Uprooting

Most of you know about our move to Vegas.  If not, here is the update.  Ernie got a promotion with his job which moves us to Vegas.  That is where I grew up and so it is going to be fun to go back. (Although, it is a COMPLETELY different city than I grew up in! Holy cow, I didn't even know most of the areas we looked for houses in even existed!) 

It will be a GREAT thing for Ernie and it will be a good experience for all of us I am sure.  

It is always hard to meet amazing and wonderful people just to have to move away from them. In an effort to make it easier for our kids, we didn't have any elaborate goodbyes and tried to keep all of the saying goodbye stuff pretty low key.  Here are the few pictures I took. I really didn't take very many, so don't get offended you aren't on here! I wish I had taken a few more, but the few times I did take them, the kids got kind of sad. 

Here are the boys with the nieghbor boys Chad and Chase.  Ernie especially had a hard time saying goodbye. (It broke my heart that he cried as we pulled away from our house after saying goodbye to them, and I was grateful then that I didn't do this with any of their other friends.)

We became friends with one couple, the Childs that we grew to love.  We stopped by and took a picture with Laddy their dog as well.  He was gone on buisness (yes, he's in his 80's and still works part time! He is amazing!)

(And I am very selfless, I know.  I will even post this picture, despite my make-up less face and my not great outfit! :)
We grew to really love the people we met in Lake Havasu.  We met some of the best people! I love how relaxed most of the town in general is. It is just a very eclectic town and I am very grateful for the past year we have had there.  We are definitely better people for having moved there. Is is funny how at home I felt after such a short amount of time.  And I feel like the people I met are people I have known for years.  School, church, and sports teams were so amazing there and we made, I hope, life long friendships. 

Isn't it amazing where life brings us?  Who knew that it would take us to Lake Havasu City, AZ.  But I am beyond grateful and it has been a fabulous year of our lives. Wow, I still can't believe it has only been a year.  Exactly a year actually. SO thank you thank you thank you all of the people that became part of our lives.  And if you are EVER in Vegas you HAVE to call us! We would love to see any of you, even if it's just for a minute at a park or something.  

Change is hard.  However, it is also one of the things in life that can challenge us to become better people. And heaven only knows that I need as much opportunity as possible to become a better person! As hard as it is to uproot everything you are familiar with and start again, I am exited for the experience.  How could I not be after I saw what amazing things were available to us by uprooting to Havasu?  So bring it on. 

The Definite End of Spring

So we are in the process of moving AGAIN! Luckily, we found out today that we got the house that we were hoping to get, and everything should be closed in a few weeks.  Woo hoo! However, the house hunting process took a while, and in the meantime, we were scheduled for our move.  On Wedensday, I get to watch as a few guys come in and box up all of my stuff for me.  Yes, I know, completely rough life.

In an effort to get ready for a big move move, what else would one do but catch up on their blog?

We had the boys last baseball games on Saturday. The final sign that every bit of Spring is long gone.

Here is Caleb on third while his friend Jacob is third baseman (Yes, two red teams are confusing, but Caleb is the Cardinals).

I finally got a few pictures of Ernie as catcher.

Here is Caleb hanging out with his buddy Dane during Ernie's game.

Afterwords, we headed over to The Spot (our new hangout of late) for Ernie's end of season party.

I love how proud kids are of trophies! It is now a very prized possession.

Here is Caleb with Dane. (His borther Seth is on Ernie's team)

Ernie and his coach.

Ernie and Seth with their fabulous trophies.

What a great year.  The game really changed for Ernie this year without a tee. I love watching them get older, have new experiences, and gain new talents.  And we are now true Blue Yankee fans.

 (Until he is on a new team next year :)

My Big and Sometimes Not So Big Change

Last night as I was changing into pajamas, I was analyzing how much of my body that still needed a lot of change. As I was lying in bed, I realized how ridiculous that was of me.  I decided that I wanted to write a blog about the past 6 months.  This is waaaaaay more personal than I usually get, and most of you probably could care less.  I haven't talked with very many people about it for two reasons.  First, it's awkward to randomly bring into a conversation and a little embarrassing.  Second, the few times that I have discussed it, I felt like the people I was talking about it with didn't believe me- and that is more awkward than ever. But I am proud, and decided it was time to talk about it. SO, here it goes.

At the beginning of January, I got on the scale.  I was 75 lbs overweight.  I am not talking about 75 lbs over what I wish I could be so I could be model thin.  I am talking about 75 lbs from a nice, normal size. I had been in denial for a long time. The scale must be lying.  My pants were that tight because I was having a bad day.  I found ways to look cute still and find styles to help hide my major overweight-ness. (Thank you all those years of watching What Not To Wear!) But instead of changing, I would state all of my excuses for why I was getting like that.  Then I would just buy new clothes to replace the ones that didn't button that day. And sure, I had a rough few years.  But at that moment, in January, I realized there comes a time when you quit justifying why you are the way you are and just make radical changes.

I began to change a lot of things.  I changed my lifestyle in general.  I could talk forever about what I changed, and how I did it.  The bottom line is that I worked my butt off. I had good weeks and bad.  By the middle of April, I had lost 26 lbs.  26 pounds!!!! So, now you are all thinking, wow, you must have lost all these clothes sizes, and it must have felt great.  NOPE! Not one size.  Not one!! As you can imagine, that was very very very very discouraging.  Poor Ernie had to console way too many tears.  But  remember the realization that I had that raw numbers on the scale just can't lie?  So, I had to look at what that 26 lbs did change and quit worrying about not losing a size in clothes.
I lost a ring size, and my wedding ring and diamond band fit again. My pants fit without sucking in and pulling really hard to get the button done, and then barely being able to move all day.  I didn't need a jacket over my shirts to try to hide my non-existent waist line.  I noticed slight differences in my face when I saw pictures. And it was easier to work out.

So, I was discouraged, but I found the positive things from this major weight loss.  And I remembered, that it was major. I plateaued for about a month.  (But I didn't gain a pound, despite a cruise!) And then I hit it hard again.  I had awesome weeks when I was down 5 lbs and I had weeks with only a few ounces.   I have lost 13 lbs since the middle of April.  And I finally noticed a big difference. I didn't realize the size change until I was packing up my closet to move.  I was trying on pants that literally fell off of me. Now that is an awesome feeling! It took 39 lbs.  THIRTY NINE before I had lost a clothes size. Wow, yes, that is how much weight I had to lose.  And I don't mind seeing pictures of myself.  I still have about 35 more to go.  But I am over half way there. 

And I have done a pretty damn good job (Yes, it deserves a damn) and I am very proud of myself.  Maybe some of you can tell, maybe some of you can't.  I don't look like a new person yet.  However, that 13 pounds made a huge difference, and I finally have a HUGE pile of clothes that I was able to take to the DI, and another pile that while in denial, I kept and they finally fit.

I will probably still have those moments that I see myself while changing into pajamas and notice how much I need to change.  And that is okay, because I do still have 35 lbs to go.  But I also love those moments when I am able to look in the mirror, like this morning, and go "WOW! I don't have a huge old bulge for a stomach and I am starting to see an awesome figure in there somewhere." I feel better and I look better.  I have gone through not only a great physical, but an  emotional journey as well.  One that I know I couldn't have gone through without a very supportive and amazing husband. And I am excited to get to the end of the road. Today I am just grateful that I am over half way there.

Summertime......Here We Come!

The past few days have been a whirlwind of end of the year activities. Here are some of what we have been up to with Ernie's end of 1st grade events.

Ernie's teacher this year was Mrs. Helman.  Ernie absolutely loved her! She taught him a lot, and really helped give him a love for reading. He will really miss her.

She had all of the parents come and watch a first grade finale.  It was so much fun! The kids all sang songs, and recited poems.   I was video taping the program, so I didn't get a ton of actual pictures.

(Caleb actually took this one while I was taping Ernie's singing! I didn't even know that he had taken it!)

The infamous Mrs. Helman.

The next day, Caleb and I got to help out at their water day. What a blast!

(Caleb is the one climbing the stairs in the orange and brown.)

I was SO glad that I got to help out. 

Today we had Ernie's final awards assembly for the year. Ernie is a super star! He got a ton of awards! And he was on the Principals Honor Roll for all 4 quarters of the year. 

 I was video taping it, and since Caleb did such a great job at the finale, I asked him to take some pictures.

He might have had a little too much fun experimenting. Oh well, at least he was entertained!

I absolutely loved that I was able to help out this year in his class and get to know the kids.  It has been so much fun to run into them outside of school and have them yell my name excitedly, or have them run up and hug me! Who knew, people like me. (Well, at least 6 and 7yr olds are fans)

Here is Ernie with one of his best friends, Dewy. And somehow Caleb managed to get into every picture! Ah, brotherly love.

After school, we celebrated the beginning of summer at Red Robin for lunch.

As we were leaving we ran into our friends the Vetters, and we stopped and said hi.

(Totally love these kids- oh, and mine too :)

Well, it is completely official.  One first grade finale, water day, preschool graduation, and final awards assembly later and summer has begun!

The Graduate

We officially have a preschool graduate! What more could two parents ask for :)
He is such a great kid, and he has loved preschool. His teachers are so sweet and patient. Here are a few pictures from the event.

Caleb and Miss Britni

Caleb and Miss Mallory

Caleb and his friend Carson with his teachers.

The Ernies.  One of them is more excited than the other to get his picture taken.  Can you guess which one?

After the graduation Carson's parents put together a little graduation party. We went over to an arcade place called The Spot and let the kids hang out for a little bit.  I of course remembered to take a picture of them on the way home, so here are their drinks. :)

It makes me laugh a little to remember how many graduations Ernie had.  Two years of preschool, and then kindergarten.  And then nothing until 2021.  (Wow, that seems like forever away!) So until next years kindergarten graduation....... and then in 2023.

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

We have been busy this year with Spring baseball! It is so much fun to go to the games and watch the boys.  I love the pride on their faces as they make a great hit, or throw the perfect ball.
 I love watching Caleb when he is out in the outfield and forgets that people do actually see what he is doing.
 I love watching Ernie be catcher and turn and wave at us every once in a while.
 I love watching Caleb as he makes friends with the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd basemen from the other team as he runs the bases after a hit.
I love watching Ernie hit a triple and turn to the stands with his arms triumphantly in the air.
I love the fabulous weather, and buying the boys popcorn while they watch their sibbling from the stand.
 I love being able to sit and chat with my best friend. (that would be my hubby)
(And although it's not the most important thing, I should probably mention that I also really love extra sun my skin has been getting.)

A Little Beach Time

Today I had a lot to do.  Laundry, dishes, bathrooms.......you know, the usual.  Instead of doing anything remotely productive, I decided to skip out on all chores and take Caleb to the lake.  (I wish I had brought my camera!)
 I am so grateful that I did!  I love that I have been able to do things like that with my kids, and reality is quickly setting in that there is a very small widow of time in which you are able to spend time like that with your kids before they start growing up and going to school.  We built sandcastles and splashed each other.  We looked for seashells.  And I was lucky enough to be able watch as Caleb "skipped" rocks.  (And I am glad I asked what he specifically was doing because, silly me, I thought he was just throwing rocks into the water :)
I love moments that you are able to take a step back and say, "I love being a mom".  And more than that, I love that I am able to be at home with them, and take days off from doing chores and spend a few hours at the beach.