Changes

It's A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. what a few small changes can make in a day..... in life!  Peyton has started to like watching a couple episodes of Thomas the Train.  This is a big deal!  Finally I can use the TV as a babysitter for about a half an hour.  I don't mind how horrible this sounds but I'm pumped.  Up until now, he has to be in the same room as me at all times.  I have to be entertaining him the whole time he's been awake.  And seriously, it's just exhausting some days.  I finally have the luxury to turn Thomas on and go do a load of laundry... or blog! 

I can put Sadie down in her pack n play and she'll put herself to sleep.  This is a big change around here too.  It has been such a stress for me to want this to happen soooooo much but the bottom line is.... I couldn't handle listening to her cry it out.  It just breaks my heart in half.  I know people have been doing the cry it out method for ages but i just don't have it in me.  So all I can attribute this awesome change in Sadie is...... prayer.  I have been seriously praying that I will know what to do to help Sadie sleep well, and easily so I don't have to walk around like a zombie anymore.  She's been waking up 4-5 times a night.....naptimes were battles around here.  Happy to say that she doesn't fight naps anymore and she only woke up ONCE last night.  HUGE BIG DEAL!!  I can't believe how much brighter and better the day seems today to be well rested. 

We now have an official bedtime.  Took us long enough right?  Sadie has been going down at around seven and without much fuss.  But Peyton...... he's never had a bedtime.  We've half heartedly given numerous bedtimes to him before this but nothing stuck.  I think it mostly has to do with Eric's old work schedule.  He'd be out at the barns till 7:30.  I really wanted him to have some time with Eric before bed so we'd eat dinner and play for awhile.  Peyton has just gone to bed with us when we go.  That's just been the way it is.  And he sleeps in our bed.  Touchy subject with lots of people but I'll just admit it.... I like it that way!  Well last night we had a bedtime.... and routine.  We started at six...... took both babes for their baths, brushed teeth, read books, read scriptures, family prayer, then some primary songs.  The minute Peyton's head hit his pillow, he was out.  Then Eric and I had 2 1/2 hours before we went to bed as well.  Woah........ seriously awesome!!! 

Peyton doesn't take naps anymore.  This detail has been ruling our lives lately.  When out to friend's houses, we'll leave before naps.  I schedule grocery shopping, and everything around the nap.  Well, for the last 3 days Peyton has been fighting those naps tooth and nail.  It has literally taken me 2 hours every day to get him to sleep.  Finally I decided it just isn't worth that fight anymore.  Yesterday was the first day without a nap and it was great!  There wasn't 2 hours of utter stress to get him asleep..... he wasn't grumpy AT ALL, all day long and putting him to bed at night was a piece of cake.  AND, he slept in a lot longer. SCORE, SCORE, and SCORE!  Have been dreading the day that there was not a nap but I've actually really loved this change!!

Last but not least change around here..... we've converted to healthier eating.  Let me just say what a new lifestyle this is for us.  But it's amazing the changes that have come from it.  I have so much more energy.... I have ZERO anxiety, Sadie doesn't spit up that much anymore.  And so many more awesome side effects of this choice!!!

November is a month of change for us and I'm so grateful that they've all been positive!!

No spend November

Here we go my peeps.  I've declared it a NO SPEND NOVEMBER!  Totally going to make it work.  First saw the idea on another blog but didn't think twice about it.  Then we moved...... our free time increased, our salary increased, etc etc and I'm totally ashamed of how frivolously I've spent the past month.  Sheesh!  You know the saying, "You spend what you make."  Well, it's totally true.  If you have less money, you'll spend less. (for most cases anyway) 

I had always told myself that when our salary increased we would still spend as little as we could so we could save the rest.  Ha...... but it didn't happen. 

So for the whole month of November I'm going to spend as little as possible.  So it's technically not going to be a "no spend."  I will still do the grocery shopping...... but hoping to hold off for at least two weeks.  We figured we'll probably have to buy one tank of gas because I go to mutual every Wednesday and that makes two trips to the church a week.  40 minutes away.  But other than that.... nothing.  No clothes, not lots of extracurricular activites that cost, going to make a bunch of fun things to do at home instead of driving everywhere. 

I'll let you know how it goes..... I'm excited!

Mud Run 2012

So the mud run...... it was pretty much awesome!!  Thank you Amber for doin it with me!!!!  We are totally going to do it again.  There were walls we climbed, holes we had to jump in and climb out, creeks to cross, tunnels to crawl through, barbed wire we had to crawl under, slip and slide and lots more. 


Here are some pics of the race.... the picture above is of me and the few under it are random people in the obstacles!!!







It was awesome!!!!!!!  Amber and I had our own little cheering section.  Next year Eric said he'll do it too.  Can't wait.  I'm not gonna lie, it was tough.... real tough.  I didn't train as well as I should've and I sure felt it.  The walls were the hardest for me.  I don't have any upper body strength which was crucial to those since you have to hoist yourself up over them.  But we finished.... and it was fun! 

 Our before picture.  We totally didn't coordinate outfits but after we got out of our separate registration lines we realized we both chose teal shirts and black bandanas.  Ha, we must be related!!

 The fan section, minus Chin-chin.

 The start of the race, we were still bounding with energy and just excited to get started.

 These three guys were our running buddies.  We helped each other through.  They started with us, and ended with us.

 This is right after the finish line.... Peyton didn't know what to think at first.  But once he knew for sure, it really was his mommy, he gave me a big wet hug.

 That's what Sadie thought when she saw me at the finish line.

 After wading through a few creeks and walking through mud hole after mud hole, we had lots and lots of rocks in those shoes.  Felt great to take them off!!!!!

We survived!!!!!!

Sadie Mae

Well, Sadie is eating solid foods now..... ish.  She hated rice cereal, and carrots at the beginning.  So we tried apples and bananas.  She loved the bananas. 

Then she got sick this week.  She had a horrible cough and was super stuffed up.  Well, haven't been able to get her to eat solids again.  She is all better now but everytime I try, she turns her head away.  Oh well, we'll wait a couple more weeks. 

She is five months now!!  Has just a skiff of hair yet.  Boy, has she found her voice.  She loves to scream, just jabber away or just sit there and sigh over and over.  She sure cracks me up.  She still spits up like you wouldn't believe.  Baby food has helped a little........  we go to the doctor for her new stats. 

She can't crawl or anything like that but she sure does move.  We'll set her on the floor with some toys and when we come back she's clear across the room.  She can roll over back to stomach and stomach to back, along with scrooting herself backwards gradually. 

Man, I'm lucky to have her! 

Dreaming...

We've been perusing the auction/home for sales section of the newspaper and these are the top two houses we want......too bad we don't have a money tree growing in our backyard.

Fall Fun

We love a park near Eric's grandma's house.  They have a huge train that you can explore and play on.  Peyton lovessss it!  They have lots of fun walking trails, playgrounds, horseshoe court, sand volleyball court, and basketball courts. 

We went to a Fall Farm Festival a week ago and had a blast!  We always love events that have free icecream and all the chocolate milk you can drink! 

I

I can cross one thing off my fall bucket list and that's a hay ride. 

 They drove us by an awesome barn with a flag on the roof.  Then we went to a compost barn.  I wish I'd taken lots of pictures to show my dad.  He woulda liked it. 

 They gave us worm poop there.  Just what I've always wanted.  It was a good day!!!

 Then Peyton and Eric took a few turns on the "train" while Sadie and I chilled, drinking some chocolate milk!!!

 Have I mentioned how much I love fall yet?  Ok,, just checking! 

Sadie is 4 months!

Baby Sadie is 4 months!!!  Boy, is she beautiful or what?  She is such a smiley happy baby!  She is soooooo ticklish!  She laughs and laughs and laughs!  She has found her hands and feet now.... obviously.  I do think she's teething though.... poor gal.  Don't see anything inside yet but she sure is fussier lately and always gnawing on her fingers or blankets/objects. 

She only goes to sleep by being swaddled tight, put her binky in, and walk/bounce around with her.  Then and ONLY then will she sleep.  Unless it's 8 p.m., then you just stick her in her crib/travel pen and she's out for the count. 

This month she's down to 17th percentile again but we are now seeing a really good pediatrician.  She is no longer on any reflux meds and I don't have to watch what I eat.  At her appointment a week and a half ago she was 11 lbs 14 oz.  So we've officially moved her into her 3-6 month clothes.  WAHOOOO!!!!  Grow Sadie, grow! 

Her big brother absolutely adores her.  Whatever he's playing with or doing he'll walk over to Sadie, get down on her level and tell her what he's doing.  He is also constantly asking to hold her.  It cracks me up when they are lying next to each other.  Sadie will flail her arms about and accidentally hit Peyton and he'll laugh and laugh.   

I love my kids like crazy!!!!!!!