things started out innocently enough...

We went to the Zoo last Saturday over Memorial Day Weekend...Chase was ready with his map

He walked hanging off the railing on the curbs of the sidewalk the whole time...kind of stressful :o)
Addy doused herself in juice and got to ride home naked in just a diaper...she said it was quite liberating. I got to sit all the way in the back and read magazines, instead of being in charge of snacks, drinks and the DVD player...SWEET
Bruce gave Chase his first at-home haircut...he normally comes back from the barber with a "tight ass fade" as we like to call it...this time, he came down from the bathroom looking like I don't know what...but really cute. We ate outside and the sun was shining directly into Chase and I's eyes the whole time (note the hand down my shirt...he does that all the time...we are going to get so many calls from school when he gets older)
and the kids ended the meal with ice cream...Chase had a cone...and ate it naked in a pull-up
and Addy said to hell with it and used her hands...atta girl!

Grinning Ear to Ear...

Would you just look at this picture my mom emailed me? It just made my day

My mom titled it "Breakfast at the Club"...they really know how do to things right up in Bluemont. There is NO DENYING that Chase looks like my dad...buzz cuts and all. I love their little picnic table, even Addy can sit at it.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Plumbline Training

I know I wrote a post a while back about how excited I was to be getting ready to start the outdoor boot camp class thingy...and then I didn't post about it again. I have so much to say about it, I just don't want to jinx myself! :o)

OK...but I will!

We weigh in every Monday, and last week, my weight didn't drop a bit, even though all of my clothes were fitting better, etc. I was really bummed but then I put 2 and 2 together...I have REALLY UPPED my water intake...like BIG TIME...like, I'm 200lbs, so I'm drinking 100oz of water a day to flush out my system. After last weeks weigh in, I sat pouting during the kids bath time and a light-bulb flashed on...I'm drinking over 6 POUNDS OF WATER A DAY! (I love google by the way) So, the probability that I am getting rid of as much water as I am taking in is really low. (oh my god, I have to pee so bad right now, by the way) SO...flash forward to this past Monday...I weighed in 6lbs less! :O) YAY! Bruce lost 4 or 5 lbs the first week and another 4 or 5 pounds this week...totaling 9lbs...I just can't remember which week was how many lbs...you get it, I know.

I am enjoying our workouts so much...I'm so happy that Bruce is able to experience this class with me, because last summer it was women-only, so he just didn't "get it". I swear he is a changed man...much better mood, more positive, more energy and a just all-around more pleasant guy to be around :o) I'm sure I'm probably a bit more charming myself...haha.

Michael's workouts are NO JOKE and I am certain that I wouldn't push myself half as hard on my own...we are racing against each other and the clock to complete the "echoes" (as Michael calls them) of the stations. Anyway, I'm looking forward to finishing out this month's routine, and starting up next months session! My 2 SIL's are doing the class as well as our "cousin" Casey, who by the way, is ROCKING out in this class...she has been running a bunch here as of late and is training for the Marine Corps Marathon (I think that is the one) and she is crushing everyone's times. It's fun to workout as a group...that way you can moan and groan afterwords, and they feel your pain (literally!)

On our "off" days we have been trying to be consistent about working out on our own, in varying degrees...the least we have done is a walk around the lake with the kids in the jogging stroller...normally we try to do mini stations of squats, lunges, etc and intervals of running and walking, but Chase likes to walk/run too, so it takes a while...but it's great to see our little man enjoying himself and getting some much needed exercise as well! Bruce stayed home with the kids on Monday and took the kids around the lake twice before heading over to the park for another hour. I hate to say this, but BEFORE we started our program, he would have never had the motivation to do that! I am so proud of him.

I could go on and on but I have to get back to work...If you are interested in finding out more about Michael's classes, shoot me an email and I can forward on his latest program of info.

I'm here...

OK, I haven't been a good blogger as of late, I'll admit it. My reader is FULL of blog updates to read, and my head is full of ideas for posts, I just haven't had the time or motivation.

WORK has thankfully been REALLY busy, which is a great thing, since I'm in the real estate world...and real estate sucks right now :o) I have been busy lining up settlements for the end of the month and squaring away new listings, etc. Good stuff, I just can't seem to find enough hours in the day!

CAROL (my sister) comes home from Iraq for a few weeks of R&R in early June and I can't wait to see her!!! She is going to be blown away by Chase and Addy. I can't wait to get to spend some time with her and the rest of the fam.

CHASE is still ridiculous...and that is his new favorite word...check him out in his "daddy towel" (he wants to tuck his towel like his daddy...I used a hand towel on him the other day and it fit...how funny) my little stud

(Note Addy's cute little hiney in the background...she was getting ready to dump out her basket of diapers)

Addy is talking so much earlier than Chase...I think that is a girl thing, and it probably helps that she has her big brother to mimic all day long. Speaking of mimicking...she loves to do that...she'll copy what you say and do. It's too cute. She also talks to herself while doing something...for example, last night she was picking up her books before bedtime (Chase would NEVER do that!) and as she put each one back she'd say "good girl" and then when she was done, it was "all done" in her sweet little Minnie Mouse voice. Oh, she is too much! Also, she has an Elmo chair in her room that is red (duh) and really soft and fuzzy. After bath time, she loves to sit in it naked...I would too...it's that soft but I am clearly way too big. ANYWAY, she is very proud of herself that she has figured out how to sit in chairs by herself (IE: backing into them without having to crawl in and turn around) and it is HILARIOUS...she'll start out a few feet away and walk backwards until she meets up with the chair. And she is so proud of herself when she does it. Funny girl. Here's a picture of her from yesterday..she wanted me to tell everyone that just because it was rainy out, it doesn't mean she still can't look fabulous...hence the long sleeved onesie under her sundress...size 6-12 months...what's up with that?!?!?!

(She was much too busy with whatever brother was doing...)

My 2 and a half year old BEAST

We just switched pediatricians offices, and I am so happy I did. We found another office closer, nicer and newer...and they use laptops instead of charts, so it makes getting prescriptions filled much easier, b/c they file them electronically, so you don't have to wait for your meds to get filled when you go pick them up.

Anyhoo...

I took Chase to the Dr's this AM for this funky rash on his face...I had tried everything, and I knew it was a fungus b/c I had tried so many different creams (hydro cortisone, neosporin, OLD DR's office Prescribed ointments) and the only thing that seemed to at least shrink it down was anti-fungal cream. I wanted to make sure he wasn't going to die from all of the jock-itch/athletes foot cream I had been putting on his face, and he had been complaining about his ears.

SO, mommy-point for me, I WAS right, it is some sort of fungus (GROSS! I told him to stop rolling around on the McDonald's bathroom floor! Joking) but the Dr was able to prescribe a stronger dose than I can get over the counter to knock it out. He has beautiful skin (thanks Frannie! his Gma is Puerto Rican so both kids have great skin coloring) and it will be back to normal soon! And his ears are fine...whew. He's just a bit of a hypochondriac :o)

POINT of this email...Chase, my big boy 2 and a half year old...holy crap, this Saturday he is officially 30 months(!!!) weighed in at a whopping 37.7lbs! A BEAST! And he's not fat, he's just tall and "big" for his age.

Ok, in this picture, he looks like a fatty, but that's because he was all up in my grill when I was ACTUALLY trying to take a picture of his sister, and I just amused him for a second and took his picture...it shows his cheek-rash too.

The End.

Jogging Strollers

OK, we finally bit the bullet 2 weeks ago and we went out and bought a jogging stroller...we walked in to babies R us to get Addy a new big-girl carseat, and out we came with 2 big purchases...oops/yay! :o)


ANYWAY, we picked out a pretty cool stroller, tested out the floor model and grabbed the box
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2796629



and out we went! When we got home I put it together (that's my job...I'm the putter-together-er...you know what I mean) and holy shit, I realized it has a built-in MP3 speaker...like, you just plug your IPOD in and the kids can rock out while you are going for your run! How cool is that?

The kids love it, I love it, it's really easy to push while you are running, and the kids have plenty of room. The front wheel swivels when you want it to, or you can lock it in to place to run.

The only problem with it is that Chase tries to escape, because he'd rather run with us!


Cute story, on Saturday morning we got out to work out early, and still had the kids in their PJ's...Chase was wearing a rather heinous pair of white jammies with boats or something along those lines on it...and you know how kids jammies are supposed to be tight? Well, these weren't exactly flattering. So, Chase ran and walked 2 miles with us, waving to all of the neighbors driving by, and he had a blast...rocking his white jammies and light-up shoes...so he looked especially ridiculous.

But he was SO happy, and he got such great exercise, that it made up for us not being able to really run the whole time...he is 2.5 you know! :o)

Happy Mothers Day

We had a crazy Mother's day...I DID get to sleep in until almost 9 so I can't complain! Something about the nasty weather makes Chase a wild man...

Here's a never-ending list of why I am a Happy Mother:
*I have 2 wonderful children, silly and rotten at the same time.
*I have a wonderful husband, ditto on the silly and rotten :o)
*I am thankful to have my mom and dad so close by, so that my children will grow up knowing them, and enjoying their time together...not a day goes by that Chase tells me it's nice outside so he should go to grandma's house...or that he is packing to go to grandma's house.
*I am thankful to have my mother in law and father in law so involved in our lives and so close with the kids
*I am thankful to have an awesome sister, who is a wonderful friend and aunt to my children...who I miss every day and can't wait to see her in June!
*I have 2 great sister in law's who are wonderful Aunts to the kids and spend lots of time with them
*I love getting to snuggle with Chase
*I love it when Addy runs over and climbs in my lap when I am sitting on the floor
*I love it when Chase goes and gets a haircut with his daddy
*I love getting to put Addy's hair into pigtails
*I love turning around to see Addy sitting forward in her car seat now...it's so funny, you can tell she's kind of freaked out about it and I am hoping she'll be able to relax and take a nap in it soon!
*I love taking the kids for a run in our new jogging stroller and listening to the kids giggle and scream with glee for us to go faster...it's hilarious.

gotta get back to work, but I did want to say something about being grateful for being a mommy...it is the best job in the world...I'm glad I'm back at my day job today though! ;o)

Picnics & Choo-Choos

Man it has been a whirlwind of a few days around here!

Saturday we ran some errands in the AM and it was gorgeous outside, so we decided to have a picnic. I has hoping to meet up with my friend Amy who was in town, so we headed to Ida Lee park in Leesburg. On the way we swung through McDonalds to get the kids a nugget happy meal to "share" and then we stopped at Galletas in downtown Leesburg for sandwiches for Bruce and I. Yum. Needless to say, Chase was too busy to eat anything, and he ran around with the camera taking his own pictures (THAT was fun to download 50+ "special" pictures) so Addy was more than happy to have the nugget happy meal to herself. How cute was her dress?

Sunday we were SO excited to take the kids to A DAY OUT WITH THOMAS in Baltimore. Chase is a die-hard Thomas fan, so we booked this months ago, and didn't tell him a word about it. He has a DVD (one of 10 or so!) of Thomas which shows clips of a day out with Thomas from a few years ago, and he's obsessed with it...it's the "choo-choo kids" DVD, in case he asks you ;o) Anyway, we had a great day walking around checking out the trains, getting face paintings (on forearms and thighs, thank you) and getting to ride on a REAL train...I thought Chase was going to die. Addy had a great time too, and was excited to get to see so many boys, all at one time...she was beside herself.

We finished off the day with a late lunch down at the waterfront of crab cakes and Sam Adams Summer Ale...all in all, a fantastic weekend!
Chase on his choo choo ride...full of pretty "down-town" scenery...nice
They hook Thomas up to the end of the real train...and have conductors come through and punch your tickets and they give you a certificate...pretty serious stuff ;o)
Her sunglasses KILLED me...


Yesterday was my boss, Bob's 20th Annual Rotary Golf Tournament at River Creek Club. I had a hard day at work, basking in the sun and handing out jello shooters and tequila shots...all for a good cause. I got more sun than I thought and came home looking like a lobster :o( I even have a triangle on my chest where my buttons were unbuttoned...NICE...


AND last night was the 1st night of our bootcamp with Michael Thrash...the first day is always so humbling...you know, he weighs you in and then has you do all of these crazy exercises super fast, and you feel like a complete fatty douche-bag...but it really pays off...I can't wait to see how much our family loses in the first month! Bruce is doing it, and his sister's Erica and Tiff are doing it, as well as our "cousin" Casey...poor Michael! Erica and Casey did it last year and were the ones who got me into it...I'm mad b/c Erica and I ended last summer at the same weight, and she's starting camp 15lbs lighter then last year...I'm like 5lbs heaver than my final weigh in...gah! Casey was a show off and ran home from the marina...if you are familiar with River Creek...it has to be at least a 3 mile run from there to our house...SHOW OFF! She's training to run the Marine Corps Marathon this fall so she's tough and stuff, I guess :o)

Freaked out last night

OK, third post today...I'm on a roll.

Last night after Meredith's Dessert (I thought that was a great idea having it at night...I've never been to a "dessert" before!) I was getting in my truck, and my interior lights didn't come on when I got in...I was totally expecting to be strangled by someone sitting in the back seat...I know that is horrible to say, but I was pretty freaked out. They always turn on! I'll have to see if Bruce accidentally changed a setting.

I forgot my phone at home, and I knew it, so I was freaking myself out more, like, what if something would have happened, I would have no way to try to get help!

The worst part? As I pulled into the driveway, incident free, I noticed a bunny rabbit sitting in my parking spot...I shined the lights on it but I never saw it move...so I pulled into my spot, praying that he/she wasn't going to try to make a run for it and I wouldn't drive over it. I never saw it move, so I was freaking out thinking it was some rabid bunny rabbit (must click on link to get the full effect!) that was going to gnaw at my ankles as I stepped down out of the truck. I tippy-toed running all the way up the steps to the front door...

LAME ASS! I know it.

2 strikes...

Man! I am so mad at myself! Yesterday, I forgot my sports-bra, so I couldn't do kickboxing...I figured this out after I had already gotten undressed and halfway re-dressed.

TODAY...I made sure I had the sports-bra, but after I was dressed and went to put my shoes on, I realized I didn't have any effing socks! I can't do kickboxing without socks...my feet would be all cut up and blistered by the end of class.

What a loser! I haven't been all week due to various reasons...I guess I'll just head downstairs to the nail place and get a pedicure...I have to do something with my lunch break, right?

Damn, Damn, Damn!

Bootcamp starts Monday and I am going to get my butt kicked big-time!

If I get a postcard from a nudist colony, I won't be suprised

Chase, my 2-year old, LOVES being naked

While pulling off his pants to change his diaper this AM:
"Naked Legs!"
"Naked pee-pee!"
"No mama, Naked Boy!"

He does it for his feet too...if he doesn't want socks on, he says "Naked Toes!"

He also has a career as a stripper lined up, if he ever needs cash for beer in college :o) He whips his diaper off, like he's pulling off break-away pants, forward so it flies across the room...nice

Sort of reminds me of this:
http://www.funnyhub.com/videos/pages/videos/snl-chippendales-dance-off.html

Note to self: Teach Table Manners ASAP

Addy is so funny...these 2 video clips sum her up pretty well...impatient and independent like her mother ;o)

In this one she keeps pestering Chase for ice cream...he is such a good big brother and likes to feed her. Note the happy dance she does after he feeds her...and Chase's shout out to my sister Carol...(he thinks every video clip I take is for his Aunt Caw-wuw)