20 Weeks

I am normally an "eat meat sparingly" kind of person, but lately I find myself wanting to eat it even more sparingly.  I don't think I would ever say I'm a vegetarian because I think that moderation in all things is important, but I am avoiding buying meat like the plague and find myself googling how to get protein in your diet without meat.  I think I might be scaring Jake just a tad.

I want to start jogging again.  I was really enjoying it in San Antonio before my hips hurt.  Maybe I'll work up really slowly and jog in the mornings or evenings while Jake is home.  I definitely need to work some exercise into my calorie counting days (which are still going great by the way).

I try and do one "artsy" thing each day with the kids.  Yesterday it was scissors and glue sticks.  They cut up some Wal-Mart toy ads and it was so exciting for them.

Today we're going to chip away at some toys I froze in bowls of water.

I've been packing Jake's lunches/dinners each day.  He really likes it and I try and tell myself it's cheaper than a $5 sub.  Those subs are CHEAP.  By the time I buy all the fresh fruits and veggies I feel like Subway just might be a better deal, but Subway doesn't have sandwich rounds (think bread for 100 calories) which we LOVE.  Speaking of buying fresh, why do I not have a garden?  I LOVE the idea of gardening and think I'll just stop talking about it and bite the bullet again and plant.  FL seems to have a year round growing season so something should be plant-able right now.

We're still able to swim.  I had the girls swimming laps yesterday and it sure wore them out.  Mali Su excitedly just used  a swimming noodle and not her normal floatie yesterday.  She was so excited and I could tell felt a little more grown up.  I'm really excited for her to know how to swim.  It will be one less worry for me.  I told Jake when/if we do buy here in FL I've decided I want a pool.  I was always anti-pool because I worry a lot, but having one has changed me.  We have alarms on all the doors leading to the pool and I find myself checking them almost every time I walk by. 

We are staying here for the holidays and I'm thrilled.  My dad sold his house at the beginning of the year and since he's in transition it doesn't really work out for us to visit TX.  Jake also only has Christmas eve/day off so traveling would be out anyway.  I see my Mom here in FL and we just passed through back in October and saw family/friends.  So here's to our first Christmas with only our little family (at least I believe it is).

My eyes are bothering me and I thought I had pink eye yesterday but now they are on the mend.  It's quite odd and painful.

Solomon really loves food.  None of my babies since Aimi Lark have loved food like he does.  My Mom feeds him yummy food so I think he is starting to associate her with food.

I really need to set-up a time-out spot.  I am not consistent in the least with my punishments.  I find myself more the type to offer incentives for good behavior than punishments for bad behavior.  It keeps me calmer and I feel my parents rewarded me for being good when I was older so it should work while they're young, or so I hope.  Now don't think I bribe with things such as, "if you're good I'll buy you a new toy."  It's more like, "after your naps we'll go swimming (or paint or have a snack)."

I'm so ready for the real estate class to end so that we can go to DISNEY.  I feel like we've missed so much good holiday time at Disney since Jake's been in this class/working 7 days/week.  He says this weekend we're going and I cannot wait (the kids ask almost daily to go).

My kids are CONSTANTLY asking for food for the last two weeks.  It's like they're eating because they're bored or maybe they're growing?  I start to feel bad for saying, "No" but we're not going to just graze.

Well off to vacuum.  I love to vacuum!  Seriously, I do.  That and making beds is my favorite chore, those two things instantly make things seem cleaner.