PopPop and Grammy's House

We spent our Spring break in Florida at Grammy and PopPop's house. 

We did some swimming...

 and some more swimming...

and some more swimming.

We got to meet cousin Phebe (although I've come to realize that I didn't get one single photo of ME holding Phebe).

Ana showed me her new style of smiling.  When she looked at a camera it was usually to make this face (or a similar one).

Phebe took it all in.  (I expect her to be making that face very soon.)

Oh... look... there was more swimming.

Grammy and Pop George watched a lot of swimming.

Nanny and Aunt Prudy watched a lot of swimming.

There may have been a mass drowning.

There was...  um... more swimming.  (Didn't we do ANYTHING else???)

 Oh, look... yes... there was bubble blowing...

and more bubble blowing...

and awe over the princess bubble blowers...

and majorly serious bubble blowing...

and Phebe wondered why the other 4 girls got to blow bubbles when she just got to sit and watch.  "Hey!  Where's my princess bubble blower????"

Time was spent oohing and ahhing over the cutest baby in the house.

Zoe got to spend lots of time with her Florida BFF.  She and Avery LOVE each other.

And Nick... he was the smart one.  While 5 girls were swimming and bubble blowing and being girly (and ok, occasionally crying and perhaps whining) Nick enjoyed relaxing with his magical sound blocking earphones.

Oh... wait... we may have done some swimming.

We might have been a little water logged by the time we came home.

And fine... we DID do a few other things... like go to the beach and also visit a certain mouse (and some princesses).  But mostly... we did a lot of swimming.  (But I suppose I can share those other photos too.)

: )

Weight for Me Monday - week 4

This was an interesting week for weight and exercising. The week after vacation. The week including Easter. Kind of a hard week for trying to lose weight I think. You're making an effort after relaxing after vacation. (Or if you're a mom you're also doing a little relaxing after "relaxing" on "vacation".) There is also a lot of juggling while getting back into the swing of your normal schedule again. There's also a little bit of temptation while the Easter Bunny is preparing those Easter baskets.

All of that said... I had a great weight week I think. I was able to get on the treadmill 4 days in the last week and I 45 minutes at the Y (treadmill and bike). That 45 minutes would have been an hour... but Zoe's dance class was given their recital outfits and had to try them on to assure proper fit (ADORABLE!!!). So 45 minutes instead of an hour.

After the delicious Easter feast at my in-laws house (and more jelly beans than I can count) I was a little nervous to step on that scale this morning. It ended up not being bad though. I was quite surprised to see the reading of 179 lbs.

So, post-vacation + Easter week = down 1 pound.  Not bad at all.

Did the Easter Bunny sabotage your weight this week?

Just a couple of bunnies...

wishing you a Happy Easter!


(Thank you Florida Easter Bunny for the very full baskets!!!)


Who's not happy when you get chocolate for breakfast?


Easter smiles from our family to yours!!!  (Nick would wish you a Happy Easter too... but he was at church until VERY late... and then at his parents house until even later... so he's still snoozing.)

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Grace in Small Things - 114

1.  Dropping your car off to be repaired... and actually getting it back exactly when it was promised.

2.  Progressive Car Insurance (mom... your insurance people are awesome... and quick... and totally pay for what they say they will.)  : )

3.  A shiny new iPhone to replace my s.l.o.w.l.y dying one.

4.  The fact that our own personal Florida Easter Bunny sent Easter baskets home in our car... and after looking at them I realized that the New Jersey Easter Bunny really had nothing to prepare for.  (Thanks Easter Bunny!!!  Although... I didn't see any bubble gum jelly beans.)

5.  The random love notes that ocassionally show up as proof that Zoe is learning to read and write all by herself.

Weight for Me Monday - week 2 & 3

Week 2-
Yes... I know I missed week 2.  If you're connected to me on Facebook or Twitter you might know that I was on vacation at my parents house in Florida.  I did plan on posting from Florida.  While they DO have a scale I just couldn't post (mostly because their scale was mean to me... and I couldn't accept it as correct).

During my 2nd week (before leaving for Florida) I walked on the treadmill (30 min) 3 times.  I was in the car driving to FL for 2 days (because we lost our minds... or because we couldn't stand to spend $600 per ticket for 5 people.  You decide).  So... not as much activity as I would have liked, but I STILL don't believe it would have upped my weight by 3.5 pounds.  So, I'm not quite believing that I would have weighed in at 183 lbs on our home scale last Monday (4/11).  But... it is what it is.

Week 3 -

While in Florida we took a few walks.  Actually, 3 out of 7 days I walked (30 minutes each time) with Nick around my parents' development.  I don't know how people in Florida walk or jog or run outside.  It was not pleasant.  Even with the nice flat (NO HILLS) terrain it was not fun.  And it's only April.  I can't imagine trying to walk outside beyond the Spring months.  (Florida people... do you take walks outside?)

My other bit of "exercise" in Florida involved 12 hours at the Magic Kingdom.  There should be some kind of training program that involves walking the park and standing in lines with a 2 year old, a 3 year old, a 5 year old and an 8 year old.  It was definitely energy consuming.

We drove home this weekend (Friday and Saturday) and I was able to get in 1 treadmill walk on Sunday.  So in total... 4 - 30 minute walks and a crazy 12 hours in Disney (which I'm totally counting as exercise).

Monday morning weigh in (after a week long vacation) - 180 lbs.  That seems more like it.  I either gained a bit and am back to my "normal" (stuck at) 180... or I lost 3 pounds from last Monday on my Mom's scale.  Either way.  Right back at 180 lbs.  Starting anew.

So... how about you?  Wanna weigh in with me?

Grace in Small Things - 113

1.  Sunshine.

2.  Swimming.

3.  Warm breezes.

4.  Frozen drinks.

5.  Family time.

Weight for Me Monday - week 1

Last week I asked you to Weight for Me! and I decided I would follow up on that a little bit... or weekly... or maybe whenever I remember.  I just know I like the accountability of having to tell someone (or everyone?) how I'm doing weight wise... and maybe other wise.  I'm not sure.  We'll see.

This week I didn't get on the treadmill as regularly as I did the previous 2 weeks.  Nick was in the Philippines for work all week and that tends to throw us off a bit.  I made it on the treadmill 4 out of the last 7 days, though.  Not too bad.  But... we don't tend to eat as well when it's just me and the girls.  I take them out.  We order pizza.  We order Thai.  We snack instead of having "meals".  Not ALWAYS unhealthy... but not always healthy.

So... I weighed in this morning at 179.5.  A 1 pound gain.  Not really bad... but I was hoping to start this off with some regular weekly losing (even if it was just a 1/2 pound here and there.)  So much for that. 

Starting over.  It's a new week.  I was already on the treadmill this morning.  The one thing that I expect to throw me off towards the end of this week?  We're heading off for vacation.  That doesn't tend to bode well for weight loss.  But... we'll see.  Maybe I'll surprise myself.

Grace in Small Things - 112

1.  Tangled.  We have an unreasonable love of the dvd that showed up in the mailbox this week.  (Do not ask me to admit how many times we've already watched it.

2.  The magic of the bathtub.  When the time is dragging... and the girls get on each others nerves... sometimes we just head to the bathtub.  They played happily in the bath for a 1/2 hour this morning.

3.  Drop off play dates for Zoe at the same time that Ana is in school.  I'm never quite sure to do with that unexpected free time.

4.  Dum Dum Pops.  I've come to love them.

5.  Continental.com flight status checker... telling me Nick's plane should be landing in less than 10 minutes.  We're ready for him to be home from his work week in the Philippines.

On My Own

I keep meaning to share some of Zoe's school work that she brings home.  I have been loving the sentence prompt pages. 

The prompt says "On My Own"...

 and Zoe came up with "I can set the tebl on my own".

The fact that my kids is starting to read and write is just so cool.  She's been writing out a lot of things, and it's just so fun to sit down and see what she's thinking about.