She Boogies!!



I never thought I would see this day....the Keeva bean boogie boarding. She is so afraid of water or at least was anytime I went with her.........but then she went to the beach on July 4th and again last Saturday with friends from school. The parents had told me she went in the water but was nicely cautious about it. Then yesterday we visited some friends and went to the beach. Henri took his Boogie boards with him and off she went. Catching waves, rolling around, falling over. I never felt so happy as I did watching her, hearing her run up and yell "hey Henri, come on, lets go surfing again"......that happy in fact I didn't get any pictures of Dillons first time at the beach. Oh my he is suffering from the second child thing. For me this is huge, I have a terrible fear and dislike of water and have missed out on so much fun over the years. I'm so excited to see that she is beginning to let go and will not be afraid to join in the fun!! You go girl.

I will have a beach body - Day 7

OMG.....I lost 1.4lbs overnight!!!!

I will have a beach body - Day 6

I woke up this mornign 6oz lighter...yippee. Due to the itchy, fat foot no workout but we did take a long walk to the college near our house to visit the farmers market. good excuse to get some exercise, buy veggies for my new healthy eating and support the local economy. Of course walking with nature loving Keeva,it wasn't a high speed burn fat walk but it was up hill so that made up for it. I must be doing something right though the numbers on the scales are getting lower!!
The best news is though Joe has decided to join me.....not in losing weight but in getting fit and healthy. He has joined the gym at work (real nice proogram) and I made the decision to go back on a eating plan that we both have used in the passed. It not a diet as such it's an eating plan. It's something I wanted to do since having surgery after Dillon was born as the surgeon saw some crazy things inside and told me I really needed to do something to keep my digestive system moving or I could have major problems down the road. It was hard to do though when you still have to cook regular for the other half. It's called fit for life and was a craze in the early 90's. Joe with an ex-girlfriend followed the plan and when I met him he always talked about it. Any photos I've seen of him then show him glowing with health and, Michelle (his ex girlfriend) looked and always has looked fabulous. I tried it in 2002 for health reasons and I never felt better: my eyes shone, my skin glowed and my energy level was huge. You don't have to cut out any foods it's essentially just about how you combine your food. You eat fruit first in the morning, don't eat anything for 30 mins after eaing fruit (so that it can get digested properly and move through your system) then don't mix proteins and starchy carbohydtrates. Quite simple really. So as Joe put we we are having a "Mid Life Renaissance"
We started today. I had fruit for breakfast. A fruit snack. Salad with egg for lunch. Pastry snack and Lemon Dill Flounder, with garlic brocolli for dinner and a bowl of rainier cherries for desert later in the evening.
It felt really good to have made this decision together. I just hope we can stick it out and make some real changes for health and happiness.

Look who’s come to live at our house….

Yes it’s the Green Eyed Monster. He, or I should say she, came to visit once or twice over the last few weeks but has as of last Thursday has definitely moved in and decided to stay for a while. We had our first friend come to stay over night. The excitement level was high full of fun but then O started seeming to come down with a cold….stuffy nose, cough, slight fever then itchy eyes. Of course I wanted to help the little one feel better which was okay at thestart but then a normally peaceful sleeping Dillon woke up screaming and wouldn’t stop. Bed time came for the girls and O seemed to be getting worse, fever remained level. By this time Dillon has started spitting up badly and Keeva was beginning to feel ‘unloved’ as I tried to comfort a little girl who’s parent where at a concert and tried to calm a screaming, orange colored baby. Then it turned into hard wrenching crying about how I didn’t love her anytime I touched either O or Dillon. Keeva didn’t want me to comfort anybody else. By this stage it was clear O was having an allergic reaction to something….the swelling eyes were kind of a clue. I was getting very concerned as she does have peanut allergies but I knew she she hadn’t gotten near any nuts. None of this mattered to Keeva as two hours after bedtime started she was in the corner in my room curled behind the laundry hamper wailing about how no one loved her, not Maamy, Daddy, the Dogs Nana…..just possibly Gaga (Grandfather) who plays computer games with her. O was doing her best in her state to convince her that she did love her but she had decided she wanted to go home…..couldn’t blame her what with Keevas behaviour…..Keeva couldn’t see this and continued to escalate even more now that O wanted to go home. So, parents were called and the first ’sleepover’ ended. That was the night the monster moved in. Since then I have not been allowed to comfort Dillon, hug him, ssh him. It even gotten to the point where if I pick him up and he smiles at Keeva at the same time she says “look he is trying to make me jealous”……no explaining, comforting, playing special moments seem to help. I can’t wait for this guest to leave. Lets hope she doesn’t decide to stay too long …..

I will have a beach body - Day 5

Wow is it Day 5 already.....
As you can see from my ticker I already lost 1.2lbs!!! They say the mind over matter thing is very powerful. I should say so, woke up Saturday morning and had already lost 1.2lbs just by deciding to! Not bad eh... Well I have gotten no workouts in, eating better but no workouts. Saturday, Dillon napped for only two very short naps so, with prepping for Keeva's backyard movie night party and Dillon not sleeping nothing was accomplished. Then before that on Friday evening I got bit on the foot by one of our lovely summer time flying pests, the Mosquito, and by bedtime Saturday night my usual allergic reaction was kicking in..... by Sunday afternoon my ability to even stand on what was by then a football sized foot was very limited. It's only today that it seems to be going back to normal and I am able to walk without the feeling that it might burst open under the pressure.
Well even without workouts I have been eating better, not dieting persay but, controling portions and cutting out snacking and sweet stuff and believe it or not my magical 1.2lbs has stayed off. I will have to wait another few days for my foot to fully heal before I can begin excercising but hopefully then I will see some more pounds begin to come off.

I will have a beach body - Day 1

So today is officially day one but being that I had already laid out the menu for the day and I (saying this is like quitting before I start) didn't have time to work out. Honestly I didn't. It was noon before I put my mind to this and then I had to get Dillon up from his nap, feed him, pick Keeva and her friend up from camp, drop her friend home. Go to the audio visual store to pick up the projector and screen for tomorrow nights back yard movie. Then come home feed Dillon, make dinner, get the kids ready for bed. Then I was starving and I refuse to work out after eating as you only burn what you just ate. Anyway that's my excuses for today.......here's what I did do. I'm only listing the noon onward today as that was my starting point..

Lunch: 2 cups spring greens, 1 tsp balsamic dressing, 1 tblsp blue cheese
1 cup panzanella salad (bread salad(minimal bread)), 20oz water
Snack: Coffee & one small (1.5" tall 1/2 thinck) slice homemade banana bread
Dinner: Linguine with zuchinni and pancetta
1/2 slice Italian bread, 20 oz water
Snack: Activia yogurt, 1/2 cup grapes, 20 oz water

Tomorrow Keeva is spending the day with a school friend at the beach...thank you Vazira! This should free me up more for a workout. I do have a party to plan for so I will have to start early and plan my day out well........

She's growing up

For the school year 2005/06 we had the pleasure of a having Pauline, a beautiful, in both person and looks, Brazilian exchange student come to live with us. She was just 15 going on 16 and full of excitement and fear. In no time at all Pauline became a member of our family.....Keeva's big sister and our Brazilian daughter. Many times people did just assume she was Keevas sister and I can still see the big smile it would bring to her face. She truely loved Keeva and still does. We enjoyed many laughs and held her as she shed many tears afraid she wouldn't make her year away from her family. Of course she did. Now she is 19 going on 20 and attending medical school - actually doing rounds in a hospital as a student!! She just sent us this picture of her with her Mom. I can't believe how she is changing, looking older, growing up.
Pauline has come back to visit us once and she is coming back in December to spend another Christmas with us and to be the Godmother for Dillon. We couldn't pick a nicer, more loving person to stand for our son. We were lucky to have choosen Pauline and lucky that she wanted to stay.


Now we just have to get Giulia to come back to visit and to send us a photo (you hear me Giulia). Giulia was our third exchange student from Italy. Poor Giulia started her trip to America in a badly matched house...a girl from Milan sent to hilbilly country in a house with no heat. She was so scared. I remember meeting her coming out of her bedroom the first morning after she came to us. She was amazed to see houses again and so happy to feel warm. We had decided after a bad experience not to take another student but when we got the call about Giulia we couldn't say no. As Joe said "we have to rescue her". The next five months were spent lost in conversation and the love of food wine and cheese....someday she'll come back too and we can explore more delicious foods.
We hope someday to get both girls together for a vacation so they can get to know each other. Get to know the person each has heard so much about. For us I think it will feel like having our whole family together for a while. We have been very lucky....who knows maybe someday we'll do it again......

No, not Vacation!!!!

We are going on vacation in 10 weeks. Doesn't my husband realize I just had a baby. Yes this means happiness, memories to cherish.....joy beyond description. And, big flabby belly, larger rear end, thunder thighs and wings that came from - I have no idea. I know where the belly came from, obviously, my butt, yeah I can see that. The thighs I can only blame on the fact that I sat down for the last three months of my pregnancy and following the surgery after Dillon was born but the huge upper arms I've gained I have no clue, none, nada.
Now I have a timeline in which I need to tone and firm up. I refuse to be seen next to a pool or near a beach unless of course it's in Arabia wrapped in a Burka. So I am starting today and to keep me accountable I am going to keep an online diary of what I am doing. I've also added a ticker to the sidebar to show my progress. I want to loose 18lbs....thats almost 2lbs a week to reach my goal before vacation. It's a lofty goal but I figure set it high and I might get somewhere.
I give you all permission to keep me on my toes. get out those whips because I have no self discipline!

The sun may be shinning here today but I'd still rather be in Aix-en-Provence. The New York Times today has a fabulous article that has just transported me to th eSouth of France.....oh those were the days........

Oooooh.....I could just eat you up....

Beautiful Girl

I love you too.......

Bento 10

We've made a few Bentos recently. I haven't gotten photos of everyone of them but here is number 10. Keeva is really enjoyedthis one...

Mashed potato flowers with pea centers, chicken pieces, cheese hearts, grapes, strawberry slices and carrots. If you can believe it she actually ate the carrots. You could have picked me up of the floor I was so shocked!

Early but munching

Recently the kids and I took a trip to Ireland. In the airport on the way out I got some not so delicious airport food. While I was eating it I had Dillon sitting on my lap. He was lunging toward my plate and then sat string at it with his hands clasped...seriously looked as if he was begging for some. A few day later he grabbed a chunk of bread out of my hand and tried to put it in his mouth and after that he grabbed a candy bar...Crunchie, I can't blame him and started sucking on it. This combined with and increased night time wakening despite nursing plenty prompted me to try and give him some solid food. So we got him some stage 1 Apples to try. Try I didn't need to he basically inhaled the whole thing...boy can this kid eat.

Patiently waiting in his seat...can you believe he can sit there so well!!

Here we go first bite...notice he is not wearing a bib....brave Mammy!!

Here we go first bit......

Reaction....not too bad

All done and remember he wasn't wearing a bib....not a drop spit back out...I told you this kid could eat.

Life Lately....

will it ever end. A glimmer of sun then more of this!

Proud to be a B*&^h

My life lately leaves me in total agreement with this......

BITCHOLOGY

When I stand up for
myself and my beliefs,
they call me a
bitch.

When I stand up for
those I love,
they call me a
bitch.

When I speak my mind, think my own thoughts
or do things my own way, they call me a
bitch.

Being a bitch
means I won't
compromise what's
in my heart.
It means I live my life MY way.
It means I won't allow anyone to step on me.

When I refuse to
tolerate injustice and
speak against it, I am
defined as a
bitch.

The same thing happens when I take time for
myself instead of being everyone's maid, or when I act a little selfish.

It means I have the courage and strength to allow myself to be who I truly am and won't become anyone else's idea of what they think I 'should' be.

I am outspoken, opinionated and determined. I want what I want and there is nothing wrong with that!
So try to stomp on me, just try to douse my inner flame, try to squash every ounce of beauty I hold within me.
You won't succeed.

And if that makes me a bitch ,so be it.
I embrace the title and am proud to bear it.

Ce que j'ai gagné
I know that this is long overdue on my apologies for my tardiness and also for not following through on the virtual gift opening party but life with a new baby and a five year old got in the way. So late but still as lovely the beautiful Cadeau from Ooh La La Cadeau.........
(My apologies again for the distorted way the presentation appears below. I had a terrible time trying to get the photos in and descriptions below them)
Sandy truely outdid herself and I can honestly say she will top my list next time I have a gift to send. Thank you Sandy....it continues to bring pleasure. And I have to say I love writing each night before bed with my rather feminine and fancy rose pen.....brings me back to my girlish days.....

What a beautiful surprise when we opened the gift

The even bigger surprise a beautifully wrapped gift just for our little princess. Boy was she excited pink and a heart "diamond" what more could she wish for....













.....just what was inside. A beautiful Paris notebook for a little girl who loves to doodle, a matching Eiffel Tower eraser, lip balm and the most beautiful bracelet.
Thank you for that surprise Sandy, it was ever so sweet:)


This is the one that was for me. Isn't it beautiful. So many beautiful colors and ribbons. I truly did not want to open it. So.....

Keeva did it for me......no hesitation on her part

The tissue paper was so beautifully folded with a gorgeous vintage sticker of the Eiffel Tower......and look what was under it.....ooooh!!


What a beautiful pen....had to wrestle this back from Keeva..

and a beautiful key ring....I won't lose those keys anymore









A lovely bath Pouch and Soaps...hmmm relaxation!






A Box of Beautiful French Stamps
And below gorgeous file folders which have since replaced all my boring manila ones!

"He likes pink Mammy"

In April Lisa of Maisie Eats Bento so very kindly sent Keeva a very beautiful Disney Princess Bento box. She loved it so much so that, I will finally admit, it went missing after it's first use. It's loss has been really bothering me and I have been dying with shame that I wasn't able to post a picture of it like I had promised. Finally a few days ago the mystery was solved. Were was it....in the freezer. Why.......because "he likes pink Mammy". Keeva had taken it and put Dillons teething rings in it. Apparantly Keeva was one day wearing a pink skirt with a pink top and Dillon followed her every move with amazment and, I do now remember the proclamation being made thatecided that Dillon's favorite color is pink. Not that she was running around yelling and screaming like a maniac and this is what had his attention no, it was that his favorite color is pink.
Therefore when this beautiful Bento box arrived Keeva the ever adoring big sister decided that it was only fitting that such a beautiful and very Pink item should house Dillons teething rings. being that we very rarely use our freezer it has taken this long to find it. So here you go the very Pink Bento Box...........
Isn't it beautiful!

Of course when we found it we had to make a Bento Lunch.....Peanut butter Butterfly and mini heart sandwiches, applesauce, wavy cut cheese stick and baby carrots. Keeva will not eat fresh carrots but guess what this day we had our first real Bento success she ate three of the carrots!!!!! Go Bento!