13th Wedding Anniversary August 2012

Also in August - we celebrated 13 years of marriage.  We love to just get away - even if its in our same town, and stay at a nice hotel, dress up and eat at nice restaurants!  It's a fun little staycation.  We had been hearing about this hotel and decided to give it a try - it did not disappoint!

Before dinner at Bob's Steakhouse

Our amazing room!

The view from our room!

Out by the pool - I love how you can see Dallas's iconic Reunion Tower or "The Ball" as some know it from here!

The Omni has this AMAZING Farm to Market restaurant with an incredible buffet - some of the best food EVER!!!

It was a blast, very romantic and a nice little relaxing getaway from regular everyday life!  Can't believe it has been 13...coming up on 14 years!

Back on Track

 Well its been awhile my blogging friends.  It is summer here in Texas and I am determined to get back on track with this blog.  Since I haven't posted anything since...well...last July (gasp!) I am going to go back a little in time and blog about some things that have happened in our lives over the last 11 months:)  Month by month...a little at a time will suffice, so check back and see what you've been missing:)!!!

Last August

Wait, rewind to Christmas 2011 - Jae, my sister, gave Kaden and Kinsley passes and money to use toward the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History...we didn't make it until August, and I'm glad we waited because they had this hilarious exhibit called Grossology that was all about the grossest parts of our bodies and how they function - pretty entertaining:)  We laughed all day!!!  Afterwards we walked around the rest of the museum - if you've never been and you are visiting Texas soon with little ones - its a must - awesome place!!!

Here we are entering the mouth entrance.  And inside the nose - which simulated a sneeze, blowing air and all:)

After the exhibit at the rest of the museum - a GIANT lite brite:)

And last but not least...Fun with Shadows!

Also in August, my sister, Jayna and family came to see my sis Jae's new baby Cash, and they spent a few fun filled days here.  This is at NRH20 - an amazing water park by our house!

We also visited the Chihuly exhibit at the Arboretum - such a gorgeous place and the exhibit was AMAZING - Chihuly is one of my favorite artists!

Here's my favorite glass blown sculpture by Chihuly! - Mezmorizing!

And what would a trip to the Arboretum be without a splash in the fountains?

Saint Patty's Day 2013 - Top O' The Mornin' To Ya Breakfast

TOTALLY DOING THIS TOMORROW!!!  

Can't wait!  

Head to www.mysisterssuitcase.blogspot.com for the invitation and all the FREE printable food labels - you still have time!!!  Stay tuned for pics of our breakfast...and many other updates coming soon!!!

New Year Resolutions

Here we are another year gone by and another in front of us!  Well, Lord knows I need to resolve to keep up this blog better, I am the WORST at it lately!  

We actually sat down as a family, or well, I sat down and forced my hubby and two kiddos to sit down and wrote out our resolutions!

I love doing this every year, there is just something about it, maybe just the hope of a better self, new adventures, etc.  I'm not sure, but I love it, and that is that!  

So, without further ado, I'll share some of mine with you...

1.  I want to read through this book.  It is the Bible written out as a chronological story.  I just want to know the stories of the bible better, I want them to sink in and make sense and I think this book will help me to picture it all on a timeline and make it make sense!  I'm excited!  We've already started reading this with our kiddos, so I just plan to continue until we are done!

2.  I plan to continue on my Weight Watchers journey.  It's going ok,  I've been plateauing for quite awhile now, but I joined a Biggest Loser club at school so now its time to kick it up a notch:)

3.  I want to get more organized as a teacher.  I want to truly KNOW my data on each kiddo and I resolve to help them as much as I possibly can to catch up to where they are supposed to be before they leave me.  If I cannot catch them up then I resolve to get them the interventions or help they need!!!  I need this book:

4.  I want to love on my family more.  Be intentional about playing with my kids - take them on surprise trips. Go on dates with my husband more often and surprise him with little love tokens like I did when we were dating:)

and 5.  I plan to write real letters to friends - remember???  Like the good old fashioned kind - I love stationery but I hardly ever use mine:(  I also LOVE getting letters in the mail - but rarely do anymore:( I want to be more intentional about this, and be a better friend - gosh, I'm embarrassed how awful a friend I am sometimes - not that I'm mean, I just don't take the time for friends...but not this year...I want to have them over for tea, set dates to hang out, make dinner plans, send a text, or better yet make a phone call and reach out to those I want to make more meaningful relationships with.  Friends are such a blessing and I feel like I'm missing out on some blessings God has for me sometimes - life just gets so busy, ya know??

In 2013 I WILL learn how to eat cleaner, get better at pilates/health, and patience with my own kids and those I teach.

I will try to make my house a home - add cozy touches, and happy memories throughout.

I will make a difference by being a loving teacher, wife, mom, and friend.

I promise to read my Bible (or The Story) more.

And I will help others by cooking and cleaning more:)

My #1 goal for 2013 is to do LESS WORK and LIVE MORE LIFE!!!!

Here are some words that I want to describe ME in 2013:  happy, loving, joyful, kind, life-giving, peaceful, thoughtful, a bucket filler, and self-sacrificing!:)

All these pictures were taken from google - they are not my own, I simply searched for pics and these were some of the first I found:)

WW - I broke the plateau today!

Down 1 more pound, finally, after a 3 week plateau.  I'll take it:)  Here's what I've been eating:

B:  granola bar and 2 clemetines (literally every day this week):)

L:  baked potato, 1 pat of butter, and a smigen of shredded cheddar cheese, broccoli, pineapple

black bean tacos with avacado, feta cheese, pico de gallo, and salsa

roasted chicken, green beans, a few new potatoes, salad

roasted chicken salad from Arby's with balsalmic vinigrette dressing - this is soooo good!

D:  spaghetti with marinara sauce, salad

McDonalds honey mustard grilled chicken snack wrap

2 slices thin crust cheese pizza, steamed mixed veggies

This is just a sampling from the week, I can't remember everything and my phone is dead at the moment or I'd look it up - so there!

My saving grace this Halloween season - fun size kit kat's - at 2 points a piece I allow myself 1 a day:)  YUM!

Have a great week - hoping for more success on the scale next week!

Ugh - Weight Watchers

I did not lose any weight this week.  I think I've hit a plateau, plus I'm back to work (always lose better in the summer, when I'm working out, and planning what I eat better).  Anyhooo, 1st 6 weeks of school is behind me, and I am vowing to be better this 2nd six weeks - now that I'm in my groove.  Gonna try to leave school by 4:30, ok, no later than 5:00, go work out, then if I HAVE to, go back to work or work from home...see why I'm stagnant right now...so...much...to...do!!!

It's ok, I hear that the closer you get to your goal weight, the harder it gets to lose.  Here's what I wonder...did I pick the wrong scale this last week?  Are some more generous than others?  Why does it show I lose on my home scale but not on the ww one?  Did I wear too much clothing?  Did I forget to go to the bathroom before weighing - ha ha!  WHAT IS IT?  

It really doesn't matter, tomorrow is a new day...a chance for a new beginning, a chance to make better choices, and feel good about it!  

Keep putting one foot in front of the other...this is a marathon, not a sprint people!  We can do this!

Before and After Pics So Far!

Here are some before pics of me.  These were taken this summer in June, I started Weight Watchers July 17th.  

Here is the most recent pic after losing 13 pounds
I don't have a full length yet, but I'll try to be better about updating.  I feel like I can tell a lot in my face - just not as puffy as before, a little more elongated, not so round, and I see my jaw line again:)

Here are some foods that are helping me make it as a teacher and being pressed for time to make breakfast, lunches, and dinners:

B:  Weight Watchers Microwaveable Oatmeal
B:  Weight Watchers Microwaveable Eggs with Green/Red Bell Peppers
B:  a low fat Whole Grain English muffin with 1 TBSP of peanut butter
S:  Fruit - I usually take bananas, grapes, apples, pear/peaches cups with no added sugar, natural applesauce cups, pineapple cups, etc.
L:  I've been taking turkey wraps with whole wheat tortillas, or a microwaveable bean/cheese burrito,  Weight Watchers Smart Ones Microwaveable Meals, pretzels (love those flat ones by Snack Factory), La Croix sparkling water, more fruit, etc.
Sometimes I take a snack size candy bar - those are 2 points - just to have a little dessert:)
D:  pasta with marinara sauce, red beans and brown rice, salsa chicken in the crock pot, frozen microwaveable vegetables, fruit
JELL-O is a great dessert - 0 points, and JELL - O pudding - look for the low calorie weight watcher approved ones (there's a little green triangle on the box with a number of points value)

Other things I do:  I take two water bottles with me daily and it is my goal to finish both before I get out of school, along with my La Croix water.  Get your water as cold as you can, it makes your body work harder to get it back to a normal temp.  I also drink at least one cup of green tea a day - I like the mint green tea:)  I hear it speeds up your metabolism???

As far as working out goes: I keep a set of 10lb dumbells by my bathroom mirror - while my shower warms up I do a couple of reps of curls, and a couple of reps of bicep extensions.  I also love zumba, boot camp circuit training, and walking/running on the treadmill while I watch my weekly shows on TV - great way to get cardio in without thinking too much about it! Sometimes I finish up the treadmill with crunches and planks while still watching my shows:)

Please let me know if you have any questions, I'd love to share with you what works for me.  If you have any other tips leave those as well!  My goal in all of this is just to share my journey!!!  I just want to be a healthier me, and Weight Watchers is basically teaching me how to watch portions and eat in a healthier way than I was before!