Busy Weekend

Last Thursday morning we headed off to Minnesota to visit with Bryan's brother and sister in law and their two kiddos.  We had been anticipating this trip since November so when I woke up Thursday morning not feeling too great I was bummed.  However, they told us to come on up if there was no fever, so we did!  Thankfully my sis-in-law-in-law is hippieish so she had some all natural remedies for me to try.  Some berry syrup and echinachea tea.
Thursday night the boys had a hockey game to go to so Alyssa and I were left at home to watch the four kiddos.  It was nice to sit and talk although we practically had to wait until the kids all went to bed.
Friday I felt like I got hit by a truck but I kept on with the syrup and tea.  Bryan had a lunch with a co-worker so we just hung around the house until about three then we headed to the Mall of America.
We went to the aquarium and then Buffalo Wild Wings.  Those two things plus all the walking to get there, trying to ride the Dora the Explorer Ferris Wheel but finding it was WAY too expensive, and buying the girls' swimsuits took us nearly 6 hours.  It was crazy that we hardly did anything!!
Saturday I was starting to feel way better so the manly men went out shooting at a range while us women stayed home with the kids (don't worry, they paid us back). After they got home, Alyssa and I went shopping with only her baby.  We went to the smaller mall (which was still way huge) and went in to Charlotte Russe.  Super cute store!!  We had so much fun trying things on, shoes, clothes, jewelry, it was great. We even found some super awesome deals so that made the trip even better.  We ended up spending 3 hours in just this one store but it was totally worth it.
We headed back and took the family swimming at the pool they have in their apartment.  It was great!  The kids had a blast and completely wore themselves out so we got them to bed pretty quickly once we got back to the house.  Then us adults ordered some Chinese food and watch Gran Torino.  Such a great movie!
Sunday I was feeling loads better (Thank you berry syrup!).  We went to church then to a pancake house for supper.  It was seriously some of the best breakfast food ever.  They even had gluten free foods so I was able to have the GF cinnamon french toast.  Yum.
All weekend Alyssa and I had talked about how we missed our nose piercings and that we should get them redone.  We didn't really have the opportunity until that afternoon and we thought that if we didn't do it right then, we weren't going to be able to.
So we found a shop and headed that way.  Sans kids!!  The place was called Aloha Monkey so we were super skeptical but we thought we'd try it out.  It was super clean, bright and everyone looked professional- even with all their tattoos!  The guy who helped us was really nice and did his best to calm our nerves.
I think once you get it done once you know it will hurt so it makes you even more anxious to get it done a second time!
Alyssa went first and did great.  Then it was my turn and I was still so nervous but I knew I really wanted it back so I was going to go through with it.  So glad this guy was super nice!!
He and I were joking about making sure it was done through the previous hole (which was very obviously still there) and when it was over he said "I made sure it was perfect cause otherwise you said you would've f***ed me up!" I laughed and said "yes but not in those words" and he replied "pretty close!" haha :)
Anyway, we had a lot of fun and are hoping to do it again in a few months.  But I think this time we'll need to save some money for all the shopping Alyssa and I like to do!

Sleep Less in Iowa

So, I don't normally do Lent, not being Catholic and all.  Well, that and I never really understood why people would give up things just because it was for lent.  Like, no internet or no sweets.  If you're not doing it to grow closer to God then what's the point?
(I know some people do give up those two things, among others, to grow closer to God, I'm just speaking of those that only give up things just to give them up for 40 days and for no other reason. Also, I'm speaking of no one in particular.)
But this year I've found something to give up, so I'm going to give it my best.

I've been following along with our church's Bible in a Year and it's going alright.  I really have to work

at finding the time, which, to me, is awful.  It's awful that I have to find the time to be in God's Word.  

So for 40 days I will be giving up an hour of sleep in the morning to be in God's Word.  

If you know me, you know I love my sleep.  I cherish it, mostly because I really need it.  Having hypothyroid I get really tired if I don't get plenty of sleep and I need about 10 hours every night.  And with no nap in the afternoon, my sleep at night becomes very precious.  And waking up in the middle of the night to nurse the Little, my extra morning sleep is even more precious.  So you can see what it is that I'm really giving up here.  You other momma's can relate!!
I guess this'll mean that I need to give up my evenings and go to bed earlier.  That's not easy since the hubs is a night owl (and really, so am I) and that's our time together.  But we'll get it figured out.  And then maybe we can have a new routine that really works after the 40 days is over.
I'm really going to give this my best shot.
Wish my God speed, or well wishes, or pray for me, or all the above!  Cause I'm gonna need it.

Do you have anything you're giving up for Lent?

How am I doing?

I have a rare moment to blog!  Yay!
I've been wanting to update how I'm doing with my New Years Goals.  I gotta say, I'm doing pretty great!

1. I have only had any kind of bread once and that was on some chinese food.  I felt terrible after eating it! Ugh.  So I haven't had it since.  And without any grains, I'm feeling really good.

2. I've also been doing pretty good without any sweets.  I haven't had anything since last year.  That is great for me.  Cause I love me some sweets.  Right now I'm craving brownies and chocolate covered cherries but I will prevail and not have a thing!  It's just what works for me.
So, by giving up grains and sweets alone, I have already lost 10 pounds and dropped a pant size!  Huzzah!  It's encouraging.

3. Now I'm going to start incorporating more exercise into my routine and hopefully my body will continue to show wonderful progress.

4. I'm still going strong with my Bible in a Year.  I will get a few days behind here and there but I'll catch back up.  I like the one we're doing.  It doesn't have you just read straight on through but different books with each other and it gives you a really cool perspective.

5. I am daily improving myself on being a better wife and momma.  It's definitely a challenge some days but I love my family and because of that I want to keep working hard at being better more.