Mother's Day

I got some cute things for Mother's Day. 

Avery made me a heart necklace at school. The heart was a mold of her thumbprints. 
Really sweet. 
The not so great part, she decided it was for her to wear and lost it within an hour.

Bailey made like approximately 21 cards in the days leading up the Mother's Day. One of them featured a picture of her and her dad holding hands. 
Hmmm... okay...
She did make a very beautiful painting at school complete with a rainbow and a portrait of me. With a bright red face. (Apparently she was picturing post-workout Vanessa when she colored that one.)

Jared is a very thoughtful gift-giver and this year was no exception. Along with scoring a sweet clearance deal on a make-up bag I was wanting/needing, he also made me this sign with my favorite verse from Romans 12:12.

And it's so cute, why not make more for sale on Etsy too, right?!  :)

Since we had family here all weekend for Avery's birthday party, it was a full family Mother's Day. We went to church, ate lunch out, and spent the afternoon outside planting and enjoying the sun.

I love these little people who are all just as crazy as their father and me. (And aunts. And grandpa Jeff.) 

capturing our holiday spirit

Our new computer might be up in running in a newly updated office space (ie: no more green carpet, window, or trim) but that doesn't mean Photoshop is working. Or even downloaded.

So I am presenting to you our Christmas season photos with zero editing or cropping. 
(And really, I would have loved to edit some make-up onto my face in that family photo. Yikes.)

Back in November, when we actually had snow

The kids love their yearly Christmas jammies.

If you know Avery, you will recognize that this is a perfect capture of her "Oh my gosh, seriously, you guys, wait, this story is so amazing" face.

family "Polar Express" movie & popcorn night

The annual coordinating outfits for the church program...

And like a thousand outtakes

They rediscovered our tiny apron collection and now they can't cook a pretend meal in their play kitchen without one on.

Sugar cookie dough = pure enjoyment

All three kids near Santa and no one cried?!

Penning a careful and thoughtful letter to Santa

And then there is my favorite photo.

This year I was so excited to put up the trees in their rooms.  The lights wrapped around their bunk bed and the tree lit across the room just scream holiday spirit to 4 and 5 year-olds. So the tree skirt was meant for a tree about one-fourth of that size and the kids don't actually leave any ornaments on it, it doesn't matter.

This time of year is so special and magical to them that they couldn't handle sleeping in their beds 8 feet from the tree, they had to camp out right in front of it. 

Merry Christmas, everyone! Only 3 days left!

celebrating the 4th

The kids and I spent the 4th of July weekend with my parents and sisters at the lake house in Spirit Lake. Jared had to work the holiday, so he joined the party late on Sunday.

My dad had foot surgery to repair a cyst in his bone and two stress fractures, so only a few days post-op, this was his usual position.

But with a wife and four daughters around to wait on him (and keep his grumpiness in check), he managed pretty well.
Please notice the walker and the parked golf cart for all of his transportation needs.  

Saturday was beautiful weather and we grilled out, where I personally ate way too much food. My mom's parents also came up for the day to check out the new place.

We did manage to do a few things other than eating over the weekend.

We went and watched fireworks on the beach for the first time with all three kids. The show didn't start until after 10, so Graham was pretty much over it by about five minutes in, but Bailey and Avery were ooo-ing and ahhh-ing the entire time.

We also did some swimming.

And by "we" I mean the kids swam and Fe attempted.

That's a Dear-God-this-water-is-cold face.

We played some serious

and not-so-serious games of darts.

While checking out local garage sales last month we found a dart machine for $30. It was a bargain and had an immediate home in my parent's basement, which was my bedroom for the weekend.

Another highlight of the weekend - at least for the kids - was the toad they captured and "saved." For a full day they kept an eye on it and even named it: Ribbet.

Makes sense.

The poor thing spent one night in a large container with grass and water until we made them set it free the next morning. I was shocked by how much both girls loved holding it. 

And finally, we did a little Ellis girls throwback - holiday style.

It's a different house now, and Fe isn't wearing a shirt featuring Disney characters, but the rest is basically unchanged.  ;)

Can we talk about that one-piece outfit with belt I am wearing? Bonus points to me for the skirt that isn't really a skirt at all.

Memorial Weekend and my first 5k

Memorial Day weekend has always included a local town's yearly celebration. I grew up attending elementary school and middle school in Lytton, so Gala Days was something we always did. The town has grown smaller, the school was shut down as schools consolidated, but there is always Gala Days every May.

Back when I was younger, the carnival with its various rides and games was a huge highlight. It kicked off summer. We participated in all the kiddie games, competing in categories like the three-legged race and the egg toss, to win tickets.

Thinking back on all that triggered an impromptu trip down memory lane. So bear with me as I review old photos from the mid-80's. If nothing else I know my grandma Connie is gonna get a kick out of them - she's a very loyal reader and all. :)

The carousel, a summer fair staple
There hasn't been one at Gala Days in many, many years simply because it is too expensive. In fact, our kids have never ridden on one. We might have to change that. Summer Bucket List perhaps?

Awww... it's toddler Vanessa.

And then another sister gets added and suddenly you have a constant car companion.
This scene was repeated frequently throughout high school as I drug Fe along everywhere with me.

Apparently the cars are a hit no matter what the decade because our kids were pretty pumped about them too. Of course they had to make sure their friends could ride along too. And in case you are having a case of deja vu, you'd be correct since this is almost the exact scene from last year's Gala Days. Graham tried to climb in with the girls but was promptly booted from the car. He recovered quickly and found his own ride.

We enjoyed the yearly parade too. Bailey and Graham rode on a horse-drawn trolley and threw candy with friends while Avery stayed back to collect all the candy. Later we got some homemade pie and watched Graham dominate the bike race. Watch out - he has officially mastered the strider!

Saturday morning was a big deal for me. 
I've been training for a 5k for the past 8 weeks or so. It was kind of a random thing. I started running after I broke my hand and couldn't lift weight anymore. I used the Couch-to-5k app on my phone and it was really helpful. Before Saturday I had only run a complete 3.1 miles one other time. 

My sister Justy has been occasionally running for the past few years and ran long distance in high school, so I recruited her to come along with me. 

There were about 80 or so runners in this particular race. I felt ridiculously nervous, especially considering how extremely casual this race really was. I knew I wouldn't have a problem finishing, but the nerves were there regardless. The weather was perfect for a race; we couldn't have asked for a nicer running day.

Our pace was a bit ridiculous at first. We simply joined the pack and started churning away. The clear leader of the race was a high school classmate of mine who ran in the Boston Marathon this year. Simply put he was quite a bit more advanced than everyone else there... At 3/4 of a mile my running app announced that we were running at a 8:45 mile pace - waaay faster than I ever run. (I usually maintain a 10-11 minute mile for the entire run.) We dropped down the speed a bit for the rest of it. On the last mile I told Justy to go on ahead because I could tell she was picking up speed as I was losing it, so she embraced her kick and finished ahead of me.

My running app messed up and kept the clock running after I crossed the finish line, and the race coordinators didn't write down exact times for every person (I told you it was casual) so I am figuring my time was 32 minutes based on the splits from my RunKeeper app. I was really surprised with that time. My goal was to finish, but I also was hoping to run it in under 35 minutes. I achieved both of those and felt a nice sense of accomplishment once I was done.

DONE!

I will probably run another 5k again. Next time I will be more cognizant of establishing my own pace. But I also know that is easier said than done. It feels like human nature to try to keep up with the person ahead of you. The other runners obviously push you to up the pace which in turn can make your time faster and make you a better runner. So it's both good and bad.

As far as my next goal(s), I think I will work on increasing speed, sticking to 1 mile or 2 mile distances. I much prefer to run 2 miles over a longer distance. Hopefully as I work on that, 3 miles will become easier. I'm also trying to get back into doing some short HIIT videos at home again. Taking two months off from that has me feeling back at zero when it comes to weights. Hopefully it comes back quickly.

On Sunday we spent the day at my parents'. My dad was bursting with excitement to show the kids the surprise he had in store for them. I wish I had taken video of the "big reveal" because they were so pumped. 

Now they have their very own Ranger just like Papa Jeff. Watching both girls learn how to operate it (and almost run down Graham many, many times) led to an afternoon of laughing until we cried. I'm positive this is going to be a favorite for a long time to come.

Easter Day

Look at me - getting a post out on the same day it happened! Write it down, people!
Truth be told I have nothing else to do while Jared dozes away on the couch before work, but I'm still giving myself the credit since I am currently chicken-pecking out these words.

I digress.

Easter.

family photo

 so random, but I love it

most pictures looked a little something like this

Weiss family great-grandkids posing with their found loot

And on a non-Easter side note, today marks 10 years together for Jared and me. 

A whole freaking decade. 

That's crazy, right? 

But then again, as I have been reminded of plenty this weekend, I am old.

(Try telling high school kids that only a few people had cell phones when you were their age and that texting wasn't even a thing until college. I swear they look at you like you're a martian.)

2005 doesn't seem all that long ago.

But then again, I'm getting up there in years...   ;)

Happy Easter!

'round these parts

Dying Easter eggs is a yearly tradition, one I think Jared might actually enjoy more than the kids. He is forever trying all different color combinations, which usually results in at least one hideous brown egg - but not this year! Progress.

And in News That Should Surprise No One, Avery was in it for the food.
The easy access just proved to be too much of a temptation.

I've been in kids'-crap downsizing mode lately. 
I'm not sure what caused the change, but I realized holding on to all this baby stuff, clothes especially, is ridiculous. Holding onto itty-bitty onesies is not going to prevent our kids from growing up at lightning speed.
So I spent hours one afternoon sorting through stuffed tote after stuffed tote, saving my favorites from each child's tiny wardrobe. There are so many memories tied to some of the outfits, and I will admit I shed some tears. 

My babies aren't really babies anymore.

In the end Jared dropped three garbage bags full of clothes off at a local consignment shop and we sold the crib to my cousin. The breast pump that served me faithfully through three children sold quickly on Ebay. And with all the stuff leaving our storage areas, I feel a little more at peace with saying goodbye to the baby stages and welcoming all the new stages to come.

Last week I embarrassingly landed wrong while doing a burpee- an exercise move created by Satan himself. And in true nurse form, I toughed it out for a week before admitting defeat and getting an x-ray. 

The verdict: a broken hand.

I'm currently in a half-cast/half-splint for the next two weeks. And I'm saying hourly prayers that my kids are kind to me and slow to realize just how much at a disadvantage I am. 

Just typing this pathetically short blog post has taken a ridiculous amount of time. And one-handed dishes is the most laughable task ever.

Heal quickly, hand!

post-Christmas catch-up

It's 2015 and we all survived the holiday season. There isn't much to survive in our world. We only attend two different Christmas get-togethers, which I find to be a real rarity after talking to other people. And especially since Jared has divorced parents. But I am not complaining. I find it way more enjoyable to go to a Christmas celebration and just stay, as opposed to running here and there, making sure to "make an appearance" so no one's feelings get hurt. Especially with kids in tow. Kids that probably missed naps and way overdid their allotted sugar intake.

We had a great Christmas.
As usual we attended Christmas Eve church service and hosted a meal of appetizers at our house for my family.
There were the usual pictures in front of the tree.

I felt like Christmas was relaxed this year. That is a goal of mine - to not become that frantic, crazed person rushing around buying gifts and thinking that perfection is what makes Christmas special. Santa didn't spoil our kids. Their grandparents and aunts do that. Our kids got one present each from Santa and the other two were from Mom and Dad. Santa of course gets to be the fun guy, while Mom and Dad gave books and clothes. 

Our families usually ask our opinion on presents to buy for the kids. Most of them know I hate the clutter of a thousand toys. Toys are important for kids, but we want stuff that makes them use their imaginations and be interactive. And they all did so great picking out stuff that they will use again and again, without driving Jared and me insane.

Princess dress-up stuff for the girls. Instant hit.

"The Little Blue Truck" board book. Graham is obsessed.

Little People. They've already been in the plane, bus, tractor, barn, you name it.

A unique, personalized board book made by my mom on Pint Size Productions. Graham loves this book. It is all about farm implements with pictures of his papa's tractors, combines, wagons, etc. And he can't get over that there is a picture of his grandparents in a book!

ThinkFun Roll & Play Game (G's present from Santa). All 3 kids love it. They learn and have fun at the same time. And it entertains for a long time. I highly recommend.

Tool set. Tractor repair was going down just yesterday morning.

This adorable Melissa & Doug doorbell house. Jared hid their snacks in it one day and Avery couldn't stop laughing at the fact that her fruit snack was hidden behind Door #2.

And of course they got clothes, and leggings for the obsessed Bailey, and other books. It was all stuff we can use and I appreciate all the thought that went into getting them meaningful gifts.

We went after-Christmas shopping on December 26th and scored some good deals on decorating stuff. Now that all my sisters have their own houses, we can all behave like old ladies excited over new decor items. :) 

New Christmas tradition for next year!
My sister Beaner told me of an ingenious idea that a friend does for Christmas each year. Every year she individually wraps every Christmas book they own and places them under the tree. Each night in the days leading to Christmas, the kids get to pick a book, unwrap it, and read it together that night. They are all books they have already read, but it's like they are brand new. It's a unique tradition that is essentially free and fun for the kids. Another way to get in the Christmas spirit. I am so going to do this next year!

Other stuff:

I don't know about you, but man we are getting lame on New Year's Eve. And when I say "getting" I really mean that we have been this way forever. We even had no kids for the evening (Thanks Mom!) and we were still lame. As my sister Justy expressed, it's all the pressure that comes with New Year's supposedly being this awesome, great time. I haven't ever had an amazing New Year's experience. Maybe one day? 

This year Jared and I went out for dinner and drank too many margaritas. We came home and drank some wine and played some games, passing time until it would be suitable to go to the bar. And then around 9:30 our couch started looking pretty amazing. And we did have a long list of movies DVRed. And with that showers were taken and jammies put on and we snuggled up on the couch to watch "Dallas Buyers Club." Yep, that is how behind we are on new releases. We were in bed before midnight. And it was pretty great.



I reached my goal and lost 30 pounds a few weeks ago. Christmas happened and I took the liberty of still working out but eating whatever indulgent crap I wanted. I gained a pound. Oh well. I would have been in a pissy mood passing up delicious food at Christmas for the sake of a calorie count. 

And despite the Christmas food free-for-all, I bought my first pair of jeans (not counting one pair of maternity jeans) in 8 years. 8 YEARS. That's pathetic. I have been getting by using some of Fe's jeans that she couldn't wear anymore (because sister lost like 60 pounds in the last 2 years!), but those are now too big. It was time. 
I am pretty ecstatic to report that I now fit into a pair of 9/10 jeans. That's amazing for me. I haven't been that size in probably a decade. 

On the exercise front, the week of Christmas I decided it was time to rededicate myself to actually getting more fit. For a while I had been coasting by, still losing weight, but not really challenging myself with workouts. So I started a new workout routine. It's called The 90 Day Warrior Workout by Hasfit.com, and it's a calendar with 3 months of workouts planned out for you. Some of the workouts are ones I have already done while doing the 30 Day Beginner calendar, but there are quite a few new routines that are kicking my butt at times. And that's a good thing. As always they are all exercises that are done at home with only handweights. I highly recommend if you are looking for something to challenge you without shelling out money for a gym membership you aren't sure you will use all that much.


I think that is about all for now. I put the kids in front of some Looney Tunes so I could have a minute (or 30. or 60.) to myself. Hey, at least it is the classics and not Caillou or some crap. Man, I hate that little, annoying brat... Him and his grating personality and that hat he always wears. One shouldn't have such aggression towards a PBS cartoon character, but it is what it is (to quote my mom).
I digress...
Time to go make lunch!