3 C's of Lent

Although I am not Catholic I like the idea of Lent and the fact Jesus gave up so much for us that we can honor him by doing something in return. Of course what we do is so minimal in comparison but I still like the idea. Last year I gave up Dr. Pepper and sweets. This year at church we were challenged with not only giving up something but maybe adding something in as well. I have decided to do both. I call it my 3 C's of Lent, Connect, Calories, Communicate.

CONNECT: Our church is doing their no regrets, one month to live challenge. So starting today, and for the next 30 days, Lonnie and I will be reading the book and living as if it were our last month on Earth. My goal is to have a better connection or re-connect with family, friends, church and all things we hold dear to our heart.

CALORIES: My good friend told me about the app My Fitness Pal, that I am totally addicted to(and it's free!!). If you want to lose weight or just maintain it you can use this app to calculate your ideal calorie intake and then it has a daily diary you can add up what you eat to let you know how you are doing to achieve your goals. Although I am not really trying to lose weight I do think it is important that I start keeping track of what I am putting in my body and have been amazed or I should say shocked at how many calories some things contain, yikes!! So I will be counting calories for the duration of Lent!


COMMUNICATE: This is actually something I am giving up. I am not giving up communicating(Lonnie might like that, haha) but the lack of meaningful or purposeful communication with my hubby, kids, family, friends because of time I like to spend checking fb! I am really not that bad but do enjoy checking status updates and it tends to drive Lonnie a little nuts so to show him and myself that it is not necessary I am taking a 40 day(technically started 2 days in) hiatus from Facebook!

I am hoping by blogging my goals that I will be held more accountable on achieving them. I do tend to have grand plans that end up just good ideas so I will revisit this post after Easter to see how I did.

Fabulous February- Part 3

To celebrate our anniversary, Lonnie and I planned a weekend get away to San Antonio. My sis-in-law told me that the new JW Marriot Hill Country http://www.jwsanantonio.com/ offered a state rate for teachers so I called and sure enough they do(see end of post). My parents watched the kids and on a Friday afternoon we were off. This place was a-m-azing!!!

Friday afternoon we checked in and explored the grounds. We felt guilty as we walked by the pool area with a lazy river, three water slides, hot tub, etc because it was heated so the kids would have had so much fun!

Below is the front of the hotel. Beautiful. Not only was there heated outdoor fun, but smores at night, outdoor and indoor fire places, 5 restaurants I think and a starbucks in the hotel!


We decided to go see a movie after checking in (which is a rare occassion) and went to see the Vow with about 1,000 other junior high/high school students on a Friday night then ate a late meal at Olive Garden afterwards!

Saturday we slept in until 9:00 (woo hoo)...then got up and got massages at the amazing La Vantana Spa. So relaxing. We then headed to do some shopping at the Shops at the Quarry. I can't remember the last time we shopped where we didn't have to just rush in and out because a kid was ansy and ready to go...it was sooo nice! When we returned they had delivered the goodies below to say Happy Anniversary!(not to mention they had upgraded our room as well)

So nice.

The view from our floor. After shopping we went to the hot tub and the spa for a little longer to use the steam rooms, sauna, etc...living the life ;) Then my brother and sis-in-law met us at the sports bar for dinner. Such a nice evening.

The view from our room. Sunday we slept in again then ate the wonderful breakfast buffet and headed home. Thanks to my parents for allowing us such a nice break to just get to hang out!

So about the discount.....When I called to make reservations I asked if they offered a state employee rate. They answered that they did and I would just need to bring my school photo id upon check in. At the time the room rate was $299 without taxes. We got our first night for $106 before taxes and the second night for $179 before taxes!!!!! Can you believe that? I don't know why the first night was that low but I think the standard is $179 which after you add in the resort fees and taxes I would say about $220 which is amazing considering in the summer the rooms are $399 a night!! and you can still use your discount then too( I have checked!) AND you get two rooms per state employee so those of you, like me, married to a teacher we can get four rooms at the discounted rate!! Needless to say I think we will be visiting the JW quite often in our future.

Fabulous February- Part 2

Like I mentioned in FF-Part 1, Lonnie and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary on

02-02-12. A few months back Lonnie made me a slideshow on the computer so I have included some "through our years" photos! I can't believe in the time we have been together(almost 12 years total) we have lived in 4 different cities, 1 apartment, 1 duplex, three houses, combined have had 10 different jobs, 2 dogs, three children and I think 6 different cars!!

Chi Omega Spring Formal- circa 2000

First trip together- Cancun, Spring Break 2000. We had been dating two months and two months later, Lonnie proposed on our 4 month anniversary and I said YES!

Our first children: Brynn and Broadie

December 11, 2004- Mallory Ann

couldn't resist a pic of Mallory's spiky hair(this one's for you Karen)!! Totally natural too

Meet Morgan Elise- November 9th, 2006

Galveston, TX Summer 2009

July 2010

December 2008

Proud Papa- February 9, 2010 Case Patrick

Best gifts ever!!

My honey bees

Spring 2011

What an amazing decade this one has been. Can't wait to see how we top it. Love you Lonnie!

Random rant interuppts Fabulous February

So I realized that most, if not all, of my posts are over the wonderful things that occur in my life. Who doesn't want to show off their great marriage, their children's accomplishments, their fun times with friends and family, their milestones, their vacations, etc....but to be fair for those other moms out there, especially working ones, I felt that I needed to post about the times when you aren't quite "perfect", when you are worn out, when you want to cry in the closet(yes I have done that), when you want to scream, cuss, hit something or someone, when you are not the Super Mom that everyone thinks you are......here is to those times :)

Let's rewind to I guess you could say October because that was when I came down with strep throat for the first time(right before a scheduled visit to see BFF Jennie that I had to cancel) then came November when we drove to CS on a Friday night to celebrate Paige's bday but had to turn around and drive back home without even going out because Case didn't feel well(ear infection). Next up, December right before Xmas break where we were hit with the stomach bug, all but Morgan. Then came January where I got strep throat again and this time so did Morgan. Now we are in February and last Friday the day before we were to go out of town for the weekend Case wakes up with pink eye, Tuesday I am on the way to take Morgan to get her speech tested(3rd time) and Case's sitter calls that he has fever and threw up. On my way back from appt, on way to pick up Case and Mallory's school calls because she is in the nurse's office with a 101 fever. I mean for real....comical really.

So needless to say I am worn a$% out on the sickness crap. I don't know if it is our weather or what but please God let it end! I love that when the kids are sick all they want is their momma but all they want is their momma! To sum up how I feel this is how my night went last night....

Picture this...last night at dinner Case eats a waffle while I am making Mallory poached eggs on toast. Morgan is starving and has asked for a fried egg and some mini pancakes(yes my fault for cooking 10 different meals!!) Anyway, Case gags on the ridiculous amount of snot he has and proceeds to almost throw up- deja vu to the day before when he actually did throw up all of his yogurt at the table in my hands...awesome. So after done gagging he says he wants more(mind you they have all just had a bath and Lonnie is gone at a fb clinic) so I make him one more - tend to Mallory's overcooked eggs and start on Morgan's...notice Case is smiling a lot so I ask Mal to get a wipe to help wipe his hands....Mallory says Mom we have a problem here, I didn't realize I left the syrup close enough to Case and open and therefore we now have half the bottle poured on his plate, on the table and yes in his lap...bath #2. And I hate the smell of syrup when I am not eating something with it!
Case goes down easy only to wake up with the sad, sad cry of Momma and proceeds to toss in turn in bed with me from 11:30-1:30(after multiple attempts at putting him down) seriously?!?! So I made yet another appt today for Case($100+ in copays this past week!!) because I can tell something is still wrong by the fact he didn't eat one donut hole this morning and he normally downs about 12 in a 3 mile radius!! Oh and did I mention that Lonnie and I are really watching what we eat right now and therefore I AM STARVING!!!!

WHEW.....now that feels better! To my mommy friends with newborns that won't sleep, toddlers that are turds, youngens that already know everything, preteens that pretend you aren't related and teenagers(well enough said) YOU ARE NOT ALONE when you have a bad day!!

I just have to remember that God would never give me anything I can't handle so I guess I feel pretty blessed that he thinks I am this strong :) Seriously though, although I am ranting I know there are many out there that would love to be in my position who for whatever reason are unable so in the end all I can do is thank God that he chose me for this wonderful, tiring, amazing, stressful, beautiful, joyous, blessed job called Motherhood.

Fabulous February- part 1

I am way behind in my posts(go figure!) but have a lot to share with everyone! I am sorry if they are a little out of order. On 2/2/12 Lonnie and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary! Woo-hoo(part 2 post with pics to follow) We had a wonderful dinner at Perry's and Lonnie got me a beautiful diamond tennis bracelet!

One week later on 2/9/12, Case Patrick Madison turned 2! We decided to celebrate this year before the Super Bowl with just our family.

Here was Case's DQ(new in the woods) ice cream "Cars" cake placed on one of the tiers of the cupcake stand(see must have's from Mansfield post!). Since we didn't have a big party I only used one tier!
As soon as he saw me bring in the cake he just kept saying cake, cake, cake. He even climbed in his chair wanting to eat it! Sounds like Lonnie ;)

Blowing out his candles!

Yum, yum, give me some!

Playing with his tractor from Mamaw and Papaw and his Corvette from Mammy and Papa Marc.

Here is Case on his actual bday at school with Mr. B. Can you tell Case just woke up?

I made funfetti cupcakes for his friends....they were eagerly awaiting :)

No Case did not have pink pants on....not sure what that is :)

How cute are the birthday hats they made for everyone!! Case LOVES Mr. B and Stacey!

Representing the only female in the group, Ms. A is Case's favorite!!

Cheese!!!

These taste yummy.

I took Case in for his two year check up and he was 35 inches(68%) and 28 lbs(52%). He is such a happy, sweet boy. He is talking like crazy and keeps us smiling all of the time. He still loves cars and now has started playing and really liking Little People stuff(he didn't have any before). His favorite word is still no and it amazes me as big as his vocabulary is I don't think I have ever heard the word yes!

On a side note I also took Mallory in for a wellness check(she turned 7 in Dec), they came back with her measurements and it said 25% for height, 75% for weight. The Dr. asked if I had any questions and I was like...um she is the tallest girl in her class and I know it doesn't really matter but that doesn't seem right. So she goes back and checks what the nurse found and sure enough...not even close to correct!! She was 51 inches(89%) height and 59 lbs(76%) weight.
She is my growing girl!!!!!