My First Snowboarding Lesson

So today I took my first snowboarding lesson. We went to White Pass which is about 2 1/2 hours from here. My lesson was a little long and slow but I got the basics and that was what I was after. Since the first time I boarded I nearly killed myself because I didn't know how to stop, I was very excited to learn how to keep the board under control. After I was released from my lesson I took one go down the bunny hill and Julie and Kim swiftly took me up to the bigger, beginner hill. I was a little apprehensive because it looked so much larger than the bunny hill but the fearless me said "let's go"! OMG it was SOOO fun! We went down a few times and I only fell like 3 times. I am very fortunate to pick up sports quickly and I picked up snowboarding right away. I can't wait to be able to go back and practice some more. I see why people love it so much.

Maddox had tons of fun as usual. He playing in the snow castle for a long time and he always loves to eat snow. After my lesson he came to wave to me while I was boarding and say "hi Mama" then he sacked out on Julie right at the bottom of the hill. He was so very tired that he stayed asleep through being transferred to Erryn and then Kim. He was just plum worn out.

Of course as soon as we got home Maddox went to the back door and said, "side, side", because he wanted to go outside. We played outside, had some food and he sacked out for the night.

We snowboarded all day and got very few pictures to show for it, but here are the ones we did get. And off all the time I spent on my board I got like 23 seconds of video.

Gotta go for the night, tomorrow our neighbor Josh is coming over and we are installing crown molding in the house. Pics to follow.
nighty, night.

Thursday March 18th

I think all my hard work in the yard as of late came crashing down on me today.  We worked outside for a few hours and I decided that I needed a nap, so I took it.  It felt great!  I have not had one in a few weeks - that is some sort of a record for me.

So today while I was getting ready I tried to pluck my gray hairs out.  I don't have very many but they are always bunched together and they are always on the right side of my head.  Why do they do that?  What do they only grow in one spot?  I find it very weird and was wondering if anyone else has this dilemma.

The nights around our house have been a lot better lately since Maddox has no longer been nursing.  Because he is not getting all that liquid before bed he is not waking up to pee as often.  This a making for nice sleeping for me.  Almost 2 years and I can finally get a full nights sleep! Although he does occasionally wake up in the middle of the night and crawl in bed with us.  Last night I realized at about 3:15am that he was in bed with us.  He was all snuggled up with me and of course on his way to pushing me out of my spot.  I told him that he had to go back to his bed and picked him up and took him back.  He let out a little "wah" in protest and then curled up in his own big boy bed.  Poor little guy, he didn't have it in him to argue with me.  Of course Julie had no idea that any of this transpired in the night, but what else is new.  I have to smack the poor girl to get her up once she is out.

Oh I just realized that today is Thursday, this time next week Maddox and I will be in OKC.  Lots to do before our trip.  Let the planning begin.

So today was another day of all day outside work.  I think I'm getting addicted to the sunlight!  I know Maddox is, he screams almost every time we go inside.  I love that he is having fun with me out there.  He is very helpful too.  He helps me dig and rake and move stuff around.  I was putting down the weed mat today and I needed the hammer to hammer in the stakes.  I asked him to go find the hammer, which I knew was clear across the yard, but lets face it, I didn't want to go get it.  My good little helper ran off and came back with a smile on his face and proudly presented the hammer.  I love it!

So for dinner I am making Peanut Butter Chicken Soup.  It got great reviews on allrecipies.com so we will see.  Julie saw the recipe pulled up the other day and said, "eww, that sounds gross.  You better not make that cause I wont eat it".  Yeah, I made it anyway.  I'll let you know what she says about it.

I got my new soccer shoes in the mail today.  I feel like a kid again.  Last time I had a brand spankin new pair of Copa's I think I was like 14.  I may have to wear them in the yard for the next few days to break them in.  My first outdoor game is Monday night.  It is co-ed with all new people.  I am excited to play but I suck at getting to know new people so I always feel awkward.  I guess a lot of people have that problem.  Suck it up Jen.

If any of you are having, or have had, this issue please help me out if you can.  We are having potty issues.  He KNOWS when he needs to potty.  He has been about 80% potty trained for the last year (we started using Elimination Communication when he was 6.5 month old) and last week he was doing awesome.  He went like 4 days in big boys pants with no accidents and would stop what ever he was doing, if we were around or not, and take his pants off and sit on his potty.  Starting yesterday he tells me after the fact.  He will say "pa ee" and hand me or show me his wet pants that he has taken off.  Sometimes he even gets a cloth diaper and cleans up the mess himself and throws the cloth diaper in the diaper pail. (Thankfully we have hardwood floors) So obviously he knows the drill.  How can I get to a point where we are more consistent?  aaaahhhhh

Oh, by the way I just tried the soup, it is delicious.  Maddox is loving it too, but he loves EVERY soup!  Give it a try.  It was fast and very easy to make.
Later

Coming Out of Hibernation

Maddox and I are absolutely loving this new weather!  Now that the back yard has all the doggie poo picked up we go out there almost every day.  Maddox likes to help me with my projects that I have going on back there.  We have been digging out grass to put in mulch and we are going to make big garden beds.  Our neighbor is digging out lots of spaces and put weed mats down and then bark chips.  Then he is going to use the beds along the fences for melons, pumpkins, zucchini, squash and peas.  I thought, what a great idea, I'll do it too.  So I did, and it is going to look awesome with our matching garden beds with giant fruits and veggies!  This is only our second year of gardening but we learned a lot last year and I'm excited about this summer.  In the next week or so I think I'm going to get some seedling started indoors and maybe start peas and lettuce outside. You know, as a kid I would have never thought I would like to work in the yard so much, but I really do.  Maybe it is genetic since I come from a long line of gardeners.  We will see at the end of the summer if I am any good or not. I am also going to put edging around the trees we have in the front yard and replace some cheap and icky edging that the previous homeowners put in around the side of the house.  I'm thinking we might start that tomorrow since we don't have any other plans. It has been so beautiful out, I just can't resist being outside.

Another project we are undertaking, possibly this weekend, is putting up crown molding in all of the common areas.  The kitchen, dining room, hall, entry way and living room is what we are planning to crown. Do you know how cheap that stuff is?  If you get the contractor packs at Lowes it is about $.50 a linear foot.  We can do all the rooms I said above for about $88 and we will still have about 50 ft left over.  After we pay Josh to help us install it you are looking at a very cheap and very impactful upgrade.  I plan on making some sweet cash on this place when we sell it, money, money, money here I come!  $$$$$$$
Adios
j

Thursday March 11th

OK, to start out I have to share the recipe for this super tasty soup I made the other day. Here is the link; it is an Italian Sausage Soup with Tortellini So today was a big day for us. Maddox is officially not breastfeeding anymore. Yes I know that you are thinking, “He is still breastfeeding”? My defense is this – the World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until age to for maximum benefit. Well for reasons I will share later we decided as family to slowly wean him one feeding at a time. Last night was his last feeding. I talked with him for two nights before and explained that he would not need it anymore because he is a big boy. Last night when we talked about it I asked if he understand and he said, “ok”. Tonight we had planned for Julie to do the bedtime ritual but we forgot that she had a work dinner. It was just me and Maddox. He asked for his “maa” and I reminded him that we are not going to do that anymore and he was a big boy and did not need it. He whined a little and asked for a drink instead. He had some soy milk, cried a little and I put him in bed. He got up a few times and finally I put him in his crib. He was asleep in less than 10 mins. I can’t believe how smoothly it went. I thought tonight was going to be super traumatic. He did amazingly well, especially since he didn’t take a nap today. Every day that boy surprises me. He really is a good kid, how did we get so damn lucky?

So it looks like we will be coming to OK soon. Im excited bc Easter Sunday is going to be a family reunion of sorts at Julie’s mom’s house. There will be lots of new family for me to meet. Yeah! Looks like Maddox and I will be there around March 25th – April5th or so. Not sure of details yet, we are still working on them.

Gotta run, Mentalist is on soon

Gotta Start Somewhere...

So, I have had this blog space for a long time but could not decide what to do with it, how to start, etc. So today I decided, the hell with it, I will just write about daily life.  Maybe someone will find something interesting someday.  And I'm sure this will help our family and friends keep up with us a little better than Facebook since there are so many, many, many miles between us.

So here are some of the things that I am into and will write about.  
-Kids, since we have one I have plenty to say about them
-Money (we are on Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover)
-Cooking and health
-Gardening, we are new to this but trying hard and having fun
-Creativity, I love to make things out of whatever, wood, fabric, etc
-Deals, I love to find good deals and I love even more to share them

Anyway, so Maddox is napping right now and I just finished making dinner.  Tonight is Speedy Chicken Posole.
Every week on Sunday nights Julie and I sit down and decide what we are eating every night for dinner.  We take into account activities (like soccer) and if someone will be gone (like Julie for work stuff).  Then I check the freezer and make a grocery list around what we need. Maddox and I go to the grocery store every Monday. This weekly meal planning has been a HUGE money saver.  I can't believe I ever went to the grocery store without a list before.  We used to throw out so much food bc we went to the store and bought what sounded good and then it got lost in the fridge.  Now since we only buy what we need and use it up every week we eat super cheap.  Right now we spend about $60 a week on groceries.  Now, that is just food, not toiletries or anything else.  But I'm pretty proud of that.  And we spend anywhere from $50-$100 at Costco every month on bulk stuff - but that does include some toiletries. Since I don't work anymore I feel it is my job to save and stretch money as far as I can.  I'm a cheapskate at heart so for me it is fun.

One of the big things in our life is that we are doing Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover.  My dad gave us the book for Christmas in 2008 and it was the best present we ever received!  I read the book and got really excited and told Julie that we should sell my car.  Since we only live 4 minutes from her work we would be fine with one car.  She of course thought I was nuts but after a few days she said, "you know, selling your car may not be a bad idea".  I knew then that things would be different forever! So it took a little while but we sold my car.  And thanks to all the mileage I accrued as an AAE at USC I had been paying extra on it so we made a decent profit on that adorable little Accord of mine. (Don't be fooled, I LOVED that car and did NOT want to sell it, but it was for the greater good.) Just like that - we got rid of a $400 a month car payment and paid off the last of my student loans.  Man that was a good feeling.  Since then we have been “snowballing” along and should have our 2008 Pilot paid off this summer and then work on Julie’s sizeable student loan.  According to my planning we should have all of our debt except the house paid off in a about 3 years total and we started this in Feb 2009.  I will tell you, at first it was hard to stick to a budget but now it is second nature and paying for everything in cash is easy.  When I think of buying my next car in cash or paying for vacation or braces for Maddox in cash I get very excited.  Besides a mortgage, we will never borrow money again, (and one day we will pay that off too) and I love it!  If you are not familiar with the TMMO then you should check it out.  I don’t agree with everything that Dave Ramsey says (he is a die hard Republican) but his financial plans make sense and they are working for us.
Ok, we have to go pick up Julie from work now.  Until we meet again…..