Christmas Eve

We had a very sweet and snuggly Christmas Eve together. :) Matthew rushed home as soon as he was off of work and the boys opened Christmas Jammies!

We then made Christmas Cookies!

Yes, Remy is a silly nut head!

While the cookies baked daddy helped the boys to make some last minute Christmas art work to decorate with. :) They loved this so much. Remy came up to me and told me that he just felt so happy with daddy helping him with art. He feels so deeply, just like me. :) It is either all or nothing with him. :) His little heart was just so filled up with the moment. :)

Remy made these:

Remy's bell is on the left and Eli's in on the right.

Elijah made these:

I love how he came up with the idea of "gold-tipping" the wings. :) So much like his daddy. :)

Before bed they wrapped the presents they got Matthew and I. They also wrapped the gifts they got each other. :)

They finished off the night with a cookie and veggie tray for Santa and the reindeer! :)

It was the first year that they just both crashed right away. They said they couldn't wait and so off to bed they went. :)

I can't believe it is all over. *sigh*

Weight Loss UPDATE - WEEK 22!

It is now offically almost the New Year. I made it through the month of December. I am happy to report that I am still going DOWN, DOWn, DOwn, Down, down, in pounds! Hee hee! Are you READY?

From my starting weight on that SWEET July day to now...

194 - 168.2

That is 25.8 pounds of loss and I have 18.2 pounds to go until my goal of 150!

If you go by my highest weight of 198 before moving to the new house with yard work and a pool I have lost 29.8 pounds! Almost 30 pounds!

I also have some inch loss to report. :) And that is always fun! My 14's are getting baggy now and I can't wait to purchase a size 12 in pants. :) I know they fit, I have tried them on. ;) I can't wait to be in a size 10 and below!

Okay inches time...

Arms: start- 14.5 and now 13

Thighs: start- 26 and now 23

Bust: start 43.5 and now 39

Waist: start 41.5 and now 33.5

Hips: start 48.5 and now 43

My high and low inches are:

HBF: start- 37 and now 33

LBF: start- 47 and now 43

I am now at a loss of 30.5 inches total.

The big inch loss this time when I measured was my arms! I am really excited about this because my arms measurement has not changed since that first inch that came off when I was starting off. I have been trying my best to lose something off of them for weeks. And I have lost another half inch now! :) YAY!

I also lost another half inch on my waist since my last measurement.

Things I have noticed lately...my abs are starting to look really shapely! I mean they have definition. I really want to work up those muscles before I have a new pregnancy. I think that will help with the belly button hernia issue I had with Remy's pregnancy. I was too soft I think for his pregnancy. I wasn't overweight, but my muscles were not fit in that area. Add an almost 10 pounds baby and things ripped. :(

I am also thinking about and researching ways to increase the integrity of my skin. I get stretch marks really bad and this was very helpful for the hernia. URGH!

That is my update. I hope everyone else on a weight loss journey is doing well and made it through the holidays. :)

Thanks for keeping me going ladies!

Family Painting Time

One night Matthew and I decided to put the fireplace in use. And then we decided to lay out a blanket before it and paint! I have never done it this way but my friend Sherrie (http://ourplaceourplace.blogspot.com/) does with her children. I normally make them stay in the kitchen or we go outside. I know we loved having Thanksgiving dinner in the living room this past Thanksgiving...so why not painting!?

We gathered on that blanket before the fire and we went to town! Thanks for the idea Sherrie! :)

Elijah said he wasn't in the mood, but it is really the fact that he likes oils and acrylics over the water colors we used.

Here is Remy's Showcase!

A little creature:

A Robot:

And then he saw my mouse and decided to draw a mouse with water color pencils.

I just started with a tree. I knew I wanted a Christmas painting and I used some techniques that I have learned from Matthew and various art books I have browsed through. I am very proud of my mouse!

I might give this one to my Grandmother. :) She hasn't received a painting or art work from me since I was a child. I think it is due time. :) And anyway...that is her in the doorway. ;)

And of course Matthew out does us all! Remy gets so upset when Matthew paints. He say that is not fair! I can't do that! We always tell him to keep it up! Not to mention that daddy took art and graphic design in high school and college.

One of my BABIES!

I was in the mall shopping on Friday night and I ran into Mrs. Laura and her Sweetie Pie daughter Alise!

Why is this important?

Laura and Wayne graced my life some years ago as doula clients. She had an amazing birth and I cherish the day I witnessed the two of them become parents! I will never forget Laura crying and asking for her glasses so she could see her baby better! I will never forget the little sweet face that peeped from her blanket to the outside world. How new our world was to her! And now she is a very bright and capable young lady living in a warm family full of love.

I have a HUGE secret desire to help Wayne and Laura again...but I think Mrs. Laura has other plans! *sigh*

When Laura and I saw each other we screamed and danced and hugged! We freaked Alise out BIG TIME! Oops...

Laura, we must make it a date to get together after Christmas, so she can see me less excited!

I was overjoyed to see Laura, life has been hectic for me since that birth. What a Christmas present that was for me. :)

You can get to know this sweet family here:

http://thehortonfamily.blogspot.com/

Odds and Ends of Our Lives, Lately...

It is Christmas Time!

And I am so darn happy!

Friday marked our Christmas Break from formal homeschooling. We have until the New Year to enjoy our days the way we choose. LOVE IT!

Brina and the boys came for a visit, please be in prayer for her as she takes on the huge tasks that the Lord has put before her. Pray for her strength!

I always get a photo of Matthew and Tucker, I have since he was born. :) Here is the newest one.

Here he is pulling up on my legs as I sit on the couch. :) He is MOBILE!

This little crawling fool can go anywhere he pleases, and believe me, he does!

We made Ginger Bread Men with Brina, Renee, and the children. We had a blast! And Logan stayed the night as Matthew helped him with a Science Fair project he had.

Here is a photo of Mikey decorating his Ginger Bread Man. :)

Remy and I made this Dolphin this past week. Matthew made up a pattern for it because of course Remy doesn't want to make what is in the book. Our daddy is GOOD like that! Hee hee!

I am thinking that Matthew and I should write a felt craft book together! :)

Eli and Remy are in a homeschool craft swap online. Eli's swap came in the mail last week. Isn't this the best Santa puppet ever?

We had our Christmas get together with Renee and her family. Sabrina gave the boys these super cool "TRANSFORMER" jammies! And now Aunt Brina ROCKS OUT in their opinion! :) But she always has. :)

I kept forgetting my camera lately. BUT I know I can snatch some photos from some pals...if I remember!

Be on the look out for Christmas Break fun!

Remy and his "1st Grade" Stuff!

Sorry that I have been MIA, I have been having some puter issues.

Remy got his new box of school stuff! He was so excited!

He made sure he got to do his first day of schooling that night! And he says he loves it all! He is really excited about his cursive work.

He also loves his math!

One night he made this pencil holder for Daddy's work. :)

He is in love with that hot glue gun. I have never let him use it and now he wants to do anything that takes a hot glue gun!

I just have to share this last photo. He has completed 2 weeks of his new year of school...but he is still my monky loving itty bitty who falls asleep besides his mama most nights. :)

Christmas Time Photo Shoot

We always take some family photos in the month of December. We have done it since the very first year we were blessed with Elijah. :)

My boys are getting so big! We are very pleased with the photos this year. The kids did really well taking them. I usually have a mini heart attack trying to get them both to smile and stop acting silly. Hee hee!

Matthew went a little crazy with my photos...but I am 25 pounds lighter than last year...so I don't mind. :) If he gets me willing to take photos he takes full advantage of it.

Me and my first baby Juliet (aka Dewy). I had her before I even knew my hubby. :)

And here I am with our newest fur babies. :) Rommie and Piper...