3.05.2014

Family

So I had the missionaries from my church over for dinner the other night. Two 19 year old girls, away from home for 18 months with just letters and two phone calls a year to their families sharing their knowledge of the gospel with the world...and pretending to like whatever they are fed everyday. Good work ladies! Any missionary is impressive and courageous in my book. It takes guts to share something that is precious to you with the full knowledge that more often than not you will get rejected. Sounds like dating :). But that usually works out in the end too. So I'm here today because they gave me a challenge..."Anna, we know you have a wonderful family and we want you to share that with others. Do you know about the Proclamation to the Family? Well we brought a copy of it with us and we'd like you to give it someone else. Tell them what your family means to you and why you think family is important."

So I wanted to take the missionaries challenge, because I promised I would, and because the topic of family and its importance has been on my mind a lot lately. Would you guys read this document for me? Especially anyone, who still reads this poor, neglected blog, that is not of my same faith? Let me know your thoughts about it. Good or bad I'll take them. These are precepts I live my life by so maybe you'll understand me a little bit better if you don't already know this about me.

THE FAMILY: A Proclamation to the World

Well I think those missionaries are right, if I'm allowed to say so. I do have a great family. My new little family is great, the family I grew up in is great, and the family I was able to join thanks to my husband is also great. We sure aren't perfect but we are great. These are all people I genuinely respect, love and feel comfortable around. And man, are we a great time! Ha ha!  But back to the point, I think that most of this "greatness" and strength comes from our love for our and our commitment to our Savior Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father and the central role they play in our lives. I appreciate that there is this common thread between all of my family that knits us together. We don't worship this way out of tradition but out of choice.  Running through the full spectrum of family roles (daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, etc.) has really given me a better grasp on life, to enjoy it more and to see it more completely. And having a family and being a part of a family really brings me joy. Not just like happy, but I feel real joy. Family is what makes my world go round. Seriously. I hope I have made that apparent in my action as well as my words.

As a parting gift I will leave you with some fun family photos. I will keep it brief as we have a lot of family. :

The P clan!
The H clan!
Five generation photo!


Can you pick out my Dad a midst all those brothers?
I think there are only 11 or 12 people in this picture that are not blood relatives.
 Until next time adieu...to you and you and you-oooo!

2.21.2014

Losing It

I'm losing weight. Gotcha with that title didn't I? You probably thought I might be writing about my temper or my mind, but no, for now I have those under control. Although my loss of them would make for quite a few good posts. Alas I digress.

Yes I started losing weight. Not at New Years. At Thanksgiving. The week before Thanksgiving to be specific. It was an awful and necessary precaution for the holidays. My goal? A pound a week. My method? Weight training, portion control, veggies loaded into everything possible (yes even breakfast) and the return to fat free everything in my fridge. Let me tell you, you can put vegetable puree in everything and it still tastes good. I put spinach/kale in my smoothies, butternut squash in quesadillas (along with 75% fat free cheese), carrots in mac and cheese (Peanut thinks it's extra cheese sauce), broccolli in mashed potatoes, cauliflower in pasta sauce and we make a sloppy joe that's mostly carrots, celery and mushrooms that's to die for. You'd think I'm doing this to trick the kids but I need the tricking as much as they do. Anyone have any super good low fat, fruit and veggie packed meals that you could eat all the time? Don't worry I still eat dessert. (I was worried).

We joined a gym too. I love the gym. I get so excited just looking at all the exercise equipment. I'm so glad to be back. It is a happy place and it has a daycare. The kiddos love it. Hallelujah!   It also has classes. Who doesn't work harder when someone else is calling the shots for the workout and there are 25 other sweaty competitors in the room...oh and you're listening to really loud music. Anyways, point is I love to exercise but I still wasn't losing weight. I was working out at home but you guys know the drill, give up nap time or be a jungle gym while you do a video or a vending machine while you try to push a stroller. The gym though was the real kicker that got me started on this whole adventure. They were doing a holiday weight loss challenge right as we joined. Those crazies wanted me to pay an extra $25 to weigh in for a month on top of my already substantial monthly dues. So I said, "Absolutely not! I will weigh myself and report to my main squeeze Rob (as he probably sits and eats his ice cream and doesn't gain a pound)." And it's been working.
Here we are just past Valentines Day and I am happy to report I am down 12 pounds! My energy is way up and it's awesome. I figure I want to lose 10 more before having another baby so that's what left! This is the hard part to lose. Once I got rolling those first 10 just kept coming off but at 12 I have hit a major plateau. three weeks and no loss. So I figured I really needed to buckle down and that sharing my goal with a few more folks would entice me to recommit and make it the rest of the way. I wanted to get on here and toot my own horn too because man losing weight is hard. I don't care how much you have to lose 5lbs or 500lbs its hard. I like to eat! I mean like Rob makes fun of me that my favorite foods are "fried" and "sauce". Probably true. Ok and stack growing babies inside your body a couple of times I think the odds are forever not in my favor from here on out. Maybe I'll set my sights on taking a page out of my Grandma Gloria's book and work to fit into my wedding dress on my 25th anniversary. At least I think it was something like that. I will post some awfully lit, uncomfortable picture next to a glowing, post weight loss, hopefully taken at the summer Masters National Swimming Championship winning a medal or maybe just getting a PR in August. Don't expect anything amazing just a little bit lighter momma/athlete with a big smile on her face. Wish me luck! It's game time!

-Anna-

P.S. Everyone give a round of applause for Rob who made it to the gym before at 5:40am twice this week! What a champ!

1.12.2014

Ode to a 3 year old!


You had a birthday shout hooray!...

My dear Peanut is no toddler anymore. He is a little man at this point it seems. Short of facial hair and of course the ability to take care of himself (he would dare to disagree as he scales the pantry shelves to get his own lunch of marshmallows and chewing gum), this kid is growing up. Today in the car he used a deep voice reminiscent of Anna Farris in House Bunny...



Not sure why he was talking that way but it was funny. And he thought he was so funny too. So funny that he laughed at his own joke. Which he does quite often. He is so taking after his daddy. Anyways, he had his third birthday. Nothing crazy this year. Just three gifts, we got out the Christmas train, and we let him choose where to go out to eat (I didn't want to cook and he doesn't know what his favorite dinner is) which, of course, was Chick Fil'A because they have a "play place". On the road to dinner, though, he wanted to change his mind to Red Robin (because we pass right by it), but we were staying the course since we were meeting the Lewis' there. His efforts to change our minds included telling us and demonstrating that he could read almost all of the letters on the sign ("There is an "O" mommy. Daddy a "D" a "D" a "D"!). Once there he couldn't even wait for his food because he NEEDED to be in the pway pwace. I'd say it was a successful day!

The biggest milestone this birthday and new year have brought us is potty training. HALLELUJAH! We're almost there. He's got number 1 down pat, even to the point of no reminding, but that other stuff, the number 2, well that's a hit or miss (it was definitely a miss at Chick Fil'A as Rob will tell you--I did hear Rob say, "No, you cannot pee in the play-place!"). At day 5 we were at a 50% success rate. Which seems pretty good to me. Maybe we'll move up at 10% increments in relation to the amount of days. Check back again on day 10 (January 11th in case you are wondering) and we'll see how that theory proves...I wrote that a few days ago and we are now past day 10. We are not at a 100% success rate but we are more like an 80% rate, even with a day of the runs thrown in there . (Sorry if this paragraph is just too much TMI, yet on I forge...) That said I am pleased as punch. I was fearing that we would not be leaving the house for months but it was just a week or so and we've been fine. We've ventured to the gym, the grocery store and have successfully navigated nursery school at church two weeks in a row, accident free. So all hats off to Peanut the newest, and coolest, big boy on the block!


The Stats:
Height-- 38 1/2"
Weight--33lbs

Had his first big kid physical at the doctor. He turned his head and coughed with flying colors while I stifled a giggle in the background.

Peanut's list of favorites are this:

1) Trains. Train everything...drawings, toys, underwear, you name it and he would like it to involve a train. I even asked him what his favorite animal was and he said, "No animals mommy. Just trains." I also noted him sneaking toy trains wrapped in his blanket tonight up to his room at bedtime. Obsessed?
2) Snacks and Treats. Another trait he has inherited from his father. If he ever asks for real food other than cheese I am always surprised and oblige him quickly. I am not saying he is a picky eater just that his affinity for sweet treats, gum, soda and juice is astounding.
3) Playing basketball at the gym. Playing ball is a loose term as I think he just wants to run and run and throw the balls around willy nilly, occasionally running to the small-kids hoop in the corner. He rushes out of the kid zone, at the gym, the minute I free him after my class, and runs straight to the basketball courts making sure I allow him his 15 minutes of playing time before we head home.
4) Blankie. This blessed piece of comfort is still a source of angst when leaving the house. Mom says it stays, Peanut says it goes. [Rob: And we all know who wins that argument...]

Mom's favorite things include:
1) The fact that he still naps at least 2 1/2 hours each day.
2) His love and caring for his little brother Cashew.
3) His independent spirit. I say this in the fake it till I feel it spirit with the knowledge that one day this will be a strong asset of his.
4) That he likes green smoothies and has recently acquired a taste for salad (caked in ranch dressing).
5) His tenderness and sensitivity. He always makes sure Henry has his blankie and is so fun and sweet during certain moments. He really does think about others. Even as a toddler. He likes us to lay with him in his bed once in awhile before he falls asleep and he makes sure to cover us up with blankies and give us a big kiss. Then he imagines away while he tells a little story or joke. Those are priceless moments for me. I can't really write them justice here.

Two funny stories...we got a mickey mouse grilled sandwich press for Christmas from my bro. Peanut gets all excited about his Mickey Sandwiches. So, we headed out to eat one night a few days after Christmas and when asked what he would like from the kids menu (after I read him the choices of course) he says, "Mini burgers". When they arrived he asked, "Where's the Minnie burgers?" I heard, "Where's the mini burgers," and was baffled...until we got home and I saw the sandwich press and finally figured it out. What a funny kid.


Secondly, what is it with boys and their sense of humor? Peanut was jumping on the bed in the basement one day and I said, "Please be careful not to fall in the crack between the wall and bed." He says, "WHOA! Mom, I almost fell and hit my balls! Ha ha ha ha ha! I said balls!" Oh dear. He's only three and I did NOT teach him that. It was hard not to laugh.

I love you, my handsome little boy. More and more every day.