Pre-School Playdate and a real SNOW day!!!!

So last Friday the preschool kids were out of school--the "big" kids were all in school because the original holiday was now a "make-up" day and preschool doesn't make up days.  .  .

I decided to invite my friends with children in preschool over for a little playdate!!  It turned out to be wonderful!  We had kids from Evan's age up to Camden's age--they all played so well together!!  I think in all we had about 11 kids.  They were all well behaved and such fun to watch.  I was super excited about Evan having someone his own age to interact with.  He tends to get left out when Camden's friends come over, and since slacker mommy hasn't gotten a gate for the top of our playroom stairs, he usually sits at the bottom of the stairs and shakes on the gate and screams b/c he wants to go play!  One thing I did not do, TAKE PICTURES!  Since Jason has been back I've been so bad at remembering to take pics of the kids.  I vow next time we have a playdate to take pictures!!

Another exciting adventure we had was a snow day--and I mean a REAL snow day!!  Snow was falling for hours and hours, and stopped and started, and seriously covered the ground!!  Jason left a little early from work to beat the ice and we took the boys out for a little while to play!  Being southerners, we don't have much "gear"!  The boys have mittens (although Camden only has one), but they aren't waterproof or anything.  Evan has snow pants, but only b/c they were in style when Camden was a baby and they were purchased for him so he could be "stylish"!!  Needless to say we made due!!  We also didn't have a sled, but Jason improvised and pulled Camden around in a laundry basket!!!

 Camden and Daddy played outside the most.  Mommy and Evan went out very briefly--but it was cold, and he's walking but prefers crawling. . .need I say more??  :)

The snow didn't last long, it was pretty much gone on Saturday evening--but it was fun while it lasted!  I'd like to put in a request with the big guy that we end Winter and start Spring.  .  .I'm ready for some warmer weather and some outside playdates!!

I also want to say WELCOME BABY BLAKE KELLER!!  He arrived February 6th at 4:02pm--he was a little early so he spent some time in the NICU BUT--just heard he is headed home today--YAY!!!!  In a year these first weeks will feel just like a moment in time!!  ALSO, BABY ETHAN WALKER will be making his arrival early this week--praying for y'all too!!!  Can't wait to meet you little buddy!!

Everyone have a great week--I'm hoping to make storytime this week--we've been sick for a MONTH now!!

Camden's Nighttime Adventure

So.  .  .Camden has recently started getting up in the night so he can play with "Mommy & Daddy's Things", the story is quite funny--although I can't tell him that it's funny just yet!!!  One day when he's older and has his friends over or his first girlfriend over I'll be sure to tell the story.  I'm sure it's one that will come up time and time again!!

The story starts with a very tired Mommy putting her cell phone in her purse and finding the camera there.  .  .OKAY--let me back up you have to know that Camden is absolutely OBSESSED with cameras, cell phones, lap tops, etc!  He comes by it quite honestly, for all of you who know his Daddy he always has the newest gadget (especially MAC products), and it's only "the best" for him :)!!  Anyway, so I discovered the camera in my purse and I KNOW I didn't put it there.  (oh yea, Camden is also obsessed with purses, lipstick, bras, and my shoes)  So for some reason I decide I'm going to look at the pictures on the camera--I start scrolling through and there are all of these random pics of Camden's room--lights on, lights off, pics of his buddy Mr. Frog, and even on of half of his face--and let me just add in that you can see an image of part of my purse as well.  .  .
I really sort of freaked out when I saw the date and time stamp b/c it was showing 2/1 (which was that day) at 12:00 (he had been at school, so obviously it wasn't noon when he was taking these photos).  I realized he must've gotten up in the night and had himself a little photo shoot!  When I picked him up at school, first he lied about it, but when I let him know that I could see any pictures he took with our camera he came clean.  He said "I did it while everyone was sleeping!" and then sort of grinned at me!!  Anyway, of course I explained that we can't play with Mommy & Daddy's things and we shouldn't be up in the middle of the night and he would have to be punished.  .  .he got really quiet for about a second and then with way too much enthusiasm asked: "Did you see the one I took of myself?  How about the one of Mr. Frog?  Did you see those?  How about the one of my whole room?"
Like I said--entirely too much enthusiasm for a little boy who was going to be punished for doing something wrong!!  Although, I had to just be quiet b/c I knew I wouldn't be able to answer him without bursting out laughing!!

I was very freaked out with the whole thing really--I mean, he's getting up in the night, he's lying, he's playing with our things.  .  .WHERE DID I GO WRONG???  Then I went through the whole story with my friends Kasey & Matt--they listened and nodded, and when I got to the end and explained how sad I was because I couldn't trust my little boy anymore.  .  .they both bursted out laughing!  (they have 3 boys of their own, so anytime I have questions about boys--they are usually the ones I go to)  Kasey said "honey he's 4" and Matt said "you have at least another 2 years of him getting in your stuff"  Apparently they have the same issue at their house as well!  So good to know that it's perfectly normal!! :)  Once I figured that out, and figured out that my child wasn't going to necessarily grow up to be a pathological liar--I relaxed a bit!!  Also, the article Jason pulled up on dishonesty in preschoolers made me feel a little better as well!  (I'm not kidding, we were totally freaked)

I hope everyone has a great week--I'm once again praying we have no more sickness!!  Poor Evan has a double ear infection, but hopefully the antibiotics will knock that right out!!  I'll leave you with some shots from Camden's "photoshoot" enjoy :

Self Portrait:



Camden's room with the lights off:



Camden's room with the lights on:


Camden's bed (please note my purse in the bottom left corner):

Mr. Frog all tucked in:

One year ago today. . .

I was really trying to figure it all out!!

Check it out!  Of course I'm still losing sleep--but it's all good! :)

Sorry for all of the changes people!!  My other background was a bit too much for me, and I really wasn't feeling it.  I'll probably stick with this one for a bit--at least until the end of February!  Just can't decide what I like! :)

Review of Wii Workouts

WiiFit

The first workout game I tried was the WiiFit--I borrowed my parents copy and balance board.  The bought it when it first came out, so it's not the WiiFit Plus (which is the newer version).  It has some good excercises, however--it stops between each one.  You have the option to "quit" or "retry"--and after you complete an excercise it gives you your score and shows you your ranking.  That's nice and all--but I want a workout--I want to push a button and just go--no picking, no instructions every time, no giving me my score--etc etc etc

Now, one thing that I do like about it is the balance games and the hula hooping!!  Camden and I go downstairs (especially with this horrible weather that we've been having) and take turns playing the games!!  I also like that it calculates my BMI, and it knows how many days since I last worked out! :)  You can also record all of your activities on their in the log.  I don't--but it is an option.  It's my understanding that the newer version allows you to customize your workout.  There's also a lot of things I haven't "unlocked" yet too!  My problem is, I have 30-60 minutes tops so I don't want to waste time scrolling through excercises deciding what to do, and I don't want to see my ranking--just show me at the end or something.  

Again--it's fun for Camden and I, and it's better than doing Mario Bros or something with him b/c it keeps us up and moving--he loves the running and totally cracks me up when he starts running circles around the basement!

Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 

WOW--Jillian kicks my booty!!  Of the three games I have, I use this one the most because it's a solid workout.  She has several to choose from--2 total body, 2 upper body, 2 lower body, and an ab workout.    You can also customize your own.  Each workout starts with running laps--which you can skip if you wanted to just supplement your run on the treadmill--or your walk (which I will do when it gets warmer).  For some reason the balance board doesn't pick up my swing kicks or my push ups, and I have to do the abs just right--but really it doesn't matter to me b/c I just want to do the excercise--I don't care about my ranking at the end!!  The other quirks are trainer tips between each thing--but usually I just use that to rearrange myself and the balance board--it doesn't take you back to the main menu--it just goes straight through a workout.  It makes me laugh that she does all of her workouts with no shoes, even the running--and amazes me that her butt doesn't jiggle when she runs (she's a cartoon)!  She also uses the balance board and the controller so you can see how to hold it, or how to position yourself!

Gold's Gym--Cardio KickBoxing

Okay--I'll have to be honest, I've only tried this one once.  I liked it b/c it said my fitness age was like 23 or something--woo hoo!  That's great considering the WiiFit says I'm 40!  I've never been good at kickboxing, but when I did this workout--I really felt like it was teaching me the proper technique.  I did enjoy it, I just haven't gotten back to it b/c my workouts have been so far and few between I try to hit something that I KNOW WILL WORK ME OUT!  This one takes you through all of the lessons before you can get to the workouts--but again, for a rookie like me, it was beneficial.  It's also very similar to the WiiFit b/c you have to unlock different exercises and games.  You also are ranked on each one.  You can pick your own character and you earn points to "buy" stuff in the "store"--like super cute outfits and equipment!! 

If any of you are working out on the Wii and have any suggestions, please share!  I love to try new ones!!  I'm hopiong to do Just Dance and the Jenny McCarthy one--I've heard good things about both!!