Miscellany Monday

click on the icon to link to Carissa's blog to check out other miscellany monday peeps.

1. I am one of those that doesn't follow her own advice. I am a dietitian, eating right and healthy should be what I do. However, with this new job I work 4 hours straight over lunch (because the goal is for me to observe their lunches.) So needless to say I have skipped my lunch 3x now.
Do you know that doing that makes you OVER eat?! Most people don't sadly. They think if they are going to "splurge" tonight then skip lunch, or worse breakfast! After "experimenting" this theory on myself I can say with 100% complete confidence that by doing so you will gorge yourself the rest of the night...I have become quite good at it.
Here's hoping I can figure out some sort of lunch break for myself...

2. We have a bird dog. His name is Toby. And yes, he is a 6# toy poodle. Go figure. He has captured 2 baby birds and the 3rd he found, well, let's just go with survival of the fittest wasn't this little bird strong point.


3. I get to see my sister, bil, and niece SOON!

This pic is a bit old, but it is all I have of the THREE of them together.

4. Eclipse here I come! Tues night at 1201 AM I will be surrounded by teeny boppers enjoying this 3rd installment. What can I say I guess I am an official "Twihard." Thanks to my little sis who hooks me on all this great stuff!


5. This past weekend was fun. I got to go to a HS friend's lingerie shower. It is a nice change up from baby showers! Unfortunately, I forgot my camera. :( But this was probably the best shower I had been to! I don't know when I have every laughed so hard in all my life. Thanks girls for all the laughs! (and stories ;) ).

6. For those of you interested I finally updated my shutterfly account with summer pics and ALL of Lo's One Year pics taken by Ginger! Click HERE to check it all out.

7. I love the 4th of July, it ranks as one of my top holidays to celebrate. I do not however enjoy the week preceding the "big" day. Why and who has the money to buy boat loads of fireworks to shoot off every. single. night. through the 5th?! Seriously. Some of us enjoy sleep!

And that concludes another edition of Miscellany Monday. Brought to you by Carissa.

To Landrey

Caught it!
Sending one back to you!!

picture taken by Ginger Skillen.

DeAr Larrdey,
I wub yoU and miSS you Too. Thhhissss MuCHHHhhh---------------------------------------->
I wAnt to see yOu now, moommy is maKiNG me wait. She sAyS it iS a LOooOOnNnnGGG waY! I will dO it ThOUgh to SEE You!
CaN wE gOO kiCk KiCK in yOUr pooL?
I wub YoU SoOOO MUcH!
Wub,

Go HERE to see the first letter.

Miscellany Monday (on Tues that should have posted Monday)

Note: So I schedule some of my blogs. This should have posted yesterday and I just got home from work and realized it didn't post...grrrr.

1. We went to the movie A-Team last Wed for a small group outing. I figured it would be ok I have sat through worse movies ::cough. Lord of the Rings:: that is 9 hours of my life I will never get back...anyway this movie was AWESOME. I laughed so hard throughout. The action was great. All this to say...go see it!

2. I finally got my prayer journal up and running. I back tracked all my old prayer requests and praises. Can I just say how amazing it was to go back again and read all God has done in my life and the life of my friends. Just going through those entries clearly shows God's amazing power. I highly encourage people to have a prayer/praise journal, it is a good place to go when you get down and forget about God's faithfulness to us.

3. My job is going really great! I am really enjoying what I do. I split my time between clinical work (ie checking on patient charts) and doing a food service audit. Making sure their facility is within the health code rules and regulations before the State gets their. And if time permits which so far it hasn't I get to do in-service trainings.

4. It is H-O-T! So we are spending plenty of time by the pool (both of them :) ).


5. I am in love with THIS pizza dough recipe. It is so quick and simple and I use it for all sorts of dough needing things like: pizza, bread sticks, bierock casserole and anything else you need a basic dough for. Just thought I would share in case any of you out there love to make bread like I do!!

Such a good little helper

Sort of a boring Miscellany Monday...I think I am running out of miscellany things. HA!

65 in 365 Update 6

RECAP:
Starting Nov. 19th, 2009 through Nov. 18th, 2010 I have the highest aspirations to get this list completed. I need my blog to keep me accountable. Currently, my list is only 27 36 50 54 57 60 tasks...I can't come up with 65 but I will add to it as I think of things, but let's face it, I may be hard pressed to get these 27 36 50 54 57 60 things done. HA!

1. Finish Leighton's First Year Scrapbook/Photobook by Feb. 15th.
2. Submit RD portfolio (approved!)
3. Do at least 30 continuing Eds. (39/30)--since I got here so quickly I am just going to keep adding to it, maybe I can get to 50 before the end. (39/50)
4. Get grocery budget to ~$150/mo. (complete after 4 months in a row 2/4)
5. Start exercising again...consistently! (complete after 4 months 2/4)
+do the 30 day shred. (8/30)
6. Complete at least 4 personal Bible studies (2/4)
7. Memorize at least 24 verses (6/24)
8. Read at least 12 adult books. (ie not kid's books) (4/12)
9. Finish decorating my basement.
10. Start going on monthly dates w/ the hubs. (7/12)
+do the Great Date Experiment (2/6)
11. Get Meg's HS Grad "project" done (MAY)
12. Get my storage closet under control.
13. Try 1 new recipe a month (6/12)
14. Volunteer at church
15. Research/Start own RD counseling career.--IP:not my own career but now a consultant which is a huge step in the right direction. Still would like my own counseling career someday.
16. Get all loose photos organized in albums
17. Donate excess clothes and stuff (2x/ year).
+donated 2009 stuff
18. Wipe clean my Mac and sell it. Any takers?!?!?
19. Organize/consolidate office area.
20. Create and implement cleaning schedule.
21. Clean fridge 1x every 6mo. (1/2)
22. Keep my photo site up to date every two weeks. (12/24)
23. Host at least 3 family dinners (3/3)
24. Start a vegetable garden--it has been "Started" whether it lives is a whole other issue...
25. Paint the house trim
26. Clean out window wells.
27. Clean and organize garage.
28. Learn how to draw a line through words on my blog :)
29. Get into a routine with Leighton. (after not having one for the last 10.5 months!) (complete after 3 months 3/3)
30. Work with Leighton consistently on sign language.
31. Read to Leighton at least once everyday.--(complete after 3 months 3/3)
32. Get in a play group or host one...basically GET OUT OF THE HOUSE! (at least 2x/mo. 6/24)
33. Make "school" scrapbook for hubby.
34. Be a better friend. Since Lo we have neglected some of these relationships. Go out w/ friends 1x every 6 wks at least. (7/8)
35. Strive to live up to Proverbs 31. (this will always be a work in progress)
36. Take more pictures of everything!(take at least 15 photos/month) (7/12mo)
37. Plan and pull off Leighton's FIRST birthday party.
38. Figure out a playroom/area for all these toys!!
39. Deep clean house 1x.--IP
40. Participate in Money Saving Mom Cooking Freezer day at least 1x.
41. Do an eat from the pantry challenge for 1 week at least 3x (2/3).
42. Create a "in my next house" list ;)
43. Create a "mud room" area for all our jackets/diaper bags/purses.
44. Get a new swimsuit for myself. The last one I got was for my honeymoon 6 years ago!!--can't find one I like...grrrr.
45. Plan and go on some kind of a vacation as a family.--a few quick trips IP
46. Have someone watch Lo over night, so Chad and I can have an over night date.
47. Keep Lo's scrapbook and baby book up-to-date.--Up-to-date
48. Take family pictures.
49. Take Lo's 1 year and 18 month pics.
50. Start a couples devotional.
51. Purge and organize file drawer.
52. Organize linen closet.
53. Organize and store Lo's clothes in space-saver bags. (we have been blessed w/ a lot of hand-me-downs!!)
54. Send/give handwritten notes/cards to friends and family through out the year. (6/24)
NEW!!
55. Go to a midnight showing of Eclipse.--Tickets purchased! :)
56. Create a compilation journal for all my pregnancy journal entries and Lo's "watch me grow" entries.--IP
57. Get Lo into swim time or gymnastic time (or both) this summer.
58. Get family pictures taken.
59. Start a Private online prayer journal.
60. Create a cycle menu.

Key:
IP= In Progress

Starting point
Update 1
Update 2
Update 3
Update 4
Update 5

Show Us Your Life: Proposal Story

It's time for another rousing edition of Show Us Your Life over at Kelly's Korner. This week's topic: Proposal Story (in case it was less than obvious from the title ;) ).

I wish I was this really great eloquent writer, like so many ladies I follow, but alas I am not so here is the short and sweet of our "Story."

It is weird when you know you are dating "the one." The one you know is your best friend, partner, cheerleader, confidant, and the man you are going to spend forever loving and growing old with. It didn't take us long perhaps a few months to "know" that we wanted to be married someday. We talked about it. A lot.

The time had finally come that Chad was ready to propose. Evidently, over Christmas 2002, he and his mother were scouting out rings. One evening he even took me to the jewelry store to try on rings, but really he was sneakily getting my ring size. Clever boy. I in typical Michele fashion was oblivious to what was happening. Perhaps I just didn't want to read too much into it...yes, that's it. :)


Chad's plan was to propose over Christmas. He wanted to tie the ring around Geoffrey the Giraffe's neck (because if you haven't figured it out by now I heart giraffe's and Geoffrey is my favorite. :) and then do the whole "will you marry me?" routine. However, his plans were thwarted when my dad got me the exact same Geoffrey as a fun Christmas present. Needless, to say he was bummed and out of ideas.

Fast forward to Jan 10th, 2003. We are out hanging out having our usual date day. Except today he keeps asking me if he can give me a present? I am someone who loves to wait to open presents it just saves up all the fun, once they are opened all the fun is over. So I kept saying later, later. That evening we went to see the movie Just Married with Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy. The movie was great, but you have seen it, it made Chad a little nervous for what was to come later in the evening. After our movie we went to Picadilly, talked and reminisced about our relationship.

See the tall bottle...that was my present.

Finally, we headed back to his house so I could open my present finally. I should have known something was up when his loud beagle was missing. When I opened the present it was a message in a bottle that said:

What a joy to know love
Like the love I share today
What a feeling to be blessed
Since the day you looked my way

So I say with these words
I will pledge my love to you
And swear with my heart
That all my love is true

With the warmth of my arm
I will hold you at my side
To propose those precious words
Will you be my loving bride?

As I was reading this poem, Chad got down on one knee with the ring. It took me a moment to completely understand what was going on. I was in complete shock.

The best shot of the "ring" I could find

And of course, I said YES!
We have been happily married for 6.5 years! Just one of many chapters in "The Story of Us."

Leighton doing somersaults

I am not completely sure where she learned to do this, but she loves doing somersaults. She actually is getting close to doing them by herself. I am really impressed because back in the day when I taught gymnastics I had 6 year olds who didn't do this well.

The video isn't edited well, so my apologies, but she insists on seeing herself on video,
so I had to do some choppy cutting.

16 Months

Sweet sister this is what you are up to at 16 months.

Milestones:
* You know all your facial features + hands and feet.
* You got your upper 1 year molars (w/o mommy knowing b/c I am that awesome), your 2 bottom lateral incisors, and we are still working on our bottom 1 year molars. That brings our teeth total to 10/12. All we need are our canines and we are set.
* You are no longer sucking your thumb.
* You are learning that we must sit on our bottoms on the couch, we don't want to have any more spills.

"sitting on the couch is no fun..."

Language Skills:
I have been having a middle panic attack about Lo's lack of language skills. All the other babies near her age (i.e. younger ::ahem Landrey, Avery :) ::) say tons of things.
I know, I know to each their own and don't compare, but don't lie we all do it. We want our babies to be doing the same things as other babies their age. I keep waiting each month for a language explosion. Finally, I decided to write down all the words I know she says and was pleasantly relieved to learn she does say more than just a few words.
*dada *mama *go go *ha! (hot) *duck *moo (for what does a cow say?) *hi *bye *mmmm=good
*ba BAH (Big Bird) *Da (dog) *Bah (boys) *bubus (bubbles) *ba (ball)

You are mimicking more which is a good sign and on top of all that you still signs all the basic signs...so overall communication is good.


Eating:
* Morning cheerios MUST have milk on them now.
* Mommy has finally let go and is allowing you to use a spoon to feed yourself. You are doing ok at it, but most of the time it is much quicker and more fun to just use our fingers.
* You don't like grilled meats. I don't get it, you will eat any kind of meat as long as daddy didn't grill it...I am sure this is not a reflection of daddy's grilling skills. :)
*Favorite snack is raisins.


Sleeping:
*Ah sleeping, my favorite subject. You have an internal alarm clock now...it is set for 6:45 AM!
*Naps are crazy you use to take 2 good naps and now it is like you are trying to transition to 1 nap, I AM NOT ready for that yet! We still can't figure you out, currently we still "make" you take 2 naps because I really feel like you need it...
*Bedtime is still 630/730 pm, just depends on how you napped.


Favorite toy(s)/book(s):
*You love love LOVE Elmo's world. That little monster is addicting to toddlers. When ever you hear the "lalalala...Elmo's world" song come on you stop everything you are doing to race in and watch.
* You got a baby doll stroller and love to push that thing everywhere.

We learned that we can fit in here and demand to be pushed...

*Favorite books are: Blues Clue, Where is Baby's Birthday Cake (mostly because these two have flaps), and The Big Hungry Bear and the Red, Ripe Strawberry.

This is our response to seeing Grandpa Billy being crazy.
He always gets such a big laugh and smile out of her.

Anecdotes/Quirky things you do:
* You are so thoughtful you are constantly "helping" the boys (aka Tucker) get their "lost" toys. I could care less if they stay "lost" all day, but your tender little heart won't let up until their precious toy is restored to them. Tucker really should appreciate you more than he does!
* You love stroller rides, every time you see your stroller you insist on a stroll around the block.
* You are a real pistol now changing your diaper. I honestly dread every diaper change now, I hate fighting you and listening to you throw a tantrum over a fresh diap!
* You love doing somersaults over and over again. I think you will be a little gymnast like mommy!
*As of late you have reverted back to crawling around like a baby. I don't get it. But you sure think it is funny.
*You have created a little reading corner in your playroom and love to go sit there and read or "text" on your cell phone, you know whatever. It is your special place.

Our friend Brody brought over this cool water table...it was so fun
mommy and daddy had to go get you one of your own.

Temperament:
You have such a sweet spirit and demeanor. You have an infectious personality that everyone flocks to. You light up the entire world with your smile and laughter. You heart is sensitive and tender. You are full of life and energy. You strive to be compliant, you don't like to disappoint. Rarely are you ever in trouble. I love watching you grow and you make us laugh all the time. I feel blessed to call you mine. I love you sweet girl!

STATS:
*I have no idea how much you weigh I am guessing around 17ish # (as of May 17th you were 17#2oz)
*Ht: still 27 inches (you have been that way since about 11/12 months)--you seem to get stuck at a height for several months and then grow 1-2 inches. Weird.
*You still wear a size 2 diaper.
*You are in 6-9-12 month clothes, just depends on the brand.

Well, it was an eventful month for our family and I am thankful it is behind us, thanks for joining me for another "watch me grow" update.

Miscellany Monday

I am just going to jump right in:

1. I like blog "topics" sometimes it really helps me focus my thoughts and slows down all the thoughts racing a 110mph through my brain. It is exhausting at times.

2. I am stressin' big time lately. And God is working on my heart in regards to that BIG time lately. This weekend at church we talked about the battle of "good" (Christ) vs. "evil" (our sin nature) going on inside of us. It was good to realize I am not alone in that, but a little depressing to me knowing that this war will never be over until I am with Jesus...I just have to keep winning little battles against my sin nature. Currently today sin nature is winning. And I don't like it!!!

3. On a positive note my littlest sister came over this weekend and we made Twilight Eclipse shirts. She is such a great artist so her's is awesome. Mine, well I just wanted to be clever. But for the record I am Team Edward and she is Team Jacob. If you don't get that well, then you might as well just skip over this point. I get the privilege to go with all her teeny bopper friends opening night at 12am! I better start napping now.

4. I have lost our routine. I had high hopes that when Chad was home for the summer things would get better and run smoother. Quite the contrary. The house is falling apart, I haven't worked out in 2-3 weeks, and our menu is anything but desirable. So I resolve to get on top of it again starting in July. I will be done with my 5 days of work for the quarter then, so hopefully I can get us back into the swing of things.

5. I have an old fashion prayer journal. It has been neglected. Not the praying part just the updating part. I like to keep track of when God answers prayers and all the praises I have. So I have decided to create a PRIVATE prayer blog. No one will see it except me. Which brings me to this a blog friend of mine wrote about prayer HERE and I feel the exact same way. So if any one has prayer requests they want me to pray for and add to my PRIVATE journal feel free to email me at mkeethler(at)gmail(dot)com.

6. I will close this crazy random miscellany Monday with this. Hot showers are the best. I seriously could take 2 or 3 a day. It is a refuge for me. It is where I love to think and pray and wash all my cares away. Who is with me? :)

Well, happy Monday everyone!

One Year Pictures

Two months ago my friend from HS and college roomie Ginger took Lo's one year pictures. Lo was 14 months, so we were a little late, but we have plenty of good excuses as to why. :) Anyway Ginger did an amazing job. I was so impressed. Plus, we had fun laughing and catching up.

Without further ado (is that how you spell that?!) here are a few of Lo's one year pictures. It was hard picking because they all are so good. All courtesy of Ginger Skillen photography!

Ginger had taken so many and narrowed it down to around 100! I was so thankful for a lot of the ones she "kept" that some photographers may have thrown out since they weren't always posey or smiley. Those are some of my favorites, capturing Lo in her true Lo Lo form!

Time for my wardrobe change.

"Bye, I am out of here."

Thank you Ginger for these wonderful pictures and a fun day!!

Zoo Trip in (mostly) Pictures

On Tuesday we braved the heat and the humidity (and thunderstorm/tornado watches and warnings for that matter) and headed to the zoo.
We are losing our minds being stuck at home all the time. So any activity is a welcomed activity, especially when said activity is free.


Normal Chad feels the need to take a zillion pictures of each animal we come across, but today he held it together only took a million each. HA! (which I shall spare you most of them).

Did you know what noise a Penguin makes?
It sounds like a donkey braying...seriously, who knew?!

This is one of the lion cubs and he kept pawing the glass to get that bag!

Overall, it was a blast watching Lo run around this time. Of course, she was amazed at all the ducks, geese, and birds because she never gets to see those. HA!

Lo was terrified of the gorilla. I mean screaming panic terrified.
That mean monkey punched at her through the glass and was quite
pleased with his bad self that he scared a little girl...mean monkey!

My favorite creature on the planet. They are just beautiful.

Grandma and Lo
(I fully expect this picture to be printed off w/in seconds it is viewed and promptly put on the fridge :) ).

Best part of the trip, Lo came home and went straight to bed and slept 'til 8am! (That is sleeping in people).