Let’s Get Started

Ok, so I set up a blog to get us started on our road to being uber healthy.  The link is here.  The title I have for it is kind of lame so just excuse that and help me try to come up with a better one!

I am so excited about this that I have actually been motivated to exercise now for two days in a row.  Pats on the back to me!  And that’s what I want this blog to be about is for us to pat each other on the back when we’re doing great and also to lift each other up when we slip. 

I sent out invites to those that left a comment on the other post about this to become contributors.  If I didn’t send the invite to the right e-mail address, just let me know and I can resend the invite.

Anyone else that decides to join us and wants be a contributor too, please send me your e-mail address to ksjarvis77 at gmail dot com.  Or feel free to just read along with us and offer any support you can.  I know I can use a lot of support and motivation!!

Now That’s a Tired Baby

Just wanted to share this one last picture from our time last week with Sherri, Emily, and Sarah. I had to go to a doctor’s appointment, so Sherri watched the kids for me at the hotel where they were staying. While I was gone, an exhausted Layton took a nap like this:

It’s crazy the way kids can sleep!

I need help!

Like so many others, I am not totally happy with the way my body looks and with how healthy I feel. Right now I am hanging onto some extra pounds brought on by age, three babies, so-so eating habits, and inactivity. I really want to lose those extra pounds, but most importantly I want to be and feel healthy. I want to “run and not be weary, walk and not faint”. My problem is that I am having a hard time feeling really motivated right now. A really hard time.

So I was wondering if any of you might like to join me in maybe writing a group blog to post success stories, failed days, diet/exercise tips you find, healthy recipes you love, etc. And in so doing offer support and encouragement to each other. We could even do weekly weigh-ins (not that you would need to put in how much you weigh, just put in if you have lost or gained that week and how much). Some of us may have only a little to lose, some of us may have more, and some don’t need to lose weight at all but just want to have better exercise and eating habits. I think it could also be a way of holding myself responsible and be a motivator, since I know I’ll need to report about how I’m doing:)

If you are interested in banning together and doing something like this please leave a comment and let me know. Then I can try to set up a blog and invite everyone who wants to join to be a contributor. If no one is interested, I totally understand that too. Weight loss and exercise can be a very, VERY personal thing.

Lessons Learned from a One Year Old

Sometimes things in life are difficult to do and require a lot of practice and patience.

Just keep trying, even when it’s hard.

Eventually, things will come together and you will get it right.

But even if you get it right one time, sometimes things just don’t work our perfectly when you try it again.

So sometimes you need to set aside the “right” way of doing things and attack the problem from a different angle.

Sometimes that means finding a simpler, less complicated solution.

And it is always important and rewarding to share, no matter how hard you might be finding life at the moment.

Zoo Day

On Tuesday, we went to the zoo. It was lots of fun and also very HOT. Which we were expecting, because, hello, it’s Florida and it’s always hot!

We enjoyed seeing all the animals from crocodiles to rhinos to zebras to elephants

to snakes to bats to lions to giraffes

to monkeys (I mean the real ones, not this one)

Sarah is such a character. Almost every picture the she knew I was taking, she did some kind of pose and had some crazy expression on her face.

She is hilarious.

Emily on the other hand is much more laid back and helpful.

We sure do love them both.

The carousel ride is Mandy’s favorite.

And surprisingly, even Dallin rode it this time.

Well one time, the second go round he sat on the bench. I think the going up and down scares him a little.

Layton wasn’t too sure about the whole thing either.

In the end I think he enjoyed it though.

Thank goodness for the splash park! It was nice to cool off a little.

Then on to more animals.

So what animal you ask could hold Layton’s attention so well and make him smile? This one:

Weird, right?

Day at the Museum

We were so happy that David had to come over here to Jacksonville this week to attend a class at UNF because he brought Sherri, Emily, and Sarah along with him! Dallin, Mandy, and Layton have been in heaven for the past three days getting spoiled with attention by their cousins and Aunt :)

On Monday we visited the Museum of Science and History. They have added a new “Inside the Body” exhibit which was really cool.

Even Layton enjoyed pushing the “nerve” buttons. Which really is right up his alley because he certainly knows how push my nerve buttons!

And of course gotta love the water works!

The best part of the visit was seeing the temporary dinosaur exhibit. They were pretty scary.

So scary in fact that when I tried to get a picture of all the kids in front of one of the displays, I couldn’t get Mandy to look at the camera because she was afraid the dinosaurs behind her might eat her up!

It was cool though to actually get to see the mechanics of what was inside each of the dinosaurs.

And even get to push the buttons to make it move.

And let’s not for get the treehouse play area and Friendship Fountain!

Birthday Wishes

Mandy’s birthday is 4 months, 2 weeks, and 1 day away, and yet she is already asking for gifts…

Mandy:  I want a baby for my birthday.

Me:  What kind of baby doll?

Dallin:  No she means a REAL baby.  Like Layton.

Me:  What?

Mandy:  I want a baby sister.

Uh, yeah, I’m thinking this is one birthday wish that is definitely going to go unfulfilled.   We’ll just have to make it up to her someway.  Do you think a princess doll will be a good enough substitute?

Sometimes cousins…

…make the best friends.

Feeling Sorry for Mommy

Everyone knows how daunting a task it is to keep up with housework, especially laundry, when you have little kids. Layton was feeling my pain and decided to help me out:

I wonder how well Cascade works on stains?

My 1st Child

A lot of people jokingly refer to their husbands as another one of the their children, in my case it really is true.  Don’t believe me, I have proof.

We got a variety pack of fireworks (thanks Stacy & Kim) for the 4th of July.  In it were the little things that you throw on the ground and they pop.  We always called them snaps.  Anyway, we didn’t use them on the 4th so a couple of nights ago I went to our room to use the bathroom.  I innocently sat down and SNAP!  I came out and Nathan was laughing his head off.  I’m telling you he’s still very much a kid at heart.

But one that I love!  This was my favorite picture from this past weekend.  And not just because Layton has the cutest little expression on his face.  But also because I have one good looking husband.   And I’m not just saying that because I am his wife.  I look at this picture and just makes me want to hug him and kiss him and ….. well I’ll stop there because this blog is only G rated.  He is one fine hunk of man.