8/52

The 52 project: a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014.

Rhone: this serious face is right after a serious game of pirates and shark attacks.

Lachlyn: this girl and her bubbles = Love

ITEMS I'M LOVING

Items I'm Loving by lynnard featuring elastic shoes

LIFE LATELY

Lately it has been raining.  I know, no surprise there, but with combining rain and illness lets just say I think we are all looking forward to spring!  The kids have been sick, Lachlyn in particular took a pretty good hit.  The art pictures are 1 day into antibiotics, and what a difference 1 day makes.  Just yesterday Lach had a 104 temp, and didn't want to do anything but be held. She even let me swaddle her just like the old days - miss those days.  

So I thought it would be fun to do regular posts about our "classes".  Rhone unfortunately hasn't been able to go to preschool just because of financial reasons.  I say unfortunately only because he wants to soo bad.  He asks nearly every day if he can go to school like his friends.  It breaks my heart, he is such a social bug.  But with play dates scheduled and my new home school curriculum, I am hoping that we can get him through till next fall.  And prayers needed that he will actually get into the only preschool in Kirkland that we can afford starting in September.  So today we concentrated on Art.  He has really taken a liking to water colors which I just love because that is my favorite as well.  Lachlyn enjoys stacking her crayons and copying everything her big bro does.  On a very random note... I have always wanted a watercolor tattoo, and am hoping one day to incorporate one of his pieces into mine.

7/52

 The 52 project: a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014.

Rhone: outtakes from Valentines day... "mom, why do I have to smell them, they're fake!"

Lachlyn: knees always tucked, her 2 favorites: her blanket and dolly

SNOW!!

We had such a fun day in the snow that I had to share these moments with you all.  Here is Seattle it only snows a handful of times a year, and everyone get super excited, breaks out the gear and finds the perfect location to spend the day.  We went to a local park where everything turned to a winter wonder land.  Seriously you guys, this day was filled with happiness.  I haven't seen my kids this happy in such a long time.  Smiles from ear to ear for hours!  What also made it incredibly special, was we had family in town from Arizona.  It would not have been this much fun with out them.  So thankful for family and for being able to share these special moments with them.

I know I have talked about this before on this space, but it doesn't get better for KC and I when we see love being showered on our kids. My heart was full that day and I love looking back at these pictures, our moments frozen in time. 

MY 2014 GOALS

So I know, I am a little late on posting about my new years goals... but if I'm being honest here, I didn't really acknowledge that I was doing them until now.  But it's February now, and I am more pumped up than I was in January!  So I thought it would be fun to have a new post section for myself as a reminder and as a obligation to follow through with my goals.  

#1 Goal: Finish my bachelors degree!!
This is a pretty huge one for me.  Lets start with a little boring history on myself... After high school, I started college not exactly knowing what I wanted to be.  So general classes it was for 2 years.  I then decided to do Medical Radiography.  So 1 year pre-reqs + 2 year program.  This is when I earned my associates degree and certification.  I got married! And then went on for another 12 months of school for my Radiation Therapy license.  I got a job in Chicago, IL and have been working full time ever since well until last year :)  During the time of 2006-2014 I have been taking online classes here and there, skipping years, taking 1-2 classes a semester.  Well I finally can see the end.  I am enrolled in my last 2 classes that I need for my degree!! After that, I have a 6 week internship and then I get my bachelors in Health Sciences. whoop whoop! The funny thing is, in all this school, I have taken so many extra classes that I will be graduating with 285 credits (only 120 was required for a bachelors degree)! I mean really? Where's my doctorate? haha. This degree won't really do anything for me in my career other than advancing to management which I probably will never want to do.  But it is a goal that I had years and years ago.  So I am excited and pumped up to finish it this year!

#2 Goal: Get in the best shape of my post high school life!!
I really think that this is one of the hardest things I've done in a very long time. Minus growing 2 kids inside my body of course.  Taking 1 hour out of the day for just myself seems easy but for me, it's been the biggest struggle.  Nap time, after kids go to sleep is really the only time.  But with also squeezing goal # 1 in to the day and needing wanting a bit of time to just sit and relax I am finding that there aren't enough hours in the day.  But I am doing it.  6 days a week, and I am making it a priority.  You know what, when I do get it done, it feels sooo good.  I can just relax and not feel guilty about missing a day.  So what are you doing you might ask?...  I started on Jan. 1st the Tracy Anderson metamorphosis package.  For those of you who haven't heard of this, go look it up! I am in love with this work out program.  For many many years I have tried so many things! Gym: not for me. Yoga: for a bout 6 months then I get bored. Pilates: nice for doing at home but never got the results I wanted. Running: bigger thighs and I hated running.  Needless to say, I am a girl who likes to work out at home.  Tracy Anderson specialized in toning and shrinking your body by working not just your large muscle groups but your accessory muscles as well.  And I can honestly say that after this first brutal month, it works!  I have only lost 7 lbs, but my arms and legs are a lot skinner and I just fit better in my clothes than I did before.  The other positive about this routine is it changes every 10 days.  And she does moves that I have never done before.  They are hard, it makes me wanta cry and give up but because she moves so fast, it keeps my attention and before you know it, your done.  She does recommend a diet plan along with the workouts but the reality is for me this would just never happen. But I am eating healthier.  More protein and veggies.  Smoothies. Eggs not cereal and lots of water and tea.  I feel so much better, I have more energy and feel like I have more control over my body.  And better yet, I have 2 more months to go.  So by the end, I am hoping that I will be in the best shape of my life! Just in time for a vacation to California.  

So I debated this for awhile (so embarrassing) but I am going to post pictures with these posts to encourage me to keep going and hopefully to see progress through photos.  

 Me now  // What I should look like in 2 more months

5/52

The 52 project: a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014.

Rhone: poor kid... I couldn't take his hair being in his eyes anymore so I cut the front into bangs! I instantly regretted it, a couple more months and it could have been long enough to tuck behind ears.  With that said, it is nice to see his face again. 

Lachlyn: silly, goofy, best laugh ever baby girl.  And I mean doesn't she have the cutest teeth hehe