Kindergarten & Preschool - Last Day

First Day

Last Day

We made it! I made it! Kindergarten is mastered and with it we've mastered many fears. I (yes, the mom) came a long way this year (you can read my First Days of Kindergarten posts Here and Here). I came full circle. I cried on the first day of Kindergarten out of worry and fear, and this morning I teared up again as I watched my big girl walk into the school for her last day. But, this time, the tears were pure joy and pride in the person she has become. She amazes me! This school year, she mastered all of her required skills in geography, counting, and reading. She loves to read and solve math problems. She made wonderful friends. She was given extra homework pages to challenge her during the second semester. She mastered Kindergarten and First grade sight words. She played on her first outdoor soccer team. She flew on her own set of wings. She's growing up. She's. Growing. Up. And, I'm very proud to be her mom!

Lou also had a milestone year as she finished her last year of Preschool at our church. In August, she will enter the Pre-K program at Creekwood. I'm sad to leave our church school, but so very thankful for the time that she and Bailey got to spend there. Lou has also grown a lot this past year. She started the school year with really long hair, but donated it in the early Spring in honor of her cousin, Ashleigh, who was just declared cancer free from Lymphoma two weeks ago! Praise the Lord! Lou also played in her first outdoor developmental soccer league, and really enjoyed it. And ... she found her sense of style and sass (as you can see in the above picture). We sure do love this crazy girl!

New Traditions: Flowers and dinner out on the last day of school. Both girls were so excited to get flowers, and to pick the place to eat! Someone (grandma Weasey) please remind me of these two traditions next year so we can keep them going!

Like I said before, I've also grown this year. I've matured from fear of the drop off line at school and wondering if Bailey will ever make it to her class to now wondering why the Pre-K school that Lou will be at next year doesn't offer a drop off line. We have to walk the kids in? What?! Nonsense, she'll be fine ... but then again she is 4 and she won't be my little girl for much longer. So, I'll walk her in and I'll love every moment of it!

And, what about this little toot, you ask? Come this Fall, she and I will be enjoying some much needed Mommy & Me time. She won't know what to do with all of that attention, and I won't know what to do with only one child. But for now, LET'S GO BRING BACK SUMMER!

23 Pounds Lighter!

Six years ago I was pregnant with our first daughter and I made a promise to my closest friends that we would not let our bodies go after having kids. Little did I know that my husband and I would have three beautiful daughters back to back (all within 3 1/2 years) and the weight would not have time to come off between each pregnancy. But, I made a promise.

On Oct 13th, 2012, I started working out with the weight set in our garage (story here), and on Oct 19th, I was invited to a Pumpkin Boot Camp by an old friend that I hadn't seen in years. I had no idea what that class would do for me. A year and half later, I still attend boot camp three times a week with the same friend that originally invited me and with many other amazing women that I've met along the way. This is more than a time to workout, this is bonding with lifelong friends, genuine support, and a truly unselfish group of women that want to see me reach my goals. I'm forever grateful for these ladies. I love you girls! (If any women want to join me, please let me know. You won't regret it!)

From Oct 2012 to Dec 2013, I lost 11 pounds. I was working out 3 times a week, running 3 times a week, and playing soccer once a week. I even ran my first half marathon in Nov 2013. You would think with all of that activity that I would shed pounds easily, but it just wasn't happening and I knew why. I was still eating the same way. So, after being introduced to Arbonne's 30 Day Challenge (and ignoring its benefits for 8 months), I along with family and friends, finally took the challenge in Jan 2014 and I haven't been the same since. Those 30 days taught me to gain control of my food instead of my food controlling me, and my lack of weight loss. I learned to substitute healthy foods for unhealthy foods, I never felt deprived, and the weight came off. I lost 7 pounds in Jan and the last 5 pounds as I've kept up the 80/10/10 follow up plan. (If anyone wants to join my 30 Day Challenge team, please contact me! Again, you won't regret it!)

Today, a year and a half later, three unexpected surgeries later, and many crazy life changes later, I stepped on the scale and I saw my goal weight. I did it! I'm thrilled! I completed my promise!

Before & After

I've already set new goals and I have no doubt that I will meet them, one day at a time! And, if you're wondering, we chose the top color and we plan to paint soon. Ha!

Ephesians 4:16 - From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

The Lesson Can Wait

I had major surgery 4 weeks ago so I'm suppose to be resting ... which is impossible. I've heeded my doctors warning of not lifting and I sat around a lot the first 3 weeks, but since then I've slowly started doing more work around the house. Today, as I was changing the sheets on our bed, I saw my two year old sneak into her sisters room with a pacifier (aka paci) and close the door. She only uses a paci at nap time and bedtime so I knew that she had taken advantage of me being in the bedroom and she climbed onto the kitchen counter to get the paci out of the higher set of cabinets. In other words, she's in trouble!

Let me backtrack: She was doing this EXACT thing yesterday when she fell off the counter top and almost bit through her bottom lip. Lots of blood. Lots of panic (that was me). No teeth were loose. She was fine. Fives minutes later, I caught her climbing onto the counter top again. Apparently the lesson wasn't learned?!

As I headed down the hall toward her sisters room, I was irritated that she had climbed on the counter again and irritated that I wasn't watching her more closely. I opened the door, rather frustrated, to find her tucked into the bed with her face toward the wall. Instead of reprimanding her, I climbed into bed and snuggled close to her while she faced the wall ... "hiding" the paci from me. I let her enjoy sucking on the paci while I rubbed her back. I then looked at the wall by the bed and saw that her sister had colored a partial smiley face on the wall. Instead of getting mad, I smiled. This time will pass too quickly. The lesson can wait.

Ruth 4:16 - "Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him."

BRCA: Two Weeks Post Hysterectomy

While sitting in the waiting room this morning, I was surrounded by three pregnant women. They looked great. They looked very close to delivery. They looked like something that I will never be again. I'll be honest, a slight sadness set in because I'll never be pregnant again. Don't get me wrong, we never intended to have more kids seeing as my husband got "fixed" a few years ago, but this was the final nail in the coffin. Done. Finished. No more kids. It just took that moment for things to settle in and become more real. I'm good now.

Before entering the exam room, I had a very small ... super tiny ... ok, medium sized ... hope that my doctor would release me to do some normal activity; however, when the nurse walked me in the room and said "since this is your two week check up, you won't have to undress," I knew my chances were slim. Don't they know I'm Superwoman?!

If this surgery has done anything for me (besides saving my life), it's taught me that it's ok to take off my Superwoman cape. It's ok to let others take care of me. It's ok to rest. I'm NOT good at resting and I'm not good at asking for help. Thankfully, I haven't had to ask for help very often because the help has shown up at just the right time, every time that I've needed it. I have an awesome army of friends and family checking on me daily, bringing us dinner, taking my kids so I can nap, having my house cleaned, running to the store, bringing me sweet treats, etc. I'm blessed. I'm VERY blessed!

And, a huge thanks to my husband. He's been MAKING me rest, while he has taken over a lot of the day to day activities at home, after working all day. He's pretty awesome! Again, I'm VERY blessed!

So, as I rest, I'll be thinking about my next check up in two weeks. I'll be longing for the words, "you're released!" Mainly because I want to pick up my kids. Sure, I can hug them on ground level, but it's just not the same. I want to hold them. I also want to run, go to boot camp, play soccer, go to the grocery store, etc, but those are secondary to holding my sweet girls. After all, my family is the reason I went through this surgery in the first place.


Isaiah 58:8 - "Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear..."