Room Mates!

The boys have been asking for MONTHS to move into the same room. I resisted at first. I had to share a room until I was 14, and I hated it. I wanted my own space, and with three sisters, there was none to be found. But, Cole and I realized the sincerity of the boys' wishes, and decided to finally make it happen. The boys left our house on Saturday to stay the night with Nina and Poppy with no inclination of what they would come home to on Sunday, and believe me when I say, it was worth every second of our seven hour, round-trip drive to make the room mate dream become a reality. I guess when your kids are accustomed to the simple life, a new bed seems like a thousand Christmases rolled into one, and for that I will be forever grateful and more determined to keep on keepin' on, just as we always have.

It's soooooo cozy. I just love it!

It's Hot, Don.

Today was WARM. For the first time in a very, very long time. I did not handle the winter well this year. In fact, each year it's getting harder and harder. BUT, hearing the boys squeal as they ran through the sprinkler and gasp each time the cold water hit them was just that much sweeter today because of the memory of the harsh weather which just recently decided to leave us.

There is a very good chance that I love summer even more as an adult than I did as a child. Probably because I now fully grasp how fleeting childhood is. I appreciate the long, hot days more. I feel the excitement of getting in the pool more. I cherish the quiet dinners where I know everyone is exhausted because we made the most of every minute of the day. And I never want it to end.

Easter Eggs

We colored Easter eggs this year and it was a total success. The boys had a blast, it was super messy, and the end result was lovely.

Update!

Well, I had the most sincere intentions of being more devoted to ye olde blog, but...it didn't happen. So a quick update of the Anderson Family Happenings will have to do for now, and when summer rolls around and I'm back to SAHM, maybe the regular updates will come pouring forth. We'll see.

It was a very static-full spring.

Got to see a joey riding along with his mama at the zoo. If I were a marsupial there's a 100% chance that Eli still wouldn't be ready to leave the pouch.

Man, they're growing.

There it is, folks. The biggest mining truck Cat makes.

Ian loves feeding the chickens at school. It is his favorite job.

So much Charlie and Lola. It's about all we read these days. Thankfully, there are about two zillion Charlie and Lola books. (And they're really cute.)

Check out these studs in their Easter duds.

Ho, hum. I'd forgotten how filthy Ian gets everyday of summer until he sweetly reminded me the other day.

And, the little man is writing quite a bit these days. Here, he made himself a stash of poppy seed muffins.

Spring Time

After one of the coldest winters on record, Spring is finally coming around. Thank you, Spring! 

We worked in the yard Sunday, clearing out flower beds and spreading mulch. It was wonderful, and more importantly, I believe this weather is here to stay. According to the 10 day forecast, which I check more frequently than I take breaths, there will only be ONE measly day in the next ten where the temperatures won't get into at least the 50's. Hallelujah! I need warmer weather and my boys need to be OUTSIDE making messes. I'm done with the inside messes.

I even took a few pictures around the yard to prove that old man winter has FINALLY given up for the year.

These have shot up since Sunday! When we were spreading mulch they were not this tall, and there were no pending blooms.

Tulips are ready to show their pretty little heads.

Oh, the peony bushes! Some of my favorites.

And, alas, this little dude. Poor Eli.

Unfortunately, this guy's daily prescription allergy meds can't keep up with the pollen count right now, so he's quite miserable and agreed to a rare (I'm talking spotting-big-foot-riding-on-a-unicorn-while-drinking-from-the-holy-grail, rare) nap. But, I must say, he looks pretty stinkin' cute snuggled in bed with Teddy and Little Jakey.

Day 17 of 24

Look what I've had stashed in my freezer for over two weeks...

TWO boxes of Thin Mints! One is unopened and the other has one cookie missing, which I had given to Eli to try and he rejected! (Cue the GASP!) I know! What is wrong with this kid?!

This might not be a big deal to some people, but for me this is amazingly stupendous good news. Ordinarily, I would eat those cookies like they were going to turn to dust if they sat in my house for more than a week three days. But this year it's different. Cole and I are chugging our way through our 24 Day Challenge and my commitment has even surprised me!

So, here's a bit of an update on how we're doing, and what we are learning about properly nourishing (<--Cole HATES it when I use that word) our bodies.

:: We have both lost about 7 pounds.

:: I haven't been hungry at all. When you only eat fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and complex carbs...you can eat a lot, and I do mean a LOT!

:: We quit eating carbs after 4:00 p.m. This was a suggestion from a friend, and we have both found this is a good plan for us. Cole even coined a term: "carbage." Carbage is a combination of the words "carb" and "garbage" and describes the unnecessary carbohydrates eaten in the Anderson house after 4:00 p.m.

:: Cole had a mid-afternoon crash the other day, and when he looked back at his food for the day he realized he hadn't eaten any complex carbs for lunch. It was the only change from many other days before, and it was the only day he felt tired in the afternoon. Now, he is sure to eat some complex carbs for lunch.

:: I have been going to the gym at 5:00 a.m. three days a week. Dear, lord, I hate getting up that early, but the truth is...if I don't exercise first thing in the morning, I'm not going to exercise. Period. So, I sleep in my gym clothes, get up at 4:45, brush my teeth and hair, and head to the gym with my friend.

:: I'm finding it very easy to make good choices. For instance, the other day I knew I was going to eat fajitas (with no tortillas) for supper. I really wanted some of the guacamole Cole had made to go with my fajitas that night. So, when I was about to choose some pistachios for an afternoon snack, I put them back and had an apple instead since I knew I was going to have a fatty avocado at supper. What choo say, Danielle? Yep. I totally did that.

:: Now that we are a couple of weeks in, my cravings for junk are basically nonexistent. This is pretty major because I could honestly live on pizza and cheese popcorn and be in total heaven. Sure, I'd feel like crap, but it would taste sooooo good.

:: I feel great! I've had so much more energy. I don't drag in the morning (even when I get up at 4:45) and I make it all the way until 10:00 or 11:00 p.m. (depending on my wake-up time) feeling pretty good.

:: My arthritic hands and knees are feeling great. My hands aren't loosey-goosey when I wake up, but they are leaps and bounds more flexible than they had been. I can't even hear my right knee "crunch" anymore. My left knee is still crunchy, but not as badly.

:: It takes two. I have had issues with my weight forever. It makes it soooo much easier for me to have Cole committed to making healthy choices as well.

:: Our fridge smells good. This is kind of weird, but when your fridge is full of nothing but fresh produce it smells really, really good.

:: This plan is exactly what I need. I have done Weight Watchers before, and it is not good for me. Weight Watchers advertises that you can still eat what you want and lose weight. And this is true. But, I abused the system. I would eat like a bird for breakfast and lunch, hoarding all my points, and then binge eat at supper. Sure, I would be losing weight, but I wouldn't necessarily be any healthier than before. I had the same bad habits, but I just worked around them instead of trying to eliminate them.

So after 17 days that's where we find ourselves. It's the beginning of what needs to be a large change for me, but it's definitely a great start!

President's Day

I spent President's Day at home with the boys, as always, but we did something a little different on this non-school day. We made an instrument store! Eli got this instrument set for his birthday, and while the volume generated by this toy can be a bit overwhelming, the boys ADORE these instruments. I hear them everyday.

Ian minded the till.

You got to have a lesson and try all of the instruments before you bought them.

Then we set up a uniform store. Eli needed more options at the ready.

Cutest little inadvertent selfie. Ian is fascinated by the camera and taking pictures. He didn't have a clue he was taking his own picture.