colorado

This past week we spent some time in Colorado and we had a blast! We try to get out at least once a year to visit my sister and her family in Denver and this year we got out twice. We absolutely love it out there and if ever given the opportunity we'd move in a heartbeat! But for now we will enjoy our annual trips.

We took off on Wednesday evening around dinner time. Ate in the car along the way and before long the kiddos, and Jimmy, were asleep. I drove until about 1am - this is huge for me as I'm usually sleepy as soon as it gets dark - and then Jimmy took over. He made it until about 4am or so and then I drove the last little bit. The kiddos did pretty darn good on the drive. Preston woke up quite a bit on and off but Lily slept the whole night through. The crappy part about arriving at 5am is that the kiddos were ready to play while Jimmy and I were ready to crash. So we spent majority of Wednesday bumming around the house, catching up with my sister while Jimmy explored the mountain biking close to their house, and the kiddos played. Wednesday night we had dinner and then called it an early night.

buddies playing with scissors (kids ones of course)

sammy wouldn't take these goggles off :)

they love lola

asher and preston

story time with auntie kirsten

pushing brother

Thursday Jimmy was off to Keystone to bike the ski slopes - craziness! While my sister and I brought the kids out to lunch, and to do a little shopping for baby projects for my sister's baby on the way. I love talking through decoration plans and helping her out with this kind of stuff. We were able to pop into a few stores to browse as well where I snagged a super cute blazer for Lily for this fall :) Thursday night my sister made us homemade magherita pizza with basil and tomatoes from her garden - so good! and then around bedtime we loaded up the car once again to head to Grand Lake for a few days just our family.

Grand Lake is about 2 hours from Denver and boy is it gorgeous! We usually spend our time close to Denver when we visit CO, since my sister is there, but we are so glad we ventured out a bit to explore a new town. Friends of ours got married here a while back and come back at least once a year to snow mobile so we'd heard lots about it. It's also a prime place to rent side by side ATV's to ride in the mountains - hence our primary reason for visiting :) We stayed at a cozy little hotel called the Terrace Inn that almost dubbed as a bed and breakfast - kinda strange for a family stay but the owners were super friendly, made a killer breakfast, and we were the only ones there so it was quite nice.

Friday morning we explored the town in the morning, checking out the awesome lake, popping into a few small shops, having some yummy yummy coffee, and just enjoyed being together! Around nap time we decided to take a stroll through Rocky Mountain National Park as an entrance was just a few miles up the road from where we were. So so pretty and glad we did this! The kids slept, as we'd hoped, and then we headed back into town to pack a lunch and head over to check in for our ATV rental. We followed the company into the mountains about 7 miles or so, we loaded the kids up - we were fairly certain someone may call us in for child endangerment even though the rental guys assured us it was a'ok - and off we went. Lily absolutely loved the ATV - she giggled with excitment almost the entire time. Preston dozed off a few times but enjoyed it, for the most part, as well. Such a fun way to spend the afternoon together exploring the mountains. I know Jimmy loved it!

grand lake

silly faces

he was loaded up :)

exoloring nature

our family - love lily's face - exactly like her daddy's :)

stunning

ATV time

rocky terrain

our ATV

we saw a moose!! right outside our hotel in grand lake

the lake view at 6am

morning walk with my little man :)

Then Friday night we were able to meet up with our friends from home as they happened to be visiting Grand Lake the same weekend! We enjoyed dinner together, let the kiddos explore their condo and its surrondings a bit, and then we were back to our place to crash.

Saturday morning came and after checking out the local Corvette parade of cars we were off to Winter Park to meet back up with my sister and her family for the day/night. Winter Park is such a fun little town too. The ski resort puts on some great activities for kiddos and really cultivates a family atomsphere. Jimmy and Ivan, my brother in law, were going to be biking the ski slopes while us ladies hung out, explored the resort, and entertained the kids. I wasn't sure how easy this would be but it turned out great! They had lots for the kids to do from bouncy houses, to ziplines, to big trampolines - so fun for them! We played and played, got groceries for our overnight camping adventure, and then picked up the guys as they finished their rides. We then headed up the mountain to camp for the night, at least that was the plan. Now those that know me I'm not a huge fan of tent camping. While I can brave one night it's never my first choice as it rarely goes off without a hitch, and this trip was no exception. As soon as we arrived I mentioned the dark clouds in the distance. No one else seemed to be too worried so we set up camp, got our tents up, blankets and sleeping bags situated, dinner out, etc. As we began grilling hot dogs it began to sprinkle. We quickly finished up, packing up what we surely wanted to avoid getting wet, and down came the rain - hard rain. We sat in our vehicles for a good 45 minutes before deciding it wasn't going to blow over and we should pack up and head back to Denver. And so we packed up, in the pouring rain - so fun! Ugh - I hate it. Back to Denver we went. Pulling in around 9:30 pm the kiddos were ready for bed and we unpacked wet camping gear. Sigh - another failed camping excursion. It's simply not meant to be for me and while I constantly remind my husband of this he chooses not to listen......

winter park

lily on the trampoline

gearing up to hipline

there she goes

my sweet girl

big game of scramble

Then Sunday was spent close to Denver - Jimmy and Ivan took in some fishing and white water kayaking in the morning and Kirsten and I enjoyed some shopping, coffee, and pedicures in the afternoon. After dinner we packed up and made our way back to Iowa. The kids did awesome on the way home - Preston did much better waking only once when we stopped! We rolled into Ankeny about 7am and Lily continued to sleep until 10 or 10:30 that morning - she was tired! Preston of course was up and ready to go but did nap well that day so we were able to rest a bit too!

Overall it was such a fun trip. We really enjoy our time in Colorado and hanging out with my sister and her family. Lily and Sam hit it off so well this trip and Lily has been quite sad that she's without her play mate since we've been home. Unfortunately we won't see them for a while. I am going out with my other sister in January to help when the baby arrives but no other plans are in place for now. Although I'm sure Jimmy will get the adventure itch again before too long. Thanks for the wonderful hospitality Kirsten, and family, and we will see you before we know it!

11 months

Hard to believe that my little man will be one year old in less than a month! Party planning is in full swing :)

I feel like not much has changed for him this past month aside from a few milestones. He now dances by swinging his arms back and forth, he likes to put objects - lids, toys, spoons, etc in and out of other things - his trucks, the toy baskets, his highchair, etc, he eats off of a plate and/or bowl and is attempting to use utensils, he can climb down the stairs and get himself off the couch by turning around and sliding down. 

So those milestones were some biggy's for this past month but other than that - his routine, size, and little personality hasn't changed much. He continues to light up our world and loves loves loves his mama. He is starting to get a bit of a stinker though as he's beginning to arch his back when we put him in his car seat and when he's mad about something - so fun, isn't it?!

Will be sure to post pictures and such of his upcoming Dr Seuss 1st birthday!

Here he is at 11 months, and as you can see I couldn't keep him still for a single picture - he's a crazy one!

carry on warrior

My sister lent me a book a little while ago and it was so so good I had to share some of the book and my thoughts. It's called "Carry On, Warrior" by Glennon Doyle Melton. It's a book about parenting but not your regular parenting book.  You see I don't read self help books, I don't read books on methods/ideas/studies on parenting or how to "be a better parent" because I just don't believe them, quite honestly. Anyone can write anything and publish it these days, especially on the internet. So those that do endless research about everything under the sun can carry on, that's their choice but I will choose to trust God with my heart and life, for my child, and to be the bigger power as I make parenting choices/decisions/plans. 

However, this book is different. It's REAL. It doesn't paint the pretty picture of being a parent - the picture that suggests every day is joyful, full of laughter, contentment, and fun fun fun with your kids. No instead it paints the pictures of those down right hard days. Those days where your patience is low and your voice is extra loud. Those days that you go to bed at night in tears thinking about all the mistakes you made that day and how you surely scared your child for life because of them. The days where you are just plain tired of wiping noses and butts and want to just walk out the front door. The days where you just want to take a shower without being rushed or take a pee without being climbed on or stared at. The days where you want to lay on the floor without being trampled on by sweaty feet and scratched with fingernails that need to be clipped. We all know those days right?! Well this is a book that faces those things head on and reminds you that it's ok, we all really are in the same boat and those that say they absolutely adore their children every moment of every single day are lying, or on drugs.  

It discussed the challenges of marriage post children. The unbearable thought of a healthy sex life when all you want to do is sleep, really. It talks about the lack of communication that happens all too often post children but that that is the time when it is needed the most. The struggles of maintaining your own life individually, as a couple, yet providing enough time to grow and develop as a family. How hard it is to have hobbies and find time to do them when there's no time at the end of the day by the time your husband gets off work, because he's late again. Or the disappointment/anger of when you've looked forward to the weekend all week when to have some help or go get groceries alone!, yet all he's done all week is look forward to the weekend to go dirt biking, kayaking, fishing, to a football game, out with his friends, etc. And the list just keeps going, doesn't it?!

Life is hard. Marriage is hard. Having kids is hard. But they are all SO worth it. I feel like there's a new wave of young moms coming. Moms that aren't afraid to be honest and real with each other about some of these daily struggles, and I love it. I love those that I can call genuine friends because I know I can tell them these things that I've now shared with the entire world via this crazy thing called the internet! :)

So, if you are looking for a good read and want to dig deeper into this topic - check it out. Here are some of my favorite passages that rang so true for me!

"I spend a lot of time making sure Craig knows his affection is going nowhere. Affections feels like a means to an end to me, so I cut it short one way or another. Sometimes I start discussing my overwhelming exhaustion as soon as he walks in the door from work, setting the stage for rejection early, so there is no false hope.
On the nights when it's officially been a while and offering more excuses would signify that we really have a problem, he'll approach me and I'll try to remain open. But then, very often, I start to feel angry.
Sometimes the anger is mild, like annoyance. I'm so tired after a long day with the kids, so used up, so saturated by need and touch already, why must you be needy too? Can't we just be grown-ups and do something practical? There's so much to do: the laundry needs to be folded, the lunches packed, forms signed....miles to go before I sleep. Is there really time for something so unproductive? And really, we haven't talked, really talked for weeks. How does sex even make sense? How do you compartmentalize like that? Do you want me, or do you just want sex? That distinction makes all the difference. That distinction is intimacy."

"Children are not cruel. Children are mirrors. They want to be "grownup" so they act how grown-ups act when we think they're not looking. They do not act how we tell them to act at school assemblies. They act how we really act. They believe what we believe. They say what we say. And we have taught them that gay people are not okay. That overweight people are not okay. That Muslim people are not okay. That they are not equal. That they are to be feared. And people hurt the things they fear. We know that. What they are doing in the schools, what we are doing in the media - it's all the same. The only difference is that children bully in the hallways and the cafeterias while we bully from behind pulpits and legislative benches and sitcom one-liners."

"How cane we give our children the confidence they need to survive on earth and still encourage the humility that is pleasing to God?
.......Usually when someone asks me a question about parenting, I switch it to a question about grown-ups. How do I encourage my child to be kinder to others? becomes How do I become kinder to others? After reading the sixteenth parenting book that contradicted the first fifteen, I quit trying to become a better parent and decided to try becoming a better person" 
YES YES YES!

"While you dream your dreams, he's (God) busy building your destiny. And there is as much beauty in your destiny as there was in your dream. Let go and believe that whatever it is, it will be beautiful."
LOVE THIS!

arkansas

Mid July the kiddos and I loaded up the Highlander and took our first solo road trip to Northern Arkansas to visit our friends Bethany, Bob, and baby Shae.

Bethany is a good friend of mine from jr. high/highschool that led into college and post college life. She's the kind of friend that is exactly the same as she used to be and just a fun person to be around! She is someone I can totally be myself around, speak honestly with, and never go a day without laughing when I'm around her. During our time living together in college I was able to get to know Bob. He too is just a wonderful person. He and Bethany are a perfect fit, he's kind and generous and such a genuine person. Some may say I followed Bethany and Bob throughout my post college life but I'm just thankful it worked out that way because I always seemed to have a friend nearby - after Bethany graduated college she and Bob got married and she joined him to live in Kansas City, where he was working. I graduated college a year later and also moved to Kansas City after receiving a job with John Deere. A year or so later Bob and Bethany got moved to Charlotte, NC for Bob's job, and six months or so after that I got moved to Raleigh, NC for my job with John Deere. We are now living in seperate places :) but still do our best to eachother whenever we can make it work. Fortunate for us both their families live in Iowa so they come through Des Moines quite often. Anyways, it was our turn to go see them in Bentonville, AR!

I must say I didn't really think things through when I told Bethany the kids and I would come down for a long weekend sometime in July. We found some dates that worked for us both and that was that. It wasn't until a few days before we left that I wondered what I had committed to! A 6 1/2 hour roadtrip by myself with a 2 year old and 11 month old - yikes! However, I had said I was going to do it and my gosh I was going to prove to myself that I could. 

So, we made plans to leave around afternoon nap time, stop for a visit and dinner with Jimmy's aunt and uncle in Kansas City, and then make the final few hours of the trek to AR around kiddos bedtime. And I must say, it worked out well except for the poor planning on my end to pull into KC right at 5 oclock rush hour, when of course was the exact same time Lily had to go potty! So yes we did have an accident because what other choice do I have in bumper to bumper traffic downtown KC?! Poor thing. But except for that episode and me getting a little sleepy the final hour or so we did great - nothing a Red Bull and some candy couldn't take of while the kiddos slept away! We rolled into their place just before midnight.

The next day was spent bumming around their house. We did venture out to their neighborhood playground but it was super HOT and even Lily wasn't too interested in playing! We made dinner at their place and then after tucking the kids in Bethany and I snuck out for some fro-yo and she showed me the town. The next day we enjoyed lunch at a local crepe spot (so yummy!) before hitting up the splash pad - kids loved it! Then after afternoon naps we joined Bob for pizza at a Southern favorite, Mellow Mushroom. The 3 of us watched a movie that night and the next morning we hit the road again! 

This time we left during morning nap, stopped in Kansas City for lunch and a visit with my dear friend Erica, and then hit the road during afternoon naps to get home early evening. Catching up with Erica on the way back through was such a treat too. She is such a kind person whom I truly adore. She has such a gift for hospitality and made us such a perfect lunch at her trendy modern downtown loft. The kids loved crawling around their concrete floors and made me a little too nervous around all their breakables!

We had such a fun trip! I love doing little things like that with my kids. Although yes it is hard without Jimmy by my side to help with nap times, discipline, etc. I love proving to myself that I can do things on my own. I'm blessed with kids that travel well because Lord knows we love to travel, so we are able to go on little adventures and show them the world!

me and my early riser

lily talking to baby shae

shae

shae and i in the water

babies lovin it

clean eating

A few months ago Jimmy and I decided to really change the way we eat. We decided to eliminate processed food, as best we can, cut out the pop and most sugars, and eat primarily lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, or what some would call "clean eating" I honestly thought it would be so much harder than it has been. The first few days were really rough for me without pop, I would say I drank the equvialent to 1 diet coke every day for probably the last 5 years or so. So for me that was the toughest part. However, once I got past those 3 days where I was literally going through withdrawl - scary that this can happen for only pop! it's been SO much better. 

So far Jimmy has lost almost 50 lbs! and I've lost 15. We both feel great and while I think he'd like to lose just a bit more I still feel like I have a ways to go BUT we are proud of our accomplishment so far - especially Jimmy, why is it so easy for guys?! We are thrilled that we've been able to do it using no supplement products or vitamins and truly do it the natural way. While I have been working out 4-5 times a week for the past few months Jimmy has yet to find the time in his schedule to do so. However, I'd say we've made some significant changes and conscious decisions to be more active. Whether that means a bike ride or walk at night, Jimmy signing up to play in a flag football league, or me riding my bike to the pool instead of driving, it's been good!

I can't say that I feel a whole lot different, my clothes definitely fit better and I am back in all my pre-pregnancy clothes but it definitely feels good to just be active and feel good about what we're putting in our bodies. And Jimmy would definitely say he feels better - he was drinking lots of pop, eating snacks and sometimes lunch out of the vending machines at work, and felt so tired by the end of his work day. Now he drinks no pop (or coffee!), I make him a healthy lunch every day for him to bring along, we've stocked his work drawers with healthy snacks for him to grab if needed, and he has much more energy to play with our kiddos or do something active together at night. I've loved seeing his physical and emotional transformation!

Some people have asked what a typical day of meals looks like and it's really quite simple. While I must say Jimmy would be perfectly content eating the same thing every day for weeks on end, I am not so I definitely have had to find ways to be creative and/or change it up! But, here's what a typical day of meals would like look for us - nothing crazy!

Breakfast - 
Jenna - hard boiled egg, whole wheat toast or cereal, and grapefruit or other fruit, water to drink and a cup of coffee a little bit later in the morning :)
Jimmy - hard boiled egg, vanilla yogurt with fresh berries, water to drink

Lunch:
Jenna - salad with lots of veggies and grilled chicken or turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread and a vegetable for side
Jimmy - turkey sandwich on wheat bread and veggies with ranch. Then I also pack some cheese, grapes, apple, and sometimes some sort of cracker for him to snack on. If he's lucky he gets a homemade granola bar every once in a while too :)

Dinner:
Grilled chicken breast, fresh green beans, salad, and sometimes fruit.

I usually have a few snacks throughout the day as well. Sometimes it's a few slices of cheese and a handful of almonds, other times it's some cut up cucumber or an apple. The key is no, or very limited sugar, and lots of water. I have also found it helpful to eat before I am hungry otherwise those are the time when I tend to stray and eat the things I shouldn't be. I must also admit that these last few weeks have been difficult for me. At some point you just get tired of munching on vegetables and want a brownie! So I've allowed myself to enjoy a few things that I previously wasn't and to me that's ok, it's a journey and that's reality. But that's our journey so far. I have a few key goals in mind - a certain weight I want to be by Preston's first birthday and then a certain weight I'd like to be by my 30th birthday! With hard work I know I can get there and slow and steady is definitely the key, in my opinion, to getting it, and keeping it off!

May 2013

July 2013