The Ray's

Newborn Photo Shoot

2012-01-25T14:06:00.000-08:00

I got a good deal on a photo session so I jumped on it.

Ashton was a little old at 16 days for the typical newborn session. I had no idea that it's best to do them within the first 5 days of their lives. The older they are the more squirmy and less cooperative they become. He still managed to do pretty good considering.

Nothing more precious.

His feet were the second thing I noticed when he came out. I'm sure you can guess what the first was. :)

Chris and I sure do make some pretty perfect babies. :)

My little tank of a boy.

Gotta love the old man scrunched up face.

He looks so long hanging off like this.

I just love these little lips.

Somebody Special...

2012-01-03T07:23:00.001-08:00

Is 6 years old today!!!

Our sweet little Ellie.

Ellie is her name, she doesn't like Ellison or Elle she insists on Ellie only.

MAJOR drama queen. She can even produce real tears on command.

Loving

Has the bluest most beautiful eyes.

Loves school. But mostly, because she loves her teacher so much that she wants to move in with her.

Creative

We LOVE her under bite smile.

Ellie is very aware of fashion and is the first to compliment you on your jewelry, clothing, hair style, etc.

Sensitive - she cries in movies

Builds special connections with people - Grammy, Great Aunt Jackie & GG McKeown - something special about those McKeown women.

Deep thinker

We love our Ellie more than words can express and are so grateful to be celebrating this special day together as a family.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELLIE!!!

A New School

2011-10-04T08:11:00.000-07:00

Along with all of our changes this summer we decided to add a new school into the mix too.

Ryleigh had been on the wait-list for Candeo for 1 & 1/2 years. Kindergarten registration came and Elle was accepted. That helped move Ry up the list. It wasn't until two weeks before school started that Ry was accepted as well. FINALLY!!! Now, I don't have to worry about picking up two kids at two different schools (15 minutes apart) at the same time. Don't forget about the newborn I'd be lugging in and out of the car. I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

August 3, 2011

LOVE the simplicity of uniforms.

Waiting for the bell to ring.

A good luck hug from daddy.

No tears here. My baby girl is all grown up.

3 & 1/2 hours later we are back at school saying farewell to our Kindergartener!

Too cool for school.

Elle begins her day with specials - art class with Mrs. Carpenter

Good bye hugs from daddy...

and mommy.

We are so happy with our decision in choosing Candeo. The girls love it and Ryleigh has never been happier. They come home and share every detail of what they learned and boy are they learning! I LOVE it.

Baby Ashton

2011-09-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

On the girls second visit to the hospital they were willing to hold their brother.

Ryleigh is a bit nervous.

Elle thinks she's a pro.

The Ray cousins. Such blondies!

My sweet boy

Take me home Daddy!!!

Papa C a.k.a the baby whisperer

Love these faces.

The Cluff cousins

Delivery Day

2011-09-14T07:48:00.001-07:00

Arrived at the hospital @ 6am with "contractions"
Dilated to a 3
Walked and stair-climbed the hospital for an hour to try and start active labor
Dilated to a 4
Call in to Dr for permission to induce labor

It's a go!

Must have meds for strep B before induction

Induction started at 12:30pm

Gotta love epidurals

Broke water at 3pm

Stuck at a 5 for some time
Time to break out the peanut ball to get things moving.
It worked

Contractions became more intense

Upped the epidural drip and feeling good just in time

Started pushing at 6:30pm

Chris likes to watch the t.v. to avoid accidentally looking at something he doesn't want to see.

30 minutes of pushing and out pops this big boy

Ashton Christopher Ray
July 21st 2011
7:00pm

8lbs. 9.2oz 20in.

After seeing we got our boy the next thing I noticed were his long toes. :)

Chris says I'm a wimp in a lot of areas...
"When it comes to pushing babies out, you're a champ."

I'll take that compliment.

Happy new parents

Due to meconium the nurses took him right away

He's perfectly healthy

Proud Daddy

He's a lunker

Precious hands

Love this face

I finally get to hold my little man

I would do it all over again for this little guy

I did it!

Showing off pictures of the very first Ray grandson

The girls meet Ashton for the first time. They aren't sure what to think.

Not ready to touch him yet.

Our family is complete.

A Great Day!!!

2011-07-20T12:14:00.000-07:00

We have officially closed on our house!
The whole process was quite the ordeal.
So glad it is over.

and just in time...

to have this baby...

TOMORROW!!!

I will be going into the hospital tomorrow at 6am for an induction.

2 WEEKS!!!

2011-07-14T06:44:00.000-07:00

Holy Cow!!! Can you believe it?

In 2 weeks OR less NOT more - I won't have it - this precious baby that has been kept safe and sound in my belly will be greeting us.

Will it be a...

or...

How much do you think he or she will weigh?

My guess - Boy 8lbs 6oz - the Dr. said this baby will be a good 8 pounds

Can't wait...

2011-06-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

for my family to get back from their vacation - I miss them terribly
for this heat to go away
to be settled in my own home that is officially mine - this has been the LONGEST 6 months EVER!!!
to be done dealing with dogs
to have my body back
to be able to breath again without a foot lodged up in my ribs at ALL times
for this HORRENDOUS heart burn to be gone
for this insomnia to leave me
to walk again without feeling like I am walking on glass
to meet this amazing child growing inside me that makes all of these woes worth every ounce of inconvenience, discomfort & pain. I wouldn't trade it for anything and would do it all over again in a heartbeat. The love and bond you create with your unborn child is one of the most amazing gifts from God. I am extremely grateful to be given this gift.

Precious

2011-06-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

The girls have a friend over today.

I over heard Ellie tell her this...
"I sleep with Ryleigh because I just love her sooo much".

I hope they always feel this way about each other. I will cherish that sentence forever.

I truly love my girls.

A very special day...

2011-05-10T09:52:00.000-07:00

Baptism Day.

Arrival at church.

Dressed and ready to go.

We are thankful for the amazing priesthood Chris holds and the ability he has to baptize this sweet girl.
Ry and her amazing primary teacher - Sister Dinnell.

I could not be more proud of Ryleigh and for the choices she is making in her life at such a young age.

She is a great example to her little sister.

A proud daddy.

Ryleigh is an official member of The Church of Jesus Chris of Latter Day Saints.

We love you, Ryleigh.
You are an amazing child of God and we are very grateful for the wonderful spirit you bring into our lives daily.

The Final...

2011-05-05T16:50:00.000-07:00

Trimester!

Today marks the day of my 3rd trimester!
28 weeks down 12 to go!!!

Hip-Hip-Hooray!

Looking forward to meeting this little man OR little lady soon.

Sacajawea!!!

2011-05-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

Ryleigh's school class just finished up their very first book reports. The students were able to pick a biography of their choice. They had 3 weeks to read the book, make a report and draw a life size portrait of their character. For the finale they were to give a presentation in class as their character.

Here are the few we saw...

A children's author - can't remember his name.

Clara Barton

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Squanto

And Ryleigh as...

SACAJAWEA!!!

Giving her report as Sacajawea.
She did an awesome job!

We didn't know that we were supposed to cut down the butcher paper she brought home. We made use of every inch! She was by far the tallest picture. And of course the best! :)

Ryleigh did a great job on the art work (I only helped a little - I promise) and on her presentation. She is such a creative smarty pants and we are so proud of her.

I AM SO GLAD IT IS OVER.

Mother's Day...

2011-05-01T08:49:00.001-07:00

at W.O.H. Preschool

The school put on a special day for all the moms/grandma's.

There were several different crafts, a photo shoot and a "tea" luncheon.

We each took turns helping Ellie make her crafts...

Grammy helped with the picture frame.

She is very proud.

Mammy assisted in the decoration of her very own journal.

A candle holder.

and a Bird Feeder.

the photo shoot.
Silly Ellie refused to dress-up for the picture.

Ellie has to be the most special girl ever!
She is so lucky to be able to share in these special events with both her Grammy and her Mammy. Not many girls are lucky enough to have both grandma's so present in their lives.

Look who's...

2011-05-01T08:37:00.001-07:00

Student of the Month!

The school does an outrageous job for all the hard work these kids do.

It is seriously like going to a concert. The teachers put on a great performance and learn the dance moves to the hottest song out. This year it was the song Friday. Worst song ever! However, the teachers made it amazing.

Super proud of my baby girl and all the hard work she has put in to this school year.
Her teacher said... "She is one of those students you want to keep forever. I can't wait to see where she goes."

That's my girl!!!

Made of Money...

2011-04-25T16:21:00.000-07:00

Ryleigh must be made of money and certainly has zero concept of it.When I asked the girls to make their bed Ry responded with... "I need to figure out a way to make Ellie cry so she will do it all herself." Some how that is always the case. I didn't know it was on purpose. I told Ry that is unacceptable and she was not to make her sister upset as a way to get out of making the bed.

Awhile later... Ellie comes bouncing around the corner proud to tell me she was making the bed all by herself . "Ryleigh is going to pay me!" I asked how much she was getting paid. She had no idea and ran to ask Ry. She came back and told me she was getting paid $12 to make the bed!!! I asked Ry about it and told her that was ALOT of money to pay for making the bed. She then decided she would pay Ellie 12 cents instead. I let her know she had already made the deal and that was what she was to pay. In the end Ellie made a whopping $10.02 to make the bed all by herself.

I sure love my girls and all the laughter they bring in to my life.

Servant...

2011-04-22T07:54:00.000-07:00

Ellie: Mom, how about you are the servant and we tell you what we want.

Me: Elle, I really don't want to play right now. I just want to sit down and eat breakfast.

Ellie: Well, you kind of are our servant.

Ryleigh: Yes, you are like a real servant.

Ry & Elle: You make us food, you buy us things, you get us dressed, you do what we want.Guess my title is no longer Mom - it is Servant.

Feel like I'm dying...

2011-04-09T09:49:00.000-07:00

There is no way what I am experiencing is "allergies". I feel like I'm dying!!!
Saw the Dr. 2 weeks ago and she put me on a Zpac for my wheezing. Felt great for two weeks then the coughing came back with a vengeance. Dr. couldn't get me in so I saw the P.A. he tells me it is allergies. There is no way!

I was finally able to fall asleep last night around 2am and slept until 5:30am. Wahoo.
I can't stop coughing and am practically coughing my guts out. My throat is completely raw and I sound like I have been smoking for 30 years. I feel like I got hit by a bus, I have a splitting headache and I NEED sleep!!!

This prego chick needs to feel better soon or I just might go nuts. Oh, wait I already have.

Battery Awareness...

2011-04-06T15:25:00.000-07:00

My friend/hairstylist from our old ward is raising awareness on children and the dangers in household batteries.

They have not had it easy. She had a terrible pregnancy and had to be put on bed rest at 13 weeks (with an 18 month old toddler) she gave birth at 28 weeks. You can read his full story here. Little Emmett was in the hospital for months and had to undergo several surgeries due to his premature birth. Things were looking up for his health and they were beginning to lead a normal life. Then, around his first birthday they discovered their babies life was at risk - completely unrelated to his previous health conditions. Read here.

After about 5 months in ICU @ Phoenix Children's Hospital they have their little boy back. They are now sharing his story in hopes of preventing this danger to so many children. Go Emmett go!

The Worlds...

2011-04-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

Best Daughters Ever!

I came home from the gym this morning to see this stuck in the front door.

It immediately brought a smile to my face.

I opened it and it read...
What!?!?! Are you kidding me!?!

It is 7am and I HAVE to come inside to get Ry dressed, fed and off to school in less than an hour!

Ry then peaks through the shutters just a crack and I ask "Am I supposed to stay out here all day?" She responds with "Just for a few minutes." She then closes the shutters back up and takes off. What on earth is she up to?

I give her a few minutes then ring the door bell. She opens the door but tells me NOT to come in. I see that she is completely ready for school! This is very rare. I am usually on her all morning to get dressed and ready for school - it is quite a task to get done. After a few more minutes both girls come running around the corner. They are announcing with much pride and excitement that they are dressed, fed the dogs and cleaned the house!!!
Who are these girls and what have they done with my daughters!?!?!

They welcomed me in and I couldn't have had a bigger smile on my face. I hugged and kissed them both and let them know how grateful I was for the wonderful surprise. They truly made my day and I am so happy to have these two wonderful girls in my life.

The Big 8...

2011-04-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

and the end of a birthday celebration.

After three days of celebrating we couldn't end it at the weekend. We had to celebrate a little on her actual Birthday which was Monday March 28th.

The breakfast.
Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese & a Grapefruit

Make a wish.

Because I win the mom of the year award...

I surprised Ry and showed up at the school with Subway for lunch.
What makes me such a great mom?
I was a bit on edge/snappy/zero patience and was short with her before she left for school. She was on the verge of tears - ON HER BIRTHDAY! Go Mom!

Luckily, she had forgotten what a terrible mom I was being by the time she walked out the door for school.
I am so glad I got to spend that time with her.
She is growing up too fast and it feels like our time alone together is becoming far and few between.

For dinner we went to her FAVORITE restaurant - Fajita's

She was able to open her presents there.

Her primary teacher gave her this monogrammed baptism towel. So thoughtful.

A new pair of sneakers is pretty exciting!

She has been dying for this butterfly habitat - now we wait for the larva to be mailed.

Ry was begging us to ask if the restaurant would sing Happy Birthday to her. We told her we weren't sure if they still do it. She left to go to the bathroom and when she came back we told her we asked and that they quit doing it. She was so bummed.

We are so mean! :)

Careful what you ask for...
She was a little embarrassed and wouldn't turn around to look at the staff while they sang.

The embarrassment quickly wore off and she enjoyed a yummy cupcake.

As we returned home Ry was welcomed with a "brand new" used bike.
What can I say it was free and we are being tight with our money. :)
Would she really even notice? Who were we kidding? Of course she would!!!
She was very excited and upon closer examination asked " Is it old?"
I responded with "It is vintage it came that way."
Chris gave a brief explanation of what vintage means.
Not sure she bought it but she didn't ask any more questions.

We love you so very much Ryleigh.
Happy Birthday to our beautiful baby girl.

Hiking...

2011-03-28T20:24:00.001-07:00

A Sunday morning family hike.

Who needs a son when you have a husband?

Chris spent the ENTIRE hike looking under EVERYTHING in search of a scorpion.

Nothing under this rock.

Cute little critter.

We hiked to the very tip of the mountain behind us. We were half way down at this point.

Found this little guy under a garbage can.

Had to pet him.

The girls were awesome and made it to the top with a minimal amount of whining.
No judging!!! I'm packing on the lbs, white girl in full glow, lost all my muscle tone & shouldn't be wearing this outfit that is way too small now.

The baby bump.

Still searching...

he was driving me insane!

Check Chris out in the background. :)

I think our hike went twice as long as it needed to due to this nonsense.

The girls have given up.

Chris' O.C.D. continues.

My future cross-country runner.

Ryleigh too.
However, she ended hers like this...

OUCH!
She was running to see what Chris had found under a rock. It was a centipede. My camera died
(due to all the pics I took of Chris) and I didn't get a picture of that or the scorpion. He finally found one under the very last rock by the parking lot as we were leaving. He got in the car and told the girls...
"That just goes to show you - never give up. If at first you don't succeed try try again."

Oh, how I love this man with all my heart.

The Slumber Party...

2011-03-28T10:13:00.000-07:00

I decided to surprise Ryleigh and let her cousins sleep-over after her party.

They shared a bed.

Pretended to sleep.
I did make them turn the lights out by 10:30pm.
I am such a party pooper.

Presley was the last one up at 8am.
Ready for manicures.

The Breakfast.
waffles w/ strawberries & whip cream, grapes, o.j. & chocolate milk

The Memories.

Late - Over...

2011-03-25T21:45:00.001-07:00

Ryleigh wanted to have a Slumber Party for her 8th Birthday.

We compromised with a "Late-Over".

She invited 7 of her closest girlfriends - 2 of which are cousins.

The Decor

The Food
Ry requested rotisserie chicken and pasta salad for dinner.

The Table

The Girls

The Movie
Suite Life With Zack & Cody

The Presents

The Love

Hannah & Cousin Presley

Emily & Grace

Cousin Kendall & Ellie

Abby & Camille

The Birthday Girl
No birthday cake here - she wanted a fudge bar.

What a fun-filled night.
The girls had a blast! Lots of giggling, squealing okay screaming and of course what is a birthday without a few tears. Ryleigh doesn't like it when things don't go exactly her way - she had a couple melt-downs but quickly recovered.

Elle got to go on a special date with daddy to dinner and a movie during the party. She was able to join in on some fun toward the end but quickly retired to mom & dad's room where she crashed and was out for the count.

Found out some interesting things about a few girls...

chocolate was given up for Lent
one girl is getting a tattoo as soon as she turns 18
bubble gum was given up for Lent
a description on how a dad acts when he is drunk - same girl who is getting a tattoo
DS was given up for Lent

I am so grateful Ryleigh has so many great friends - even if she is a bit bossy and emotional at times - these girls still love her and we love them.

Happy St. Patrick's Day...

2011-03-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

We've had a leprechaun attack!!!

This is what I saw when coming home from the gym this morning.

Green silly string everywhere!

Elle was just a bit excited.

Some happy little girlies.

All the green loot the leprechaun left...
green apples, avocados, green gum, green bubbles and of course a box of
Lucky Charms!!!

Field Trip...

2011-03-13T07:26:00.000-07:00

Work of Heart Learning Center

presents...

Dad's Day @ the WildLife Zoo

What a great Dad to be more than willing to spend a Friday hanging out with his little girl.

This peacock must really like Ellie.

The Sting Ray Exhibit

Elle with her best buds - Drew & Tate

In my parent - teacher conference with Elle's teacher she mentioned that Elle doesn't always think the rules apply to her. See pictures below...

The only one trying to climb into the flamingo pin.

The look in her eyes says... Are you going to stop me, Daddy?

Almost in.

She is always testing the limits to see what she can actually get away with.

Britt & Tate

Bill and Drew
Bill and his wife Leah own the dance studio
that Kurt Warner practiced @ for Dancing with the Stars.

Too. Darn. Cute.

A monkey for a monkey...

These two characters had a great day! They came home with smiles on their faces and soaking wet! The log ride at the end was a great ending to a warm day.

Pictures courtesy of...
Chris Ray
A shout out to Chris for taking some great pictures.
I was surprised - he is the worst picture taker on the planet - other than his mom. :)

My Quirky Elle...

2011-03-02T14:19:00.001-08:00

Elle came home from school today and as always ran to turn the t.v. on.

We popped some popcorn and sat down ready to watch her show of choice - today.

She chose PBS and was very excited to be watching...

Are you ready for this???

Fon's and Porter's Love of Quilting

What 5 year old is interested in THAT?!?! She certainly didn't get it from me. I was bored out of my mind watching it with her. She was totally in to it and pointed out all of the neat things they were doing. She even had me record it so we could watch it again later. She informed me that she wants to learn how to sew and suggested that I take up a sewing class.

That's my Elle. Always full of surprises. Gotta love her.

School Dance...

2011-02-25T08:12:00.000-08:00

The Daddy Daughter Dance

@
Coyote Hills Elementary
2-24-11

Where is my date!?!
He has arrived...
with a pink rose wrist corsage.
the date has to put it on.
Doesn't get much sweeter.
She's a little nervous about wearing the corsage - she doesn't want to be the only one.
I sent them off to the dance at 5pm for a fun filled night of dinner, dancing and a hula hoop competition. They topped the night off with a trip to BerryGood for some frozen yogurt with a few other dads and their daughters.

Ryleigh came home with as big of a smile as she had left with. They had the best time - it is a night she will remember forever. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall that night.

Happy Birthday...

2011-02-07T09:07:00.000-08:00

On January 3rd my baby turned 5!!!

Where has the time gone?

Here are some of my favorite Ellie moments in pictures...

To this day she still loves her blueberries.

I could just eat her up!

The queen of messes.

The family clown.

We will never forget the haircut she received from her big sister in 2008.

Luckily, she was too young to remember how bad she was butchered. That would have caused for some serious tears had it happened now.

Such a quirky little girl.

Nothing like cow girl boots and a bare bottom.

For months she wouldn't leave the house without her princess dress... Princesses can even play soccer.

Cuteness.

Ellie and Chloe were always up to no good - emptied an entire case of baby wipes.

Hillbilly Ellie

She LOVES make-up. Especially, when Grammy lets her apply lipstick all by herself.

First time meeting her Great Aunt Jackie from KY.
For an entire year we had to sing "I'm So Glad When Aunt Jackie Comes Home" almost every night at bedtime. They shared a special bond that trip.

Maybe Elle loved Aunt Jackie because she had this awesome princess get-up. It was a fight to get her out of it anytime we left the house.

Sometimes I find her hiding is small spaces... like this baby doll crib.

This is Elle every time we find ourselves by the water be it the lake, the ocean or a pool.

She loves to sneak Fenway up onto the bed. Sometimes it's picture worthy.

Makes me smile.

Went to check on her one night before going to bed and this is how I found her. Priceless.

98% of the time this girl has a smile on her face. Don't you just love her? We sure do.

Happy Birthday to my beautiful Ellison Audrey.

blah, blah, blah

2011-02-02T14:58:00.001-08:00

The Woes of a Prego Chick...

I am growing bigger and running out of things to wear. And yet I still don't look prego just like I ate too much.
Never say never and get rid of ALL of your maternity clothes. I am dreading going shopping.
Sleep Deprivation is KILLING me!
The heart burn has begun.
The nausea has let up during the day but still hitting hard in the late afternoon/evening and is now waking me in the night too.
Too tired to do anything.
Sleep Deprivation
Super emotional - crying during t.v. shows.
Can't remember who my husband is. I keep him at a distance since the smell of him makes me want to vomit most of the time. We no longer spoon all night long - I must have a large pillow separating us so I can try to sleep. I call it a night around 8:30pm in hopes to get some sleep.
Did I mention... Sleep Deprivation? This morning I woke up in tears - I am just so tired.

With all of that said... I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. It truly is amazing the love and sacrifice a mother has for her unborn child.

I am so very thankful to my wonderful husband who is pulling double duty around here to keep me and the girls happy and well taken care of. I couldn't do it without him.

Christmas Morning...

2010-12-27T06:54:00.001-08:00

The girls decided to wake up at 5:45am...

Luckily, we wrapped the doorway to the family room...

They got to break through the wrapping paper.

Must check out the stockings first.

It's a pillow...
it's a pet...
It's a Pillow Pet!
She's got skill.

Somebody is very content with her Christmas.

We saved the best present for last...

It took a few hints before they got it.
But once they did...

Ry was more than a little ecstatic...

This is the most excitement we got out of Elle.

She's not sure what to think.

Can you guess what they got???

We told my side of the family on Christmas Eve.
Thankfully, my mom already knew and had the camera ready for the reactions.

Everyone was a bit shocked...

As far as everyone knew - we were done!

Needless to say... they are all very excited.

We told Chris' family Christmas night. Unfortunately, my heart was pounding too hard to even think about taking pictures.
Sorry Ray's.

The little bean is due to arrive July 28, 2011
That's right - in the dead of the summer! I hope everyone will be willing to open up their swimming pools to the big, miserable pregnant lady. :)

Lil'of This Lil' of That...

2010-12-20T07:46:00.003-08:00

A trip to the McCormick Railroad Park

All A Board!

A Stage Coach robbery is about to take place...

Run for your lives - every man for himself...

I'm coming, Ellie! I will save you.

Help!!!

Away with you!

You're next!

They escaped the horrible robbery/kidnapping...

And had him locked up forever.

The End

Sisters by chance... friends by choice.

Biker Babes

A little bit of Ryleigh...

Ryleigh's BendARoo creation - she is quite the artist

Very independent at times and insists on making her own meals.

All I want for Christmas are my two front teeth.

Pure wackiness...

A little bit of Ellie...

She loves to play dress-up with her best client...

He's always willing to try anything.

Maybe... these shoes look best on me after all.

Daddy joined in on the Thanksgiving Day Feast at preschool.

Happy Halloween...

2010-11-02T09:14:00.000-07:00

This was the scariest Halloween EVER!!!!
My 7 years old looks and acts like she is 17! I am NOT ready for this. Where on earth did she get this love for the camera and these poses, really? She is not the shy little girl everyone seems to think she is.

These are the photos I was able to get while the girls were still enjoying their costumes. It didn't last long. Before we even left for trunk or treating they were crying that they didn't want to dress up anymore. The mean mom that I am made them wear their entire costume until dinner time at the church. I didn't spend money on these costumes to be worn for a whole 30 minutes. We must get our monies worth!

Help....

Get outta here and never come back!

Trunk or Treat...

Who is the handsome fella?
I think I will take him.

Kyle, Ibis and Cicely joined us.
The G.I. Joe and Humpty Dumpty the Mrs.
Cutest little fairy.
Some face painting.

Chris decided to wear the lashes once Elle was done with them.

I am a little scared at how much he enjoyed them.

Update on Allergy...

2010-10-28T09:04:00.000-07:00

I started a post sometime ago and forgot to finish it. To make a long story short...
Ellie is NOT allergic to EVERYTHING. False alarm on the Nurse Practitioners part hence, the long story. That was the longest week of my life.

Here is the list of foods she must avoid as of late in order of severity...

Life Threatening

Walnuts
Peanuts
All other nuts *due to cross contamination
All bakery items (due to cross contamination of nuts) cakes, cupcakes, bagels, doughnuts, muffins, breads
Oysters
Scallops
All other shell fish *due to cross contamination

Less severe but must be avoided.

Pork
Squash
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Peas

This is not to be taken lightly so please, check with me before you feed my child.

The Pics Are In...

2010-10-27T19:48:00.000-07:00

I wonder which ones will you see on your Christmas card...

Tis' the season...

2010-10-18T14:42:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again - family pictures.

I love this lady!!! Check out her blog -http://kathycolephotography.blogspot.com/ She did our pictures when I was prego with Elle 5 years ago and she was AMAZING! Plus, you get a CD with all of the pictures and copyrights and a DVD slide show put to beautiful music.
I decided to splurge and use her for our pictures this year. Especially, since my dear friend Holly (from Utah) see here... http://www.hollylangphoto graphy.com/ ditched out on visiting me and sharing her wonderful talent of photography on us. Oh, Holly you know I still love you just sad you couldn't visit. :(

Here is the sneak preview she emailed me last night after our session.

I can't wait to see the rest of them!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

2010-08-26T19:49:00.000-07:00

School is in session!!!

Ryleigh started school on August 9th at Coyote Hills Elementary. She is in Mrs. Potthoff''s 2nd grade class. A couple weeks into every school year I ask Ry... "Who is your favorite teacher so far?" Every year it is the new one. She is one lucky girl to be able to experience such great teachers. We have loved all of our teachers at Coyote Hills!

The ridiculously HOT walk to school at 7:45am

A great place to be.

She's ready!

Last kiss from dad...

Such a brave girl this year.

The wonderful Mrs. Potthoff...

The okay mom, you're embarrassing me! Look.

A few weeks into the school year and Ryleigh has already found a friend who she can bum sugary treats off of at lunch. No matter what I send with her, she still manages to score donuts or a cookie from her new lunch buddy. She is doing very well in class and told me that Mrs. Potthoff calls her the "math wizard." She definitely must get that from her Daddy.

Ellie started school the following Monday. She is attending a new preschool this year - Work of Heart at the Church of Nazarene. She goes every Monday, Wednesday & Friday, from 9:15-1:15. It is a little bit different than the "in-home" preschool we have used in the past. One major change has been the morning and lunch time prayers that end in... "and all the bunnies say, Amen" (the classroom mascot is bunnies). It has been very enlightening for Ellie to discover that not everyone prays the same way, and that is okay. Heavenly Father loves all prayers and it is okay for people to pray a little bit differently than we do. The school is VERY structured - gotta love that. The kid has to get structure somewhere....

This is the picture we chose for her classroom door, which has pics of all the kids in her class. Love that under-bite smile and those bright blue eyes.

Showing off her school bag - the front...

...the back. Everyone was encouraged to decorate their bags so you know which one belongs to whom. We couldn't choose anything except a princess theme for our little Princess.

Not comfortable enough to let go of Dad just yet.

Ms. Reta showing Elle what her "job" for the day is.

Elle did NOT want to sit on the carpet with the other kids. Her nerves had the best of her.

So we compromised... she sat in the chair closest to the carpet.

It is always hard leaving my girls when they are scared and nervous. It was definitely harder this time around (it is her 3rd year of preschool), it being a new school and her not knowing hardly anyone there. But, I think this will be a great school and is a good change.

Two weeks into preschool now and Elle has learned how to count to 10 in Spanish and her favorite thing to do at school is... The monkey bars at recess.

Now... what to do with all this extra time on my hands? Hmmm, I think I will enjoy the quiet.

Photo Shoot...

2010-08-24T15:43:00.000-07:00

Ryleigh requested we do a little photo shoot yesterday afternoon...

Notice the poses? They were all her. I truly do love this girl - she is certainly a character.

Next photo shoot I think we will hire a professional.

Sleeping Elle...

2010-08-07T15:19:00.000-07:00

The many ways and places we have found this crazy girl when she was supposed to be in her bed...

For the longest time she wouldn't sleep in her bed, only on the floor.

She could win an Academy Award. Sometimes I don't know if she is really asleep or faking it. Turns out she was faking here. It took several minutes for Chris and I to figure it out. She has the slightest smirk on her face. I guess the sandwich in her hand should have tipped us off.

Chris always checks on the girls before coming to bed. On this particular night, Ellie was missing and he had searched nearly the entire house. He was getting a bit panicked before eventually finding her on the laundry room floor. She laid out the towel herself.

I pulled the covers back to wake her from her nap and this is what I found! String cheese galore!

When you can't quite fit in the closet...

I turned around from talking to what I thought was Ryleigh in bed, and this is what I discovered. Turns out it was Fenway - fast asleep! Ellie is always trying to sneak him up on the bed - he's not allowed.

Sometimes this is as far as she makes it...
before eventually ending up down here...
or here.

In the kitchen just outside the pantry. In case she woke up hungry, I guess.

She wouldn't sleep without her "eye pads" for several months.

On the boat at the lake.
My girls never sleep anywhere but home, so this was impressive.

And finally, my most favorite of them all...

Payback is...

2010-07-02T10:09:00.000-07:00

a Sister-In-Law

A few weeks ago my sis-in-law left her blog account open on my computer. I thought I would be funny and post a little something.

One amazing person...

"I just want everyone to know how much I love my sister-in-law. She is one of the greatest people you will EVER meet. She is a great example to me - I hope one day I can be half the person she is...

Here she is with her two beautiful daughters."

So here we are on vacation together and I left my blog when Chris, the girls & I left for the day. I then start getting phone calls and texts asking me about my latest post.

Looks like Megan got me back! It is war time!!! Beware, Mrs. Fechter!

2010-07-01T11:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day...

2010-06-20T16:10:00.001-07:00

We love our daddy because...

He plays with us...and lets us put make-up on him.He is creative...
He put gum on the end of a straw and fished out all the tokens that had been accumulating inside the machine. He retrieved 30 tokens!
He is loving...

And a "kid" at heart...

He is silly...
brave...
and strong.

He lets us bury him in the sand.He endures the cold...

when we won't...
just to build us our very first snowman.
He is our angel.
He takes us fishing...and is patient enough...
to let us pet EVERY fish he catches.

He takes us swimming...

He once brought home a turtle he found on the golf course. He just knew we would love it.
We did!

He wins LOTS of tickets for us at Chuck E. Cheese.

He takes us on walks...

He climbs scary, bug-infested tree houses with us.

He stops everything to hold us when we are sick.

He buys us treats...

He teaches us how to bowl - he is the master bowler.

He snuggles us...

He reads to us...
He treats us like royalty...
He is the most handsome daddy, EVER!

And best of all...
We love our daddy...

and he loves us.

Happy Father's Day to the the most amazing father and husband we could ever ask for.

We love you!

Happy Days...

2010-05-27T14:18:00.001-07:00

I just love these girls to pieces...

The results are in...

2010-05-24T20:39:00.000-07:00

Foods Elle is allergic to and MUST avoid.

In order of severity:
*Foods in BOLD are of same severity
All nuts (life threatening) shell fish (life threatening), squash, pork, potatoes, sweet potatoes, casein (protein in milk), *carrots, *celery, *lettuce (iceberg, green leaf, red leaf & romaine), *peas, *soybeans, *strawberries & watermelon. What on earth do I feed this poor child...

I picked up a magazine (Living Without - the magazine for people with food allergies and sensitivities) while at sprouts today. I found this while reading it...

Foods that contain casein
milk
cream
half & half
yogurt
sour cream
cheese
butter
sherbet
white or milk chocolate
ice cream
ice milk
creamed soups and vegetables
soup bases
puddings
custard
whey

Foods that MAY contain casein
margarine
tuna fish
dairy-free cheese (most brands)
cosmetics, medicines
lactic acid
artificial flavorings
semi-sweet chocolate
hot dogs
lunch meats
sausage

I need to find a list like this for soybean/soybean oil/soy protein. I took a look in my pantry and these are the things I found with some form of soy ...

spaghetti sauce
bread crumbs
mayo
stuffing
cereal
canned creamed soup
canned broth based soup
chow mein noodles
multi grain hot cereal
teriyaki sauce
soy sauce
bbq sauce
salad dressing
soybean oil
refried beans
canned meat
liquid smoke flavoring
cake mix
corn meal
graham crackers
ice cream cones
goldfish & annie's cheddar bunnies

I was already stressed having to check all of the foods that contain, may contain or is processed or may be processed with nuts. I think with all the new added allergies, I might die an early death...

So what I am telling you all is... DO NOT FEED MY CHILD!!!

The allergist did say that the foods with less severity may be slowly and carefully re-introduced one at a time (after avoiding all for two weeks). We will then be able to fully determine a food allergy or sensitivity. So we are looking at a minimum of 14 weeks of food testing. In the meantime, we will be doing a lot of praying.

Once again, I am telling you... DO NOT FEED MY CHILD!!!

It's A Girl!!!

2010-05-23T14:37:00.000-07:00

We would like to announce the newest member of our family...

Charlie Sue

At 13 weeks old we have brought this beautiful American Bulldog into our lives.

We are so very happy to have her as a part of our family.

Arghhh, allergies...

2010-05-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning before Mother's Day Ellie came to me saying that her arm hurt. I took a look and it appeared to be an allergic reaction of some sort. Because she hasn't had a reaction like this since she was first diagnosed with nut allergies at 15 months of age, we were fairly concerned. She had broken out in a red rash on both upper arms and across her shoulder blades. I have been racking my brain trying to figure out where, when and how she had been exposed, to no avail. I gave her a dose of Benadryl in hopes the rash would clear up. It didn't get any better, but not any worse either. By Sunday, it had spread a little more to her torso and lower back, so more Benadryl. Come bedtime that night, Elle was crying that her rash really hurt. Upon closer inspection, she was covered from the neck down in hives and welts.

Here is an example, though the camera doesn't show how bad it actually was.

I started to panic a bit, thinking that it is bedtime and what if she goes into anaphylaxis and stops breathing during the night while we are all sleeping. Thank goodness for the power of the Priesthood. Chris and a friend gave her a blessing and Ellie and I both were instantly at peace and able to sleep soundly without any further problems. First thing the next morning I called the allergist, and of course the rash has calmed down tremendously by that point. Things always seem to get better right before I go to the doctor, then I feel ridiculous that maybe I overreacted. I went ahead and made the appointment anyway, just to be safe.

We were seen by the nurse practitioner. After much discussion on whether we had added any new foods to Elle's diet, changed laundry/bath soap, fabric softener, etc., she decided to run a blood test to see if maybe Elle has developed new food allergies. Since she already has some allergies, she is apparently prone to developing more. Yippee!!! We will go back in two weeks for the results and a skin test to hopefully further define out any foods that showed up in the blood work, along with a skin test for any outside allergies (haven't ever tested for those). In the meantime, we left with a prescription for two different steroid creams and directions to take Zyrtec twice per day til the rash is gone.

Next, we headed down to the lab to have blood drawn. Elle started to get upset, not wanting to get a shot. I told her afterward I would take her out for a treat for being so brave and she quickly cheered up (shocker). Nothing like a little sugar to cheer up my sugaraholic girl. Elle was such a champ! When it was time to have her blood drawn, she hopped up on my lap and held out her arm for the phlebotomist like she had done it a million times before. Once the tech whipped out the needle Elle asked (with a shaky voice),"Will it hurt?" The tech told her it would be just a pinch and I reminded her about the treat we would go get. Once again, she perked right up. When the needle poked her arm she said "Ouch" and watched very intently as the vials of blood were taken, but never even shed a tear. What a very brave girl - even the phlebotomist was impressed. Now, we wait two weeks for results.

Off to Sonic for a slushy we go...

A happy girl with her bandage, stickers and lime slushy.

By that night it looked like she had rolled around in salt - her entire body was peeling.

Six days later and the rash was still there, but slowly fading away.

Spring Break 2010 - Day 2

2010-05-04T17:25:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday night we joined the Powers family and Kylee (the very brave nanny we brought with us) in Laguna Beach. We got one house to share together. It had 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a full kitchen, a little yard, 3 different decks (one w/ a hammock), patio furniture and all the beach supplies you could hope for. It was the perfect place for two wild and crazy families.

Thursday we spent the day on Balboa Island enjoying...

...a spin on the carousel.

Ry did her best to hide from the paparazzi...

A ride on the never ending ferris wheel.

Don't worry, Mama still loves you Paisley. Ry and Kylee can barely contain themselves.

Next, it was off to the beach......on a really cold day. The smiles on these faces say......Who cares about the cold?We're at the beach!Rob was just trying to stay warm...
Just noticed the socks, really Rob?
Love that under-bite smile.
Cutie-Pie Bella

Kylee is wondering what she got herself into...

True love...
Paisley girl - LOVE her
Getting down and dirty
Elle has had her fill...

Spring Break 2010 - Day 1

2010-05-04T06:29:00.001-07:00

Our vacation kicked off on Tuesday afternoon. We got into Anaheim that night and rested up for the long day ahead at the Happiest Place on Earth.

First stop...

was breakfast with Minnie and Friends.

The girls LOVED the french toast and fresh fruit.

We patiently waited for autographs...

and met lots of characters.

I'm pretty sure that Captain Hook had a thing for Chris...as he was quite flirty...

and gave so much attention to Chris...

even Ryleigh was a bit suspicious.

The girls had an absolute blast.

Time to say our goodbyes and experience all the park has to offer.

We rode LOTS of rides...

Guess who's tall enough for Space Mountain and the Matterhorn... She enjoyed Space Mountain way more than the Matterhorn - she didn't much care for the Abominable Snowman.

Waiting in line to meet the princesses.

Some Cinderella action...

a dash of Snow White...

and our favorite... Aurora.

Afterward, the girls decided to spend some of their own money and get face painting...

and loved every minute of it...

happy to have spent almost all the cash they brought on the trip.

Hold on for dear life - here they come!!!

This is where they really belong...

Us girls took a cruise on It's a Small World while Daddy waited in a long line for another ride in order to save some time. True love...

All in all, it was a wonderful day and money well spent... Thanks to Give-A-Day-Get-A-Day promotion, we only had to pay for Elle's entrance into the park. Yahoo!!!

So long Disneyland...

It's about time...

2010-04-27T20:11:00.000-07:00

I have never hated blogspot so much! I have spent many frustrating hours trying to figure out why blogger wouldn't let me save or post. I can't tell you how many times I had to re-type what was deleted. I was about ready to take a hammer to my computer and smash it to pieces! Thank heavens the birthday post is complete...

Happy Birthday Ryleigh!!!

2010-04-26T21:40:00.001-07:00

On March 28th, 2003 we welcomed our beautiful eldest daughter, Ryleigh Severine Ray into our lives. At 7lbs, 2oz and 21in long, she has changed our life forever. For the first six months of life, Ry was not a happy baby. In fact, she screamed night and day (from the first night in the hospital til about six months of age), to the point that both grandmas dreaded watching her. She wouldn't take a bottle and even had a few (not many) sleepovers at Grandparents without ever taking a bottle - she once went an entire 24 hours without eating! That is what I call stubborn.

1 day old...

1 year old...

2 years old...

3 years old...

4 years old...

5 years old...

6 years old...

7 years old.

Now here we are seven years later and this girl is just as stubborn as ever! She knows what she wants and will do what ever it takes to get it...

We love this girl so much and can't imagine what our lives would be like without her. She brings such joy into our home each and every day. She is:

Sensitive
Loving
Thoughtful
Funny
Smart
Artistic
Stubborn
Creative
Silly
Computer savvy
A great reader - in the accelerated reading program at school
Loves to cook - makes a mean guacamole
Loves Music - currently taking piano lessons and wants to learn to play the guitar
Loves her little sister so much that she can't wait for her to wake up in the mornings. Has been known to camp outside the bedroom door 'til Elle awakes.
Wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up, along with being a wife and mother.

Favorites

Primary Song - I Am A Child Of God
Foods - Chips with salsa and queso, steak, mom's salmon, dad's "famous" chili and mom's cornbread, spaghetti, greek salad and olives ( green, black and kalmata)
Colors - rainbow, black and white
Restaurants - Fajita's, Sweet Tomatoes, Subway and Paradise Bakery
Friends - Grace and Emily (the twins) , Gabe, Hannah, Camille and Sophie
Sister - Ellie
Animal - Cat (holding out hope that one day she will get one)
Activities (What doesn't she like? She has to always be doing something - just like her Daddy) - Playing on the computer; watching TV; playing with friends; walks; dates with Mom or Dad; sleepovers at grandparents; just playing with Sissy.
Music- Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift

Ryleigh'isms

"She shouldn't be a princess when she grows up. She should be a........... farmer."
Tornatoe (found this spelling on one of her papers)
"...in the name of Jesus...er, I mean goodbye." ( at the end of a phone call with Daddy)
"Daddy, you can't sing that good."
"Being cranky is just part of life." (when told to stop being cranky and cheer up)
"Daddy your older than any rock star."
"But what if they have a pillow fight? I'll miss it." (about a sleepover she missed)
I just love how creative Dr. Seuss is. Illustrators have such great illustrations. You and I can't draw that good." (while reading a book with mom)
"You don't sing that good. Seriously, you don't." (talking to Daddy again)
"Me, Emily and Grace are the only ones in our whole class who are CRAZY about Justin Bieber."

We love you so very much, Happy Birthday!

Modest Swimsuits...

2010-04-25T19:26:00.000-07:00

I have finally found a modest swimsuit!!! I am only sharing this with you hoping that everyone doesn't go out and buy the EXACT one and outshine me at the next swim party.

http://www.modestswimwearsolutions.com/

This is the one I ordered...

You can sew your own...

This one doubles as a flotation device, as well...

I hope you all can jump on the modest swimsuit bandwagon with me and enjoy a modest summer...

A close call...

2010-03-07T07:12:00.000-08:00

Thank goodness Ryleigh doesn't have my credit card number. She just came to me to help her fill in the shipping info to have the Justin Beiber concert tickets (in IL) mailed to her. She tried buying $202.19 in tickets and fees. Luckily she purchased the "cheap" tickets, they go as high as $1,575.00 per ticket! I then had to explain what it would cost to take a trip to IL - plane tickets, hotel, food, etc. Wowza!!! That was a close call... :)

Little Miss Smarty Pants...

2010-02-22T07:13:00.001-08:00

These are the notes Ryleigh's teacher sent home after our latest Parent/Teacher Conference:

Ryleigh continues to be a hard worker and a pleasure to have in class. I wish I could clone her! She stays away from poor choices and follows directions the very 1st time. Love it!!! Keep up the great job in academics!!! Slow down in writing to ensure proper letters.
She does need to work on "Spalding" appropriate letter formation.
She is a reading Superstar! Grade level is 25-30 words per minute. Ry is at 69!!! I want her to be a part of the Accelerated Reader Program. She will love it. I want to challenge her and push her to read above and beyond 1st grade material.

Who is this child that the teacher wants to "clone"??? Well, I am certainly glad she follows directions so well at school. I guess by the time she gets home from school she has had it with being so perfect. However she may differ at school versus home, I guess I must be doing something right. I am a proud mama.

Hello Smarty Pants!!! I am so proud of my "Superstar" reader. I think the reason Ry does so great with reading is that she can see the results she gets and loves it because it makes her feel so very grown up. On the other hand, she needs to step up her game in the penmanship department. I have told her time and time again to watch her handwriting because she will eventually be graded on it. Well, look who was right!!! I think she is always in such a hurry to be done that she just flat out doesn't care. Maybe I shouldn't be so worried about it. I mean, when was the last time you heard of a doctor with good penmanship?

Way to go Ry for being such a great student - I never had any doubts. You are an amazing girl. Keep up the excellent work!!!

My new blog...

2010-02-16T09:30:00.000-08:00

This blog will contain workout regimens, food ideas/plans, recipes and random facts I come across in my personal reading. This is for my own inspiration, motivation and a way to express my passion - http://ernahealthyforlife.blogspot.com/. Check it out if you dare...

Snow!!!

2010-02-08T18:29:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we took a trip north to Flagstaff with our good friends the Coopers, to celebrate Andy's birthday. The boys went up to SnowBowl for some snowboarding. I told them to take pictures, but of course they did not. Us girls just hung out and tried to keep busy all day. Having never been to the snow before, I was not very prepared. I actually left half of the girls' snow stuff, along with the sleds, in the car the guys drove up the mountain. Ry had bibs, but Elle didn't - Elle had socks, but Ry did not. And for the record, galoshes are NOT the best shoes to wear to play in the snow.

Andy reading a book to big Elle and little "L"

Audrey and Lauren enjoying the condo

Ry and Elle checking out the snow-covered balcony.
Ellie and me enjoying the happiest baby EVER. I just might steal her one of these days.
Ry shoveling snow... with a serving spoon.
The girls' first attempt in the snow.
Ry lost her galosh and had her sock-less foot in the snow.
Audrey to the rescue...
Thank you Audrey for knowing how to dress for the snow and being able to tromp on up to rescue my Baby Girl when I couldn't.
We decided to go bowling...
But Elle didn't last long...
She had more fun playing in little L's seat.
On Sunday we awoke to 8 inches of snow... It was beautiful. I loved waking up in the early morning and watching the snow fall in the street lamp light.
Extreme sledding in the parking lot.The three musketeers.

Right after this, Elle's glove came off and her bare hand got stuck in the snow. She lost it and couldn't get inside fast enough. She was done.
This is what Elle really thought about the whole snow experience.
Look I did it - I made it to the top!
While we played, Elle was inside the condo, all warm and dry.
Absolutely beautiful (the terrain was really pretty, too).
The girls preferred to enjoy the snow from afar...
A one-sided snowball fight.
Snow Angel Daddy
Chris was outside all by himself for quite some time.

He couldn't let the girls first trip to the snow pass without a snowman. Even if they only participated from a distance...

Well, our first trip to the snow was not ideal, but I am glad we went. We always have a great time with the Coopers. This was a great trial run, and now we know we will not be taking our spring break trip to Utah for some snowboarding. :( I think we might need to wait 2-3 more years before venturing up to Park City with the big boys, with several more trips to Flagstaff in the interim...

Our Summer Scuba Trip...

2010-02-01T05:37:00.000-08:00

Roatan, Honduras - June 2009

Just landing after our red-eye from Phoenix

The one and only terminal at the Roatan airport.

Can you say PARADISE?
Because we sure can...
We literally had the entire beach to ourselves most of the time.
This is where my daily naps took place. Yes, right on the beach.Attack of the monkey...
So we were sitting on the balcony of the resort talking. Lisa and I were sitting in chairs against the wall and Chris was leaning against the railing, while Ty was off somewhere exploring. All of a sudden, I looked over and saw this monkey running on the railing with fangs bared and a crazed look in his eyes, charging directly at Chris. My immediate reaction was a very loud scream. Meanwhile, Chris and Lisa had no idea what was going on. Unfortunately, my reaction seemed to make the monkey even more upset. Lisa and I ran into the nearby conference room and shut the door, not even thinking about Chris - it was every man for himself. While Lisa and I were locked in the room, the monkey was rattling the knob, trying to open the door. When the 'beast' finally gave up trying to devour us, he turned his focus on Chris, who had stepped into the adjacent restroom, which didn't have a doorknob. When Chris peeked through the hole where the doorknob once was, the monkey popped its head up and shrieked - not cool. Fortunately, right around that time Ty came walking around the corner and saw what was going on. He yelled and stomped his foot, causing King Kong to stomp off and jump over the railing into the trees. Disaster averted.

A friendly kayak race with Lisa - I lost.

But I did have much better balance.

Don't forget your safety stop.

No zoom needed - the turtle was really this close.

Scuba Chris

Poor Lisa had some trouble with her buoyancy.

We ater decided to call a truce...
or so we thought...
Turns out he was just trying to steal our lunch.
They did love Ty, though.

Such handsomeness...

Esteban, our boat captainAll geared up...and ready for a splash.

Where's a fishing pole when you need one?

Holy Iguana! This wasn't even the biggest one we encountered.

Which way is up?

Chris making friends after the last incident...

I don't think I have ever been more relaxed.A day out at sea.

I love spending the day cruising the ocean.

Tex - We couldn't make out one word of his 'Island English'.

Captain Lauren calling for the fish...

Us waiting for the fish...

Ty stewing about the money he was "raped" out of...

Eight hours and all we caught was one little barracuda.

Choppy waters made it a 50-50 shot. Oh well, maybe next time.

A perfect ending to a not so perfect day.

Zip-lining through the Roatan jungle.

Hooray, we survived!

A backward entry was undoubtedly my BIGGEST fear of the whole trip. Crazy I know. I do not like jumping in the water blindly. Plus, I hated this tiny yet super fast boat that took us out to the shark dive. I thought I was going to die! I usually love boating in the ocean, but not this time. I just knew I was going to be thrown from the boat, so I held on with all that I had.
70' below the surface.......we entered gray reef shark territory.
There were 10-15 of these things swimming around us.
Totally awesome.
The sharks were fed chum from this bucket to keep them from eating us.
Climbing back into the boat...
...not always an easy task.
Venturing out on a night dive.

Had to do another backward entry - less anxiety this time around.

One of our night dive discoveries.

A huge swim-through - not a cave

We can't wait to do this with the girls.

Our view out of the cab.
You don't see these things on the side of the road in Phoenix.
Driving around downtown Roatan.
A perfect end to a great week of diving.
Chris was so very close to touching this dolphin.The dolphins enjoyed us as much as we did them - they even joined us on our dive.Nelson said it was the first time that has ever happened in the 6+ years he's been diving Roatan.Our Dive Master, Nelson

Our fantastic vacation buddies, the Brewster's.Our last night out on the town - dinner on the beach.

Our one and only good meal the entire 8 days.

Farewell Paradise - 'til we meet again...

Singing in the rain...

2010-01-25T05:21:00.001-08:00

The girls had been begging all week to go play in the rain. Around 5pm, I finally caved and said, "Go for it!" When Chris came home from work to them running around in the cold wet rain, he exclaimed, "Are you out of your mind!?!? It is 50 degrees out there!!!" Maybe I am. I'm either a great mom for letting them do it and create some amazing memories or, maybe someone will see this and turn me in to CPS.

Either way, it was totally worth it...

Warning... dark pictures due to playing with camera settings. They are not playing in the freezing wet rain at night - I do have some common sense.
What is this thing you call an umbrella?
Is this how you hold it?
Oops, I broke it.
Somersault to a...
...splash landing.

Soaking wet, yet in need of umbrellas, really?

Lightening Chick - a.k.a. Elle...

Let's chase each other...

and see who falls down first...
and gets the wettest.

Did I win???

Not even close. Time to go hop in a warm bath.

Breakfast...

2010-01-22T07:01:00.000-08:00

Elle: Can I have not healthy food for breakfast?
Erna: Lol, like what?
Elle: Candy
Erna: Lol, NO! Candy is not breakfast.
Elle: Ahwwwwww

Eating Clean, Again...

2010-01-11T15:49:00.001-08:00

What is Eating Clean?

Eating Clean is treating your body right.

It is eating the way nature intended. You eat the foods our bodies evolved to function best on, and that makes you feel – and look – fantastic. When you Eat Clean you eat more often. You will eat lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats. These practices keep your blood-sugar levels stable and keep you satisfied. The best part is that if you need to lose weight it will happen almost without you having to try. And yes, you can have a treat now and again.

Best of all, Eating Clean keeps you feeling great and full of energy. In fact, you can forget all about the days when “dieting” meant feelings of hunger, lethargy or deprivation.

Eating Clean is not a fad; it’s a way of life. When you Eat Clean your body will react by losing weight if you need to lose, maintaining a healthy weight if that’s where you are, and even gaining weight if you are too skinny. But regardless of whether you want to lose, maintain or gain, you will feel better than you ever have before.

Never worry about counting calories again. You will never have to diet. Eating Clean will keep you lean and healthy for the rest of your long life. Eating Clean guarantees results!

This is my health and fitness bible. I own almost every book she has written, subscribe to the magazine and follow her blogs...

Maybe, you should all join me...

The Tooth Fairy...

2010-01-07T15:21:00.001-08:00

It has taken almost 7 years for the Tooth Fairy to make an appearance in our home. And then we had not just one, but two, visits in a 4-day span!!!

Ryleigh has had her two bottom teeth loose since before Thanksgiving. We thought those things would never come out, even though her permanent teeth had already come in behind them. She was beginning to look like a shark with her rows of teeth.

Thank goodness for Daddy. Ry was so upset on Monday night that she couldn't concentrate on anything and was in tears about her loosest tooth. She wanted it out so bad, but was too afraid to pull it herself or let Mommy do it. Finally Mommy gave up and Daddy came to the rescue. Not two minutes later, Chris had convinced Ry to let him hold her head while she yanked it out. Hallelujah!!!

Then, only a few short days later, we experienced the same agony with the second tooth!!! I spent nearly and hour trying to convince Ry to let me yank it out, with zero success. Fortunately, Daddy came home from the office and went to work. He took Ry aside and, after a little pep talk, she decided to say a little prayer for courage. Thirty seconds later, another visit from the Tooth Fairy was needed. Only Daddy...

Shark attack!

Monday night - Tooth #1

Thursday night - Tooth #2

Sharing a proud moment - even Fenway was beaming.

Hole #2 and the new teeth behind

A little bed and pillow for the tooth fairy to take a quick nap.

Ryleigh decided she would set up a bed in her dollhouse in case the Tooth Fairy got tired and needed a place to rest. She even laid out a comfy cotton ball for a pillow. She also left a note that said...

You can sleep here if you want.
Love, Ryleigh

The Tooth Fairy responded with a message in very fine print that read....

Ryleigh, You are too sweet! I was so tired and in need of a nap - the pillow was perfect. I hope to visit again real soon.
Love, The Tooth Fairy

Along with the note was a whopping $2.00 and a little bit of pixie dust!!!

On Thursday night, Ryleigh made sure to make the bed up again and leave another note...

I hope you can bring pixie dust.
Love, Ry-Ry

The Tooth Fairy made yet another appearance, leaving behind another $2.00 and even more pixie dust. Her reply this time read...

Dear Ryleigh, I can't believe you lost 2 teeth in one week - I am very proud! I was very happy to
see that I had a place to nap again. This Tooth Fairy thing makes me exhausted.
Love, The Tooth Fairy

Ry was so excited and can't wait to spend her money! I'm not sure what she enjoyed more - the cash or the notes/pixie dust. For some reason, she decided to taste the pixie dust, it apparently tastes like Crystal Light drink mix. Hmmm, very interesting...

Happy Birthday Ellie!!!

2010-01-03T06:44:00.001-08:00

On January 3rd, 2006 we welcomed Ellison Audrey Ray into our family. At 8 lbs and 21" long she's changed our lives forever...

minutes old....

1 year old....

2 years old....

3 years old....

4 years old.

I can't even imagine what our world would be like without this amazing daughter and sister of ours. She brings so much joy and laughter into our life.

She is quite the family clown - always making us laugh with her cute, quirky personality.
Favorite Food: CARBS - Ramen Noodles, spaghetti noodles, Rhodes dinner rolls (she could easily eat a dozen), mac & cheese and ANYTHING with sugar - we have to hide the sugar bowl or she will eat it by the spoonful, literally.
Best Friends: Her sister Ryleigh and our yellow lab Fenway.
Favorite Male Friend: Dane (from preschool)
Loves school and is sad the days she doesn't get to go.
Favorite Songs: I Am A Child Of God; I'm So Glad When Daddy Comes Home (Grammy, Mommy, Ryleigh, Mammy & Aunt Jackie are other names she requests for this song).
Favorite Movies: Anything with Barbie or Disney Princesses
Favorite Distant Relative: "My Special Aunt Jackie"
Favorite Color: Pink
Loves to Play: make-believe
Hates to walk ANYWHERE and wants and to be held ALL the time. Last child syndrome?
Loves to take naps with mommy.
Very Complementarity - Her Grammy can always count on her to compliment her on something she is wearing, especially jewelry.
Loves to play on the computer and knows her way around it quite well.
Elle is a night owl - she spends almost every night laying in bed for 1-2 hours reading books or drawing on her doodle board.
Loves to ride her bike, but only to the corner. Then her legs are suddenly too tired and she wants to be held, then whines when we tell her 'No'. This happens every time and yet she is still holding out hope that she will get her way.
Extremely Stubborn - Hmmmm, I wonder which parent she gets that from???
A very quick witted child.
Here are a few "Ellie'isms" we have kept track of lately...

- When we asked her what her favorite movie is, she said, "Alma and the Chipmunks."
- She was riding her bike, ran into the wall and said "Crap!!!" When Chris admonished her for her language, she quickly responded with, "No, I said grab.....the handlebar."
- After exiting the bathroom, she declared, "I just did a lot of poops - like a whole family." Chris was so proud.

Oh, what would we do with out this crazy girl?

Happy Birthday Ellie we love you so very much!!!

New Thanksgiving Recipes...

2009-11-25T12:14:00.000-08:00

I brined a turkey!!!
Roasted Sweet Potatoes w/ Balsamic

Cornbread & Sausage Stuffing

Pecan Pie w/ a Chocolate Bottom Crust

Chocolate Ricotta Pie

The brined turkey was a hit - I volunteer to do it every year. I loved the Sweet Potatoes but, the Cornbread Stuffing needs some improvement. I and everyone else prefer an original Pecan Pie, the Chocolate Ricotta is a keeper.

Yummy...

2009-11-24T16:53:00.000-08:00

I just made this for Elle's Preschool Thanksgiving Feast. It turned out pretty tasty...

Frosted Pumpkin Cake

Yield: 24 servings (serving size: 1 piece)

Ingredients

Cake:
10.1 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 cups)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
Cooking spray

Frosting:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare cake, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
3. Combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, to sugar mixture; beat well after each addition. Add pumpkin; mix well. Fold in flour mixture. Spread batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
4. To prepare the frosting, combine 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and cream cheese in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until well combined. Spread frosting evenly over top of cake.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 178 Fat: 5.5g (sat 3.3g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.3g) Protein: 3g Carbohydrate: 30g Fiber: 0.9g
Cholesterol: 32mg Iron: 1.2mg Sodium: 135mg Calcium: 62mg

Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho, Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2009

Ryleigh's Trip to the Dentist...

2009-11-14T20:52:00.001-08:00

The before...

Being goofy while waiting...

After lots of prodding, we finally got Ryleigh in the chair.

The only way the hygienist could convince Ry to open up was to give her control of "Mr. Thirsty."

She was not a happy camper...

The after...

Hooray for a clean bill of health!!! Zero cavities to date.

Whew - thankfully, we don't have to deal with that again for another six months. Oh, how I pray that it will be a very long time, if ever, before Ryleigh gets a cavity. Considering all the drama that goes into a simple cleaning, I can only imagine what it will be like if she ever needed to get a shot. In fact, that may be her single biggest fear.

Elle's Trip to the Dentist...

2009-11-14T20:51:00.001-08:00

Enjoying a good read while waiting...

No fear - such a good little patient.

Dr. Call and his staff are great with kids.
Three major cavities!!!! Aaaahhh!!!

I have been wracking my brain trying to figure out how my 3-year old little girl has three cavities!!! Ryleigh has had zero cavities, to date. What have I done wrong? I don't let her eat sugar all day long, she doesn't drink soda or juice very often. Could it be those darn fruit leathers???

Because of scheduling on both ends it has taken three weeks to get in to fix those poor teeth. Elle was a champ. They put her laughing gas mask on, and then when they gave her the Novocaine shots she didn't even flinch. However, once Dr. Call started the drilling, things began to go awry...

Elle started crying because of the pain (it was so heart breaking to see the tears streaming down her poor little face, covered by the oxygen mask). Dr. Call gave her another shot to numb the pain, and then once it kicked in he gave the drilling another try. He had barely even touched her when she started crying again. Apparently, three years old is still too young to be awake for all that. So, the staff called the Pediatric Dentist that is twenty minutes closer to home and they had him send us right over. Since she was still very numb they would be able to work on her. As we headed over, immediately Elle fell asleep in the car. Great, now I have to wake her and expose her to more trauma.

Once there, the staff got us right in to start with the x-rays and exam. It turns out that Elle is more prone to cavities because of deep pitts/grooves in her teeth and soft enamel. Their guess is that the medication I was on during my pregnancy kept her teeth from forming properly in utero. That explains everything!!!

Since the laughing gas procedure didn't go over so well with Elle, the Pediatric Dentist needed to sedate her. Guess what? You have to have an empty belly, which hers was not. They wanted to have her come back the next day, but we were leaving town that afternoon. So, they sent us home....for a full week. Poor little Elle - all numbed up and no place to go.

Elle trying to smile 4 hours after the Novocaine.

We are back from vacation and it has been 1 week since we were turned away from the dentist - let's try this again. Just as we are walking out the door Elle grabs 1/2 a slice of bread and shoves it into her mouth! She is supposed to have an empty belly, but I took her to her appointment anyway hoping they could still work on her. But alas, they sent us home, AGAIN! Poor Elle, she has been in so much pain during all of this. She could hardly eat, and cried while getting her teeth brushed, and is pretty much just flat out cranky all day long.

The next day we were able to make it to the dentist without sneaking any food, thank goodness. If I had known how the "sleepy juice" would affect Elle, I would have taken video. It was so unbelievably comical. Elle was sitting on my lap while I read a book to her waiting for the "sleepy juice" to kick in. Then, all of a sudden it happened. She went into slow-motion mode. Her speech was slurred, she wasn't making any sense and was seeing things that weren't there. I was laughing uncontrollably in a waiting room full of people - it was undoubtedly the funniest thing I have EVER seen.

So, after all the drama, weeks of pain and a cranky girl she was finally all fixed up and I had my happy Elle back. Hopefully, the next trip to the dentist will be a boring one...

Week 7

2009-11-10T07:03:00.000-08:00

With a few bumps along the way I am still going...

As of today these are the changes I have made. Not much as far as weight goes however, I am losing a few inches here and there. I am not looking to lose weight - I just want to firm up and tone.

Calf - 13 inches
Thigh - 21 1/2 in.
Hips - 36 1/2 in.
Lower abs - 31 in.
Middle abs - 29 3/4 in.
Upper abs - 26 3/4 in.
Chest - 36 3/4 in.
Arm - 10 1/2 in.
Neck - 12 1/2 in.

Total Weight - 139. lbs

7 Weeks ago...

Calf - 13 in.
Thigh - 21 3/4 in.
Hips - 37 in.
Lower Abs - 32 3/4 in.
Middle Abs - 30 1/2 in.
Upper Abs - 27 in.
Chest - 37 1/2 in.
Arm - 10 3/4 in.
Neck - 12 1/2 in.

Total Weight - 141. lbs

Hiking...

2009-11-03T17:32:00.000-08:00

I just started hiking regularly again after a 7 year break. I used to hike Thunderbird Mountain a few times a week after work, but stopped after Ryleigh was born. I hiked Squaw Peak once when I was 14 years old, but had never hiked Camelback until recently. I love hiking - it is so peaceful and makes me feel rejuvenated. I really enjoy the challenge of trying to beat my own time.

Squaw Peak

Summit Trail
Length: 1.2 miles
Elevation: 2,608 ft. - 1,400 ft. (hikers gain more than 1,200 feet in elevation on this trail)
Difficulty: Strenuous/Difficult

My total time - 45 minutes

The first time I hiked this mountain it took me 1 hour the last time it took 56 minutes. This time..... I SMOKED it! I would love to get to the point where I can run it the entire time.

Camelback Mountain

Summit Trail (Echo Canyon Trail)
Length: 1.2 miles one way
Elevation gain: 1,264 feet (summit is 2,704 feet)
Difficulty: Strenuous/Difficult

My total time - 1 hour 3 minutes

The first time I hiked this trail it took 1 hour 20 minutes. I wonder what my next time will be...

Day 26 Week 4

2009-10-23T15:29:00.000-07:00

Erna

Exercise:

Upper Body -

Chest - Dumbbell Bench Press & Dumbbell Flyes
Shoulders - Seated Dumbbell Press & Dumbbell Side Raises
Back - One Arm Dumbbell Row & Incline Dumbbell Bench Row
Triceps - Standing Dumbbell Extensions & Standing Dumbbell Extensions
Biceps - Seated Dumbbell Curls & Hammer Curls

Treadmill run - 8 minutes @ 10 mph

Food Journal:

Breakfast: 1 cup Kashi Go-Lean w/ skim milk; protein shake
Snack: protein bar
Lunch: tropical tuna in a whole wheat pita w/ spinach; 1 small sweet potato (sliced w/ olive oil, seasoned salt & pepper) baked in oven
Snack: string cheese
Dinner: beef stir-fry w/ veggies
Snack: Juju Berri - frozen yogurt - 1/2 vanilla w/fruit; 1/2 peanut butter w/chocolate

Day 25 Week 4

2009-10-22T20:09:00.000-07:00

Erna:

Exercise:

Treadmill Run - 20 minutes - max speed - 8.20 mph - max incline - 10.0

Food Journal:

Breakfast: muscle milk
Snack: protein bar
Lunch: Subway - 6 inch turkey on honey wheat bread w/mustard, vinegar & lots of veggies
Snack: 6 inch sub ( other half from lunch)
Dinner: chicken Parmesan over spinach
Snack: 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese w/ Activia yogurt & pineapple

Chris:

Exercise:

Food Journal:

Breakfast:
Lunch:
Snack:
Dinner:
Snack:

* Chris was driving all over the Valley today with clients and eating meals out. It was a bit tough to keep to the program.

Preschool Picture Day

2009-10-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

My beautiful Elle...

Can you guess which two poses are my favorite?

New Blog Title...

2009-10-21T18:09:00.000-07:00

We took the girls to see the movie "Where The Wild Things Are" on Friday. Ten minutes into the movie, as I'm watching this kid run around the house screaming and out of control, it hit me... this is the new title to our blog!!! This kid was "acting" like a certain 6 year old I know often behaves. Even when everyone is happy in our home things are still very "wild." Therefore, the title fit perfectly.

Day 22 Week 4

2009-10-19T12:55:00.000-07:00

Erna:

Exercise:

Treadmill run - 10 minutes
Upper body - circuit - 45 minutes
Abs

Food Journal:

Breakfast: 2 slices turkey bacon; 2 small protein pancakes w/ applesauce
Snack: protein bar
Lunch: whole wheat pita pizza topped w/marinara, mozzarella, basil, mushrooms, 1 crumbled turkey bacon, tomato, zucchini, squash, & mushroom
Snack: 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese, 1/2 cup yogurt & 1/2 cup pineapple
Dinner: Tuscan grilled chicken breast topped w/ tomato, basil & capers; green beans; 1/4 of Elle's grilled cheese
Snack: protein shake

Chris:

*Spent the day with an out-of-town client.

Exercise:

golf

Food Journal:

Good Egg - 2 scrambled eggs w/ tomatoes & onions; 4 slices bacon; 2 sm. whole wheat pancakes w/ sugar-free syrup
Snack: peanuts; ham & Swiss on whole wheat w/ lettuce, mayo & mustard
Lunch: Grand Lux Cafe - Cobb salad w/ roasted tomato vinaigrette on the side
Dinner: 1/2 chicken parm over spinach pasta; 1/2 Tuscan chicken; green beans
Snack: apple w/ sunflower seed butter

Day 21 Week 3

2009-10-18T20:49:00.000-07:00

Erna:

Exercise:

Food Journal:
* Fasting

Snack: 1 cup Kashi Go-Lean Cereal w/ skim milk
Dinner: whole wheat Lasagna made w/ lean ground beef, Italian sausage, low-fat cottage cheese, low-fat mozzarella, tomato sauce; spinach salad w/ feta, onion, bacon crumbles, craisins, very light dressing
Snack: tropical protein smoothie

Thank You to Hannah for a WONDERFUL dinner. I don't even like lasagna but that was really GREAT!!!

Chris:

Exercise:

Food Journal:

Breakfast: 2 whole grain protein pancakes w/ sugar free syrup; 2 slices turkey breast
Lunch: roast beef & Havarti on whole wheat w/ light miracle whip & mustard; green beans
Snack: protein bar
Dinner: whole wheat lasagna; spinach salad
Snack: tropical protein smoothie

Day 20 Week 3

2009-10-17T10:07:00.001-07:00

FREE DAY...

Erna:

Exercise:

treadmill run - 15 minutes (intense)

* I Forgot the Day Care at the gym closes at 12pm. I showed up at 11:45!!!

Food Journal:

Snack: 1 oatmeal raisin cookie; 1 ''healthy cookie"
Breakfast: 2 whole-grain protein pancakes w/ strawberries, cool - whip & sugar free syrup; 2 slices turkey bacon
Snack: protein fruit smoothie w/ greens
Snack: protein bar
Dinner: Mexican Food - green chili beef & cheese enchiladas; chips & salsa; pina colada
Snack: fried ice cream; few bites of everyone else's desserts :)

What a waste!!! My dinner was cold I should have sent it back. Next free day better be a good one! :)

Chris:

Exercise:

Muay Thai w/ abs - 2 hours

Food Journal:

Breakfast: 2 whole grain protein pancakes w/ sugar free syrup
Lunch: Whataburger - loaded double meat w/ cheese on wheat bun; lg. onion ring
Snack: muscle milk
Dinner: Mexican Food - green chili beef pollo fundido; chips & salsa
Snack: pan of chocolate chip cookie w/ ice cream ( pazzokie like); 1/2 apple pie chimi w/ ice cream

Day 19 Week 3

2009-10-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

Struggling... I switched gyms and no longer have a trainer. I am having a hard time working up the courage to lift with the "meat heads" and "firemen groupies'' at L.A. Fitness. I HATE CHANGE!!!

Erna:

Exercise:

Upper body on circuit machines
Abs
Treadmill run - 10 minutes

Food Journal:

Breakfast: 2 egg whites; 1/2 slice sprouted wheat bread w/ honey & butter; 1/2 cup low- fat cottage cheese w/ 1/2 cup low-fat yogurt
Snack: protein shake
Lunch: Pita Jungle - 1 1/2 pitas w/ hummus; Mediterranean chicken salad w/ light lemon vinaigrette dressing
Snack: leftover salad from lunch
Dinner: pork chops; spinach; 1 sweet potato

Chris:

Exercise:

Upper body lifting - 20 minutes
Outside run

Food Journal:

Breakfast: Kashi Go-Lean/Crunch; slice of turkey
Snack: muscle milk; raisins
Lunch: roast beef & Havarti on wheat w/ light miracle whip & mustard; carrots & celery w/ ranch
Snack: protein bar
Dinner: pork chop; green beans; brown rice; 1 small sweet potato
Snack: 1 slice turkey breast; Activia yogurt w/ Kashi Go-Lean Crunch

Day 18 Week 3

2009-10-15T12:00:00.001-07:00

Erna:

Exercise:

Lower body - circuit - 42 minutes

Food Journal:

Breakfast: protein shake; 1/2 cup oatmeal w/ brown sugar blend splenda
Snack: protein bar
Lunch: tropical tuna sandwich w/ spinach & tomato; 6 dried prunes
Snack: sunflower seed butter w/ apple; 1/2 sunflower seed butter & honey sandwich (Elle's leftovers)
Dinner: turkey breast w/ green beans, stuffing & cranberry sauce; 1 sweet potato; zucchini & squash * ate too much - stuffed

Chris:

Exercise:

Muay Thai w/ abs - 1 hour

Food Journal:
*Didn't keep track - healthy choices made

Day 17 Week 3

2009-10-14T18:09:00.000-07:00

New Gym Blah's...

Erna:

Exercise:

lower body circuit machines - 42 minutes
abs

Food Journal:

Breakfast: 1 cup Kashi Go-Lean w/ skim milk; 2 boiled egg whites
Snack: protein bar
Lunch: turkey Ruben on sprouted wheat (mustard, low-fat Swiss, sauerkraut); 6 dried plums
Snack: protein smoothie
Dinner: turkey breast; veggies

Chris:

Exercise:

Muay Thai w/ Abs - 1hour

Food Journal:

Breakfast: ??? (oatmeal; egg whites)
Snack: protein shake
Lunch: Yard House - roasted turkey salad w/bacon, Gorgonzola & a spicy vinaigrette on the side
Snack: ??? ( something healthy)
Dinner: Jack in the Box - chicken fajita pita; few bites of the girls hamburger patties
Snack: ??? (apple & sunflower seed butter)