the first year we knew each other we walked around downtown Marion together.  It was perfect.  So for some reason the Marion Arts Festival 5K is important to me.  And I am going to run it again this year.

Or the half-marathon.

Austin is planning on running the half and I think that would be a challenging, yet reachable, goal for me.  So the training has begun.  Today was my long-run day and I set a goal for 5 miles on the treadmill (a distance that is longer than I have ever ran on a treadmill.  I hate treadmills.  When I run on a treadmill I feel like gerbil or a mouse and it's near impossible to keep from getting bored).  Last week I had a goal for 5 miles and did not reach it and at the beginning of my run it appeared I would face the same fate: failure to meet my goal.   Mile one was easy, but as I passed the one mile mark I found myself coming up with excuses to quit early.  I thought for sure that I would stop short of my goal.  But every mile I convinced myself that I could go one more.  And before I knew it I was at mile 4.  And by that time, there was no turning back.  Mile 5 came and went and I exceeded my goal.  And it was exhilarating.

As I was driving home I was thinking about how accomplished I felt.  Tired and sore, yes, but more importantly I felt that I could do almost anything.  I had a renewed energy and a desire to give everything "my all."  It reminded me of 1 Corinthians 9:24

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.


Obviously this doesn't just apply to running but to life in general.  I don't want to give things half-effort.  I want to give my all--run to get the prize--in everything I do.  That doesn't necessarily mean I will succeed in everything (although it may increase my chances), but rather it means that I will try hard and give all my time, energy and focus--100%--to the task at hand.  Whether that is giving quality time to God during my quiet times, giving all my attention to Nate when it's play-time, or even just relaxing when the time comes to kick back (yes, it's important to give your all to observing Sabbath...that's another topic I want to tackle soon.)

I suppose I could go on, but this post is getting long and I think you are probably getting the idea:

Give it your all!

And here are a few pics of little Nate giving play-time his all!

Nate loves to sit up all by himself.  What a big boy!

A little post-play time stretching!

Project organize the kitchen

This weekend was a bear.  It was my first full weekend back at work.  Granted I only worked two eight hour shifts (and both days were fairly easy as far as patient load goes), it was tough to be away from Austin and Nate all day.  This is one of the big reasons we have our house on the market: so that we have the opportunity to spend more time together as a family.  Maternity leave was amazing!  We had so much family time that we have never had before.

Speaking of, our house is still on the market if you are interested.  We did have two showings and 5 groups show up at our open house this past week, so you better get in gear and put an offer in.

No, but seriously, do it.

Since our house has been on the market things have been pretty darn clean but I am kind of an organizing mad-woman and am taking addiction to "a place for everything and everything in it's place" a little too far.  I have signed up for weekly home organization challenge emails.  Last weeks challenge: countertops and sink.

Become a organization mad-woman like me

Now, let me just say I pretty much skipped this challenge because our counters are clean.  I mean clean, clean.  There are two towels, a coffeemaker, toaster, knife block and kitchen aid mixer on the sink.  And that is it.  And I keep my kitchen sink pretty well cleared of dishes.

Although I am already ahead of the game, there was one point that made me think: "we need to consider how we currently use our kitchen-either intentionally or unintentionally."  The blogger at home storage solutions 101 listed several different functions of a kitchen and I pretty much use the kitchen for food prep and storage and family control and planning center (AKA: calendar!).  My husband, on the other hand, uses the kitchen as a dumping ground-he drops papers, keys, books...just about anything and everything on the first horizontal surface he can find after entering the house and this happens to be the kitchen counter.

So, since I have identified that (unintentional) function of my kitchen (which happens to drive me crazy), I am going to do something about it.  I'm not sure what, but perhaps I will create a dish or a bowl or a drawer for this purpose: anything to get the junk off the counter!

Another thing that I have taken away from this weeks challenge is to declutter by getting rid of all of the things that are either old, broken, are duplicates or that I haven't used in the past year.  I have not gotten to this yet, but I plan to.  Decluttering always makes me feel wonderful!  For some reason it's freeing.

Well, I don't have a picture for this post and I feel like its super lame to have a post without a picture.  Because, let's be honest...you really just want to see another picture of Nate:

Nate's first time in the johnny jump up!  What a big boy!

Thrifty Thursday

I had such great plans for today.  

It was gorgeous outside.  Definitely not your typical Iowa winter weather.  But then again, Iowa is anything but typical.  Tomorrow may be below freezing, who knows!  (Although it sounds like it is suppose to stay fairly mild this week).  I was excited to get outside for another run (I am hoping to run a half-marathon this May, so I need to get serious about training...) and I had projects that I wanted to start on during Nate's nap time.  But then came the phone call. 

When your house is on the market, it's kind of like it's not your house.  It's your realtor's house.  When they call requesting a showing-even if it's only an hour before the desired showing time-you kind of have to "go with the flow."  So, Austin and I power-cleaned the house in an hour-and-a-half.  It was intense.  We hadn't really picked up the house much since having all of our family over, so it wasn't a light cleaning.  It was an all-out, get-your-booty-in-gear, don't-stop, let-Nate-cry, clean-fest.  But we got it done and our realtor said "it showed great."  Now, if only that meant, "the buyers would like to make an offer," or even better, "the buyers would like to pay more than your asking price because they love the house so much and because your house is so clean..."

But at least now my house is clean.

On to the topic of today's post: "Thirfty Thursday."  At the beginning of the New Year, Austin and I reviewed our budget.  If you don't have one, definitely create one.  Reviewing the way you spend your money is a very useful-and sometimes painful-exercise.  It's painful because it's helped me realize that I spend way more money on "wants" than I thought I did. 

Here's a link to the Monthly Family Budget Worksheet that I use.  There are many out their on the web.  Find one that works for you and your family and give it a try!

After reviewing and making changes to our budget, I printed off these cash envelopes.  

Austin and I have always tried to withdraw cash each week and use it for all of our gas, household, grocery and "fun money."  I've found that this helps me spend less because I don't want to part with my cash and because I can see how much money I have left for the week.  It really cuts down on impulse buys at the grocery store because it's really embarrassing when you don't have enough cash to pay for your bill.  (Ok, I'm not that intense.  If I happen to go over a little, I debit it and make sure to note it and withdraw less cash the following week). 

Well, if you want to know, I am already over budget...and it's only 5 days into the New Year.  But that's okay.  I'd rather know that I am over budget so that I can make some changes for the next week than to continue making the same choices.  If you make the same choices you will continue to see the same results.

So make a change, it's not too late: it's only 5 days into the New Year!

I resolve to get dressed this year!

I've never participated in the "what I wore Wednesdays" blog postings.  If I had, you'd be seeing pictures of me wearing the same worn-out pajamas day after day.

My everyday sweats.  Can you see the spit up/drool on Nate's chin?  P.S. Baby spit up is highly visible on black clothing.  Perhaps I need to rethink my daily sweatsuit.  Maybe a lighter color to blend in with the spit up...

This is actually my Christmas sweatsuit.  Note the red t-shirt?  Nice of me to dress up for Christmas, huh?

Ok. Maybe it's not that bad, bur I do pretty much spend all my time in loose fitting, drawstring pants and comfy tops.  Except on the two days I go to work.  Because on those days I wear loose fitting, drawstring scrub pants with a comfy over-sized scrub top:

Low on style, but high on comfort.

But my point is that I rarely really get dressed for the day.  I would tell you that I don't have anything to wear, or that nothing fits me, but neither of those two statements are true.  Bottom line is I am lazy.  Why put on something semi-decent when I know that in a matter of an hour or two I am going to have either baby puke or worse, baby poop all over my nice clothes.

And since I'm not putting on something semi-decent, why bother putting on makeup.  And since I am not putting on makeup, does it really make sense to do my hair, or even brush it?  And before you know it, I've completely rationalized my way out of taking a shower.

I don't find it particularly necessary to post pictures of cute outfits that I put together (because, lets face it, I never was much of a fashionista), but I would like to get this "what I wore" thing a try.  Maybe it will help me actually get showered and ready for a day.  I might feel more accomplished.  And lets be honest, my husband might appreciate it.

So, my new New Years Resolution is to get dressed.  I may or may not post pictures of me wearing something cuter than pajamas, but either way, I plan on wearing real clothes at least three days a week.

Doesn't that sound like a pathetic resolution?  We'll see how long it takes before I break it.

(P.S. Don't ask me what I'm wearing now.  Austin's old high school football sweatpants and that same black hoodie with spit up all over it.)

I'll start tomorrow.

Will my baby be denied health insurance?

Today was the big weigh-in.

And by "weigh-in" I mean Nate's big 4 month check-up! Before I get to the particulars, I want to share with you something I found while cleaning a few nights ago:

I couldn't figure out how to rotate this photo, but it's a newborn diaper.  

 I held this diaper up to Nate and I can't believe how small he was when we brought him home.  He is so big now!  Here is another picture of the diaper compared with a glue stick.  Crazy small:

Wish I could get the picture rotated... But you get the idea.  Small.

And Nate wasn't even a tiny baby when we brought him home; he weighed 8 lbs and 3.5 oz and was 20.5 inches long.  At his two month check-up he was near the 90th percentile for weight and only the 20th for height.  So we were happy to find out today that he was starting to grow in a different direction than just "around."  (Although he is doing plenty of growing around his midsection too!)

Nate weighed in at 17 pounds and 14 ounces and was 24.5 inches long.  He was in the 93rd percentile for weight and the 60th for length.  So he's starting to catch up!

Now, to the title of my post: will Nate be denied health insurance coverage.  According to a news report from the Denver Post, a 4 month old who weighed 17 pounds and was 25 inches long was denied health insurance for being "too fat."  (Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,564501,00.html#ixzz1iS5GDqmD)

I have to say that Nate is chubby, but babies are suppose to be and Nate is just the right size for him.  I love all of his cute little baby chub.  He is adorable.  

Even when he is crying (which he is doing now).  I blame the tears on the three shots my big boy had to get today.  I think it's time to cuddle the little chub!

Happy New Years

I didn't get a chance to blog yesterday, but that's okay...it was the last day of 2011 and I'd already broken my resolutions for the year anyways.  But today is the start of a New Year so I thought it best to make a post.  It'd be no good to break a New Year's resolution on New Years day.

Disclaimer: posting on my blog every day is not one of my New Years Resolutions.  In fact I don't know that I really have New Years Resolutions because just about every week I come up with a list of goals for that week.  I think having New Years Resolutions can be daunting because once you break your resolution once you feel defeated and think you might as well "wait for next year because this year is already shot"

Well, maybe that's just me.

But I have a few "goals" for the year and I thought I'd share a few of them with you all:

Daily quiet times (preferably in the morning, but anytime will work!).  I'd really like to be spending some time reading scripture too (that's something I am not very good at).

Eating healthfully.  I'm going to blame my new-found sweet tooth on Nate.  I've always like chocolate, but it wasn't until Nate was born that I really developed an intense craving for it.  It's bad.  I've asked Austin to hide all the chocolate in the house, but then when I am at home along I search all the cupboards for it.

Work out 3-4 times a week.  This one is also difficult now that Nate is around because I don't have the freedom to go to the MAC whenever it works for me.  So I am going to try to make it to the MAC when I can and do P90X on the other days.  I am hoping to gain lean muscle mass.


Be creative with meals, meal planning and grocery shopping.  Goal: save money and make healthy (and tasty) meals! I have been trying a lot of new recipes lately and have to give a shout out to pintresters.  Thank you for all your great recipes...I am finding so many great meals to make thanks to Pintrest.  Also, big thanks to the many bloggers that I follow; there are so many creative ladies out there!

There are so many more "goals" that I've set for myself, but I won't bore you with all of them.   I will however share a picture of Nate working on his New Years Resolution: getting fit.

Action shot.  You can tell he is really concentrating on this rep!

This is how you do a baby dumbell raise part I:  Look really cute and hold that dumbell with pride.

Part II: Raise it up baby!  (And watch those biceps grow)

After all that working out, it was time for a protein shake.

Ok, not really.  But mom had one!

The dumbells were a gift from daddy to Nate:

Buff Baby

...though mommy really loves Nate's baby chub...

More holidays. More pictures. Part II

Now I am playing catch up since I took a two week (or more) long hiatus from the blog and I've got more pictures from Christmas.

Most guys are excited to get video games, electronics or firearms (Austin would be excited to get the latter) for Christmas, but my husband was eagerly awaiting this Christmas gift:

Yes, that's right: a new vacuum cleaner!!

Austin should consider modeling home appliances for SEARS 

I know what you are thinking...where can I get one of these?  Sears.  Oh wait, you were drooling over my  housekeeping husband!! (don't tell him I said that because he may just stop vacuuming...)

We needed a new vacuum cleaner, especially since Jag is now spending more time in the house.  (He spends the evenings in the house, usually laying by the fireplace...doesn't that sound nice?)  I am not 100% on board with dogs in the house--especially since I have allergies-- but I told Austin that I would agree to it if:

A. The dog stayed off the carpet
B. Austin brushed the dog daily (or close to daily)
C. Austin kept the floors clean

And I am happy to say that I have not had to vacuum or sweep the floors (with the exception of the kitchen) since we've had the dog.  Way to go honey!  You are great!

So, Cailey is happy because the floors are clean and Austin is happy because Jag is happy:

Happy to be inside.

Well, Nate has fallen asleep on me and I'm craving a little cuddling time, so that's it for this post.  But don't worry, I have much more to post.  Maybe tomorrow!  ;)  I will leave you this this photo.  Nate looks so tired, but he was sitting up on his own for long periods of time when Austin took this picture!  My little guy is growing up so fast!

Playing with his Christmas toys!