Summer Recap

WOW!  Where did this summer go?!  I can't believe that school starts next week!!  I wish I could say that we did so much this summer.  .  .but really, I don't feel like I've hardly seen the boys.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining.  I love that they can go spend time with their grandparents over the summer, I did the same thing when I was a kid and those are special memories that you never forget!  If I'm being really honest here, the boys having some time away was probably the best thing for everyone.  Times have been a little stressful, even when we don't realize how stressful they have been, and I think everyone needed a breather and a little space to regroup.
No worries--everyone is fine, we aren't breaking up marriages or giving kids up for adoption or anything ;)--but with Jason being gone all the time things can get hectic, and sometimes it's easy to lose yourself when you are busy being a mom.  I know it's hard on everyone, but this is my blog so.  .  .

So summer has come and gone and it's been fairly uneventful.  The boys have enjoyed VBS (B would've enjoyed it too had she not ended up with pneumonia)--VBS is one of my favorite weeks of the year at SUMC!  Camden has participated in Boy Scout Camp, Evan went to Space Camp and Water Camp.  Both boys have gone to swim lessons--and I've made a pact with a friend that we will put our boys on swim team next year ;)--you know who you are, and I won't forget ;)!  Tomorrow we go meet Evan's pre-K teacher and he gets to see his "new" school. .  .this is bittersweet for me.  Then we are shopping for school supplies and getting everyone ready for next Wednesday!

Another big event this summer.  .  .Braelyn turned 2 and got her big girl bed.  The big girl bed came quicker than I had expected.  We tried to transition our little escape artist to a toddler bed first, but she was having none of it and none of us were sleeping!  So we went and bought the princess a full size bed and did a little room makeover!  So technically, this isn't her bed b/c they sent the wrong one, but I didn't ever take a new pic so you get the idea.  .  .

She is sleeping so much better, still not EVERY night all the way through, but we are getting there!

I didn't take too many pics from her birthday party, I was too busy just enjoying the day, but I got a few.  We opted for a VERY small party, family and a few of her little friends.  The weather cooperated and we had a great time--we enjoyed the bouncy Friday-Sunday which meant we had VERY tired kiddos by the end of the weekend!!

I can't believe this little girl is 2!

Another Bill Rhodes birthday cake, so delicious

I really thought the bubble pool (VBS inspired) would be a fab idea. . .
this is NOT what I had in mind ;)

Hopefully that catches us up for the summer!  I wish I had more pics, but I really don't.  .  .the summer has been a whirlwind!  We've got some things coming up.  .  .that are keeping me distracted, but more on that later.  .  . :)

Carb Free. . .

NOT ME!

I tell ya--I've been trying to focus more on what I'm putting in my body lately (sort of) and it's very eye opening.  It seems that everything I come across lately is pushing the paleo, clean eating, or carb free lifestyle.  I don't really need to lose weight, BUT, I eat a lot of crap.  . .seriously.  .  .I'm a self-professed carboholic.  Since Jason has been traveling so much lately, I've been eating what the kids eat (minus the hot dogs, I like them, but not all the time).  This has been good because it means I really don't have to cook as much (1 pack of chicken could last us 3 meals) and I am able to "dumb" down some of the things I make when Jason is home and figure out how to make it appeal to my picky eaters.  On the other side of this double edged sword, it means when I make frozen pizza or mac and cheese (from a box) there are no leftovers because MOMMY ate more than her fair share.  Add this to my daily sandwich, chips, and yogurt (typical lunch), cheese toast and yogurt for breakfast (or GoLean Crunch) and I've consumed enough carbs to feed an army!  So the boys have been gone and I was going to try to focus more on pulling the carbs out (by the way "gluten free" does not equal "carb free").  I've wrapped my sandwich in lettuce twice this week, but I couldn't bring myself to forgo my chips.  I was eating my favorite Chobani yogurt and turned it around to and realized it has almost as much carbs as the bread that I left off of my sandwich.  .  .COME ON!!!  So then I was told (and I probably should've known) that sugars = carbs  .  .  .my yogurt was non fat (I didn't realize) so that means more sugar which means more carbs.  It was suggested by MANY friends that I just buy the full fat yogurt and add my own fruit.  That sounds like a lot of work.  .  .too much work.  So, I'm going to keep my Chobani.  The lettuce around my sandwich meat was okay, might be better if I didn't have my meat shaved at the deli.  My brother made me a spaghetti squash stuffed with a hearty meat sauce and topped with cheese (similar, but BETTER, than my zuchinni boats)--it was fabulous.

I think what I've decided is that I want to be more cautious about what I'm putting into my body.  Hopefully it will make me more aware of what my kids are eating too, but, I'm still here and I promise I lived off of carbs and processed foods growing up.  I've tried giving up Diet Coke and I cheat on that all the time.  .  .i tried to think about cutting out carbs and cried the first day because of everything I would have to give up.  So maybe we will just practice moderation for now.  I've always said that's the key to a good diet, so now I will just figure out how to moderate those carbs.  What do you do to help cut your carb intakes?  Any good subs?  (no not the foot long-the "tutes"as in substitutes) Please share! I tried cauliflower mash this week.  .  .it was okay.  . .practice makes perfect, right??

Enough is Enough!!!

Since clearly I am jinxed to never posting on this blog again unless I post about LegoLand.  .  .

we went to LegoLand, here are some pics!  Honestly, one of the best outings I've had with my kids in a long e time!  I had such a blast--my abs hurt from laughing!  The kids loved it, great Atlanta outing, and you could totally do the late afternoon special and get it all done!

Since these pics we've been busy-school has ended and summer is full swing!  We've even had VBS week, which came and went in such a flash that I hardly remember it :(--it's one of my favorite weeks of the year!  B ended up with pneumonia so I missed a couple of days, but I had an AWESOME group of girls that I was working with so I did not worry that Imagination Station would falter.  .  . :)  Since it's been so long, and I can't get my thoughts together, I'll post some pics and be done!!  I've missed my blog. .  .

Evan Got Glasses!

TBall Fun

The float we worked on but never rode b/c it was the beginning of our illnesses :(

Love these girls!  

Garrett & Evan picking strawberries!

Cub Scouts is done.  .  .

The tooth fairy has been to visit!

How big does B look here??

Pool Time Fun!

Where I've Been

It's been a long few weeks.  .  .started with a sick Camden 2 Sundays ago and is continuing with sick mommy this sunday :(

Being at home with 3 sick kids is enough to drive even the most wonderfully patient mommy crazy.  .  .so you can imagine how I dealt with it.  Then when I started feeling bad I just tried to push through-what choice did I have really?  Jason's dad was able to come help me mid week which was a huge lifesaver, but this weekend I pretty much slept.  I even went to the doctor and started taking antibiotic--still have a fever as I type this--yuck :(

Hopefully tomorrow will bring a bright sun and a new week of health.  I finally gave in and joined a gym, I'm having some major buyers remorse--which I'm hoping will go away once I can actually start going and I get rid of my love handles and muffin top.  .  .

Evan has 2 weeks of school, Camden has 2.5 weeks left then we are off to the beach!  I promise to TRY real hard to post about LegoLand before we leave!

Wednesday-Stone Mountain

Wednesday of Spring Break we decided to take advantage of our awesome "Mountain Memberships" (c/o of Papa & Grandma) and head to Stone Mountain!  I had really debated going since Camden's allergies had been bothering him so much, but he REALLY wanted to go and I'm so glad we did!

Our first top was to get our tickets for the duck ride.  Last time we went I promised the kids that we would come back and ride over spring break.  It's a fun little ride around the park and onto Stone Mountain lake--the drivers give you all kinds of info on the history of the park, etc. and they usually let the kids drive the boat!  We couldn't get on right away, so we had about an hour to kill.  The kids begged to go play at Geyser Falls and PROMISED they wouldn't get wet.  .  .um--okay:

I love the picture of Camden on the top left--he looks so grown up and looks exactly like his Daddy!
As you can see the promise of not getting wet was not kept, but mommy had towels and changes of clothes in the car!!  We left and quickly got ourselves cleaned up so we could ride the duck!  I have to admit, I really didn't enjoy this ride as much as I liked the first one.  Your enjoyment is really up to the driver!  Our driver was nice enough, but last time our driver was OFF THE HOOK! :)  Oh well, the kids had fun!

Once we were done on the ducks, we headed to the baby animal show, then back to the car for our picnic lunch, and we finished up playing in the barn--Braelyn is such a daredevil, she has no problem climbing up stairs and shooting down a slide.  .  .she was non stop--and this was at 3pm with NO nap!!

All in all, it was a great day!  We love going to Stone Mountain and the memberships make it so great to be able to just go and enjoy whatever attraction we want to do that day.  It's only about 15 minutes from the house so we will get our moneys worth!