Date Day

Jeff had the day off work (because he worked overnight last night) so I got quite the treat. A date day with a handsome boy! We went to the library (a place with both like) and then had a great lunch at Charley's where we shared our food and got a drink with two straws (:

Be jealous, very jealous, here is my guy at lunch .. I just can't resist that face!

Okay so it was more like a "Jack had to get his shots today so mommy took him out and about to make him feel better" day... but we still had a great time!

Running, Crafting and Celebrating

About a month ago I decided to start the "Couch to 5k" program. I haven't ran much at all since I graduated high school 3 years ago, so I knew this was going to be a challenge. I did week one and then caught a cold and had to postpone :/ But now I'm back, and after re-doing week one... I started Week 2 today and felt pretty good. I had to give myself an extra 10 seconds before the last few runs, but I completed it and that's all that matters. Week two is a 5 minute warm-up walk, alternating 90 seconds of running with 2 minutes of walking, and a 5 minute cooldown walk.. for a total of 29 minutes. If you haven't checked out the C25K program, you totally should.

The boys weren't exactly happen on our run this morning. Which is rather out of the ordinary for them. I'm not sure what was wrong, but Jonah finally passed out and Jack fussed off and on but eventually calmed down and played with his truck until I was done.

Today was also a very special day for a very special friend of ours. It was Ashley's 24th birthday!



[photo cred]

Jack and I joined her she and her girls and some other friends for her birthday dinner at Chili's tonight. Ashley had her first shot in over 2 years and a yummy bowl of ice cream our server brought for her. We asked if they would sing to her, but sadly they "don't do that". (Which, we found out later, is precisely why Ashley chose that restaurant. hehe)

What does a friend's birthday mean for me? Means I get the chance to make them something special (: And that's what I did this afternoon. I've been wanting to try metal stamping, and Ashley's gift was the perfect opportunity.

Ashley's necklace is made of three washers. Two with each of her daughter's initials and birthdates, and the middle says "J & A" for her husband John and herself, and reads their wedding date across the top. I'm still learning the perfections of this craft but I'm happy with the product from today and I hope Ashley is too!

It's fall!

It finally feels like fall is arriving and I looooooove it! I can't wait for the trees to turn to gorgeous rainbows of burnt oranges, ambers, reds, and caramels that I missed so much last year! Washington's landscape is made of mostly evergreens, not nearly as pretty in the fall.

Fall activites are in full swing around here, we've been getting our house organized and put together (reverse spring cleaning as I like to call it). Today we laid some pea gravel in our front "flowerbed". Not sure what we'd call it now, a gravelbed? We got the the bags for over 50% off because they were busted open. SCORE! Add in a cute little, plastic picket fence and for under $10 the front of our house looks completely different. Now we just have to get some decorations to put in there.

This weekend was busy but great for us! Friday night I hung out with my friend Nicole after Jeff and I put the boys to bed. Nicole is also from my hometown of Chillicothe, OH and it just so happens that her husband (also a soldier) and Jeff and I all went to high school together. So we have very much enjoyed having hometown friends here at Ft. Campbell. Nicole and I ordered Papa John's Pizza (Can you say YUM? Love their garlic sauce!), watched girly shows like "Four Weddings" and "Say yes to the Dress" and I showed her a website that has become her new addiction... Pinterest!

Yesterday was Saturday so we took advantage of the perfect fall weather and headed to a pumpkin patch/petting zoo/corn maze with the Welton family. Only, the pumpkin patch was less of a patch and more of a concrete slab. The petting zoo.. a bunch of animals in small pens. Like this guy.. a zebra + a donkey will aparently give you... a zonkey...

The corn maze was actually a path through a run down corn field but whatever, the kids had fun.

The highlight of Jack and Elly's time at the "pumpkin patch" was running back up the hill after watching the feeding of the catfish. And Amber snapped some great pictures of them.

We also went to the butterfly festival in Oak Grove on Saturday but I haven't gotten my pictures of that uploaded yet. Soon, I promise (:

Today we worked around the house, spent too much money on stuff for the week, and then had The Conaways (Nicole, Stephen, and their son Corbin) over for a cook out "grilled outside but ate inside because storms rolled in" dinner. I tried this recipe for mac-n-cheese and quite frankly I wasn't that impressed. Eh, try a different one next time I suppose.

Tomorrow I start Week 2 of the couch to 5K program. So far I haven't lost much weight with it, but I'm definitely feeling more healthy. Jeff and I are trying hard to eat better and lose some weght. So wish us luck! I think I will add in some yoga, etc to my plan this week.

 Hope y'all had a fabulous weekend!

From One To Two.

Oy.

I'm tired.

Before Jonah arrived, I had this vision of what it would be like to have two children. Jack would sit on my lap, helping me hold Jonah's bottle. I would spend the morning playing with Jack while Jonah kicked and played in his bouncer and then I would lay them down for a nap in their beds, and kiss both their smiling faces. And they would sleep peacefully while I cleaned up the house, prepared for dinner, and read a little from a favorite book until Jeff got home and greeted our precious boys and I with kisses...

Okay you can stop laughing now.

Let me just start by saying right now as I type this, I'm holding a baby who cries unless I'm holding him... and my toddler is standing on the cushion-less loveseat diving head first into the pile of cushions he made on the floor. The sink is full of dishes, the floor is scattered with chunks of mud from Jeff's boots, and the washer and dryer are wondering if I forgot about them.

The biggest thing I've learned? Sometimes you just have to step back and let things happen.

Strange concept I know, especially for this OCD control freak..

But honestly, How long am I going to have before Jonah doesn't need (or want) me to hold him anymore? A year? Less? Out of his 18 years of "childhood" I only get one to love on him and hold him (and not have him fight to get away or say "Moooom, stop!") and you can bet your hiney I'm going to take advantage of that.

Because I'm not feeling well and am suffering from man voice today.. I stopped myself from telling Jack "no" when he started to pull the cushions off the loveseat. And now, as I'm watching him... I'm happy that I didn't stop him. He is having so much fun. He is an (almost) two year old BOY and he needs this sometimes. The cushions can be put back, and you'll never know they were once a safety net for a rambunctious toddler... but Jack will have had fun today. He will have smiled today. And that's worth it to me.

The dishes will be there later, Jack can help me sweep the floors later, and the laundry can be thrown out the window will get done eventually... but Jack and Jonah are growing every day. And I want to look back and say "I truly did enjoy my children when they were young" and I want them to look back and say "I had a good childhood and my mommy loved being with me"