New Year's Resolution

So overall I see a weakness in my health plan - its called life.  I am very bad at letting life - family illnesses, being too busy, stress and misc. other reasons impact being more healthy.  So, gotta work on that.

I would say that on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being not accomplishing any changes and 10 being a whole new person I am at a 3 right now.  Not great - but I am feeling like at least I moving in the right direction.

Our Vitamix is a huge help.  We bought it about 4 years ago and have used it off and on - enough to feel like it was a good purchase.  Now I am feeling really good about it as it makes eating more fruits and veggies a pretty easy thing.

Adding some spinach, kale and other leafy greens to the mix has been going well.  I am working on developing additional ways to make healthy drinks in the vitamix.  Again, its been great when I actually have the supplies and time.  Sometimes it seems like a lot of work when I am running behind, attempting to hold the baby or handing sick family members and getting everyone anything to eat at all becomes the goal.  Something to work on for sure.

Oh how I love the Pelton's for many, many reasons.  They introduced us to this documentary.  This was one of the motivations for this goal this year for me (us).  And now we have this beauty. 

Expensive, but even in the short time we've had it - totally worth it!  For us, the veggie aspect alone is huge.  Again, need to use it much more - but Scott has been doing a great job.  Yes, we drink the Mean Green.  Watch the movie on Hulu - you will get it.

Tonight after dinner we decided to make some fruit juice for fun - apple, strawberry, blueberry and lemon juice.  Even Addy was all over it.  She is still working up to the Mean Green.  That is okay.

We have a long way to go, but we are moving in the right direction.  I have made huge strides in Addy's breakfast program.  I am so proud to say that I am feeling very positive about what she is eating in the morning.  Now for the rest of us!  Its a work in progress for now.  Even with some of the small and sporatic changes we've both lost some weight.  Which wasn't the focus of this plan, but a nice by product.

Next up - figuring out what I can grow myself to put the juicer by product for composting to good use and save some money and time with fresh garden produce.

We need more hints, tips, etc.  So, if anyone has anything send it my way!

Sweetie Pie

This munchkin is almost 5 months old.  She is in 9 month clothes and is getting so rolly polly!  Adorable I tell you.  And look at the feet getting all soft and pudgy.

Remember when her little feet looked like little monkey feet?

And how tiny she used to be?

Charlotte - you are such a miracle to your family!  Thank you for all the joy you bring to us.  We love you so much.  Especially your sister Addy -she is over the moon about you for sure!

Portland

After everyone passed around the stomach flu and the crazy winter weather, we decided we better get out of town for a couple of days.  We took off for Portland.  With a LOT of gear.  A. LOT.  Thank goodness for the minivan - grandma gold and all.

Of course we had to stop by Saint Cupcake.  Delicious!

How yummy do these look?  You will note, we tore into them before I could even take a picture.

We took Addy to Powell's - I loved showing her this favorite spot of mine.  She was delighted with the huge bookstore.

We decided to try out the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.  It did not disappoint.  I would highly recommend a visit.  Addy is at the perfect age for it. 

The wait in the cold weather was worth it.

Like Addy, Charlotte was mesmerized by all the science.

Addy left deciding she wants to be a chemist.  Love it!

Going to PF Chang's was a highlight for Scott and I - YUM!!

Addy trying her first lettuce wrap.  She wasn't sold, but did eat a piece of the lettuce plain.

 Okay, this is for the Olympia peeps.  Word is out there that The Pizza Place's pizza is duplicated here at Pietro's.  Do you all remember Pietro's?  It looks exactly like ours used to look like - it brought back so many memories.  The pizza is not exactly the same, but in the ball park.  And it was fun just to remember.

Yeah!  We got to visit with our friend Brady.  This used to be the scene at Whitman, late at night talking politics essays and classes or other random gossip.  Now we have 4 kids between us, jobs to talk about and wishing it wasn't once a year or two that we got the chance to hang out.  Such a great visit!

And finally after a number of years, I got to try out the very famous Voodoo Donuts - again it did NOT disappoint.

It seems unbelievable but we got everything on our wish list checked off on the trip.  We swam in the hotel pool, got to spend some great time together, and enjoyed some time away from the normal grind.  It was a great trip.

Going for a stroll

A couple weeks ago we got the great idea to sit Charlotte in Addy's baby doll's stroller.  She didn't really fit, the poor thing had her rear end wedged into the seat part, kind of folded in half.  But she actually was loving it.  Anytime she can see all around and play with Addy - she is loving life. :)

As always, the flash shot.

Going for a ride.

February Ramblings

And a few more random pictures to share.  Addy had a fancy party for Valentine's Day at school.  She looked so sweet dressed up in her lovely red sparkle dress. 

And of course little Charlotte in her Valentine's onsie - and her flash loving started look.  She's going to look back and wonder what the heck we were doing to her to make her always look like this in pictures.

I am still utterly amazed by these sisters.  I couldn't have anticipated finding so much pure joy in watching these two together.

Valentine's Day

Hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day with lots of love!!  We had a great day, but now poor Charlotte is home with a fever.  Poor little thing!

Love these two pictures.  The first is poor Charlotte getting a surprise with the flash of the camera and the second one is Charlotte loving her big sister.

4 months

It feels like Charlotte's 4 month milestone flew by . . . there was the storm, starting a new job, stomach flu for Scott, then me, then Addy and now onto Grandma and Grandpa, oh and a business trip for Scott while Addy had the flu.  Its been a little crazy around here!

Here is Charlotte's 4 month bear picture:

And just another couple of fun ones.  Addy and Charlotte hanging out together:

Charlotte has a great check up at 4 months.  She is very long and has just transitioned into 9 month clothes.  She is talking up a storm, she is grabbing and holding small toys now and has made the transition to daycare pretty well.  She is very active, she loves to be able to see everything going on and can spend hours watching and playing with her big sister.  She is such a blessing - we are having the best time with our little Charlotte!