Update/Household Changes.

I looked at the last time I posted on this blog and realized it's been too long. A bunch has changed around here since my last post, mostly in the house. We turned the office into our bedroom, bought a new bed and all that. Made our old room the spare room/guest room/Mariah's room. Moved Jon's work space into a spot in the hallway which kinds of separates him from the chaos that goes on downstairs most of the day. We have Kaylee to thank for that :). 


Tyler attended his first semi-formal dance last week. He looked so handsome. He will also be attending the district music festival at the end of March. I'm very proud of him. 


Julie is still doing ballet, and is off and on enjoying it. I think she is bored with it for right now, and keeps saying she won't do it next year. I told her to wait and see how she feels when it starts up again in the fall. I'm very proud of her for sticking with it even though lately she hasn't been feeling it. 


Both kids are doing soccer this year. Julie has been asking to do soccer for a couple of seasons now, and the school soccer is a joke, so we figured we would put her in voltage to see how she likes it. 


We have made our reservations for camping at the end of July. We did this last year, but now it's becoming a traditional big family camping trip. Camping is about the cheapest family vacation we can do, and it's great that we get to go with my family. Kids get to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa, and everyone gets to relax away from home. 


I already have the kids birthday present planned. I'm going to do a large gift for all three of them, and just get them something small on their actual birthday. I really can't wait to give them this years gift, because I think they are going to love it. It's something they've never had, but always wanted. 


The lifestyle changes that I've made are a keeper. I feel a TON better. I have more energy, and my heartburn is gone. Yup you heard me right, no more medication for acid reflux. The kids when they are home eat this way as well, and a good portion of the things I make they eat. When I make something they don't like they always have the option to make a sandwich, or I can make them something else. They both still eat lunch at school, so have the option to eat whatever they want there, but they eat healthy at home. Tyler's weight has dropped by 6lbs since we've made these changes at home, and because he fills up faster he takes in less food. We all do which means our grocery bill is less. Anyone who says eating this way is more expensive hasn't ever tried it long enough to see the benefits. We went from spending 1,200 a month on food to between $500-$700 a month. And no we are not hungry all the time, quite the opposite actually. Goodbye afternoon slump, goodbye being tired all the time, hello ENERGY!!

Family Resolutions?

Is it practical to make resolutions as a family? I've made only a very few, but I'm doing a new small change each week of 2012. All in hopes of being a happier healthier me at the end of 2012. I'm making this year my year of change. I made quite a few changes at the end of 2011, but I just feel like always things could be better. So I'm making it happen. Is it hopefully that as a family we make some changes? One change that everyone really doesn't have much control over is the type of food that's in the house. We will eat healthier in 2012, no questions asked. I've already radically changed my diet, and gradually started changing how and what the kids eat. Baby steps since old habits are hard to break. I'm confident we will get there though. The kids have started taking vitamins. I would start taking mine if they would ever show up. I've started exercising again, after a long time of doing nothing. Getting up and going again felt wonderful. I'm hoping to get the whole family into exercising or at least being more active in 2012. The winter months are always the hardest for the kids to stay active in. 


As for updates around this house, not much is new. The baby is a regular tornado with legs. Destruction and chaos are found where she has last been, so keeping the house picked up is a constant battle. I go back to school in 10 days. A couple of upper level classes this time writing and speech, should be a challenging semester. Then I'll finish out the year with a behavioral science class and be on summer break from May till Sept. Another exciting thing coming up? tax season. Last year I not only did my own taxes but I did my mother in laws and my Mom and Dad's. I don't mind doing it, and it saves them a bunch of money. 


So as a family we will make small changes in hopes of them accumulating to a big one. Going to make 2012 a great year.