P365 - 2014 - Day 151 - like a good boy

P365 - 2014 - Day 151 - like a good boy

It was 9pm and all the kids had gone to bed and I realized that in all of the flurry of activity in our day I didn't take a picture.  So I whistled for my trusty shadow (who had only moments before been completely terrified and terrorized by the washing machine) and told him to sit for a picture.  I needed one of my kids in a picture today.  So he sat and posed like a good boy.

P365 - 2014 - Day 150 - yum, yum, yum

P365 - 2014 - Day 150 - yum, yum, yum

I treated myself to a special lunch today from the vegetarian place here on the island.  I have been wanted to try it for a long time and with a two day cleanse planned for this weekend, I thought I would give myself an extra yummy lunch today.  I love that since I started using the organic superfood nutrition products that I have been using for the past month and some, I have begun to enjoy new and delicious healthy foods as well.  I have moved a bit out of my comfort zone and tried new things.  I am learning to feed my body happy and I can tell you that my vegetarian wrap today with a side of curried couscous soooo fit the bill.  Yum, yum, yum.  Now bring on the weekend cleanse!  

P365 - 2014 - Day 149 - I love to watch them play!

P365 - 2014 - Day 149 - I love to watch them play!

Four years ago, our Saturdays began to revolve around soccer.  Or I should say revolve even more... that was the year that The Boy started playing too and so began the life with three little soccer players in the family.  I can not believe how far they have come from that time or how much they have grown!!  Or soccer days have changed (and increased) and life truly does revolve around this sport in our family.... but I wouldn't have it any other way.  They all love to play the game, they still are having fun, and I love to watch them play! xo

P365 - 2014 - Day 148 - borrowing words

P365 - 2014 - Day 148 -borrowing words

I am borrowing words today..... Thank you for your wisdom.

P365 - 2014 - Day 147 - lounging

P365 - 2014 - Day 147 - lounging

The days are finally warm and sunny (for the time being;-)).  After homework and before heading off to soccer practice, The Princess took her Facetime outside.  I am going to totally "date" myself here and say that when I was her age and I wanted to talk on the phone with a friend, I only went as far as the wire allowed....which wasn't far from my kitchen.  Not today... today's preteens are lounging in back yards in the sunshine - not only talking with their friends (that they just saw an hour before at school) but seeing them via facetime.  It's still a bit strange to me that we have Jetson's technology... ;-)

P365 - 2014 - Day 146 - I was on the "right" side

P365 - 2014 - Day 146 - I was on the "right" side

My Wonderful Husband had to work in the surf shop today while the kids and I headed off the island to our friends' bbq.  After a fun time, we headed back home and watched the line of traffic leaving the island growing the entire way back on Rt72, over the bridge and on the boulevard.  It was bumper to bumper...and while I apologize to those who may have been sitting in it I was grinning ear to ear because I.was.not.  Ya know why?  Because I was the "right" side this year, heading back home...I don't have to leave my island.
:-)

P365 - 2014 - Day 145 - second place

P365 - 2014 - Day 145 - second place

The Bear was at a two day soccer tournament this weekend.  He was asked to be a guest player on another team for an invitation only soccer tournament and he was pretty stoked...even if if meant he missed the beach.  The team brought home a second place medal and The Bear scored two  goals and assisted on a few as well.  Super proud of my soccer kid! xo

P365 - 2014 - Day 144 - It has begun

P365 - 2014 - Day 144 - It has begun

It has begun.  The lights are on, the crowds are here...summer has found our island.  And that also means that our beach will be full of friends - some we haven't seen since the end of last summer.  We made a quick trip to the beach for some skimming before I had to take The Bear to meet a friend to drive to a two day soccer tournament.  I had started my day with a run with a friend, a great yard sale find of two lamps for our bedroom, and then my friend and I replanted our beach chairs in their rightful spots and watched this group skim and have fun.  I look forward to many more days just like this one.

P365 - 2014 - Day 143 - pat on my back

P365 - 2014 - Day 143 - pat on my back

My first 30 day cleanse is winding to a close....but this has become a lifestyle change for me so it is simply day 29 of the rest of my life.  But as the first 30 days are ending I have been very introspective.  I am very proud of myself for taking my life into my hands and making positive health changes for me!  I didn't doubt myself for a minute - I knew that I could do this but I really found out that I am braver, stronger, and smarter than I thought.  I am giving myself a great big pat on the back for sticking to this new plan and looking ahead to changes that I can make a permanent part of my life.  My health and well being is important and now that I have a handle on them, I am not letting go.

P365 - 2014 - Day 142 - the combination of those things...

P365 - 2014 - Day 142 - the combination of those things...

My Wonderful Husband had to be in the surf shop all day, it was raining off and on, I continue to have amazing energy, and well...there was still black paint lying around the house.  The combination of those things led to the kids bathroom vanity being repainted. I need to finish the legs and the mirror but I love it!!!

P365 - 2014 - Day 141 - back up singers

P365 - 2014 - Day 141 - back up singers

The Boy had a make up soccer game on a week day so we were all able to drive up and watch him play which was a nice change.  On the way home, there was a bit of a dance party going on in the car....The Bear might have a future in a boy band.....but overall the three of them make great back up singers for me. ;-)

P365 - 2014 - Day 140 - Ahhhh

P365 - 2014 - Day 140 - Ahhhh

Another sneak peek at our master bedroom... I am not completely done yet.  I need to hang some things and get new lamps.  But I found the perfect fresh, white bedding with that same pop of color and a seahorse pillow to top it off!!!  Ahhhh

P365 - 2014 - Day 139 - I love love love it!

P365 - 2014 - Day 139 - I love love love it!

We are in the process of finishing the unfinished things in the house - trim. blinds, paint, etc.... and I am in the process of redecorating our master bedroom.  I found someone who paints furniture and had her do this beauty in the pop of color I have been wanting in our room.  I love love love it!!!

P365 - 2014 - Day 138 - he may have gone down but he wasn't out

P365 - 2014 - Day 138 -he may have gone down but he wasn't out

It was supposed to be "Tour the State of NJ Sunday" with three games in three different places and somewhat different times and two cars.... We ended up shortening our tour by one game each - we just couldn't make it to all three for more than maybe 15 minutes each.  So that being said, I caught half of The Bear's game, all of The Boy's game, but none of The Princess' game.  My Wonderful Husband was with The Bear since he is the coach and brought The Princess to her's but missed The Boy's.  Such is the life of a soccer family....  Since I had missed the second half of The Bear's game, I also missed the incident that lead to this picture - and I am sort of thankful about that.  It sounded bad enough when I got the story second hand when we all met up at home and The Bear limped inside.  He got "crushed" from behind by another player with a cleat right to the back of his knee.  He came out of the game for a bit and then asked "Coach" to let him back in...he may have gone down but he wasn't out - This kid is tough.

P365 - 2014 - Day 137 - Life.is.good.

P365 - 2014 - Day 137 - Life.is.good.

The kids have been waiting and asking.  They have been ready to get back on their skim boards since the fall.  Unfortunately, The Bear's soccer tournament was cancelled today - but fortunately that gave us time to head up to beach get the kids on the boards and in the water. The first day on skim boards this year.  All is right with the world.   Life.is.good.

P365 - 2014 - Day 136 - proud of myself

P365 - 2014 - Day 136 - proud of myself

I am on Day 22 of my nutritional cleanse and every day I feel and look better.  I am proud of myself for doing this for myself.  I feel good inside and out.

P365 - 2014 - Day 135 - out of the classroom

P365 - 2014 - Day 135 - out of the classroom

The semester is over and My Wonderful Husband is home for the summer and back to his summer job.  Off goes the "professor hat" and on goes the "surfer hat" - truth be told the surfer hat is never really off....that is his passion.  He surfs all winter and lives for that time in the water.  While he is still known as The Professor around the surf shop, he is out of the classroom and in the shop or the water... talking surfing, selling boards, and giving lessons.  The calendar may not say it's officially or unofficially summer yet.  The weather may not be saying that it's summer yet.  But it IS summer and this is what it looks like.

P365 - 2014 - Day 134 - just me

P365 - 2014 - Day 134 - just me

Dinner is cleaned up, lunches are made, and all the kids and My Wonderful Husband are at the soccer fields. It's just me tonight...catch up on the blog and maybe get back to my book for a little while before the troops come back. :-)

P365 - 2014 - Day 133 - cozy little corner

P365 - 2014 - Day 133 - cozy little corner

My list of  "To Do's" might be a bit overwhelming... My Wonderful Husband might be wishing he could go back to work sooner than later..... But I am soooo looking forward to finishing up some things inside as well as getting the back and front yards together.  I have plans... I always do. :-)  So far, I have this cozy little corner on my back deck and my new cushions came today!  If I hadn't been coffee-free these past 19 days, I would have said that's all that is missing... :-)  But since I am coffee free, I think this is the perfect spot for a morning shake and a book before a run!

P365 - 2014 - Day 132 - Good Morning Sunshine

P365 - 2014 - Day 132 - Good Morning Sunshine

Today was a big day for me in terms of my cleanse... it was Day 18 and another weigh and measure day.  I was down a total of 11.6 pounds and a total of 28 inches.  I was very proud of myself and my progress.  After a nice run in the warm sun with My Wonderful Husband, we got started on some things around the house that have been waiting to get done.  Namely - our bathroom.  I was beside myself happy to see the window starting to come together - that picture will have to wait until the shutters are in - and to finally hang things on thew walls and do my favorite thing - DECORATE. :-)  Good Morning Sunshine - I like waking up to this pretty bathroom.

P365 - 2014 - Day 131 - Happy Mother's Day to me

P365 - 2014 - Day 131 - Happy Mother's Day to me

I know it might sound strange to many people..but I would gladly trade brunches and other Mother's Day festivities to watch my kids play soccer.  So I wasn't upset at all that all three kids had games today.  I was more upset that I wouldn't be able to see all of them.  I was supposed to take The Boy to his game in Pt Pleasant but the game got canceled at the last minute due to field conditions at the other club and I couldn't make it to The Princess's game at that point.  But I was able to go to The Bear's which I was happy about because I had missed his last few.  His Mother's Day card for me promised a win just for me and that is what I got - a nail biter of a game with an exciting 4-2 win with the last 3 goals scored in two minutes.  I can not put into words how much I love these three - they are the reason I get to celebrate today - my greatest accomplishments and my most treasured gifts.  Happy Mother's Day  to me. xo

P365 - 2014 - Day 130 - two cuties

P365 - 2014 - Day 130 - two cuties

These two cuties had a great day - they spent some time at the park, walked up to the beach, went to the Chegg for dinner, and had some Skipper Dipper for dessert.  Now hopefully they will get some sleep tonight because they need to be ready for their soccer game tomorrow.

P365 - 2014 - Day 129 - celebratory kind of day

P365 - 2014 - Day 129 - celebratory kind of day

It was a celebratory kind of day (even if the weather was dreary...)  The Bear and The Princess had a "moustache party" in their classes to celebrate the end of the 5th grade ASK test.  The Princess and her friend were wearing these matching shirts and The Bear was an original. (both designed by yours truly ;-)) My Wonderful Husband made his LAST trip to campus for the semester.  That's all folks...until August!  We made it through the first year of this crazy schedule and routine.  As for me, today was the half way mark on my 30 day cleanse.  Day 15 and going strong.  The Boy wasn't celebrating anything in particular...just another day in the life of a 9 year old. :-)

P365 - 2014 - Day 128 - My baby is 9

P365 - 2014 - Day 128 - My baby is 9

Nine years ago we were blessed with the final piece of our family.  He completed us and made us the family of five that we are now.  He appropriately arrived on Mother's Day and has been a gift ever since.  He is a bundle of unlimited energy, boundless determination, as well as endless smiles and laughter.  It feels like the blink of an eye and here we are entering his last single digit year.  He is growing at warp speed right before our eyes....some days I wish I could tell him to just slow down.  He is my baby, after all.  But I am so absolutely proud of the young man he is becoming...even if it is happening too fast for my taste.  Nine years old.  My baby is 9.  My wish for you is a lifetime of happy birthdays, yummy cake, candles to blow out and lots of love!!!  We "love you to pizza"!

P365 - 2014 - Day 127 - last night he'll go to bed an 8 year old

P365 - 2014 - Day 127 - last night he'll go to bed an 8 year old

Tomorrow my youngest enters his last single digit year.  How did we get here already?  Where does the time go?  Who is this big, handsome, funny, grown up kid?  He was just my baby.  My Mother's Day baby.  He was just learning to walk.  He was just curled in my lap watching Max and Ruby. He just marched into preschool with a determined (if not a little apprehensive) look on his face.  He just laced up his first pair of cleats and walked out on the soccer field.   How did he get so big, so fast?   He told me tonight that this is the last night he'll go to bed an 8 year old.  When I swallowed the lump in my throat, I told him I needed a picture to document that.  This was his magical year - remember? He turned 8 last year on the 8th and that made it magical (of course).  I hope this past year lived up to that for him and I hope that this next year is even better.  I told him if 8 was great, than 9 will be just fine.  His last single digit year.  I swear I only blinked.

P365 - 2014 - Day 126 - a late night

P365 - 2014 - Day 126 - a late night

My Wonderful Husband had to make one of his final trips to campus and traveling all in one day proved to be a long day.  I waited for a while but finally went to bed when I he wasn't too far away.  I have been going to bed much earlier while on my cleanse so this was a very late night for me.

P365 - 2014 - Day 125 - Mangia!

P365 - 2014 - Day 125 - Mangia!

This morning My Wonderful Husband requested my gravy for dinner.  I have been having my "good meal" at lunch during this cleanse so far but I wanted to be able to sit down with my family for this dinner.  During soccer season, there are so few days that we have time to all sit down and eat as a family that it is important that I do - even if I am on my 30 day nutritional cleanse.  I decided to substitute my pasta with whole wheat spaghetti and make a big salad for everyone but I was worried about whether or not I should have one of my meatballs tonight.  So I emailed my friend and coach on this health and wellness journey and blabbered on about how I didn't know if it would be ok...should I or shouldn't I? Blah Blah Blah.  Mind you, I woke up today on this 11th day of the cleanse and I was down 9 lbs, so I wanted to keep up the good work.  When my friend emailed me back, she said Eat the meatball!  Basically she said remember the big picture...yes you want to get good results during these 30 days, but you also want to look at this in the long run...I am changing my habits and making my body healthier and one meatball at dinner won't change all of the good that I am doing.  She told me - Mangia! I needed to hear that and that is exactly what I did.  I sat down with the family, had dinner and enjoyed the time with them,

P365 - 2014 - Day 124 - post soccer wings with their Dad

P365 - 2014 - Day 124 - post soccer wings with their Dad

It was another "soccer Sunday" - three kids, three games, two parents (one who coaches) and two locations.  Soccer Sundays are busy and fun - My Wonderful Husband and I LOVE to watch our kids play. ( I just wish we could see all of them play each week.. but such is the life with three kids that play travel ball) It was also Day 10 of my nutritional cleanse and a "cleanse day".  By the time we got home from the park after the end of the last game, the kids and My Wonderful Husband were hungry.  I was feeling pretty good.. and because it was a cleanse day, I wouldn't be having a regular meal for dinner so I sent them out.  They all felt bad - "Mom are you sure you don't mind?"(They were going to the Chegg) but I was fine.  I am in this 100% and missing one dinner at the Chegg is not going to be the end of the world for me, but I am glad they all got to go and enjoy some post soccer wings with their Dad.  (even if The Boy doesn't look like he was enjoying himself...can you say exhausted?) Me?  Since I was freezing from being in the park all afternoon (you know because it's May?), I washed up and got my pjs and robe on and watched a little Lifetime while I had a little alone time... :-)

P365 - 2014 - Day 123 - got a little creative

P365 - 2014 - Day 123 - got a little creative

 It was a sunny, warm day - that coupled with the fact that I am on Day 9 of my nutritional cleanse - and I was feeling great.  My Wonderful Husband and I finally got the new screens in the windows this morning which meant that we could let the beautiful fresh air in!  Then the kids all went with their Dad to watch his girls' soccer game and I had time for an awesome 5 mile run in the sun.  No layers of clothing today - it was warm enough for shorts and a tank top and that made me very happy!  Later on in the day, I worked on some things around the house.  With all of the energy and focus that I have had during this cleanse, I feel like I am getting so much more accomplished!  I even got a little creative and made this wreathe for our front door.

P365 - 2014 - Day 122 - joined me for lunch

P365 - 2014 - Day 122 - joined me for lunch

I am so lucky to have a husband that listens to me, supports my decisions, and even jumps on board once in a while. :-)  I have the best cheerleader on my side during this 30 day nutritional cleanse.  He has no doubt that I have the determination and will power to do this and he listens when I talk about the positive long term changes I want to make for myself and the rest of our family.  Since he was home today, he not only joined me for lunch but helped make it too.  We feasted on grilled turkey burgers (mine on a bed of romaine lettuce and his on a roll) and whole wheat pasta with grilled veggies (mine with feta and his with parmesan).  On the 8th day of this cleanse, I am feeling super.. woke up early, went for a 4 mile run in the sunshine, and still have energy to spare.  Today was a weigh and measure day and I am down 6.6 lbs and 16 total inches!  Those results, my continued energy, and the support of My Wonderful Husband and I am ready to take on the next 22 days!!

P365 - 2014 - Day 121- Awesome

P365 - 2014 - Day 121 - Awesome

I saw this sign online today and thought... yes!  I need that hanging on my wall! Today is Day 7 on my cleanse and I continue to feel Awesome!  ;-)